Starting Friday, January 17, 2020, noon to 2:00 PM and every 2 weeks thereafter on Fridays.The ride will be about 2-3 hours and vary from week to week, the pace will be strong beginner/intermediate depending on the group. Ride will be 10-15 miles depending on the group.  Mountain Bike, Single Speed or Cross Bike. Photo credit Auburn Cycling MeetUp.
Meet in the parking lot at Hidden Falls. Any questions/problems/running behind call or text Steve Smollen 916-539-0386
CLICK HERE for the MeetUp group information.

Nevada City, Calif. January 8, 2020 – The Tahoe National Forest will be hosting several public information meetings this month to discuss a proposed amendment to the Tahoe National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. Presentations and discussions at the public meeting will cover:

•  - The historic and present role of natural fire within the Tahoe National Forest
•  - Details of the proposed amendment that would expand opportunities to use naturally ignited, lightning-caused wildfires (natural fire) to achieve multiple resource benefits
•  - The process for amending the Tahoe National Forest Land and Resources Management Plan
• ​
  

The Tahoe National Forest is initiating scoping for a proposed amendment to the Tahoe National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan that would expand opportunities for using natural fire to achieve multiple resource benefits, including enhancing forest resilience; reducing the risk for large, damaging wildfires; stabilizing carbon storage; improving watershed health and function; and protecting public health and safety.


Public Information Meeting Schedule
Truckee Ranger District 10811 Stockrest Springs Rd, Truckee, CA 96161 January 21, 2020 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Supervisor’s Office—Nevada City 631 Coyote St, Nevada City, CA 95959 January 23, 2020 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
American River Ranger District 22830 Foresthill Rd, Foresthill, CA 95631 January 28, 2020 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Yuba River Ranger District 15924 Highway 49, Camptonville, CA 95922 January 29, 2020 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Sierraville Ranger District 317 South Lincoln St, Sierraville, CA 96126 January 30, 2020 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  

For questions and comments, please contact
Joe Flannery, Tahoe National Forest Public Affairs Officer at (530) 478-6205 or joseph.flannery@usda.gov.

CLICK HERE to see the original article in YubaNet.com

January 2 at 3:57 PM
Trail notice - please do not ride on California loop until further notice. There is an impassable slide about half way down trail near Peachstone creek and the trail is also not safe from Ford's bar to Sandy Bottoms due to trees down and erosion from winter storms. The trails team has trained trail stewards in place who are organizing to fix these locations and we will notify you when these repairs have been made.

As a reminder, El Dorado Canyon from Deadwood to El Dorado Creek is also not currently safe for horses until trail repairs have been made. Thank you for respecting the trails and staying safe.

If you would like to assist, we annually spend about $30,000 on trail maintenance and repairs. Winter and Spring are our busiest seasons clearing downed trees and repairing the trail bed as needed. We appreciate your support.

Please contact the Western States Trail Foundation for any further information or to support their organization.

TBF RACING holds several MTB and combo race events on Granite Bay multi use trails this month. Heads up.
For the full calendar of their race events, CLICK HERE.

--Jan. 4th
Total Body Fitness New Year’s Duathlon
Duathlon and 5k event at Granite Bay. Run uses Oak Beach, Granite Main, Mooney Ridge. Road bike course uses Granite Beach, Oak Beach, Doton’s Point, Beeks Bight.
North Granite closure until noon.

--Jan. 5th
Woodcreek Mountain Bike Team Simulated Race Event
Simulated race with start and finish at Granite Main. Granite Bay multi-use trail.

--Jan. 11th
Total Body Fitness IPA Trail Run
12 miler and 5k event at Granite Bay. Uses Granite Main, Mooney Ridge, Old County, Beek’s Bight and Doton’s Point.

--Jan. 12th
Total Body Fitness MTB Kickstart
Mountain biking event at Granite Bay. Course uses multi use trails from Granite Main to Old County, Oak Point, Beek’s Bight and Doton’s Point.

