I broke the rules

Posted: June 28, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

I went out on the trail alone, single vehicle, single person.

Yesterday, I went out to check conditions on the Rubicon Trail and the side trails. Up Blackwood Canyon to the north, Forest Road 03 is closed at the second gate just over the river. But the Middle Fork Trail gate is open. I did not explore that trail but I assume you will encounter large snow drifts in the shade. There is a gate at the top but I don’t know if that gate has been opened.

Please note the amount of snow on the trail at lake level! That’s the Middle Fork gate shown open way in the back.

Off to the Rubicon.

There will be a tremendous amount of water on the trail for weeks. This is water bar number 7 (I think) doing a great job of getting the water off the trail.

Snow, snow and more snow still on the trail.

I only got in as far as the pond at the turn for the Ellis Peak Trail. There is a lot of debris on the trail. Small trees across the trail in places. Many encroaching on the trail but not blocking the trail.

The further in you go, the higher you get, the more snow you will encounter.

There are some long stretches of water, snow, ice. No real mud at this point. Some were hardened underneath. This is just past Miller Lake before the turn to Sourdough Hill.

Unfortunately, I found a few spots where people had driven off trail to get around snow drifts. This is not acceptable. “Turn Around, Don’t Go Around”, that’s the motto of this website and should be followed by all. Please don’t be that guy.

The next time I’m on the trail, I will make an effort to block off all of these bypasses as I find them.

.

Rubicon Ronin

The ROC is back

Posted: June 24, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Leave a comment

Well, sort of. And I’m not talking about Dwayne Johnson.

The Rubicon Oversight Committee (ROC) was and ad hoc El Dorado County set of monthly meetings designed to work with anyone that had an interest in the Rubicon Trail. The only problem was you had to be in the room that day to have a voice on whatever the subject was that day.

The Rubicon Trail Foundation (RTF) has picked up the torch, or at least the name of the ROC. The plan is to meet quarterly to discuss Rubicon Trail issues. Here is the flyer:

Hopefully this will improve communications between the users and the managing agencies. The fiasco of the trail illegally being close because bad weather was forecasted was the low point.

Where the original ROC was held at 9am (while most work), RTF is holding these meetings at the Cal4 building at 7pm on Tuesday the 27th. Zoom is available if you can’t be there in person.

Not sure if I’ll be able to Zoom in but I look forward to reading the minutes.

.

Rubicon Ronin

The Season Has Begun

Posted: June 3, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: , | Leave a comment

We met at the entrance in the residential area at 9am, because we didn’t know how much snow was going to be on the paved road into the staging area. Turns out not much. On our way out, there were tow rigs with trailers parked in the staging area.

By next weekend there will be zero snow on the paved road in to staging.

The staging area is virtually clear. I restocked the TP in the toilets.

Literally, the first snow pile out of the staging area caught two of our drivers off guard and they had to be strapped off of it.

The first 100 yards has some very off camber sections. There were more of those further up the trail.

In the areas that were typically shade we had snow…

Where there had been sun, a lot of the snow had melted…

Being very early in the season, there was debris on the trail. We moved two or three and cut two or three more and were able to drive around others, while still staying on the trail.

It was slippery, but we pressed on, always sliding to the right.

There was one climb that was just too steep. One strap around a tree and we each took turns using our own winches to get up it. All four rigs were locked front and rear. Most on 35s, one on 37s.

It was great to finally get out on the trail.

Of course, you want to know how far we got. We started on the snow around 9:30, and turned around about noon, stopped there for lunch and then headed out. Two and a half hours in and half an hour out. On our way out, we came across a bunch of rigs and quads struggling up the very first snow climb. Hint: start as early as possible before the snow starts to melt and gets really slippery.

Looking backwards, this is as far as we got. I estimate water bar number 22. It’s before the climb that takes you to Lilly Lake.

I walked a little further up the trail and saw a log across the trail and decided we were done for the day. I did have a chainsaw with me, but we weren’t out to work that hard. The further log is off the trail, you turn left just before that. The closer one would have given us trouble.

On the way out, two side-by-sides went in. They claimed they had been a mile past Miller earlier in the week. I don’t know how they will navigate that log, but they said they had a saw.

Two more Jeeps passed us, so maybe someone will clear it.

The quads were not prepared to be out on the trail but they had strength in numbers, about ten of them!

There will be water on the trail for months. The rolling dips seem to be working pretty well.

Always be prepared. Thunder storms are predicted for later in the week. Be ready to spend the night if something goes wrong.

Enjoy!

.

Rubicon Ronin