Snow at the trailhead
Posted: January 4, 2017 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Placer, recovery, winter Leave a commentFor those of you following the saga, the past practice of Placer County piling snow at the Tahoma entrance to the Rubicon should have stopped.
Unfortunately, not everyone got the memo. This was today, 1/4/17.
Now we don’t know who piled the snow here but I’m working on it.
For the record, the Rubicon Trail doesn’t close during the winter.
If you are prepared enough and brave enough to try the Rubicon during the winter, realize there may still be issues at the trailhead this winter.
On your way in, feel free to break-down any piled snow or shovel the snow away all together. Do not throw that snow in to the street. If capable, drive over the berm.
Remember that there is no street parking from November through May. A sheriff in a bad mood may try and cite you if your rig is in the street as you work the berm. My advice is be polite and don’t fail the attitude test.
On your way out, make sure the berm has not been altered. Get out and check before driving off the edge.
On a side note, there are currently two rigs stuck on the Rubicon. A recovery team is going in on Friday to get the vehicles out. All the people are safely out.
The first rig is near Miller Lake, in a water hole, on the trail (35″ tires). Please do not go off trail to get around this vehicle.
The second vehicle is almost to Observation (40″ tires). It lost one tire off the rim. They plan on bringing out a spare, swapping it on to the rig and driving out. That rig is off to the side of the trail.
Rubicon Ronin
Merry Christmas!
Posted: December 25, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment
That’s the fire department way of fixing a broken ornament.
Colby Emergency Tire Valve
Posted: December 21, 2016 Filed under: Travel Leave a commentMy Colby valves arrived yesterday. I’m really hot on this item.
I ordered the valve back in August before they were even producing them. I knew it would be months before it arrived and not in time for the 2016 wheeling season. No, I usually don’t do a lot of snow wheeling, that’s why I have a snowmobile.
By looking at the two photos, you get how the valve works. First, remove or push in the damaged valve. Then, leaving the valve assembled, you push the Colby valve in the hole until the collar of the black rubber washer is snug against the wheel and then while maintaining some pressure, twist the red handle. The brass stem is drawn up in to the black washer. Due to the taper of the brass stem the black washer expands and seals on the back side (the inside) of the wheel. Tighten until snug. Fill the tire with air.
I think that in every group of wheelers, someone should be carrying one of these. They don’t take up any space and would save a ton of time swapping on the spare tire or worse, trying to in-bead the tire and replace the valve stem. Add it to your tire plug kit.
This product is so cool, I’ve already started to share what I bought. I ordered four of the ’emergency’ valves (there are three styles available) and I’ve already given away two of the valves as prizes at four wheel drive club Christmas parties.
Order up your own at www.ColbyValve.com. They run $28 for a pair of the ’emergency’ style.
For the record, at this time, I am not being paid by Colby nor did I receive mine in exchange for promotion of the product. I’m just really hot on this item!
Rubicon Ronin
OHMVR Grant Funds at Risk
Posted: December 14, 2016 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: CORVA, education, grant Leave a commentAs a new CORVA (CA Off-Road Vehicle Assoc.) Field Representative, I felt the responsibility to phone in to and participate in the Board of Directors meeting Monday night. It is an open meeting, anyone call phone in and participate or just listen. For the most part, it was your typical meeting reviewing minutes, President’s report, old business, etc.
The one thing that jumped out at me was someone (sorry I didn’t note who brought it up) spoke about the new CA Senate Bill SBX1-1. Look it up. (I think there’s a similar one in the Assembly.) In a nut shell, it proposes the ability to change the allocation of the gas tax revenues that usually funds CA State Parks OHVMR grants to be used for all things vehicle related such as general highway repair, adding bicycle lanes to state roads, etc.
I’m not a legal scholar, so I’ve provided a link to the bill below for you to review the bill as well as copied the two paragraphs from the bill that I think sum it up:
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520161SB1
(8) Article XIX of the California Constitution requires gasoline excise tax revenues from motor vehicles traveling upon public streets and highways to be deposited in the Highway Users Tax Account, for allocation to city, county, and state transportation purposes. Existing law generally provides for statutory allocation of gasoline excise tax revenues attributable to other modes of transportation, including aviation, boats, agricultural vehicles, and off-highway vehicles, to particular accounts and funds for expenditure on purposes associated with those other modes, except that a specified portion of these gasoline excise tax revenues is deposited in the General Fund. Expenditure of the gasoline excise tax revenues attributable to those other modes is not restricted by Article XIX of the California Constitution.
This bill, commencing July 1, 2016, would instead transfer to the Highway Users Tax Account for allocation to state and local transportation purposes under a specified formula the portion of gasoline excise tax revenues currently being deposited in the General Fund that are attributable to boats, agricultural vehicles, and off-highway vehicles. Because that account is continuously appropriated, the bill would make an appropriation.
This could be a huge blow to funding OHV maintenance and repair. Along with this bill, the entire OHMVR program is coming up for review (it will go away unless it gets voted to continue) and the OHMVR division will be rolled into the CA State Park system and no longer be a different division.
These are a lot of changes facing our grant source all at one time.
CORVA is on it. They are already voicing support to renew the OHMVR program. They are keeping an eye on how this system will be managed under CA State Parks directly. And they are aware of and will work to correct any bill that would defund or reduce funds to our OHV grant program.
As a life member of CORVA, I would ask that you help support the efforts of CORVA in this issue and the many others that CORVA champions. www.CORVA.org
Rubicon Ronin
Wet conditions. Tread Lightly!
Posted: December 10, 2016 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: Rubicon, snow, weather, winter Leave a commentOn my way to the annual Lake Tahoe Hi-Lo’s Christmas Party, I drove by the Rubicon trailhead. It was a little sloppy at the staging area with more than eight inches of slop.
Rain is expected over the next few days, so it’s going to get worse. Imagine this mess freezing up. The temperatures will drop below freezing over night this week but they warm up to the 40’s during the day.
Next weekend the temperatures drop dramatically. We’re talking single digits. Go prepared. And don’t go alone.
The deepest spot was over the bridge, maybe ten inches. With no ground warming, it just doesn’t melt. Be careful crossing the bridge as the ‘sides’ are only eight inches tall. If there is a crown to the snow, you may slide off the side. If you’re concerned about sliding sideways, dig two grooves/ruts to prevent sliding.
If you’re feeling like it’s too sloppy, you’re being a whimp. Theses two vehicle were parked along the trail and should have no problem getting out.
Weather conditions can change quickly. Always be prepared to spend the night in case of a breakdown. Tent, sleeping bags, winter clothing, water, food, change of clothes, warm snow boots, etc. Prepare for the worst case. You don’t want to be that guy.
The ham repeater system is in place year round. (Thank you RTF and Dennis Mayer!) Carry a radio in case of trouble as cell phones do not work out there. Tell several people where you are going and when you will return.
The side trails in the Eldorado and the Basin are closed. The Tahoe side trails close January 1st. I would suggest staying on the Rubicon at this time of year. That is because the side trails are narrow and off-camber and you could windup in the trees in the blink of an eye. Trust me, you’ll have plenty of fun on the main trail.
Please stay on the trail. Over the snow travel is not permitted for wheeled vehicles. Snowmobiles can go over the snow but don’t follow their tracks in your 4×4.
Get out there and do some snow wheeling but Tread Lightly! and be safe.
Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 