--Jan. 25th
Total Body Fitness Gumby 10k/5k/Duathlon Granite Bay. Run uses Granite Main, Oak Point, Old County, Beek’s Bight and Doton’s Point. Mountain biking on the multi-use trail.
​
--Jan. 26th
Total Body Fitness MTB Classic Granite Bay
Mountain biking event at Granite Bay. Course uses multi use trails from Granite Main to Old County, Oak Point, Beek’s Bight and Doton’s Point.

For more information all all TBF Racing events, call Mark Shaw 916-995-6676 or email  Mark@totalbodyfitness.com


   ​

Cascade Canal Trail is close to home, by Mary West.  

Temperatures are cool. The leaves changed color and fallen at our feet. We day hikers can come down out of the High Sierra and smell the earth closer to home. Nevada County has a few hidden gems for day hikers and one of them is the Cascade Canal Trail. This is actually several trails in one.
​
This 4.5-mile trail begins in Nevada City off Gracie Road near Banner Lava Cap Road. Parking is limited. From Interstate 80 east, take the exit for Highway 49 toward Grass Valley. Follow CA-49 N to Gold Flat Road. Take exit 185A from CA-49 N. Turn Right onto Gracie. The trail head is maybe 700 feet from the intersection with Banner Lava Cap Road. 

Dogs on leash are welcome. I love how a trail keeps my memories, much like a song. When I return to a trail I am reminded of who I was with, and what I was thinking on my last visit. Maybe it’s just me, but winter hikes excite me as much as flowers in spring. Fall leaves, thick moss, tiny mushrooms and watch out for banana slugs under foot. It's like a complete makeover of our outside world.

​Photo credit: Mary WestBack to the trail.
Much of the distance on this trail follows an NID canal, providing a level flat surface of native soil. You can extend this trek another three-quarters of a mile or so by adding the Orene Wetherall Trail. The sign is on the left of the canal trail. This side trail is a series of switchbacks down to a nice bench with a great spot for bird watching. The Noel Carter Loop Trail is located near the bench as well. Another nice diversion is Woodpecker Way Access Trail. Orene Wetherall Trail is an easy trail headed down but I would call it moderate on the way up. I enjoy the many trail dedications, and other trail notes along the way. It tells me someone cares about these places as much as I do.

Returning back to the Canal Trail you can turn right to the trail head or you can make a left and enjoy a nice view of the Nevada City area through the pines. The variety of conifers is delightful. If I had anything critical to say about this trail it would be the noise of a nearby outdoor shooting range, and this trail must be in the flight path of the airport. If you can tune those out, this is a fine trail to stroll on a winter day.
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Mary West is author of the book series "Day Hiker: Gold Country Trail Guide." The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, and favorite hikes in Northern California’s Gold Country and beyond (available on Amazon). West was a recipient of a 2017 and 2019 CRAFT Award for Best Outdoor Column by the Outdoor Writers of California. Follow West on Facebook and Instagram.

CLICK here to see the original article and photos.

From Eldorado National Forest administration: Recreation Facility Renovation Project and Recreation Area Facility Upgrades Are Coming Soon. Please pardon our dust while we make some exciting improvements to recreation sites associated with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s Upper American River Project in El Dorado County. Over the next few years, many of the facilities will be upgraded, and several new features added for your future enjoyment. The work will require some sites to be temporarily or completely closed during construction within the timeframes below. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Schedule of improvements and temporary closures:

• Schedule and Map (pdf)

2019 Renovations (Reopen in 2020)

• Camino Cove Campground 
• North Union Valley Road 
• Wolf Creek Campground 
• Lakeshore Drive (Ice House northshore past Strawberry Campground)
• Northshore RV Campground
• Slab Creek Reservoir (Not on map)

2020Pacific Ranger District, Crystal Basin Recreation Area

• Construction of the Union Valley Bike Trail Phase 1- this will be an extension of the trail from Wench Creek to Yellowjacket.  Partial closures/controlled traffic are anticipated for Wench Creek CG and Yellowjacket CG & Boat Launch
• New toilets will be installed at Buck Island Reservoir off of the Rubicon 4x4 Trail.  No closures are anticipated at this time.

