My TJ is home, so I took it to the trail
Posted: February 15, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: plowing, snow, trailhead Leave a commentOkay, it’s been home for some time, but I was out of state and then down with a cold. With a brand-new engine, I’m trying to put some easy miles on it, but I needed get to the trailhead and report on conditions.
A picture is worth a thousand words. Saturday, 2-15-25, 11am…
There’s about a three-foot wall at the entrance
Placer was out cleaning up the edges.
But they hadn’t got to the Rubicon trailhead. Placer plow drivers have been consistent with a straight plow, no dip, at the trailhead. That results in no artificial wall. Good job Placer.
It appears someone went in, probably yesterday afternoon. Some fresh snow over those tracks. But the tracks are down to ice. The snow level was near lake level and the area probably got a good deal of rain that froze during the below freezing overnight temps. This will change as to drive in further and go up in elevation.
What a pretty picture.
Practicing what I preach, I didn’t drive in alone.
Stay safe.
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Rubicon Ronin
It Snowed, a LOT!
Posted: March 5, 2024 Filed under: Access | Tags: berm, plowing, snow, winter Leave a commentThe drive from Tahoe City to Tahoma on Highway 89 was a little sketchy but at least there was two-way traffic. Once on the side streets of Tahoma, it was a one lane road.
The trailhead didn’t disappoint. With 89 inches of snow falling during the last storm, there was quite a berm at the entrance. The rotary plow had not come through the neighborhood at all. Not only was the berm taller than my truck, once it gets plowed, it will be MUCH taller than my truck.
This shows the width of the berm and that Placer County is still plowing the entrance straight across the entrance.
The locals are up and over the berm, on foot, and skis. It will be some time before a wheeled vehicle makes access.
This is the road off 89 on my way out. That’s 89 in the distance. At least this road was down to the pavement.
I’m not sure when the next storm is coming in but there will be another one.
If you go out, be prepared to spend the night: shelter, food, water, warm clothing, means for keeping warm. Ham radios work all year ’round. Don’t travel alone. Tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
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Rubicon Ronin
Same old snow
Posted: February 20, 2024 Filed under: Access | Tags: plowing, snow Leave a commentReports say we’re at 89% of our normal snow fall. The berm at the Rubicon trailhead shows that, but the Homewood ski area was a little light on snow. No one had accessed the trail since the latest plowing that probably happened yesterday.
There appears to be quite the usage going on due to the ruts…
Further up the trail wheeled OHV use is very apparent, along with hikers and cross country skiers.
Placer County may have got the message about not plowing a dip. The current plow is straight down the road so there is no excessive berm at the trailhead.
Although I was in the trail Jeep, I wasn’t about to venture up the trail.
There will be many more storms over the Rubicon. If you go, be prepared for any type of weather. Be prepared to spend the night. Don’t go alone.
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Rubicon Ronin
Are we going to have a winter?
Posted: December 28, 2023 Filed under: Access, Maintenance, Travel | Tags: news, plowing, snow, snow wall, snow-plow, weather, winter Leave a commentAre we going to have a snow wall at the Rubicon?
Last season gave us an incredible amount of snow fall. Some would argue too much. All that snow made for great spring runoff and the filling of our reservoirs.
Strangely, all season long, there was only the typical or expected snow wall at the entrance to the Rubicon. With record snowfall, there was no record tall wall. Individual efforts were made to maintain access to the trail:
Even group efforts were made:
And although these efforts were successful:
Winter continued:
As the above pictures shows, the efforts to maintain access were snowed on but clearly left a designation of where OHV enthusiasts should enter the trail.
My personal belief is that the reason we did not have a HUGE wall was due to the fact that Placer County plowed straight across the entrance to Rubicon Trail. When Placer County plows any kind of “dip” or “wide spot” at the entrance, that extra snow moved adds to the height of the wall at the entrance.
In the picture below from a previous winter, the “STOP” line is clearly visible in the plowed area of Evergreen Way. That stop line is several feet back from the edge of Evergreen Way. That shows that Placer County plowed an extra fifteen feet of snow on top of the wall, further attempting to deter OHV users.
Let’s hope Placer County continues to plow the entrance to the Rubicon Trail without a dip or wide spot.
Although really tall, the height is uniform across the entire stretch of the wall. No extra height from plowing a dip or wide spot.
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Rubicon Ronin
Two feet of fresh snow and it’s still snowing…
Posted: February 27, 2023 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: plowing, snow Leave a comment2-27-23 Narrow streets. The plow guys are working their asses off and can barely keep up. The roads were well plowed considering the amount of snow that the Basin has received this winter, specifically, this latest storm. the Rubicon trailhead is straight ahead. That’s a private plow operator, up on the right, clearing berms and driveways.
It doesn’t look like any vehicle has tried recently. Two more feet of snow expected over today & tomorrow. At least the notch is holding up so we know where to make access, once the snow allows.
It might be redundant, but I’ll post up after the storm passes.
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Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 