# China Meadows



## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Rumor has it..... :roll: 

Heavy equipment has moved into the China Meadows area to start removing the trees damaged by them beetles. 3/4 of the existing standing tree's are to be removed between now and sometime next year. According to my source, the roads through that area will be closed to public use and the only way in will be through the back way, a rough, rugged road. 

Anybody know anything about this? :?


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## hunter_orange13 (Oct 11, 2008)

i went there this year and it was awesome!


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

.45 said:


> Rumor has it..... :roll:
> 
> Heavy equipment has moved into the China Meadows area to start removing the trees damaged by them beetles. 3/4 of the existing standing tree's are to be removed between now and sometime next year. According to my source, the roads through that area will be closed to public use and the only way in will be through the back way, a rough, rugged road.
> 
> Anybody know anything about this? :?


I started that rumor to keep your grubby little fishing pole out of those waters! :lol: 
Actually haven't heard that. I hope it stays open cause the back way is extremely rough.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

The Naturalist said:


> *I started that rumor to keep your grubby little fishing pole out of those waters! :lol: *
> Actually haven't heard that. I hope it stays open cause the back way is extremely rough.


 :shock: :shock:

Just think.....it will sure be nice to sneak in the back way, you'll probably have the whole place to yourself !! You do drive a Chevy...right??


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I was trying to check the USFS web site but it appears down. They normally have a list of proposed projects and a time frame for them. I guess you could just try calling the ranger district


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## Utahgreenhead (Apr 28, 2009)

Would somebody mind either telling me or Pm'ing me where china meadows are? I don't want to hot spot anywhere, just curious is all.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

North slope of the Uintas on the Smiths Fork.


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## shotgunwill (May 16, 2008)

From Evanston, drive towards the Uintahs, and you will soon see a sign once you get to the Uintahs, and it will point you in the right direction.


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## hunter_orange13 (Oct 11, 2008)

isn't there a trail to hike up there? is that still open?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

The North Slope Road is as rough as I've seen it for 25 years.

I recommend going to Mountain View WY and then follow the signs south to Stateline Reservoir.

The China Meadows Trailhead was open in mid-August. There is a $2.00 parking fee now. Good grief.


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## Jed (Feb 25, 2009)

Glad they're finally clearing those dead pines. Those bark beetles have really done a lot of damage throughout the West over the last several years. One of these days those old dead pines are going to burn in an inferno that will be like nothing we've ever seen before.


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

Jed said:


> Glad they're finally clearing those dead pines. Those bark beetles have really done a lot of damage throughout the West over the last several years. One of these days those old dead pines are going to burn in an inferno that will be like nothing we've ever seen before.


It would be a blaze to remember. Its all cyclic. The pines grow, the beetles come, the pines die, fire burns out the dead wood and the beetles, fire regenerates the pines (Lodgepole pines have the type of cones that release their seeds after a fire), then we start all over again. 
Anyways, thats Natures way - in todays world though everything needs to be managed.


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## cfarnwide (Sep 10, 2007)

Would this help the elk and deer herds? If its a large scale project would opening up the forest floor to sunlight increase food sources for big game?


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## The Naturalist (Oct 13, 2007)

cfarnwide said:


> Would this help the elk and deer herds? If its a large scale project would opening up the forest floor to sunlight increase food sources for big game?


Yes, there is not much forage in dense Lodgepole pine forests. How to do that without creating too much destruction is the question. Seems like they have had some troubles of late with "controlled" burns. Opening up those dead zones would create more forage areas, and improve Deer, Elk, and Moose populations.


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

My wife and I met an FS biologist at Little Lyman Lake last summer and had a very interesting conversation with him. He said that the bug killed treas are not as susceptible to fire as you might think. Once the dead needles are gone they are not that easy to start. Of course while the dead needles are still on the trees they are very volatile. I asked him what really can be done practically and he said "just harvest all the dead trees you can and replant". That makes sense to me. I know that the FS is not very anxious to build new roads and is more concerned with closing existing roads but it seems that if some roads were built to access some now inaccessible areas to harvest the dead trees, it would be beneficial for the forest in the long run. Then if not wanted the roads could then be closed. It was interesting to me to note that at least the FS biologists are on board and using comm on sense. Unfortunately the administrators seem to be lead more by political opinion than by scientific and common sense.


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