Placerville Ranger District

• Construction of Slab Creek boating run take out
• Brush Creek Reservoir Boat Launch Development

Notes

• Closures are subject to change.
• Please check with the U.S. Forest Service for updates.

CLICK HERE for original press release from Eldorado National Forest.

CLICK HERE to access PDF of map and closures

"The Truckee Dirt Fondo is a wild ride into the gravel and dirt roads of majestic Tahoe National Forest." - Bike Monkey

Truckee will host the third Truckee Dirt Fondo with Bike Monkey on June 13, 2020. The race will consist of three routes, taking participants as high as 8,006 feet over Sardine Peak through Tahoe National Forest.

The medium route will consist of 58.15 miles with 4,117 feet of elevation gain. The long route will take riders on a 65.12 mile adventure with 5,148 feet of elevation gain. It will also feature a new e-bike category, kids ride and a post-race festival.

E-bikes are officially permitted to compete in their own rank.
​
Photos courtesy Bike Monkey
CLICK HERE for the original article and photos in the Tahoe Weekly newspaper.

For more information, CLICK HERE for more information on the race.

Nevada City, Calif. – The US Forest Service will conduct several prescribed hand, grapple, and machine pile burns across the Tahoe National Forest this Tuesday through Thursday, 12/3/19-12/5/19, and possibly continuing into the weekend.  
The locations of these prescribed pile burns on the Tahoe National Forest include:

West Side (Highway 20 and 49 corridor; Foresthill, French Meadows; Downieville; Camptonville)
Sugar Pine Reservoir
Forks House Nature Trail
Mitchell Mine Road
Foresthill administrative sites
Big Trees day use area
North Bloomfield/Graniteville rd. east of Malakoff diggings
Marysville Road/Pendola (possible)
East Side (Highway 89 corridor; Donner Summit; Truckee; Sierraville)
Lake of the Woods
North-east of Independence Lake North-east Alder Creek Road

The overall goal of all prescribed fires within the Tahoe National Forest is to decrease the amount of fuels available to burn during a future wildfire. Other benefits include enhancing wildlife habitat and natural systems by reintroducing fire into a fire-dependent ecosystem.  Reducing hazardous fuels through prescribed fire activities is the most effective and cost-efficient treatment that influences future fire behavior and suppression success while also increasing forest health.

Fall, winter, and spring bring cooler temperatures and precipitation, which favor prescribed burning. Each prescribed fire operation follows a prescribed fire burn plan that considers temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation, available personal, and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. This information is used to decide when and where to burn.  The Tahoe national Forest strives to provide as much advance notice as possible before prescribed fire activities, but some operations may be conducted on short notice.  Fire personnel closely patrol prescribed fire areas during ignition and for several days after.
 Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after an ignition depending on the project size and environmental conditions. Smoke may settle into the valleys in the evening and lift in the morning. The Tahoe National Forest coordinates with state and local county air pollution control districts and monitors weather conditions closely before prescribed fire ignition. Crews also conduct test burns before igniting a larger area to verify how effectively fuels are consumed and how smoke will travel. 

To see complete article in YUBANET.NET, click here.

Facility to Remain Closed During Winter to Help Prevent Vandalism, Illegal Camping and Dumping of Garbage

Post Date:11/14/2019 4:30 PM
Recently, Sly Park Recreation Area’s Equestrian Staging facility along Mormon Emigrant Trail had some illegal campers damage our natural resources by illegally dumping garbage and vandalizing the area. We have installed gates that will be closed during the winter season in an attempt to prevent this type of activity.

We plan to coordinate the seasonal closure with the U.S. Forest Service’s closure of Mormon Emigrant Trail. Depending upon weather conditions and staffing, we may have to do so earlier. The facility will be reopened in the spring when staffing and weather conditions permit.

Thank you for your understanding. Please call (530) 295-6824 or email us at recreation@eid.org if you have any questions.

