Forest Glen Update

We are experiencing spring conditions a bit early this year.  Hopefully, there’s plenty of winter left, but, in the meantime the road is going through the diurnal freeze/thaw cycle that can produce both slushy and icy conditions.  The other thing I noticed is that ruts produced by tires can leave channels that will collect water, which will deepen the ruts, particularly on hills where the water can flow.  Fortunately Paul Nell, a plowing professional, has strategies to deal with these conditions.  The road was very slushy and rutty on Thursday.  He groomed it Thursday night and I‘m happy to report, as of 11AM on Friday morning, the roads are excellent with few ruts and holes, and little ice.  Still, for foot traffic, spikes/grips are recommended/required because there are some icy patches.

I took some pictures of the road on the front side.  The back side is pretty much unaffected by the freeze/thaw.  The Forest Glen and Wildflower roads are in good condition.  One concern on Skyline is that there are four snow mobiles and trailers parked in the two turn-outs by the gate.  One is blocking the fire hydrant.  These snowmobiles prevent plowing the turn-outs and prevent turn-out by vehicles.  The next place to pass after Guardsman is all the way down the hill in Wheeler’s driveway.  I haven’t had a problem with this situation, but I don’t know if others have.  Perhaps the four can fit in one turn-out leaving the other for vehicles.

Other news. 

The Harvey's received an Occupancy Permit....Yea!

After years of being on the market, two more B/C cabins were recently put “under agreement”, thanks in no small part to the plowed roads.  Apparently there’s not much left on the market.  We received a cold call from a Realtor yesterday asking if we’d be interested in selling our cabin.

With regard to the Sewer survey that was recently mailed out to homeowners, I thought the “facts” were one sided, bordering on scare tactics: “Banks and mortgage companies have started to refuse mortgages on homes not connected to the sewer, making it difficult to sell a home or refinance”.  We and others have had no problem refinancing.  With respect to the watershed, I would argue that our septic systems are friendlier than a sewer.  First of all, we are a long way from the creek with a highway in between.  Our “greywater” leaching fields return “irrigation quality” water to the aquifer.  Most of us limit flushes of blackwater to preserve our holding tanks.  Connected to a sewer, the greywater would be lost, we’d use more water for flushing, and produce ten times as much waste…..just my opinion.  On the flip side, marginally buildable lots would be buildable; there would be little or no restriction on the number of bedrooms (we were limited to two); and cabins with marginal or failing systems would have a choice between repair and connection.  From an individual perspective I am not in favor of the sewer project, because there’s a huge cost with no practical or hypothetical benefit.  From a neighborhood perspective, I’m less sure. 

Don Pickard 12325 Skyline View Lane

Forest Glen Update

Based on gate usage data and observations, 36/50 cabins (72%) were used so far this winter.  Of those 36 cabins, 29/36 (81%) drove in on the plowed roads, and the remaining 7/36 (19%) only parked on Guardsman Pass Road (GPR) and used other means to access their cabins.  During weekends, there were typically 24 cars parked within Forest Glen and 6 parked on GPR.

A private group of 23 homeowners paid for maintenance this winter, and although it was an average snow season at best, there were no times when the road was not open for 4wd vehicles and snow tires.  It has also been very affordable.  The 23 paid $300/each into a fund that still remains.

HOA dues were used to pay for the maintenance of GPR for the convenience of the 7 homeowners that exclusively parked there, as well as trucks and trailers of snowmobilers.  It should be noted that had our roads not been plowed, the 12 vehicles owed by daily residents would have taken most of the spots on GPR, and most of the weekend and weekly owners would have had no place to park.

Forest Glen has changed.  Some may argue for the worst, but most for the better.  The waterline project not only provided a more secure water supply, it enabled plowing and the ability to enjoy nearly effortless access.  Plowing has been an experiment this winter….a very successful experiment.  The doomsayer’s predictions of high cost and disaster has not occurred.  For those selling, buying, and going through appraisals, refinancing and insurance, this is good news. We had our cabin appraised in January, and I drove the appraiser around the neighborhood.  There was no question about winter access, and the appraisal came in at about 20% higher than I expected. We have since refinanced, and there are no concerns about fraud or with-holding information about winter access.

For the homeowners and their guests that enjoy the winter bounty of the Big Cottonwood Canyon, it’s even better news. It now only takes a few minutes to get to Brighton and Solitude.  Hauling groceries and trash doesn't have to be an arduous time consuming chore. There are far fewer screaming, smelly snowmobiles.  The snow banks contain the noise and headlights of those snowmobiles that do come by (appreciated by those who live on the downhill side of the road). The roads are very walkable, skiable, and driveable.  Most importantly, the roads provided a safe, secure, easily accessible place to park…our cabins.

Guardsman’s parking is unsustainable. Ironically, this low snow year reduced GPR parking by limiting the amount that the bank could be extended.  Instead of perpendicular parking, there was only room for parallel parking, about 15 spots.  Had our roads not been plowed, these spots would have been taken by daily parking eliminating the possibility of weekend parking. 

As you can see from the pictures below, taken at the end of February, Paul Nell has done an excellent job maintaining our roads.  Even the Wildflower hill is very driveable.

Don Pickard 12325 Skyline View Lane

Forest Glen Update

After a couple weeks of little or no snow, NOAA reported 34” at Brighton over the last week.  Paul Nell has done an excellent job of maintaining the Forest GIen Roads.  We’ve had no problems driving in and out at any time.  Paul has managed to stretch the $300 paid by 22 cabins all the way from our first snow fall on Oct 24 to Jan 31, so the high cost of plowing that we all feared has been, so far, unrealized.  Curtis reported that 28 of the 51 B/C cabins (and 1 A cabin) were accessed through our gate since the first of the year, so many of our neighbors have been enjoying this beautiful winter.  Besides skiing and snowboarding at Solitude and Brighton we’ve enjoyed a lot of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in the back-country.  There’s also no inversion up here, only crisp clean air.  So we hope to see everyone visit Forest Glen this winter.

Don Pickard 12325 E Skyline View lane