​A coalition of outdoor recreation stakeholder groups said Wednesday it has sued the U.S. Forest Service in an effort to bar e-bikes from being allowed on non-motorized trails in Tahoe National Forest.
The groups claim Tahoe National Forest administrators quietly changed language in its regulations during the summer without first submitting the change to public discourse. The change was noticed by a member of the local chapter of equestrian group Gold Country Trails Council, who spotted marketing information on the Tahoe National Forest website encouraging e-bike riders to come enjoy trails where motorized vehicles had long been prohibited.
“There was no public process,” said Alison Flint, director of litigation and agency policy for the Wilderness Society, one of the groups spearheading the lawsuit. “This was just the forest making the rote decision that it doesn’t need to follow its own laws.”
The lawsuit, which the group said it filed in federal court in Sacramento, seeks to prevent Tahoe National Forest from allowing e-bikes on 130 miles of non-motorized trails. The groups also hope to prevent other national forests in California from following Tahoe’s example, said Randy Rasmussen of Back Country Horsemen of America, one of the stakeholder groups.
The Chronicle was unable to reach a representative of the Tahoe National Forest late Wednesday. The forest website states that starting this year it will “extend opportunities” for riders of low-speed, pedal-assisted e-bikes to use “recommended non-motorized trails across the forest.”
Tahoe National Forest encompasses Truckee and extends northwest of Lake Tahoe, covering 850,000 acres of public land. It hosts a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, among other notable natural features. The Pacific Crest Trail is not among the forest’s recommended trails for e-bikes.

The coalition includes the Wilderness Society, Back Country Horsemen of California, Gold Country Trails Council and others, and is being represented by the Western Environmental Law Center.

On Sept. 10, the coalition sent a formal letter to Tahoe National Forest imploring it to reverse its decision to allow e-bikes on non-motorized trails. Tahoe forest administrators never replied, Rasmussen said. That’s what prompted the coalition to file suit. “The silence is deafening,” he said.

“We’ve given them six weeks and nothing has changed so it’s time to go court,” Flint said.
The change occurred before the Interior Department’s controversial secretarial order in August that permitted e-bikes in national parks, Rasmussen said. Even though the two issues aren’t directly linked — the Forest Service is overseen by the Agriculture Department — Flint said the lawsuit could help stanch rule changes regarding motorized vehicles on other public lands.

“The Interior Department is headed in this direction and we want to stop the Forest Service from heading in this direction,” Flint said.

To Flint’s knowledge, Tahoe is the only national forest that has opted to allow e-bikes on non-motorized.

CLICK HERE to see the original article and photos in the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper.

A week ago, the docents of Sterling Pointe Equestrian Staging closed the Peregrine Trail after several trail users were stung by ground wasps. The nest was close by the trail, and when disturbed, the wasps attacked. 

Placer Country, who owns the land, treated the nest and as of yesterday, the wasps were gone. The docents have reopened the trail.