To see the original El Dorado Irrigation District press release, click here:
​https://www.eid.org/Home/Components/News/News/3178/26

FROM BACK COUNTRY HORSEMEN OF AMERICA:
"As Chairman, I want to communicate directly with you about litigation that BCHA and its partners filed last week in Federal District Court in order to protect our ongoing use and enjoyment of national forest trails. BCHA rarely enters into litigation. The last time we did so was in 2006, when the US Forest Service unilaterally, and without seeking public review and comment, proposed a change in its Trail Classification Standards that would have harmed the interests of BCHA and its membership. We ended up settling that lawsuit with the agency and, remarkably, our relationship ended up stronger as a result.

Tahoe National Forest Authorization of Electric Bikes on 132 Miles of Non-Motorized Trails
On October 23rd, 2019, the Western Environmental Law Center (WELC) filed a lawsuit with the Eastern California Federal District Court on behalf of BCHA, BCH California and its Mother Lode Unit, The Wilderness Society, and two local organizations over the Tahoe National Forest's stealth authorization of electric bike (e-Bike) use on 132 miles of non-motorized trails. The authorization happened early this summer and without any opportunity for public review, comment, and environmental analyses.

The text of the lawsuit can be found here.
<https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/BackCountryHorsemenofAmericaetalvUSForestServiceDocketNo219cv0214?1572564194>
For more background on this and the broader e-Bike issue, please refer to the Public Lands Report in BCHA's Fall 2019 newsletter.
<https://www.bcha.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/BCHAfall2019.pdf>

BCHA has never been quick to support litigation. It can result in strained relationships and comes with several potential downsides, including not yielding the result we might want. But in this case, members of our co-plaintiff team were consistently rebuffed by personnel from the Tahoe National Forest when we inquired about this (unannounced) change in policy. In addition, our joint "demand letter" to the Forest Supervisor, which we submitted on September 9, 2019, went unanswered. Given the magnitude of pressure being exerted by e-Bike proponents on federal land management agencies, we felt compelled to take a stand.

Objectives of the Lawsuit
Our primary objectives for filing this lawsuit were to compel the Tahoe National Forest to rescind its approval of e-Bike use on non-motorized trails, close these trails to e-Bike use, and to cease advertising the new system of trails via the forest's website. <https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/tahoe/home/?cid=fseprd641773&width=full>

If the agency still felt compelled to re-designate trails for e-Bike use, we would insist on a public process where all stakeholders could review and provide formal comment. We further hope the lawsuit will act to place a freeze on any national forest that might be poised to authorize e-Bikes on non-motorized trails in the absence of a transparent and public process.

Next Steps
WELC has yet to be notified about which judge the District Court will assign to this case. Importantly, the filing of the lawsuit should not affect your day-to-day interactions with the US Forest Service. If anything, it might serve as a feather in our cap that demonstrates to agency personnel BCHA's commitment to, and support of, the need for a full public process when decisions are made that affect trail classification standards and trail management objectives. I would be interested to hear from you if, however, you receive any negative feedback from Forest Service personnel regarding the lawsuit. It never hurts to better understand any criticisms leveled at BCHA and our tactics in keeping pack and saddle stock trails open and enjoyable to our membership.

Should you or your chapter receive any inquiries from the press/media about this case, please convey that BCHA's spokesperson on this issue is Randy Rasmussen, BCHA's Director for Public Lands & Recreation.   Please refrain from providing your personal opinion to the media, as BCHA wants to ensure our public message remains consistent with that of our fellow co-plaintiffs.

Working Proactively to Address Threats to Our Mission
I hope you'll agree that by taking this action, BCHA is being proactive on behalf of our membership in order to perpetuate the common sense use and enjoyment of horses (and mules!) in America's backcountry and wilderness. I believe this is yet another valuable role that BCHA serves our 31 states and nearly 200 chapters. Moreover, BCHA's exploration and implementation of this lawsuit was done in close coordination with, and with the unanimous support of, BCH California and its Mother Lode Unit. As Chairman, it's another example of the incredible value that is realized when all three elements of BCHA national, BCH state, and the local BCH chapter at work in unison to advance the interests of our membership.

Respectfully,
Darrell Wallace
Chairman
Back Country Horsemen of America