Official Rubicon Bypass – update
Posted: August 1, 2020 Filed under: Access, Maintenance | Tags: maintenance, mud, reroute, TNF Leave a commentThe Tahoe National Forest has been back out on the trail to look at the mud hole and the legal and illegal bypasses. Here is a note from Joe Chavez about what was discussed and decided on his latest look at the issue:
On July 29 myself, Will Harris (CA Geological Survey), Vickie and Justin from El Dorado Co. and the Tahoe NF Hydrologist (also the Forest’s Water Quality Act compliance lead and Water Quality Control Board liaison) reviewed the mudhole and bypass, among other items on Cadillac Hill. The Tahoe NF Hydrologist recommended not reopening the mudhole routes and said that it would be better for the wet meadow wetland ecosystem adjacent to the mudhole area to keep the trail out of the wetter flat area containing weak soils and recommended that the mudholes be restored in a certain way to eventually restore the watertable dynamics negatively impacted by the deep trenches. El Dorado Co. mentioned that their OHV Restoration Grant could be used to restore the mudholes if that was determined to be the future course of action. The Forest Hydrologist also recommended adding some specific drainages to the bypass and to add some rock in a few spots. It was also discussed in the field that the Truckee District Ranger will be making the determination on what course of action it will take regarding which route the trail will follow in this area in the short-term, mid-term and long-term (including considering a reroute that would avoid the mudhole area altogether and avoid the potential landslide area above Miller Creek, via an El Dorado Co. OHV Planning Grant). Carol, please correct me if I misrepresented what you said.
Bolding and italics are mine
So far we do not have a timeline for any work being done in that area. The possible major bypass is years away due to studies and paperwork.
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Rubicon Ronin
Official Rubicon Bypass
Posted: July 16, 2020 Filed under: Maintenance, Travel | Tags: bypass, mud Leave a commentSo, I’m not seeing where I posted about the large mud hole on the Tahoe Side of the Rubicon, but there was one. It was so bad, 4 of the 5 in our group the day we encountered it got stuck. We were all in well built rigs on 35’s or more.
The users created an illegal bypass but it was blocked off by ‘those in charge’. Unfortunately, ‘those in charge’ did nothing to FIX the mud hole.
Guess what? ‘Those in charge’ just created a “temporary bypass” around the mud hole until it can be properly repaired.
There has been no word on when repairs to the mud hole might take place.
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Rubicon Ronin
Rubicon Trail Conditions
Posted: May 26, 2020 Filed under: Access, Maintenance, Travel | Tags: mud, rolling dips, snow, wet Leave a commentI was out on the Tahoe side on Sunday and the trail is wet. If you don’t have to be on the Rubicon, I’d like to ask you to find a dryer place to go wheeling.
Most wet sections are rock covered and don’t pose any issues:
There is still snow and ice in the shaded sections of the Tahoe National Forest:
Where the snow has melted, there is some standing water and a few muddy sections.
That hole in front of my Jeep was some thick mud. We made it through going west but on the return trip, four of the five rigs in our group had to winch out. I’ve reached out to El Dorado, RTF and FOTR to get a crew out to work the few sections that were causing issues.
Some of the rolling dips placed last November were working, some better than others. All needed rock to harden them to prevent them from being worn down.
Again, please avoid the trail if you can. Let it dry out and visit in July.
“Turn Around, Don’t Go Around”, stay on the trail!
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Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 