Jeff, right now the USFS and the CHS are kind of in a state of shock. They didn't know any of this and are reacting slowly, but picking up speed. Our new access from the North is fraught with legal perrils so we are locating land owners to get writen permission to use there property to access the site. When that is done..hopefully soon, we will have an official special use permit, from the USFS including a letter or endorsement from them, the CHS to add to the one we already have from Jefferson County H.S. Presently the USFS is gating off the South access to the Crossons site with a new tube steel gate, high up on top of the bluff. The Hi-Meadows fire errosion has turned fire road #139 into a potential death trap. The USFS is also going to post the area with signs warning of federal penalties for tresspass on a historic archaeologic site. Their law enforcement types were briefed yesterday at the USFS, and they seem very serious about protecting this area, especially in light of the fact that in our first trip, two weeks ago, we spotted five new tree cuttings on site, that are clearly illegal. In about two or three weeks, we will take our team in, cross the river on my Avon river raft, to survey the site and drive stakes on the property line from the 1880 deed map. We will also rent a very hi-tech metal detector to try to locate a spike trail each side of the long and straight, raised mount of earth in front of the furnace remains which we thing was the DSP&P spur line from the main. If we can proove that by locating those spikes it will go a long way in confirming the newspaper reports of the rr bridge construction. I'm working now on borrowing a helicopter and pilot for an aerial survey of oblique photos to aid in our efforts. Maping of the site and using my GPS receiver will help in our mapping...and exact positioning of site building remains, the furnace and chimney. Lot of fun but a helluva lot of hard work, sweat and dollars. Wish us luck. Confidentially, it IS kind of fun to have found something that even the experts have overlooked. Grins,..."Bo"
