Klamath County moves ahead on Spence Mountain fuel reduction, addresses locked-gate concerns

The Klamath County Board of Commissioners on March 10 authorized county staff to seek contractors for fuel-reduction work at Spence Mountain and approved an access permit for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, after residents complained about a locked gate that limits vehicular access.

Jeremy Morris, Public Works Director, said the county has a $160,400 recreation grant earmarked for Spence Mountain that will fund 40 acres of fuel reduction, 2.5 miles of roadside vegetation management to create fire breaks and one mile of gravel road reconstruction. Morris said the initial work under the procurement will cover roughly 30 acres at Shoal Water and 10–15 acres along the Highway 140 trail. Commissioner Nichols moved to authorize the Public Works Director to issue a request for quotes for the fuels-reduction work; Commissioner DeGroot seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

John McFarland and Jerry Bowles raised concerns about a locked gate at Spence Mountain and how it affects public access. Commissioner Minty and Commissioner Nichols responded that the gate closure was implemented to address problems with squatters, fire hazards and trash dumping, and clarified that although vehicular access is restricted, the land remains open to the public through controlled entry points. Commissioners encouraged continued dialogue with concerned citizens and suggested exploring seasonal access adjustments and volunteer involvement in monitoring and maintenance, including ways to improve access for disabled and elderly residents.

Terry Wells, Property Manager, and Morris also requested authorization for the Chair to sign an access permit granting ODFW entry to Spence Mountain to support fire response and training activities; Commissioner DeGroot moved to authorize the Chair to sign the permit, Commissioner Nichols seconded and the Board approved the motion unanimously.

Morris reported annual visitation to Spence Mountain of approximately 10,000 people, about half from outside the area, and estimated roughly $900,000 in tourism-related economic impact; those figures were provided to the Board as part of the request to proceed with the fuel-reduction procurement.

The Board directed staff to continue reviewing access and management options for Spence Mountain and signaled openness to developing a collaborative management plan involving volunteer groups. No further formal actions were recorded at the meeting on this item.