California groups sue to keep motorized electric bikes off non-motorized trails in Tahoe National ForestOct 23, 2019 | News Release from the Western Environmental Law Center
Backcountry trail and forest groups in California joined together to challenge the U.S. Forest Service’s decision to allow motorized bikes to operate on non-motorized trails in the Tahoe National Forest.
Plaintiffs in the suit include the Gold Country Trails Council, Backcountry Horsemen of California, Back Country Horsemen of America, the Forest Issues Group and The Wilderness Society. The groups are represented by the Western Environmental Law Center.
“The Forest Service cannot simply disregard its own rules when it comes to allowing electric bikes on nonmotorized trails on the Tahoe National Forest,” said Susan Jane Brown, attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center. “With this lawsuit, we seek to compel the agency to follow those rules.”
“Allowing motorized bicycles on nonmotorized trails meant for hikers, backpackers and equestrians poses risks and conflicts for the many visitors who enjoy that type of quiet recreation,” said Helen Harvey, president of the Gold Country Trails Council in Nevada County. “It also undermines the trail building and maintenance time and money our volunteers have contributed in the Tahoe National Forest for decades.”
The groups cite several violations of law and policy, including the Travel Management Rule, which confines motorized transportation to certain trails to prevent harm to nature and conflicts with other trail users. Also, the Forest Service did not assess the environmental impacts of its decision, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, one of the nation’s bedrock conservation laws.
​
Background:
The Tahoe National Forest recently permitted “Class 1” electric mountain bikes on more than 130 miles of trails that had been developed and managed for hiking and other non-motorized uses. The Tahoe already has about 2,500 miles of trails and roads available for motorized uses.
The Tahoe’s decision undermines long-standing travel management laws and policies that help ensure higher quality recreation experiences for both motorized and non-motorized users, prevent avoidable damage to water, wildlife, and other resources, and alleviate public safety concerns and conflicts between users.
Prior to opening non-motorized trails to motorized bicycle use, the Tahoe National Forest should have followed the required travel management planning procedure, which is a public process that includes analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Sometimes called the Magna Carta of conservation law, NEPA requires environmental analysis and public participation in federal decisions that affect public lands.
Earlier this year hundreds of trail advocates and conservation groups sent a joint letter to federal land management officials opposing any effort to allow e-bikes on non-motorized trails. The letter noted that non-motorized trails were created to ensure that the public could find recreational trail opportunities free from the ever-growing motorization and mechanization of our public lands. Millions of public land users including hikers, backpackers, hunters, horse packers, climbers and mountain bikers value non-motorized trails for recreation.
Additional comments from plaintiffs:
Randy Hackbarth, president, Back Country Horsemen of California, Mother Lode Unit
“We are disappointed that the rules for using trails in this wonderful natural area were changed behind closed doors without public participation. This is particularly disappointing for our members who are proud of the stewardship and care they bring to the non-motorized trails on public lands. “
Lloyd Erlandson, president, Backcountry Horsemen of California
“This move by the Forest Service would benefit the e-bike industry at the expense of the users that non-motorized trails are supposed to serve. The appeal of quiet recreation and the quality of wildlife habitat in California will suffer unless this decision is reversed.”
Darrell Wallace, chairman, Back Country Horsemen of America
“This decision sets the stage for motorizing America’s backcountry, which violates the principles and partnerships that we have worked so hard to secure over many years. We believe there is a place for motorized bikes, but nonmotorized trails – by definition — are not the right place.”
Alison Flint, director, Litigation & Agency Policy, The Wilderness Society
“The Tahoe’s decision violates decades of established laws and policies designed to ensure that decisions about where motorized recreation occurs on our shared public lands are subject to public input and environmental analysis. Motorized bicycles are not exempt from those requirements.”
Contacts:
Sangye Ince-Johannsen, Western Environmental Law Center, 541-778-6626, gro.walnretsew@jieygnas
Randy Rasmussen, Back Country Horsemen of America, 541-602-0713, gro.ahcb@rosivdAssenredliW
Michael Reinemer, Wilderness Society, 202-429-3949, gro.swt@remenier_leahcim
Alison Flint, Director, The Wilderness Society, 303-802-1404, gro.swt@tnilf_nosilA

CLICK HERE to see original Press Release from the Western Environmental Law Center

The Sterling Pointe Equestrian Staging docents alerted MLT today that there is a ground wasp nest that is the origin of attacks on several trail users in the past two days. It is located in the steep trail section between the Boy Scouts table and the Perigrine Trail cutoff. The docents are putting up signs and hanging wasp traps today with hopes of eliminating them.
​For updates, visit the Sterling Pointe Equestrian Staging Facebook plage HERE.

Saturday (12th): Minimal overnight fire activity was observed due to near freezing temperature and light
winds. The fire was mapped with an infrared flight at 2,667 acres and 25% contained (earlier report of 2,100 was from a system error). The Caples Fire is still within the project boundaries. North and west fire lines are being mopped up and patrolled in case of spot fires. Focus is on the south and east lines today. A couple of uphill runs were observed on the south side of the fire last night and there may be an increase in fire behavior if winds pick up today. The southwest division is building hand line directly on the fire’s edge. The southeast division is building direct hand line and scouting for possible dozer line locations. They are tying in the fire line with the natural rock outcroppings in preparation of a tactical firing operation later to remove fuel ahead of the fire’s edge. Helicopters and tanker retardant drops are being strategically used to support line construction.

The prescribed burn project began on September 30 as pile burning under favorable conditions following rain and snowstorms. The prescribed fire was within prescription and achieving the goals of the project of reducing fuels loading and create vegetation conditions that allow fires to burn with lower intensities and create defensible space. Once the red flag warning for the wind event was forecasted fire managers began building fire line and conducting firing operations to secure and strengthen the fire perimeter before the wind arrived. The containment lines held well through the wind event into Thursday morning when the winds changed direction pushing the fire farther to the south and west and increasing the fire activity. This activity increase took the project out of prescription as the project objectives were no longer being met. On October 10, the Caples fire was converted to a wildfire from a prescribed fire allowing managers to obtain additional resources not normally available to us for a prescribed fire, such as; dozers and engines from partners like CALFIRE. The Caples fire is now being managed for full suppression.

