Cheaha repairs half-done
by Daniel Gaddy
http://www.annistonstar.com/view/full_story/24650921/article-Chinnabee-opens-for-day-use--Cheaha-repairs-half-done?instance=home_lead_story
[email protected] 02:15 PM, Thursday, February 27
The Lake Chinnabee recreation area in the Talladega National Forest will reopen for day use Saturday, after being closed for nearly a year due to flooding, officials announced Thursday.
The site closed to the public May 18.
Scott Layfield, acting district ranger for the forest’s Talladega District, said that in the spring of last year, an early morning flash flood dumped 8 inches of rain in the area, stranding 20 hikers at the recreation site.
“It's not an event that we see often,” Layfield said.
Though he was not part of the rescue, Layfield said it’s his understanding that members of Clay County Search and Rescue used boats to get the hikers out.
U.S Forest Service officials kept the recreation site closed to clean up damage and to conduct a survey of the area for safety.
According to forest officials, eight camping sites at Lake Chinnabee are within floodplains.
Gloria Nielsen, district ranger of the Talladega District, was quoted in a press release issued Thursday as saying that opening the site for day use will allow residents to safely use the location. Day-use classification means visitors must leave the site by nightfall.
“We believe visitors are more alert to changing weather patterns during the day and able to react more quickly and safely during the day should a flood event occur,” Nielsen was quoted as saying in the release.
Layfield said that while the recreation area will be closed during the night, the nearby hiking trails will remain open.
According to the release, 115,000 acres of the Talladega National Forest’s Talladega Ranger District are open to public use at all times and visitors may camp anywhere in the forest outside recreation areas at any time. During hunting seasons, however, visitors must stay in a designated hunter camp, camping area or get a camping permit from park officials.
Layfield encouraged park visitors to go to www.fs.usda.gov/alabama and click on the “Know Before You Go” section for safety and weather alerts for state parks.
Cleanup of Cheaha park storm damage half-complete
Representatives from Cheaha State Park said Thursday that the cleanup of more than 1,000 trees downed by a recent snowstorm is about 50 percent complete.
Mary Carrac, a front desk clerk at the park, said officials did not have a tentative opening date.
She said Thursday afternoon that maintenance crews with the park and workers from the Alabama Department of Transportation were still working to clean up the damage.
Efforts to reach Cheaha State Park Superintendent Tammy Power were unsuccessful Thursday.
Power told The Star last week that Cheaha — Alabama’s highest peak at an elevation of 2,407 feet above sea level — is susceptible to heavy winds. The high winds coupled with a coating of ice from the recent winter storm brought the most damage the park has seen since Hurricane Opal in 1995. Power said some trees collected as much as 6 inches of ice.
Park officials have invited volunteers to help with cleanup efforts.
Carrac said a volunteer day is set for Sunday, and anyone interested can reach staff at 1-800-610-5801 or simply come to the park with rakes or a chainsaw.
“We’re welcoming anyone that’s willing to come up and give us a hand,” she said.
Assistant Metro Editor Daniel Gaddy: 256-235-3560. On Twitter @DGaddy_Star.
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