Blog Archives

Comment letters to Tahoe National Forest protesting adding e-bikes to non-motorized Pines to Mines trail

7/27/2023

Several organizations whose mission it is to protect non-motorized trails registered comments in response to the Pines to Mines Trail Environmental Assessment to Tahoe National Forest by the deadline last week. They were:

Back Country Horsemen of California
Back Country Horsemen of America
Gold Country Trails Council
Sierra Club, Mother Lode Chapter
Audubon Society of the Mother Lode

All were protesting the alternative proposed by Tahoe National Forest to change the several year plan of the non-motorized Pines to Mines Trail to add motorized electric bikes (e-bikes), which would change the trail to motorized.

The majority of the original working group of the trail, including Gold Country Trails Council and the County of Nevada Board of Supervisors, were surprised that after years of work and funding on the Pines to Mines non-motorized trail that Tahoe National Forest Superintendent Eli Ilano changed the scope of the trail to add e-bikes.

The Pines to Mines Trail is proposed to start in Truckee and end in Nevada City, mostly utilizing the original Pioneer Trail, a nationally recognized non-motorized trail that was established in 1981 with Gold Country Trails Council, Tahoe National Forest and California Department of Transportation.

To read the comment letters, click here:

Gold Country Trails Council

Back Country Horsemen of America
Back Country Horsemen of California, Mother Lode Unit

Sierra Foothills Audubon Society

New Take Care Tahoe campaign launches in Truckee to reduce conflicts on multi-use trails

7/17/2023

TRUCKEE, Calif.— Starting the week of Monday, July 10, trail users on the popular multi-use Legacy Trail in Truckee will find new messages stenciled in chalk along the path. (Photo: "Go Easy, our trails are for everyone." from Take Care Tahoe)
From education “share the path” and “keep right” reminders, to more tongue-in-cheek messages like “friends don’t let friends block trails” and “it’s okay to be shy, but if you’re about to pass, say hi,” the goal of the new Take Care Tahoe campaign is to reduce trail user conflicts and collisions on paved paths in the region.

"The two biggest issues are large groups blocking the entire trail by walking side-by-side, and bikes going too fast around pedestrians."

“The town is happy to be partnering with Take Care Tahoe on this pilot initiative. As the popularity of our trail system continues to grow, reminders of trail etiquette are becoming more important,” said Truckee town manager Jen Gallaway. “We have heard from our community there is a need to deter user conflicts and accidents on trails. With this campaign and fun messaging, we will be able to see how effective this type of signage and communication can be to remind everyone how to use our trails.”

The campaign will launch with an initial list of 20 messages that include straightforward instructions, funny reminders, and Spanish-language messages. The public will be encouraged to share their feedback and new message ideas on Take Care Tahoe’s website and social media channels. Any new message ideas that are submitted have the potential to become new stencils.

“As more people use paved paths to walk, run, and ride throughout the region, it has become more important than ever to remind users about how to share the trail with others,” said Take Care Tahoe program manager Noah Shapiro. “We’re hoping that a series of lighthearted messages stenciled along the trail itself will grab the attention of more people than a rational posted sign might.”

In addition to the Legacy Trail, the campaign will be introduced on Trout Creek Trail in Truckee once construction is completed. In the future, it may also be expanded to other regional multi-use paved trails.

To learn more about the trial etiquette campaign at laketahoecare.org.

To read the entire article in the Sierra Sun news, CLICK HERE.

Update: Placer CO Hidden Falls Trails Expansion Project to enter first phase of construction

7/13/2023

Published on July 13, 2023 - photo curtesy of Northern CA Hiking Trails
Hidden Falls Regional Park reached a significant milestone on Tuesday with the Placer County Board of Supervisors approving a contract to build a new trailhead and parking lot, which will expand recreational opportunities while preserving the natural beauty of the area.

The Twilight Ride Access and Parking/Trailhead Project is the first phase and major infrastructure component of the Hidden Falls Regional Park Trails Expansion Project approved by the Board of Supervisors in March 2021.

“The Hidden Falls Regional Park Trails Expansion Project aims to enrich the quality of life for residents and visitors while preserving the county's precious natural resources,” said Placer County Parks Administrator Andy Fisher. "This ambitious endeavor is a testament to Placer County's dedication to sustainable growth, environmental stewardship and the creation of outdoor spaces that inspire both physical activity and a deep appreciation for nature.”

The initial construction phase focuses on the development of a parking lot located at 5345 Bell Road in Auburn, just northeast of the main park entrance, boasting 54 automobile parking stalls and 20 equestrian parking stalls. The newly constructed parking lot will initially grant access to approximately 8 miles of existing trails within the adjacent 481-acre Taylor Ranch and Kotomyan preserves, commonly referred to as the Big Hill Preserve properties.

These preserves are protected and maintained by the Placer Land Trust, a long-time county partner and land steward that works with landowners to protect natural and agricultural lands in Placer County.

“This ambitious project would not be possible without our invaluable partnership with the Placer Land Trust,” said Fisher. “We cannot wait for park visitors to experience what will be one of the largest parks in the region. The new property will offer great views from the Sierra snowcaps all the way to the coast range.”

This integration seamlessly merges existing trail networks, creating an enhanced recreational experience for visitors. As the project progresses, future phases will focus on connecting the entire trail system within Hidden Falls and expanding properties, resulting in a total of approximately 60 miles of trails across over 4,000 acres of open space.

Visitors will benefit from a range of new facilities, including a restroom equipped with a drinking fountain, a ranger station, informational kiosks, comprehensive signage, and a picnic area complete with tables.

We are thrilled to embark on the first phase of the project," said Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. "This project represents our commitment to providing accessible and well-designed recreational spaces for our community that address the neighbors’ concerns and provide the public with recreational opportunities. We look forward to the continued growth and development of this extraordinary trail system, enabling residents and visitors to explore and enjoy the natural wonders of Placer County."

The phase also incorporates the installation of equestrian watering stations, mounting blocks and hitching posts, catering to the needs of equestrian enthusiasts.

The new trailhead is expected to open to the public in late 2024 or early 2025.

Given the known popularity of Hidden Falls, parking reservations will be required at the Bell Road entrance seven days a week.

The county has received $3 million in grant funding for the project from the Recreational Trails and Greenways grant program funded by Proposition 68 - The California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018.

The project is also supported with $2.9 million in county general funds and local park dedication fees.

For more information about the Hidden Falls Regional Park Trails and Open Space Expansion Project, please visit
https://www.placer.ca.gov/2537/Hidden-Falls-Regional-Park-Trail-Network.

Keeping everyone safe - Hidden Falls closed for heat wave

7/13/2023

Hidden Falls Park in North Auburn will be closed July 15 and 16 due to an excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service.

All existing reservations have been canceled. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

To keep updated, click here:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=646207684208710&set=pb.100064584528379.-2207520000.

NID restricts wood and charcoal fires in campgrounds

7/11/2023

Grass Valley, CA. July 11, 2023 – Effective Friday, July 28, wood and charcoal fires will be prohibited in foothill campgrounds owned and operated by the Nevada Irrigation District (NID). This includes recreation facilities around Scotts Flat and Rollins reservoirs.
“This restriction is being enacted to help prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety,” said Monica Reyes, NID Director of Recreation. “It’s getting dry, and wildfire risk is escalating. Our goal is to keep everyone safe.”
Under the restrictions, no wood or charcoal fires will be allowed in the campgrounds. Propane fire rings and BBQs are allowed on low or medium flame.
The fire restrictions include these campgrounds:

Scotts Flat Campground (photo above)
Orchard Springs Campground
Long Ravine Campground
Peninsula Campground
Greenhorn Campground

Learn more about NID recreation, click here.
To see this article in Yubanet.com, CLICK HERE.

Twilight parking area and new access for Hidden Falls approved by Placer Board of Supervisors

7/11/2023

This report from Robert Sydnor who was attending the Board of Supervisors meeting this morning and sent this note to the Gold Country Trails Council:

"Announcing to all members of Gold Country Trails Council that the new Twilight Parking Lot was approved. Five members of GCTC testified in favor of the project."

More information will be forthcoming.

SF Chron article on Malakoff Diggins, California's least visited state park, its history and underground trails

7/10/2023

In 1851, a gold prospector sat in a saloon in Nevada City, roughly 50 miles west of Lake Tahoe. He slowly began trading the newly acquired cash in his pocket for drink after drink, and before too long, despite being sworn to secrecy, he broke the vow he’d made just days before. The prospector told his fellow pint-swinging countrymen about the source of his newfound wealth: a source of gold in the hills just a few miles away.

As one would expect from any desperate gold rusher, they followed him home the next morning back to a tiny river in the Sierra foothills. However, his hopeful pursuers found no traces of gold near his supposed claim and deemed the effort — and the entire area — a humbug. In miner speak, a total bust. But today, it’s a bonanza — for anyone who likes to hike, that is.

That’s the supposed story of how the town of Humbug — and the nearby enormous mine that would eventually yield more than $3 million in gold — came to be in an otherwise nondescript section of what’s now Tahoe National Forest.

