Another Beautiful Snow Run
Posted: May 17, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: snow, water, winter Leave a commentMay 17, 2025. 43 degrees. Overcast. 9am start. Seven rigs. Awesome day!
The climb out of staging is clear.
There is still a ton of water on the trail. If you go, please Tread Lightly! and stay on the trail.
As you climb, you will find lots of snow. It will be around for probably two or three weeks. Memorial weekend will probably be chaos with too many people trying to get out. We were out at 9am and half the group turned around at 1pm. The first rig we saw was at 1:30 on our way out.
The snow drifts and the way they melt shifted us to the side of the trail a number of times. Many off camber sections.
We did cut a few trees from the trail. We drove over a few that we didn’t have time to deal with.
I failed to take a picture of the largest tree we cut and winched off the trail. Carry a saw as there will be more trees to deal with as the snow melts and there was at least one widow maker that could come down at any time.
We got to the Arizona (concrete) crossing just west of the Ellis Peak Trail at the pond. The group split here and three rig continued on for another hour of so; the other four of us turned back.
Here is as far as most of the group got. If you’re wondering, that’s “Space Junk”. It’s got a front wheel drive engine mounted sideways, no transfer case, no low range and works really well. He did make it up the ledge, as did many of us, but most turned around as we were done.
Here is the pond on the way out. Really slushy snow driving out in the afternoon.
No real issues on the trip. Yes, a few people needed a strap. At the end of the day, I realized I had forgotten to reload my air hoses. Oops. Thankfully, I was with friends who shared theirs with me.
And the bathrooms at staging had been opened, cleaned and stocked.
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Rubicon Ronin
Springtime wheeling is here!
Posted: May 7, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: bathrooms, snow, springtime Leave a commentI made it out to the Rubicon today. There is still plenty of snow and plenty of water. Please Tred Lightly!
Sadly, even though I was told, by a very reliable source, that the bathrooms were open, they were not. It seems the local 4wd club who took on that responsibility has not been following through on their promise.
Yes, snow on the trail. This is the first climb out of the staging area. It will change daily as the temps will be in to the 70’s this week.
Don’t let springtime fool you, that same weather app says possible snow Monday into Tuesday! Always be prepared to spend the night on the trail: food, shelter, warm change of clothes, etc.
This is still the first climb out of the staging area. Not too slippery.
To be fair, once past this climb there were minimal snow spots. Until there were snow spots.
Well, I didn’t get too far. This is just past Water Bar (rolling dip) #19. This is where all the eight inch river rock is on the trail. I didn’t want to push my luck.
On the way out, I stopped at one of the many rolling dips. I think it was number seven. This one appears to have rocks piled to keep the water on the trail.
I spent maybe 20 minutes removing the rocks blocking the water from exiting the trail and throwing them where they block the water from running down the trail.
It made a huge difference. The next two weeks would be a great time for RTF, FOTR, LTBMU and Placer County to get out on the trail and survey the trail to determine where work parties should focus to prevent future lawsuits for water on the trail and running water causing erosion and sedimentation.
Get out there, have fun, be safe and be respectful to the trail and others.
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Rubicon Ronin
Eldorado Forest Extends Seasonal Closures!
Posted: March 28, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: closure, rain, seasonal, snow Leave a commentEven though the snow pack for the Sierra is below average, the Forest Service has seen fit to extend the seasonal closure of OHV trails and roads. Typically, opening on April 1st, their trails will now open April 30th.
On the Tahoe side of the Rubicon Trail, this only applies to the Richardson Lake Trail that goes to Sourdough Hill.
 Eldorado National Forest Forest Service News Release Contact: Kristi Schroeder kristi.schroeder@usda.gov Seasonal Road and Trail Closure Extended through April 30 PLACERVILLE, Calif., March 27, 2025 — Based on recent and predicted rain and snow, the seasonal closure of dirt roads and motorized trails is being extended through April 30 on the Eldorado National Forest. Using motor vehicles on dirt roads and trails when soil moisture is high can cause damage to roadbeds from rutting, and impaired water quality from excess erosion. A minimum three-month closure period from January 1 through March 31 was designated for the core part of the wet season in the Eldorado National Forest Travel Management Plan. This plan also allows the seasonal closure to start earlier or be extended based on actual conditions. The roads and trails that are subject to the seasonal closure are marked with a “Seasonal Designation” on the current Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) for the forest. The MVUMs are available from any forest office or can be downloaded from the forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/eldorado/maps-pubs/?cid=fseprd637014. The seasonal closure does not affect roads and trails in the Rock Creek Area near Georgetown which has its own wet weather closure process. For additional recreation information, contact the Visitor Services staff from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday: Forest Supervisor’s Office – 530-622-5061Georgetown Ranger District – 530-333-4312Placerville/Pacific Ranger District – 530-644-2324Amador Ranger District – 209-259-3774 ### USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender |
A Day on the Trail, on the Snow
Posted: February 23, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: snow, winter Leave a commentGood news, bad news. The good news is I got out on the trail with a bunch of my friends. The bad news is that MY rig didn’t make it. The story is not worth telling. So…
We got to the trailhead, in the residential trailhead as a group of four was heading out on the trail. A half an hour later, we headed out. The trail had been driven on a lot so it was well packed, in the ruts. Out of the ruts it was quite soft and deep.
The creek crossing were the difficult spots. A steep drop in and what seemed to be a steeper climb out, going both directions. Occasionally, there was a side hill on the trail and that made it difficult to stay in the ruts.
This was one of the easier crossing at the Arizona Crossing #8:
Straps were used, winches were used, but we all got up the trail. The trouble came when we ran into that other group headed out. Not exactly sure how far they got but we meet them before we got to Miller Lake.
We started turning our group around at both ends. It took some doing but we got it done. The drive out was uneventful.
Most of the rigs on the trail were on 37s. Everyone had an issue at some point.
No breakage, no injuries, overall a great day.
And there was a lesson learned. We all stop at the “staging area” to prep our rigs for the trail. What exactly do you do while staging your rig? Air down, lock your hubs, disconnect the anti-sway bar, etc.
My suggestion would be to make sure all possible needed tools and equipment are handy if needed. That means before you drive in to the deep creek crossing, dig the winch controller out of the back of your Jeep. Maybe plug in your winch and make sure it’s hooked up to your battery. I promised no names.
Be prepared, be safe, get out and have fun.
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Rubicon Ronin
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
The 'Other' Rubicon 