Tahoe Mountain News -- Angora access

This is the unedited version of what appeared in the July Tahoe Mountain News:


Angora Lakes open, most of burn area off-limits

By Kathryn Reed

No biking, hiking or fun of any kind is allowed in the Angora Fire area through at least Nov. 30.
“It’s an area that will have some hazards – primarily hazard trees,” explained Rex Norman, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. “In steep areas you have boulders and logs that will become dislodges that can roll around for a while.”
He said the danger will increase in the short term because damaged or injured trees will die and therefore become prone to toppling over.
Continual assessment will be done in the forest to determine which areas might be gradually opened up to hikers or others who like to play in the outdoors.
Norman did say that even though sections of the burn area are popular with locals, not a lot of tourists frequent the area.
Signs have been posted to keep out. More Forest Service personnel and law enforcement officers are patrolling the area to make sure people abide by the rules.
Angora Lakes Resort is open for business. Day trippers can get there via foot or bike. The road is open to guests renting one of the eight cabins as well as to folks who own summer cabins at the lower lake.
“We definitely had the slowest Fourth of July in history,” said Eric Hildinger, manager and one of the resort’s owners.
About 100 people were evacuated from the resort. They were back in business on July 2. Sierra Pacific Power had electricity running by July 1.
Hildinger said his family is grateful the fire crews, law enforcement and other personnel who helped keep the blaze from reaching their place.