AUBURN SRA PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE
Please join us at the next public open house for the Auburn State Recreation Area General Plan and Resource Management Plan (GP/RMP).

SAVE THE DATE!
California State Parks (CSP) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation invite you to attend an interactive open house public workshop on the draft CSP proposed action for the Auburn State Recreation Area (SRA) General Plan/Auburn Project Lands (APL) Resource Management Plan.

* WHEN: Tuesday, June 26, 2018;  drop in anytime from 5 to 8 pm

* WHERE:
Gold Country Fairgrounds (Sierra Building)
209 Fairgate Road
Auburn, CA 95603

HISORTY
In December 2017 and January 2018 hundreds of people provided their input on the draft alternatives, including over 150 people who attended a public workshop, over 800 people who participated in an online questionnaire, and over a dozen public agencies that provided comments. This input was considered during modifications to the draft alternatives and selection of the CSP proposed action that will be presented for discussion and comment at the June meeting.

Please save the date and share this message with your friends, coworkers, and neighbors, so they can participate, too!

More information on the alternatives, including the draft CSP proposed action, will be available on the website:
www.parks.ca.gov/planasra
and
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24325

If you have questions or would like to share your ideas, suggestions, or comments, please contact the planning team at:
* WRITE:
Auburn SRA GP/RMP
c/o Cheryl Essex, California State Parks
PO Box 942896
Sacramento, CA 94296

* EMAIL:
plan.general@parks.ca.gov

* OR CALL:
916-445-8814

If you need assistance to participate in the planning process effectively, please contact the planning team above at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting.

On Tuesday, Nevada County Board of Supervisors voiced numerous reasons to support local trails for hiking, biking and equestrian riding — from health to the economy — while unanimously proclaiming Thursday, May 31, through June 3 as Celebration of Trails Weekend.
"The economy in this county depends heavily on trails," said Hank Weston, District 4 Supervisor.
"I'm a huge fan of hiking and trails," said Heidi Hall, District 1 Supervisor who along with Richard Anderson, District 5 Supervisor supports the future Pines to Mines Trail that will someday link the towns of Nevada City and Truckee. Hall hopes to participate with other outdoor recreationists in Bear Yuba Land Trust's first Hike-A-Thon on Saturday, June 2, during the region's biggest showcase of local trails — Celebration of Trails Weekend taking place Thursday, May 31, through June 3.
This year, the four day event will kick off with a Fireside Chat at Inn Town Campground featuring local trails author Hank Meals on Thursday, March 31; followed by an Ales for Trails event at ol' Republic Brewery Tap House on Friday, June 1; a Hike-A-Thon on the future Pines to Mines Trail and vendor villages at two locations with Yuba Bus shuttles running all day on Saturday, June 2; and concluding with a variety of work days, hikes and rides on local trails on Sunday, June 3.
This year's participants include: Bicyclists of Nevada County (BONC), Gold Country Trails Council, Pacific Crest Trail Association, Forest Trails Alliance, Yuba Trails Stewardship, Tahoe National Forest, Sierra Club-Sierra Nevada Group, State Parks, Sierra Fund, Two Chicks Beef Jerky, Gold Crush Climbing Gym, Mountain Recreation, Yuba Bus, KVMR, Folk Trails Hiking Club, City of Grass Valley, City of Nevada City, County of Nevada, Nevada Irrigation District, Wolf Creek Community Alliance, FREED and more.
"Partnerships and collaboration help create the fabric that weaves our shared interests into the beautiful tapestry of the place we belong. We are inspired to contribute to this shared vision of connected trails between and within communities," said Zachi Anderson, Executive Director of Forest Trails Alliance.

Tahoe National Forest would like to welcome Michael Green as our new Acting Deputy Forest Supervisor at the Supervisor’s Office in Nevada City. Prior to arriving at the Tahoe, Michael was Deputy Forest Supervisor at Six Rivers National Forest in Eureka, California. His previous experience and communication skills will be an asset to the Tahoe National Forest and to the community.
Michael grew up in Savannah, Georgia and completed his career with the U.S. Army as an Airborne Medic, where he completed more than 80 jumps. He also worked as the Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist with the U.S. Army. From 1996 until his military retirement in 2009, he was a medic recruiter for the U.S. Army.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology, and his Master of Arts Degree in Leadership. Michael began his career with the U.S. Forest Service in 2010 as the Civil Rights Officer with the Lassen National Forest. Michael also detailed as the Acting District Ranger and the Deputy Forest Supervisor in California. His goal is to become a Forest Supervisor one day.
What Michael enjoys most about his career with the Forest Service is working in public service. He says, “It is very rewarding to be in leadership and keeping our natural resources healthy for future generations is extremely important. If we don’t protect our forests now, they may be gone forever! There are a lot of people working with the Forest Service that are just as passionate about our environment. Michael receives personal satisfaction working with the Forest Service and we are very grateful to have him onboard.
See Press Release HERE.

