Major snow dump in the Sierras
Posted: March 5, 2018 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: education, snow, STORM, weather Leave a commentWe just got through a series of major storms. Honestly, the biggest of the season. The summits got more than six feet of snow. The Homewood Mountain Resort claims about five feet over the last the last week. That means the Rubicon is buried.
So, I drove past Monday (March 5th) and took a few pictures of the entrance. I was up there just before the storms and took some to compare:
Last Monday the 26th: really no berm to speak of…
Again, this was before the storm just 100 yards up the trail:
After the latest storms: now the neighborhood probably got two feet of snow but notice the snow is piled higher than my six foot tall truck.
Compare that to berms around the neighborhood, maybe three feet tall. I have already sent an email to Placer County letting them know this is unacceptable (dumping snow on a county right of way) and that although the County probably didn’t do it, they need to remove it as they would a load of rock dropped on any county road. Don’t hold your breath.
Looking over the berm, where no motor vehicle has driven, yet; it looks like a good place for a fun day of snow play.
The berm will need to be taken down. Right now you could get a quad or snowmobile through the slot but not much else.
Let me get on my safety soap box…
I can’t say it enough but travel prepared. Figure something will go wrong and you have to spend the night, or two. Have food, water, clothing and shelter for multiple people and many nights.
Believe it or not, some people still don’t get it.
(Photo stolen from a post on Pirate4x4 by “The Fixxer”.)
This rig has been stuck on the trail for a few weeks now. It’s just east of Miller Lake at the water hole. There was room to go around but not much. Now think about this with 4-5 feet of snow burying it.
You might be wheeling along just fine and not realize the rig is underneath you. Honestly, it’s probably still visible but there is a greater chance of sliding in to it if you try and go around.
Some fellow Hi-Lo’s are reaching out to the authorities and the owner to see if we can help get the rig out or at least off to the side for the safe passage of others.
I’ll keep you posted.
Rubicon Ronin
Reno ’18 Motorsports Show and Fun Run
Posted: February 21, 2018 Filed under: Access | Tags: education Leave a commentI spoke with Al Lockett at last night’s Hills Angels meeting. He’s announced the Fun Runs that will accompany the Motorsports Show for 2018.
First the Motorsports show. It’s March 16, 17 & 18 at the Reno Convention Center. I will have a booth there again this year along with a bunch of local 4wd clubs.
This will be the 10th annual Motorsports Show that happens along with the Home Show, Boat Show and Pet Show. So, there will be something for everyone in the family.
The local clubs always have a great display of their rigs
The Fun Runs will benefit the Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC). There are three runs scheduled. All will meet in the Dayton area on Saturday March 10th, a week before the Motorsports show. The “Wild” run is the Hackett Trail. They estimate it will take ten to twelve hours to complete. If there is any fresh snow, that run will be cancelled.
I’ drawing a blank on the middle run but I think it will be the Eldorado trail. Always a fun trail anytime of year.
The “Mild” run is scheduled to be dirt backroads from Dayton up to Virginia City for lunch and back again.
All runs depart from “Our Park” at Highway 50 and River Street in Dayton, NV. Staging is at 9am and they depart at 9:30am.
Here’s a link to the Fun Run page on Facebook. More on the Motorsport show on other Facebook pages:
https://www.facebook.com/events/226816844557203/
Come out and say hi.
Rubicon Ronin
Current Conditions 2-16-18
Posted: February 16, 2018 Filed under: Access | Tags: snow, weather, winter Leave a commentSo it’s been a mild winter. No where near what we all experienced last winter.
Yesterday, I ventured out to the staging area. The residential area has yet to have enough snow to bring any plowing issues but I’m keeping an eye on it.
The road in is both icy and down to the pavement depending on tree cover. Here is a shot of the bridge over McKinney Creek just before the staging area. Not enough snow so that you’d slip off the bridge.
Here is the view from the bottom of the first climb just past the staging area. It looks innocent enough. Hard packed snow with no signs of ice.
But just up around the corner, there is ice under the thin layer of snow. I was in my pick-up, alone, without a winch, sliding all over the place. So, I very carefully backed down the hill. With better tires and friends to encourage me I think I could have made it.
Last week, John Briggs and Dean Anderson (both of the Tahoe Donner 4wd Club) made it out to Observation. Here is a shot of Miller Lake.