Weather Forecast: The natural wind patterns from the west/southwest are good for suppression actions. Temperatures are moderate during the day and the relative humidity is low. Night time temperatures are near freezing with light winds and high relative humidity recovery. Light winds and dry conditions will continue over the weekend. Temperatures will fluctuate a bit but overall remain near normal. Weather conditions are predicted to be continued warm dry conditions with cooler more humid conditions for the second half of next week.
Smoke: Smoke sensitive individuals are encouraged to reduce their exposure by avoiding smoky areas, closing windows, or staying indoors. Smoke settles in the valleys and canyons at night but usually clears later in the morning with the natural diurnal upcanyon winds.
Evacuations: None
Road Closures: Due to the active fire operations in progress, hiking and hunting in the Silver Fork/ Caples Creek area is not recommended. Roads are blocked at the following intersection: Packsaddle Pass and Silver Fork Road; Packsaddle Pass and 11N19; Mormon Emigrant Trail and Silver Fork Road; Martin Meadows, Margaret and Shealor Lake Trailheads, and Schneider Camp. If you see a road blocked for fire activity please comply to keep firefighters and the public safe.
Caples Ecological Restoration Project: The Caples Ecological Restoration Project is restoring fire to the Caples Creek watershed where naturally occurring wildfires started by lighting have been suppressed since 1908. The project is intended to improve forest health, fire resiliency and increase public safety. Prescribed fire treatments reduce fuel loadings, maintain vegetation conditions that allow fires to burn with lower intensities and create defensible space. The goal of this project is to promote a healthy resilient forest by reintroducing fire to the landscape.
The Caples Ecological Restoration Project is a collaborative effort between the Eldorado National Forest, El Dorado Irrigation District and Sierra Nevada Conservancy to restore fire to the Caples Creek watershed where naturally occurring wildfires started by lighting have been suppressed since 1908. The project provides a strategic landscape-wide fuel treatment that will reduce fuel to pre-settlement conditions that will protect the chief water supply to El Dorado County, improve wildlife habitat and create defensible space to nearby communities. The Caples Creek watershed provides a primary water supply for 110,000 people in the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) service area and includes some of the last remaining old growth in the Eldorado National Forest. 
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6522/ 
Twitter: @EldoradoNF 
Gmail: [email protected] 
Facebook: Facebook.com/EldoradoNF/ 

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CLICK HERE to see USDA Press Release.   

27-year career public servant will lead team that administers 15 million acres of California public lands

SACRAMENTO – The Bureau of Land Management today announced that Karen Mouritsen has been named the new California State Director—a key leadership position based in Sacramento. As State Director, Mouritsen will direct a team that manages lands encompassing 15% of the Golden State’s total land mass.
Mouritsen, a 27-year career public servant, comes to the California post after serving the past three years as the State Director for the BLM Eastern States Office, which manages BLM lands and minerals in 22 states along and east of the Mississippi River. In addition, she served as a Regional Facilitator for the Department of Interior reorganization effort. Mouritsen will report to work in Sacramento in January.
“We are truly fortunate to have a professional with Karen Mouritsen’s passion and skill directing BLM-California. Karen is a strong communicator with extensive leadership experience and her passion for America’s public lands make her the right person to lead BLM-California as we move into the new decade,” said BLM Deputy Director for Policy and Programs William Perry Pendley.
Over the course of her career, Mouritsen has spent time in Washington, D.C., serving in key leadership roles. These include senior level positions as the BLM Deputy Assistant Director for Energy, Minerals, and Realty Management, BLM Budget Officer and BLM liaison to the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management where she advised and briefed senior leadership on renewable energy, wildlife, wilderness, recreation, land use planning, and interagency cooperation with military partners. Mouritsen also worked as Acting State Director in Alaska and New Mexico, as well as Acting Associate District Manager in the BLM Southern Nevada District Office in Las Vegas and the Medford District Office in Oregon.
Prior to working for the BLM, Mouritsen served as an attorney advisor in the Interior Department's Office of the Solicitor for 10 years beginning in 1992. There she provided legal expertise on BLM issues, including endangered species, land use planning and forestry matters. Mouritsen—a native of Dallas—received her bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Austin College of Engineering in 1983. She earned her Juris Doctor degree at the University of Texas at Austin Law School in 1992 before launching her Federal career.
As BLM California State Director, Mouritsen will lead a team that administers 15 million acres of public lands and 42 million acres of minerals and energy resources in California, as well as 1.6 million surface acres in northwestern Nevada. BLM public lands extend across rangelands, forests, high mountains and deserts making California one of the most diverse states in the nation. The abundance of natural resources managed for multiple use by the BLM across California continues to support generations of families and local communities, providing important economic benefits to Californians and the nation.
Mouritsen takes over from Acting State Director Joe Stout, who will return to his post as BLM-California Associate State Director, where he will work closely with Mouritsen to ensure continuity of leadership.