We have a busy Memorial weekend coming up on the trails. In addition to scheduled events, there will be loads of families, dog walkers, birdwatchers, seniors, you name it, enjoying our public trails. Be aware that ALL trail users want to share the trail safely, and it is up to you to make sure you aren't going too fast on blind corners and hills. You certainly don't want to run into and hurt someone (or dog or horse) or scare people off the trail. Put your dogs on leash so they are safe for other trail users, and themselves, as rattlesnakes are numerous this year.

Here are some of the events on the Mother Lode Trails Calendar - if you have events on our public trails, be sure to send MLT an email and it will be posted.
 

1. Sat 26 May
   1.  Western States Training Runs #2, 3, 4- Memorial Weekend Auburn State Recreation Area, Auburn, CA, 
   2.  YBONC Dirt Classic Mt. Bike Race Series and practices - TNF Conservation Road, Nevada City, CA, 
   3.  Western States Training Runs Robinsons Flat Campground, Placer County, CA, 
   4.  GCETF Dru Barner Fun(d) Ride/Camp - Memorial Day weekend (equestrian) Dru Barner Campground, Georgetown, CA
2. Sun 27 May
   1. Western States Training Runs #2, 3, 4- Memorial Weekend Auburn State Recreation Area, Auburn, CA, 
   2. GCETF Dru Barner Fun(d) Ride/Camp - Memorial Day weekend (equestrian) Dru Barner Campground, Georgetown, CA, USA
   3. Western States Training Runs Drivers Flat Trail Head, Foresthill Road, Foresthill, CA, 
   4. REI Women's Intro MTB - mt. bike Granite Beach, Granite Bay, CA, 
3. Mon 28 May 

               1.  Western States Training Runs #2, 3, 4- Memorial Weekend Auburn State Recreation Area, Auburn, CA, 
                2. Western States Training Runs Sliger Mine Road, Greenwood, CA, United States

On a rainy April night in 2006 the Grass Valley City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Wolf Creek Parkway, thereby adopting the Parkway Alignment Study and Conceptual Master Plan. This action came on the heels of an extensive series of public meetings that confirmed widespread community support for the project. A "Wolf Creek Trail" is also mentioned in the 2020 General Plan adopted in 1999 and the Downtown Strategic Plan from 2003."

Photo caption: "Grass Valley Mayor Howard Levine (right) and Wolf Creek Commons co-housing's Bob Branstrom, lead the way on the inaugural hike of the Wolf Creek Trail, which celebrated it's official opening for public use Saturday morning. The trail begins at the Grass Valley Wastewater Treatment facility, and follows Wolf Creek downstream for one mile before ending at the Wolf Creek co-housing development. While the current portion of the trail only spans one mile, plans are already in the works to extend the length of the trail." (Photo credit, Elias Funez)

Now, in 2018, finally, a one-mile stretch of trail along Wolf Creek has opened for public use.

The creation of the trail was made possible through the efforts of the Bear Yuba Land Trust, the Wolf Creek Community Alliance, the City of Grass Valley and various other public and private property donations and easements. It is the first phase in a series of planned trails along Wolf Creek that call for pedestrian bridges over Little Wolf Creek and Wolf Creek.

On Saturday, Grass Valley Mayor Howard Levine, along with members of the Wolf Creek Community Alliance, led the first group of hikers along the trail. Animal artwork provided by Grass Valley Charter School students helps to mark the way of the trail, which begins at the Grass Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant, 556 Freeman Lane, and ends at the Wolf Creek Commons co-housing at Freeman Lane and McKnight Way.

The trail passes the portion of Little Wolf Creek where a massive sinkhole formed in January of 2017, and runs along a portion of the service road made during the repair process.
"We don't own the sinkhole property as of yet," Mayor Howard Levine said to attendees of the hike. "We're negotiating with the property owner. We're very close on the cost of the land."

The Wolf Creek Trail continues beyond the Little Wolf Creek sinkhole property, then follows a service trail created during the homeless camp clean up in the summer of 2016, which was the impetus for the creation of the Wolf Creek Trail.
City officials hope providing public access to Wolf Creek will keep people from creating encampments in the Wolf Creek drainage.
"We pulled 10,000 pounds of trash out of there," Mayor Levine said about the 2016 camp cleanup. "And hundreds of needles."
Members of the Wolf Creek Community Alliance will be maintaining the trail and have already begun building portions of trail that travel closer to the creek.

