Weather coming in hard!
Posted: February 11, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: be prepared, snow, weather Leave a commentFrom the NOAA website, at about Observation Point:
Sorry for the substandard photo quality. I’ll work on doing better.
Wednesday Night Snow likely, mainly after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
Thursday Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 32. Breezy, with a southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 12 to 18 inches possible.
Thursday Night Snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 28. Breezy, with a southwest wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 10 to 16 inches possible.
Friday Snow, mainly before 4pm. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 29. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 5 to 9 inches possible.
That’s 29 to 47 inches of snow predicted over about 48 hours.
Might be fun to play in but please be prepared. Plan on spending the night (because your buddy broke down.) in below freezing temperatures. The weekend looks promising.
Bring: shelter, sleeping bag, food, multiple changes of clothes, fire starting materials, communications and all the other supplies you’d normally bring out on the Rubicon. Don’t go alone, tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
Do you guys get tired of me typing out the same rant about being prepared to play on the Rubicon?
Just don’t be THAT GUY.
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Rubicon Ronin
Snow on the Rubicon
Posted: November 5, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: snow, Sourdough Leave a commentSnow has finally fallen on the Rubicon Trail. I decided to check out how much yesterday. I met a couple from Arizona who were scouting the trail for a real trip next summer. We headed out together.
The trail right out of the staging area was well worn. That area maybe got three inches of snow. Anything with good sunlight had melted.
We decided to head up to Sourdough Hill on the Richardson Lake Trail, 14N39. There were no tracks on the ground in front of us. Okay, we did find bear tracks near the top of the hill.
A couple of poser shots. It was extremely quiet. Minimal wind. Great day.
It was nice to have someone following me to take pictures, even though I hadn’t asked.
At the summit of Sourdough, in the shade, there might have been 5-6 inches. Coming back down, I made a smart-ass comment about this is an awesome day, but we’re one slip of a tire away from wrapping our Jeep around a tree. 100 yards down the trail the back end started coming around on me but I corrected and kept it on the trail.
So, here come the same old safety lines…
Hit the trail prepared to spend the night: food, water, sleeping bags, tent, extra layers, winter boots, etc.
Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be back. Stay in touch with a ham radio.
Don’t go out alone. Phone a friend. Be safe, don’t take chances.
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Rubicon Ronin
Clearing Trees, Finding Snow
Posted: June 16, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: closed, gate, gates, snow, trees Leave a commentToday was supposed to be my annual spring tree clearing trip for the side trails along the Rubicon Trail.
When I got to the bottom of the Middle Fork Trail, I found the gate still locked. It was supposed to be unlocked on June 1st. The gate on the paved road to the top of Barker Pass was also locked. It was supposed to be unlocked on June 15th.
I’ve already sent an email to the Forest Service complaining.
So, not able to clear 15N38, 16E79 and 16E76, I headed for the Rubicon. I went up the Sourdough Trail and cleared eight trees from the trail. I was the first 4-wheeled vehicle to the top this year. But it looked like a pair of motorcycles had already made the journey.
Work smarter, not harder. Fewer chainsaw cuts and more winching.
My reward for clearing that first tree was three down in the same area, right around the corner.
With time on my hands, I tried my luck up the Ellis Lake/Peak Trail. It is quite narrow these days. I was able to get to the area with the open meadow.
This one/group was on the Ellis Peak/Lake Trail. I left it as it was quite large and the go around was not crazy off trail.
Further up the Ellis Trail the snow became more than I was willing to take on. I had already busted through a few drifts and winched over one.
The trail is under all that snow as it goes into the trees! Think side hill on slippery snow, sliding into the trees. No thanks.
I also popped up the Buck Lake Trail but only to the lake, not above. Maybe next week I’n try again, but the FS needs to open a few gates.
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Rubicon Ronin
ENF Delays OHV Trail Openings
Posted: March 28, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: snow, Travel, winter Leave a commentThe Eldorado National Forest has delayed opening our OHV trails until April 15th due to the late and wet storms we are experiencing.
For the purposes of this website, that really only means the Richardson Lake Trail to Sourdough Hill. For what it’s worth, there’s so much snow out there that no one is getting up that trail anyway.
Many trails around Loon Lake and on the west end of the Rubicon Trail will be affected.
 U.S. Forest Service Eldorado National Forest 100 Forni Road Placerville, CA 95667 530-303-2412 www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado  News Release For Immediate Release March 28, 2024 Contact: Placerville / Pacific Ranger District: 530-644-2324 Amador Ranger District: 209-259-3774 Georgetown Ranger District: 530-333-4312 www.facebook.com/EldoradoNF Twitter: @EldoradoNF Seasonal Closure of Dirt Roads and Motorized Trails Extended through April 15 on the Eldorado National Forest PLACERVILLE, Calif. – Based on recent and predicted rain and snow, the seasonal closure of dirt roads and motorized trails is being extended through April 15 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 in a given year. 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 8:00 am to 4:30 pm 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 ### The U.S.D.A Forest Service is an equal opportunity employer. The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. |
Winter storms are still coming across the Sierra. If you go out to play, be prepared to spend the night. Bring food, shelter, water, clothing, ham radio, etc.
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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
The 'Other' Rubicon 