See BLM News Release HERE.

Parts of Placer and Nevada counties finally restored power today, but Penn Valley, Nevada City and other areas are still without power. Mother Lode Trails website is finally back up tonight, thanks to PG&E and Smarter Broadband employees. Thank you for your patience!

Runners and cyclists will take on Big Blue Adventure’s final event of the year this weekend, embarking on a route that runs from Truckee to Tahoe City.
The fourth annual Great Trail Race is scheduled for Sunday, and will take participants along two distances either on foot or mountain bike in one of the final endurance events of the season.
The Elite Course will follow segments of the Tahoe Rim Trail, Tevis Trail and Sawtooth Trail, taking competitors across 21.55 miles and 3,000 feet of ascent. The shorter, Classic Course, features a route through the Tahoe National Forest on fire roads and trails, and is roughly 17.9 miles.
The Great Trail Race was launched by North Tahoe residents Chaco Mohler and Todd Jackson in an effort to make an event for both runners and mountain bikers. Past races between Tahoe City and Truckee have included the TNT event and the Where the Hell is Truckee race.
The race from Truckee to Tahoe City is set to begin at 9 a.m., and will benefit Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. Registration for the Great Trail Race costs $80. Registration will also be available on race day for an additional $10.
The Great Trail Race will cap off a season in which Big Blue Adventure hosted dozens of competitions in the Truckee-Tahoe area, ranging from off-road triathlons and open-water swims to long-distance runs.
For more information or to register, visit http://www.GreatTrailRace.com

EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – Elizabeth Meyer-Shields and Josh Sjostrom have joined the Bureau of Land Management’s Mother Lode Field Office as the new field manager and assistant field manager, respectively, based in El Dorado Hills.
“Since starting my new assignment in January, I have really enjoyed working with our community partners, who along with our dedicated, hard-working staff, work well together as a team on a wide variety of issues,” says Meyer-Shields. “We have a wealth of natural resources in the Mother Lode and collectively we can leverage resources to accomplish projects on a broader, landscape-scale than we could ever achieve individually.”
Meyer-Shields started her federal career as a Presidential Management Fellow in the planning and environmental coordination program at the BLM’s Washington Office. She has been the BLM California state planning and environmental coordinator and previously served as both the acting associate Mother Lode field manager, then acting Mother Lode field manager after William Haigh retired in late 2018.  Meyer-Shields has a law degree from the University of Denver and an environmental science degree from Oregon State University.
Sjostrom joins the BLM from the Eldorado National Forest, Placerville Ranger District where he worked as  a natural resources officer.
“I believe partnerships are vital to managing sustainable, working public lands,” says Sjostrom. “I look forward to fulfilling the multiple-use mission of the BLM by engaging partners to ensure our efforts reflect the interests of the communities we serve.”
Sjostrom began his federal career as a forestry technician at the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, where he grew up.  He has also worked as a wildland firefighter on the Klamath National Forest and is dedicated to wildland fire safety and forest health. Sjostrom has political science degree with a minor in business administration from the University of Maine.
The Mother Lode Field Office manages roughly 230,000 acres of public lands stretching across 14 counties in the central Sierra Nevada foothills from Nevada County in the north to Mariposa County to the south. Areas of interest include the Cosumnes River Preserve; the North Fork American, Merced, and Tuolumne Wild and Scenic Rivers; the Pine Hill Preserve and the Red Hills Area of Critical Environmental Concern, as well as highly visited recreation areas along the South Fork American, South Yuba, and Mokelumne rivers. Major programs within the office include recreation, minerals, realty, botany, wildlife, fuels and forestry.

To see the original BLM Press Release, CLICK HERE.