Added by Don Pelton:
"An important influence in the creation of this trail has been the Bear Yuba Land Trust, who have been working tirelessly for the last few years to make this first stage of the greater trail plan a reality. And, the idea for the trail originated more than a decade before the recent cleanup of the homeless camp. It goes back at least to 1999, as explained below in a paragraph from the Wolf Creek Community Alliance webpage:

"On a rainy April night in 2006 the Grass Valley City Council unanimously passed a resolution in support of the Wolf Creek Parkway, thereby adopting the Parkway Alignment Study and Conceptual Master Plan. This action came on the heels of an extensive series of public meetings that confirmed widespread community support for the project. A "Wolf Creek Trail" is also mentioned in the 2020 General Plan adopted in 1999 and the Downtown Strategic Plan from 2003."

Much of this article was written by Elias Funez and was published in The Union newspaper, CLICK HERE to see that article and more pictures.

Yuba Bus is now offering a scheduled Mountain Bike Shuttle service up to the popular trails off of Route 20 on Harmony Ridge so mt. bikers can experience these trails downhill only. The first weekend was April 28 and April 29.

HIKERS, RUNNERS, EQUESTRIANS, DOG WALKERS - BE AWARE THERE WILL BE MORE DOWNHILL MT. BIKES THAN USUAL ON THESE TRAILS.

May 12 & 13, 2018
The first pickup will be at the Tour of Nevada City Bike Shop. It will go up Highway Route 20, so you can ride downhill all the popular trails.
Service pick ups:
Harmony Ridge Market
Bottom of Scotts Drop
White Cloud Campgound
Skillman Horse Campground
Omega.
There will be time enough to go from Omega to Nevada City - twice

At this time, we will Yuba Bus said they will NOT be picking up at the bottom of the Hoot Trail.

For more information and to purchase tickets in advance CLICK HERE.

On May 8, a trail user went to use the stone water fountain at Sterling Pointe Equestrian Staging and found this visitor waiting for her. (Photo credit: Kristi Christianson, from the Sterling Pointe Equestrian Staging Area Facebook page)  

Be aware that it is almost the end of rattlesnake breeding season and they are out and about looking for last chance mates. Stay on marked trails, wear boots and long pants, LOOK. Don't wait for a rattle sound, many Folsom Lake SRA rattlensnakes have evolved to no longer rattle. We seem to have a bumper crop of rattlesnakes this year!

Hidden Falls Creekside Trail is one of the most beautiful in the park, but also narrow, cliffy, and unsafe for two-way travel. Within days of its opening, there were several near miss collisions, so the Creekside Trail was signed "one way" by the Parks administration (see map).

The sign has worked. Bicyclists, horses and hikers all are going the same direction and rarely have dangerous encounters. Today, MLT got two alerts that someone has removed the One Way sign. Since the missing sign, several people were observed going the wrong way on the trail, and one trail user almost ran into another one.

The Park administration has been alerted through Park Watch Report, and we assume the sign will be replaced ASAP, but until then, be careful.

The public is invited to begin using the new Acorn Creek trailhead and trail near Folsom Lake on May 4. A ribbon cutting and trail dedication ceremony is scheduled Friday, May 4 at 10am. Details and directions at www.ARConservancy.org/events   Please RSVP to stewardship@ARConservancy.org

In 2011 and 2012 the American River Conservancy (ARC) completed the acquisition phase of the Salmon Falls Ranch Project, acquiring 757 acres at the western terminus of the South Fork American River Trail system. Beginning in fall of 2016, ARC and its partner the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have worked to complete a one-mile trail and trailhead facility located off of Salmon Falls Road, approximately 4 miles north of El Dorado Hills, California. The Acorn Creek Trailhead is a publicly accessible parking area and trailhead for hikers, mountain bicyclists, and equestrians, as well as general day-use public recreation associated with non-motorized trails and wildlife viewing. The trailhead and the one-mile connector trail links recreational trail resources that are a part of the South Fork American River Trail (SFART), managed by the BLM, California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and ARC.

We’d like to thank our volunteers, donors, and community for their support and patience. We will honor our large donors with a plaque at the trailhead. This project was made possible through grants and support from the State of California Natural Resources Agency, REI Co-op, the Bureau of Land Management Mother Lode Field Office, El Dorado Hills Endowment as well as numerous individual donors.

Those attending who plan to hike please bring appropriate attire, hiking shoes, and water. Due to limited parking, please do not bring horse trailers on opening day until after 4pm.
After May 4th there is a day use fee of $5.

For more information CLICK HERE.