TNF Helps Clear 16E76

Posted: June 27, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , | Leave a comment

I reached out to the Tahoe National Forest to help clear the last tree on 16E76. They came through.

It helps that they were headed out to give a tour of the new ‘reroute’ of the Rubicon Trail.

I still have not checked 16E79. Maybe this coming Wednesday.

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Rubicon Ronin

Staging Area Partly Blocked

Posted: June 23, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

On my way in to clear trees this morning, I discovered the staging area had a HUGE area blocked off. Last week I posted about a guy calling me about a hazard tree. I thought that would have been taken care of by last weekend. Nope.

The main route is closed. You must go through the staging area.

It seems the Forest Service didn’t want to drop the tree while there were trucks and trailers in the parking lot. Now I didn’t drive out via Rubicon, I exited via Blackwood Canyon. I’m hoping the tree was taken care of today but I very much doubt it.

Now there is still green on that tree. So, I’m not sure what the hurry is all about.

So, if you’re headed up for Rubithon, parking might be tight. There is parking up Forest Road 03 or Blackwood Canyon, but you then need to run Forest Road 03-04 over to the Rubicon. Again, lower Hobbit is blocked by a down tree across the trail.

I have emailed the Forest Service to let them know this is unacceptable and I cc’ed the Rubicon Trail Foundation to help with more eyes on the issue. We’ll see who gets what done.

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Rubicon Ronin

Trail saw

Posted: June 11, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Maintenance, Travel | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

This time of year, we expect that enough people have been out and about on our public trails that any tree clearing should be done. So, why carry a bulky, smelly chainsaw and spare fuel?

I agree. But just this last weekend, we had a wind event that had sustained 50 mph winds over the sierras. The odds of coming across a tree blocking your way increased dramatically.

Now it’s not as big a deal on your way in to find a tree across the trail. Remember, Turn Around, Don’t Go Around. You could just turn around and find another place to go enjoy the mountains. But what if you’re on your way out. You can’t turn around because you need to get out. You won’t drive off trail to go around the tree because that’s really bad.

Here’s my solution:

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The Silky Katana Boy. It’s larger than you think at almost four feet long!

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The blade length is 20″. you need two hands to use this monster. The teeth are very aggressive.

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It folds up in to the provided pouch to about 27″.

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It’s not going to clear a 30″ tree in two minutes. But for most of the trees you’ll come across, it will do the job. Even if you only score one side half way in, you could pull the tree with your vehicle and break the tree and get past it.

It’s not bulky and it doesn’t require fuel. If I’m not carrying my chainsaw, I always carry this one.

Okay, the downside. It’s a little pricey. I just looked on Amazon and it runs about $135.

 

Rubicon Ronin