Good News, Bad News
Posted: June 4, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: gates, opening day, snow Leave a commentThe good news is that the gate on Forest Road 03 has been opened. That’s the first gate off Highway 89 going up Blackwood Canyon. The gate was supposed to be opened on the 1st but was not. I’m not sure when it opened.
The bad news is that the gate on our OHV trail 15N38, the Middle Fork Trail, is still closed. This gate should have been opened for use of the trail on June 1st.
So, change of plans, I headed out to the Rubicon in search of another side trail. I headed up the Buck Lake Trail, 14N40. It’s not an overly difficult trail except for one short, but steep, section.
I wasn’t the first, but I was the first since a significant snow melt.
There was one tree across the Trail. Now you see it…
Now you don’t…
I did drop into the Buck Lake campground area. There are a few trees down blocking the campground. Sorry, but I didn’t take the time to clear them.
Here’s the difficult section. There is a winch post installed above this section because it is that difficult.
Have I mentioned the great views from this trail?
Here’s where my travels ended today. I tried it slow. I tried it fast. But I kept getting pushed off to the right. I could have winched through it but I figured someone was trying to tell me to turn around. I imagine there are more snow drifts along the Ellis trails.
With that snow drift shortening my day, I decided to drive home through South Lake Tahoe and stop at the Forest Service office and ask why the Middle Fork Trail is closed.
Maybe another day.
I did send an email on Monday asking about the gates still closed after their opening dates. I will send out another tonight.
.
Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 