Stephens – Townsend – Murphy Party
Posted: September 28, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: history, mountain pass, pioneers Leave a commentThe Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party was the first European Americans to cross the Sierra Nevada with wagons. All 52 people survived the journey to California, including two infants who were born on the westward journey.
This week, (starting Sept 29th) a group of endurance athletes are hoping they can shine a much-deserved spotlight on the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party by embarking on a historical expedition that will trace 120 miles of the route the six horseback riders took across the Sierra Nevada.
The full story of the reenactment can be found here:
Here’s where it gets interesting…
“The wagon party decided to split up, increasing their odds of reaching Sutter’s Fort. On Nov. 14, a group of six people left the party on horseback and followed the Truckee River to its source at Lake Tahoe, which was then known only to the Washoe Tribe as “Da Ow,” meaning “lake.” “
“The Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party were not the first white people to lay eyes on Lake Tahoe. But historians believe the six riders were the first to stand on Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. From the mouth of the Truckee River, they traveled south and down Tahoe’s west shore, where several steep canyons and drainages lead up and over the Sierra Nevada crest. According to Antonucci, the route the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy riders took was in all likelihood up McKinney Creek to Burton Pass, near today’s popular Rubicon Trail, frequently traveled by off-roaders.“
Sadly, the map is not clear enough, but I have read that this group followed McKinney Creek up the east side, Miller Creek down to the Rubicon River and then followed the Rubicon River out to the Middle Fork of the American River and out to the valley. Remember, Hell Hole would not have been dammed up.
Here’s the book I’m referencing, but I’m not going to reread it for the page number. A cool book about why Highway 80 is an interstate highway and 88 is not. And the story of why Highway 4 never got built up is interesting. It discusses railroad routes as well. You think we have bribes and politics going on now, they were going on back then as well. It covers all the roads, passes and railways.
Another article about the pioneers…
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=23567
Yet another article. I don’t want to copy and paste a bunch of stuff but each article has a little something more than the last.
https://www.truckeehistory.org/the-first-pioneer-wagons-crossed-the-sierra-over-160-years-ago.html
So, the wagons did eventually go up and over Donner pass. There is a plaque along Old Highway 40 overlooking Donner Lake.
Back to “The Other Rubicon”, it appears that the Tahoe side of the trail was the first white man crossing of the Sierra in the Tahoe area. Just one more reason why the Tahoe side is the better side. 😉
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Rubicon Ronin
Blackwood Canyon Staging Area to CLOSE
Posted: September 19, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: 15N38, closure Leave a commentDon’t panic, it’s a temporary closure to allow helicopters to land and help replace nearby power poles.
“My name is Savannah Tabor and I work for the Forest Service in the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Liberty Utilities will replacing powerline poles at Eagle Rock and will be using the Barker Meadow OHV Staging Area 39.103326, -120.204036 as a helicopter landing zone between 10/12/2025-10/16/2025. If you have any concerns you can either contact myself savannah.tabor@usda.gov or Kelso Carapia kelso.carapia@usda.gov.”
I clarified that it is only the staging area that is closed. The Middle Fork Trail should be open for public use.
This is the staging area at the bottom of the Middle Fork Trail at the Blackwood Canyon campground and the pit toilets.
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Rubicon Ronin
TNF Stage Two Fire Restrictions
Posted: August 25, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: campfire, fire, welding Leave a commentThe Tahoe National Forest has implemented Stage two fire restrictions. For us, that means no welding.
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https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/tahoe/alerts/stage-2-fire-restrictions
Forest Order
Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a), and to provide for public safety and protect natural resources, the following acts are prohibited on National Forest System lands within or administered by the Tahoe National Forest. This Order is effective from August 22, 2025, through October 31, 2025.
1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire, except within a charcoal grill or fire ring provided within a recreation site maintained by a campground host listed in Exhibit A. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(a).
2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, within a recreation site maintained by a campground host listed in Exhibit A, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(d).
3. Operating an internal combustion engine off paved, gravel or dirt National Forest System roads and trails, except within the Prosser Pits Developed Off-Highway Vehicle Area and boats on a water surface. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(g).
4. Welding, or operating an acetylene or other torch with open flame. 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(h).
Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:
1. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire-fighting force in the performance of an official duty.