Here is a shot of one of the last climbs before getting to Observation. It’s got a good west facing slope so the snow wasn’t too bad.
The unusual poser shot at Observation (looking the wrong way).
And the traditional poser shot at Observation, with the sun behind them washing out the shot.
Snow is forecast for Sunday and Monday (18th and 19t). Only five inches or so but should be enough to eliminate the ice issue and make for a nice day of wheeling on Tuesday. More snow next Friday so the weekends might not be the best time to go play.
Remember to go prepared. Bring enough gear to spend the night if something goes wrong: think food, water, shelter, heat, communications, etc, Always carry some kind of saw. Even if you wheel out without issue, you might encounter a tree across the trail on your way back. That’s where my “Turn Around, Don’t Go Around” catch phrase doesn’t really work. You’ll need to get home. A hand saw and a winch can move big trees, especially on the snow.
Please remember that at this time, all side trails off the Rubicon are seasonally closed. Just because there is not a gate does not mean the trail is open.
The first side trail to open is the Richardson Lake Trail on April 1st.
Rubicon Ronin
TNF open house for 2018 OHV grants
Posted: February 11, 2018 Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: education, grant, law enforcement, TNF Leave a commentThe Tahoe National Forest will be holding an open house for users to voice their opinions on what needs to be done to our TNF trails. I’m going to try and make this one but I won’t stay the full three hours.
I encourage everyone to stop by and talk OHV with those that manage our resources. It’s a great time to et to know those involved.
U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST 631 Coyote Street Nevada City, CA 95959 www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe/
News Release
Contact: Joe Flannery 530-478-6205 or 530-587-3558 jflannerye@fs.fed.us February 5, 2018
Open House Planned for Tahoe National Forest Off-Highway Vehicle Program Grant Application
NEVADA CITY, Calif. – The U.S. Forest Service has scheduled an open house in preparation for an annual application to the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division, to request funding for trail maintenance, restoration, development of facilities, law enforcement, and planning for off-highway vehicle (OHV) access.
On Thursday, February 15, 2018, the Forest Service will host an open house from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. for individuals and organizations to provide input and review proposals for the application.
“I encourage anyone interested in the OHV program to drop by this informal open house to discuss their ideas on these proposals,” said Joe Chavez, Tahoe National Forest Trails Program Coordinator. Written comments are encouraged by February 23.
These annual grants provide important funds for the Forest Service to develop and maintain trails and trailheads, repair winter storm damage and restore trailside environments, as well as provide patrolling and monitoring of these areas. When finalized, the grants will be available for public review and comment on the State of California’s website (http://ohv.parks.ca.gov) from March 6 – April 2, 2018.
What: Open House to discuss off highway vehicle grant proposals
Where: Tahoe National Forest Headquarters
631 Coyote St., Nevada City, CA 95959
Upstairs conference room (enter from upper parking lot behind building)
When: Thursday evening – February 15, 2018
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Questions, comments or letters can be directed to:
Joe Chavez, Forest Trails Program Coordinator
Tahoe National Forest, 631 Coyote St., Nevada City, CA 95959
Email: joetchavez@fs.fed.us
(530) 478-6158
OHV grants available to clubs
Posted: January 20, 2018 Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: education, grant Leave a commentExtreme Terrain has a program for helping clubs with projects on their local trails. They call it the “Clean Trail Grant Program”. They will award up to $250 to a club doing trail maintenance on a public trail. There are very few requirements and the grant application is (pardon the pun) extremely short and simple to fill out.
Along with awarding grants to clubs, Extreme Terrain has donated to the Lake Tahoe Hi-Lo’s raffle that we hold every year at our annual Poker Run. Here’s a link to our Poker Run if you haven’t signed up yet:
https://www.laketahoehilos.com/gamblers-poker-run-registrati
This summer, I’m hoping to use this grant program for local trails in the Lake Tahoe Basin area. The Hi-Lo’s will go through the process and I’ll report back on how smooth it works out.
If you’d like more information on the “Clean Trail Grant Program” click the link below and go to the Community Support section and click on the “Clean Trails” photo.
https://www.extremeterrain.com/clean-trail-initiative-program.html
It’s free funding for the projects you’re already planning to go out and do. Why not let Extreme Terrain help with the funding?
Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 