Today, the park is Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park. “Diggins” was the parlance of the time for any mine site, while the “Malakoff” moniker came from the town’s early French settlers, who named it for their country’s victory at the 1855 Battle of Malakoff. It’s one of the least-visited state parks in California, despite a few compelling reasons to visit. It’s home to a near-complete gold rush ghost town, a packed mining museum, and 20 miles of hiking trails that pass everything from a historic cemetery and schoolhouse to the “diggins” itself: a 7,000-foot-long pit more than 600 feet deep that led to America’s first-ever environmental law.

The destructive cost of gold
View of hydraulic mining at Malakoff Diggins by the North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company in Nevada County; a miner is standing by a large monitor spraying water, 1874.

Carleton E. Watkins/California State LibraryFor prospectors, Humbug had its pros and cons. The pro was that there was indeed “gold in them thar” hills — and plenty of it, at that. The downside was that getting to it was extremely labor-intensive. Instead of being in a gold vein — or, better yet, in sizable nuggets like those in nearby Virginia City, Nevada — Humbug’s gold was embedded in rock and gravel, in tiny pieces and flakes that couldn’t be sorted or separated by hand or sieve.

Instead, miners expanded on the concept of a sluice box, which used water to separate tiny flakes of gold from dirt. But the scale of the hillside around Humbug required a supersize system. So miners began a new method of removing gold from the hills: hydraulic mining. Miners used high-pressure hoses to blast roughly 1 million gallons of water per hour at the hillsides. The force sent water, rock, dirt and anything else in the earth funneling into a supersize sluice: a water-filled, angled box that separated heavier gold from lighter debris like dirt and rocks.

The town became rich. It had 2,000 residents at its peak, and the world’s first long-distance telephone line ran through the town. Electric lights were installed. The name “Humbug” became not so fitting, and it was changed to “Bloomfield” in 1858 (and later “North Bloomfield,” when residents got word that a town of Bloomfield already existed in California). The town had several hotels and breweries, stores and restaurants, a school, a post office, and everything else a wealthy California mining town would have in the 1860 and 1870s.

Unfortunately, everyone else in Northern California felt the impact of blasting 25 million gallons of water per day at the hillside. Hydraulic mining sent hundreds of cubic tons of rocks, gravel and earth crashing into the Yuba River, which flows to the Sacramento River and eventually San Francisco Bay. Records estimate that the roughly 1 billion tons of debris released from the mine raised the bottom of San Francisco Bay by 3 feet and the Sacramento River by 16 feet, flooding farms and killing livestock, eroding private land, and delaying commerce along the all-important transcontinental railroad.

In 1882, a nearby landowner filed a lawsuit against the mine. And in 1884, the decision came down on Woodruff v. North Bloomfield Gravel Mining Company: Companies would no longer be allowed to dump any leftover materials — or “tailings” — caused by mining into rivers in the Sierra Nevada. It was the first pro-environment court ruling in the U.S. and effectively shut down the Malakoff mine, as well as all future hydraulic mining operations to come.

The ramifications were immediate. “From Dutch Flat to Red Dog,” wrote the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in a report on the ruling, “unemployed miners walked aimlessly about muddy streets muttering to hotel owners and shopkeepers whose consternation matched their own.” The mine shut down, the saloons closed, and some houses were dismantled for lumber during World War I.

Aside from a brief uptick during the Great Depression when struggling families moved into the town’s empty homes, the town’s population fell to fewer than 20 stragglers by the 1950s. It became a state park in 1965, meaning that many of the remaining buildings, mine supplies, vehicles and homes have been well-preserved, either by locals or by California State Parks.

Hike through a ghost town and an underground mining tunnel Malakoff Diggins mine, looking east, between 1867 and 1869; and the current-day remains of the diggins site. Photos: Carleton E. Watkins/California State Library, Suzie Dundas/SFGATEBecause the town of North Bloomfield became a state park soon after its abandonment, most buildings have been maintained, or at least occasionally repaired since their inception. The result is a protected 3,000-acre site with several excellent hikes through the ghost town and abandoned mine site, made all the more excellent by their relative lack of crowds and gentle elevation gain.

From the historic townsite, it’s a no-brainer to make the quick hike to the Marten Ranch (less than 1.5 miles round-trip). You can also park at the trailhead and cut off the .2-mile hike each way from the townsite. Not much is known about the still-standing homestead, including whether it had anything to do with the actual diggins. There’s very little elevation gain, as well as very little foot traffic, so it’s not unheard of to see black bears along this trail. Act accordingly.