2. Persons with a valid California Campfire Permit are not exempt from the prohibitions listed above. However, persons with a valid California Campfire Permit may use a portable campfire ring/pit, stove, or lantern in an area at least three feet from any flammable materials provided that the portable campfire ring/pit, stove, or lantern only burns gas, kerosene, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel and has a with a shut-off valve.
3. Persons engaged in Forest Products Removal (fuelwood) are not exempt from the prohibitions listed above but may operate an internal combustion engine off National Forest System roads and trails only to the extent necessary to cut fuelwood, provided the cutting of fuelwood is done in compliance with daily fire danger project activity levels.
4. Persons with Forest Service Permit No. FS-7700-48 (Permit for Use of Roads, Trails, or Areas Restricted by Regulation or Order), specifically exempting them from this Order.
These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions contained in 36 C.F.R. Part 261, Subpart A.
A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both. 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 18 U.S.C. §§ 3559, 3571, and 3581.
Executed in Nevada City, California, this 20th day of August, 2025
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Be safe out there.
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Rubicon Ronin
A day on the trail…
Posted: August 5, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: explore, trails Leave a commentWhat a wonderful day on our trails. No tress to clear. No trail maintenance to do. No garbage to pick up.
Just me and my girlfriend on the trail enjoying life. And life doesn’t get any better.
So, the LTBMU found a way to drop the hazard tree they were worried about. But they left the rounds and the orange stanchions all over the staging area.
Liz and I headed up the Richardson Lake trail to the top of Sourdough Hill. We bumped into a few members of the Tahoe Donner 4-Wheelers. A wonderful lunch was had by all. I never get tired of that view.
Desolation Wilderness off to the left. Rockbound Lake. Rubicon Reservoir. Buck Island Lake.
Loon WAY off in the distance. Not shown but we could see Spider Lake and Hell Hole Reservoir.
At the top of Sourdough hill there is an antenna and the shed that goes with it. I’m wondering how I get that weather information and the camera fed.
Further up the Rubicon we stayed right on to Forest Road 03-04. Just a little way up, we turned right on to 03-04-12 toward Ellis Lake and Ellis Peak.
A short hike from Ellis Lake I found what reminded me of the “Lone Cypress” in Monterey.
Sarge made it to Ellis Peak!
Sarge looking down on Ellis Lake from Ellis Peak.
We took the buck Lake Trail down to the staging area.
It is steeper than it looks.
Get out and explore.
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Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 
Comments and Questions
Posted: August 16, 2025 | Author: Rubicon Ronin | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: comments, questions | Leave a commentOccasionally, I get a question about the Tahoe side of the Rubicon Trail. I’m happy to answer any questions that I can but the trouble is how to answer. I don’t mean the actual answer, I mean how do I get back to the individual who asked.
The email for the website is: TheOtherRubicon@Charter.net
If you email me, I can email back. If you leave a question using the comment button, I can’t really get back to you. If it’s something I think the OHV community will benefit from, I’ll make a whole new post answering the question.
The latest question/comment was about the level of difficulty of the side trails. Across the board, the side trails are going to be easier. The Hobbit Trail (Barker Meadow OHV Trail 16E76) is easier than Cadillac Hill because it doesn’t have the boulders to crawl over. But it’s challenging because it’s narrow and runs between trees and is NEVER straight. I took me years to finally run that trail without finding reverse. I felt that was a huge accomplishment. And on that run, I was pulling a trailer.
The only other real challenge on a side trail would be going up the Buck Lake Trail (14N40). The first section off the Rubicon to Buck Lake is pretty basic but keeps your attention. Just above the turn to the lake is a very steep, rocky climb. I suggest trying it going downhill first from Ellis Peak or Ellis Lake. Once you’re aware of the challenge, try it going up hill. This section has been such a problem for wheelers there is an anchor above that section if you need a little help getting up it.
As always, the picture doesn’t do the obstacle justice. It’s very short but tricky. Did I mention the steep drop off if you roll backwards too far?
A lot of the other comments I get are about certain trails being open. Check the opening dates on the Forest Service MVUMs. Most trails don’t have gates, so they open with the opening date. Unfortunately, gates have historically not opened on time. I try and keep people informed if that is the case.
Remember, the different forests can issue a later opening date for “natural surface roads” as The Eldorado did this summer. Again, I try and keep you informed. It is the users’ responsibility to know if trails are open or not.
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Rubicon Ronin