Almost made it…

Posted: October 30, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

This morning, I met up with a few fellow FOTR volunteers at the entrance to Blackwood Canyon. The goal was to meet the dump truck full of twelve yards of rock for the upcoming FOTR maintenance effort on November 5th.

Well, we met up with the truck, but we failed to get the truck to the dump spot. The drive was tight.

The very last grade was a LONG north aspect that actually had the big rig slipping towards the edge and drop off. He correctly backed down and we decided the correct line of action was to turn around.

This was as far as the rig made it.

On a side note, even if you have a mobile ham radio mounted in your rig, always bring your handheld as a back-up. This antenna set-up does not work without the whip installed.

This is how I store the antenna when not in use, as it fits better in the garage.

But at some point, over the last few days, I lost the whip. About to call the Ham Radio Outlet to order a replacement. Maybe Amazon can next day deliver? If not, I’ll have my handheld.

Shannon is trying to work out the details to get rock delivered to keep the FOTR work party on the 5th on track. Stay tuned.

.

Rubicon Ronin

Fire Restrictions Lifted

Posted: October 7, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Both the Tahoe National Forest and the Eldorado National Forest have lifted fire restrictions.

TNF: “Fire restrictions on the Tahoe National Forest have ended, effective today, Oct. 2, 2023.”

ENF: “Due to cooler weather conditions and above average fuel moisture levels, the Eldorado National Forest will lift fire restrictions order 03-23-11 effective Friday October 6th, 2023.”

The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit has year-round fire restrictions. Fires are only ever allowed in official USFS fire rings in USFS official campgrounds.

Just because the fire restrictions have been lifted, it doesn’t mean there is no risk to a wildfire. Campfire permits are still required.

This is an image I never want to see again. This was the North Fire five years ago in the TNF.

From the Smokey Bear website:

  • Make sure you are at a site that allows campfires.
  • Make sure there are no burn bans and it’s not too windy.
  • Dig a pit away from overhanging branches.
  • Circle the pit with rocks.
  • Clear a 10-foot area around the pit down to the dirt, removing anything that could catch on fire.
  • Stack extra wood upwind and away from fire.
  • After lighting, throw the match into the fire.
  • Never leave a campfire unattended; an adult should supervise the campfire at all times.
  • Keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby.
  • Never put anything but wood into the fire.
  • Do not pull sticks out of the fire.
  • Do not sit on the fire ring or rocks around the campfire. They will heat up quickly and they’ll stay hot for a long time.
  • When it’s time to put the fire out, dump lots of water on it, stir it with a shovel, then dump more water on it. Make sure it is COLD before leaving the campsite. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave!

The question I will ask is: “Do you have a plan for putting the fire out?” And that goes for a fire that stayed in the fire ring and for the fire that somehow got out of your fire ring.

Do you have a shovel, staged at the fire ring? Do you have a container filled with water at the fire ring? Do you have a plan to refill that container because I don’t care how big that container is, you will have to refill it many, many times to completely put out the fire until the fire coals are cool to the touch.

Be safe.

.

Rubicon Ronin

Side Trails Update

Posted: August 1, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Maintenance, Travel | Tags: | Leave a comment

Okay, when at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. So, I tried the same route that I didn’t make do to snow and this time I got through. Now, there was still a few snow drifts. And up the Ellis Lake Trail, there were many!

Still evidence of people driving off trail to get around snow drifts. I threw a few small trees down but a larger effort (and tree) will be needed. This was the Red Cabin Trail (16E79).

Trail on the left, illegal bypass on the right. It’s uglier where the bypass comes back in to the trail.

Still 16E79.

This time of year, really? How hard are mini snow drifts?

One tree was not quite across the trail but pushing people to the side. I got out my new DeWalt mini chainsaw and trimmed all the branches on the underside.

Way off on the Ellis Lake Trail (16E18), there was a HUGE tree trunk across the trail. It is rotten, probably doesn’t weight a whole lot, but I decided I didn’t want to fight it today.

In the same area as the tree trunk, there are some very large snow drifts.

