Rubicon conditions
Posted: February 19, 2017 Filed under: Travel, Uncategorized | Tags: education, recovery, Rubicon, snow, winter Leave a commentRubicon
I’m continuing to follow the saga of the stuck rigs on the Rubicon. An effort was made this past weekend to reach them but it fell short due to mechanical failures. But they got to in quite a ways considering conditions.
Yes, that is the staging area and the two twelve foot tall pit toilets!
I’m assuming the photo below is the creek at water bar number eight, the first Arizona crossing on the trail.
That would be a cold, deep crossing on a Quad!
Please remember that this will be a very late OHV season. All trails will be very wet and probably not open on time. One can be cited for damaging the forest even while on an OHV trail. Always Tread Lightly!
Be patient, summer will get here.
Rubicon Ronin
FYI – Lake Tahoe has already risen three feet this year! And Spring isn’t here yet!
4wpw Grand Re-Opening
Posted: February 19, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment4WPW
Yesterday, Four Wheel Parts Wholesalers (4WPW) in Sparks, held a Grand Re-Opening. Sorry I didn’t post about it earlier but I didn’t think it was going to be a big deal. It turned out there was quite a large turnout.
There were several 4wd clubs represented, more than a half dozen vendors, free lunch, raffle prizes and entertainment in the form of people play on the wrecked cars and boulder garden with their rigs. The most entertaining was the guy in a full size extended cab who got majorly stuck on the cars.
The booth always seemed to have a crowd. That’s because I let the Tahoe Donner 4wd Club put up a banner and recruit new members. They are the most active 4wd club I know of. And yes, I’m a member. TD 4 Wheelers website
I was displaying the same old stuff: Rubicon maps, fliers, t-shirts. It was a good day and I talked to a lot of people who had no idea there were so many side trails off the Rubicon on the Tahoe side.
If you missed this one, 4WPW will be holding a similar event Saturday, March 11th. They are advertising it as a membership drive.
And another reminder, the Reno Motorsport Show will be happening March 17, 18 & 19.
Rubicon Ronin
ENF to hold open house for grant input
Posted: February 2, 2017 Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: education, El Dorado County, grant Leave a commentThe Eldorado National Forest (ENF) just put out an email about an open house regarding the OHV rant process.
This is a good opportunity for the user to tell the forest service how we want our grant funds spent. Regarding the greater ‘Tahoe side Rubicon area trails’, there is only one trail, the Richardson Lake Trail that runs up to Sourdough Hill. Currently, that trail has maintenance well in hand, been adopted by a motivated user, and should be good for years to come.
ENF does a huge amount of work on the Rubicon itself in cooperation with El Dorado County. There are a few spots along the trail that could use some work (read as fill material) in order to prevent temporary closures due to running/standing water on the trail. These efforts should be emphasized and supported.
The old saying is “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain”. This is similar, if you don’t take the time to inform the forest service what you want to see them do for your trails, don’t complain when it doesn’t happen. ‘m sure there is a way to email in any thoughts or comments you have if you can’t make the meeting.
It didn’t copy and paste well but here it is…
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News Release
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Snow is a four letter word
Posted: January 26, 2017 Filed under: Access, Travel Leave a commentIt’s official, this season of storms at Tahoe has brought more snow than the HUGE ’82-’83 winter some of us remember. And it’s only January! Many locals are using four letter words to describe the amount of snow.
Driving around on 89 you already get the feeling there’s a lot of snow. Turning in to the Tahoma residential area. The smaller roads are plowed with clean streets and steep, sheer walls.
A little further in, the roads are not much narrower and not as clean. I’m assuming they will get cleaned as time allows. Crews were working in the area as I was driving around.
When you get to the Rubicon trailhead, you understand the issues facing those who would like to go play in the snow on the Rubicon. The berm at the trailhead is currently about 11 feet tall! (My truck is about six feet tall.)
Looking up and down the street, not all of the other berms seem as tall.
If you poke your head around the backside of the Rubicon berm, you see that the snow naturally on the ground is four, maybe five feet deep.
This morning, I sat down with Placer County Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery at her monthly coffee meet & great that she holds every fourth Thursday of the month in Tahoe City.
She had already been made aware of the situation and we discussed options for dealing with the situation.
Since we don’t know who piled the snow there (Placer is firm that their plow drivers do not dump snow there.), we can’t go after anyone yet. Placer does not have the resources to place someone there to watch. A game camera has been suggested, but if it was placed when mentioned, it would be under snow right now.
I’ve asked for a “No Snow Dumping” sign with the proper County ordinance and fines listed. Montgomery was open to the idea.
This year might be too late to get a program in place to keep the trail open but I’m hoping for written agreements for next season.
Always travel/wheel prepared for anything. Carry food, water, a change of clothes, phone, ham radio, sleeping bag, etc.
Rubicon Ronin
And now for something completely different…
Posted: January 23, 2017 Filed under: Access | Tags: camping Leave a commentOk, not completely different but not directly Rubicon related.
Last September, the Hi-Lo’s ran the Barrett Lake Trail. I was lucky enough to make the trip. My passenger took the time to take a few videos. Here is one of them from the trip out…
It was a two day, one night trip. For the most part, the weather was good. Sunny skies with warm but not hot temperatures. The afternoon and evening brought a change of conditions. The wind picked up and setting up camp became a challenge.
The area, both the entrance of the trail and at Barrett Lake, was littered with downed trees from a wind storm the previous winter. It didn’t make for a settling night know that trees could get blown over.
I made sure to weight down my tent as soon as I put it up. But the next morning, with the wind still blowing a little, I forgot to keep something in the tent and as I loaded my sleeping bag and pad in to the Jeep, the tent blew away.
After getting the tent set up that first afternoon, we did the short hike up Tells Peak to see the B-17 aircraft wreckage. (Google it.) Very cool. Not a difficult hike but you should remember you’re at an elevation higher than you’re used to.
The trip out revealed a broken U-bolt, missing motor mount bolt and loose cross member bolt. After a short repair session, the rest of the trail was smooth sailing. At least until we got to the ‘gatekeeper’ and one of our rigs broke a pitman arm 50′ from the gate and pavement.
This is a great trail. It opens late in the season due to the area staying wetter than the surrounding forest. And my close early due to wet weather.
Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 