However, for most people willing to make the rather windy drive to the park, the main draw is the actual mine site. There are multiple ways to reach it, including through the mine’s original Hiller drainage tunnel. It’s a mile-long tunnel tall enough to walk through and connects the parking area directly to the mine. If you choose this route, expect to trudge through knee-deep water and across large, slippery rocks in pitch-black conditions. You’ll need your hands free to hike, so cellphone flashlights won’t cut it — wear a headlamp.

Visitors who prefer to stay above ground should take the park’s easier Diggins Loop (2.6 miles, 200-foot elevation gain). The trail encircles the mine site, now resembling a massive canyon, and offers the chance to see multiple layers of rock in the exposed hillside. This area is prone to erosion and rockslides, so the lowest parts of the mine have filled it with soil and vegetation. It now looks more like a grassy plateau than anything else, belying the grand-scale environmental disaster it once was.

Combining the park’s Rim Trail and Slaughterhouse Trail Loop into one 5.5-mile loop will also reach the mine, passing the town’s original cemetery, church and schoolhouse on the way.

None of the state park’s trails are particularly well-trodden, so be prepared for overgrown plants and carry a map to help with basic route finding. Tall socks are a good idea.

80% of the ghost town’s gold remains
While it’s a long drive to visit the park and not explore the surrounding landscape — it’s a roughly three-hour drive from SF and two hours from Lake Tahoe — Malakoff Diggins does have one other big draw: the chance to strike it rich yourself. Visit at 3 p.m. on a summer Saturday, and you can learn the basics of gold panning from the park’s free classes at the ghost town’s Humbug Creek. Visitors can also bring their own gold pans or borrow one from the park visitor center to use on their own in the creek bed. And visitors committed to finding the next big bonanza will be happy to know sites at the park’s Chute Hill Campground are both reservable online and typically available last-minute.

The park’s museum and visitor center is staffed daily between Memorial Day and Labor Day and on weekends during the rest of the year. There’s a reasonable $10 parking fee that drops to $5 from September to May, and free walking tours of the ghost town are offered every day at 1:30 p.m.

https://www.sfgate.com/newsletters/tahoereport/article/malakoff-diggins-ghost-town-hike-sierra-nevada-18193003.php

Starting July 10, Hwy 20 one-way traffic control affects camps and trailheads

7/10/2023

Nevada County – Caltrans is alerting motorists of additional delays along State Route 20 (SR-20) in Nevada County as construction moves forward with the Omega Curves Project. One-way traffic control will go into effect at Lowell Hill 24 hours, seven days a week starting Monday, July 10 with delays up to 20 minutes.
Motorists should expect temporary portable traffic signals at two segments, at Excelsior Point and Upper Bear Valley roads through mid-August. One-way traffic control will remain in effect along the White Cloud segment twice a day with delays up to 20 minutes. Crews are widening and reconstructing half of the roadway. Additional full closures will also take place along the 14-mile stretch of highway in late August and early September.

The work is part of the $62.5 million Omega Curves project, which aims to improve safety and reduce collisions on SR-20 by realigning curves on two non-contiguous segments near White Cloud and Lowell Hill, widening shoulders, improving the highway’s sight distance, and adding designated left-turn lanes near Conservation Road and Washington Road. In addition, three turnouts will be added where slow-moving vehicles can allow motorists to safely pass, while also serving as traffic-enforcement locations for the California Highway Patrol.

For project updates, please visit OmegaCurves20.

Day Hiker: Stewart Peak – 7,389 feet to the top

7/3/2023

I discovered this 7-mile out-and-back trek like I have many in the Truckee/Donner area, by looking at a peak and deciding I needed to see the view from the top.

Near Norden, in the Tahoe National Forest in Nevada County, you can park right under Stewart Peak and its trailhead along Donner Pass Road. Or just around the bend at the overlook at McGlashan Point. A nice wide parking area across the road gives you views of the peak, Donner Lake, Norden Tunnels and Donner Summit Bridge.

Give yourself about three hours to climb all the switchbacks to the 7,389-foot peak, take in the view and return to your car. You will be sharing this trail with many hikers and lots of K9 companions out for a stroll.

Stewart Peak is part of the Pacific Crest Trail with amazing views. Many other trails branch off, so it’s easy to get lost. I enjoy taking a closer look at the trees that have managed to grow from the granite and survived the snow loads and high winds common here.

Although this is a heavily trafficked moderate trail, it is less congested than Lake Tahoe trails. You can hear the interstate for a half mile or so on the trail. The sounds fade away the higher you climb.

Take the Soda Springs Exit off Interstate 80 to Donner Pass Road across the street from the peak. You can also park at the rest area and follow trail signs from there.

Mary West is author of the book series Day Hiker – Gold Country Trail Guide I, II and III (2nd edition available on Amazon). The books are a collection of the Day Hiker columns where West shares her longtime love of the outdoors, favorite hikes in Northern California’s Gold Country and beyond. West was the recipient of the 2017 and 2019 CRAFT Award for Best Outdoor Column and the 2020 Craft Award for her second book in the series – Day Hiker Gold Country Trail Guide by the Outdoor Writers of California. You can follow West on Facebook and Instagram.

CLICK HERE to see the complete article and more photos.

California State Parks Introduces what3words Tool

7/3/2023

New Technology Will Assist Lost or Stranded Visitors
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--California State Parks is excited to announce its partnership with innovative location technology, what3words. A new tool (FREE) in the State Parks toolkit, what3words provides dispatchers with state-of-the-art technology to assist visitors in the event they become lost, stranded or who otherwise need help from emergency services. Using this revolutionary technology, State Parks dispatchers will now be able to pinpoint the precise locations of individuals who become lost with just three dictionary words, so that help can be sent quickly to exactly where it is needed.
what3words, integrated into RapidSOS dispatch, provides users with a simple way to communicate precise locations. It has divided the world into a grid of 10 ft x 10 ft squares, and given each square a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. This means that every park bench, parking space, pitch on a campsite, and remote spot on a hiking trail has its own what3words address. For example, ///tools.melted.studs takes you to the exact entrance to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park’s campground. The app is available in over 50 languages to date, and is free to download for both iOS and Android devices.
“Being able to locate a caller during an emergency is essential and the faster the location is confirmed, the faster help can be dispatched,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “what3words enables callers and dispatchers to communicate precise locations with just three words and quickly get the help they need.”
“From Garrapata on the Big Sur coast, to Bodie State Historic Park near the Sierra Nevada, California’s state parks offer some of the most stunning and varied landscapes on the planet, attracting explorers from across the globe,’ said what3words CMO Giles Rhys Jones. “With every 10 ft square having its own what3words address it is simpler than ever to arrange meeting spots with your friends, save precise locations of epic viewpoints, remember the space you parked in, and in the event of an emergency - describe exactly where to send help.”
what3words already covers the entire globe, so you can easily discover addresses for all 280 California state parks in its system, including all parks and campgrounds on the internal and public GIS. In addition, the official CA State Parks app, OuterSpatial, now displays what3words addresses for over 8,000 POIs in the State Park System, including campsites, trailheads, and picnic areas. OuterSpatial is working together with what3words to offer more ways to use precise, three-word addresses in the CA State Parks app, with updates due to be released later in the year.

what3words can also be used for non-emergencies, like giving friends and family directions to a specific campsite or sharing beautiful viewpoints.

Being able to precisely communicate where to find key locations can make navigating through the vast parks simple and stress free, allowing visitors to make the best use of their time and enjoy the experience to the fullest.

California State Parks and the recreational programs supported by its divisions of Boating and Waterways, Historic Preservation and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provide the opportunity for families, friends, and communities to connect. Off-highway motor vehicle recreation, boating activities, horseback riding, cycling, hiking, camping, rock climbing, tours, hikes, school group enrichment, and special events are just some of the activities enjoyed in 280 park units organized into 21 field districts throughout the state. Learn more at www.parks.ca.gov.

About what3words
Co-founded in London in 2013 by Chris Sheldrick, what3words is a simple way to talk about precise locations. A what3words address is a human-friendly way to share very precise locations with other people, or to input them into platforms and machines such as ride-hailing apps or e-commerce checkouts. It is optimized for voice input and contains built-in error prevention to immediately identify and correct input mistakes.
Across the globe, the technology has been successfully used by emergency response teams, including LA Fire Department, for everything from reporting fires and rescuing pets to locating injured hikers, stranded sailors and lost walkers with pinpoint accuracy.
The free what3words app, available for iOS and Android, and the online map enables people to find, share and navigate to what3words addresses in more than 50 languages to date. Millions of what3words addresses are in use around the world, with thousands of businesses using them to save money, be more efficient and provide a better customer experience. what3words is easily integrated into apps, platforms and websites. Products are available for free or for a nominal fee for qualifying NGOs. Its partners include Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, Evri, Subaru, Lamborghini, DPD, DHL, the AA and many emergency services across the world.

Go here for the iOs version:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/what3words/id657878530

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