My favorite find of the day, was on the Rubicon. Okay, maybe it was Forest Road 03-04. But right at that intersection, someone decided to camp and build a fire! Unfortunately, it’s not the first time I’ve come across a campfire in the middle of the trail.

Get out there and explore those side trails.

Fire restrictions are now fully in place.

Be safe.

.

Rubicon Ronin

Tahoe National Forest Fire Restrictions

Posted: July 31, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: , | Leave a comment

As promised, the Tahoe National Forest (TNF), starting tomorrow, will have fore restrictions in place.

tnf-frDownload

Please be safe out there.

.

Rubicon Ronin

Rubicon Side Trails – report

Posted: July 16, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: , | Leave a comment

Every winter is different, but every spring is the same. Regardless of the strength of winter, spring always shows all the trees that were dropped over the winter. This year, my spring tree clearing trip on the side trails of the Rubicon was delayed with the huge winter dump of snow. I actually went too early as I couldn’t make some of the trails.

I started in Blackwood Canyon, going up the Middle Fork Trail 15N38. The trail was unusually wet. A lot of the drains off the rolling dips need to be cleaned out. No trees down to speak of but I picked up a wheel/tire that probably bounced out of the back of a pick-up truck. Since I didn’t want to haul it around all day off road, I left it at the pit toilets at the intersection with the Pacific Crest Trail for the Forest Service to deal with.

The Red Cabin Trail 16E79 was next. It did once have a red cabin, but it was gone well before I started Jeeping in 1985. It didn’t take long to find the first sizable tree across the trail. There was evidence that someone had driven around this tree.

It literally winched off the trail with no need for a chainsaw. But I used my new toy (chainsaw) to limb off the side once the log was moved.

There were many smaller trees on or encroaching the trail that were not worth taking pictures of. This one deserved a photo. The chainsaw came out and then it was winched to the side

After moving the log, I had to navigate the snow. I very much appreciate my locking differentials.

Much further down 16E79 I couldn’t follow the trail anymore. With too many tree wells trying to suck in my TJ, it was time to turn around.

Once back up to Forest Road 03, I took 03-04 around to the bottom of 16E79. There were a few small snow drifts on 03-04. Almost immediately the snow was hiding the trail enough that I didn’t bother heading up the trail.

Below 16E79 is Barker Meadow OHV Trail, the Hobbit Trail or 16E76. Too many names for one trail. It was wet but minimal snow. Mud in spots. The photo below doesn’t show well but there were a few similar spots with small trees and branches across the trail.

There were two snags hanging above the trail on 16E76. As they were not blocking the trail, I didn’t remove them. I’ll send the coordinates to the FS to deal with those.

Once on the Rubicon, I headed back towards the staging area. There were many places where it was obvious people had driven off the trail to get around now melted snow drifts. Please, “Turn Around, Don’t Go Around”. Snow isn’t that difficult.

The Ellis Peak Trail 03-04-12-05 had snow at the higher elevations. Before I ran in to a few Jeeps coming towards me and taking their time in the snow, I was able to get stuck. I turned around to avoid the snow in the trees and the four Jeeps coming towards me.

From the direction I was going, I didn’t see the undermined section of snow, but I should have assumed it. Tree strap, winch line, unstuck and moving.

I finished the day running up to Sourdough Hill on the Richardson Lake Trail 14N39. Beautiful views up there. On the way back down, I broke a local myth about rattle snakes. I had heard that there were no rattle snakes in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Too high an elevation and too cold in the winters. Well, this not so little guy was right along the trail at the old sheep herders cabin. It was a very healthy snake, probably over three feet long. I used the zoom feature to take the picture!

I mentioned a new toy, I mean tool. This DeWalt electric saw was worth the price. Perfect for the little branches sticking out along the trail that might rip a soft top or for limbing up a log along the side of the trail to prevent ripping a sidewall. I had extra batteries but never needed them.

Under the don’t do what I do category, I removed two safety features of this saw. One was a trigger lock that required one finger to unlock and then one finger to activate. The second was a plate at the tip of the saw to prevent kick back. Both would have slowed me down and caused many frustrations.

I’ll try and get back out as soon as possible to remove more trees so others won’t be tempted to drive off trail.

.

Rubicon Ronin

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →