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
Seasonal Trail Closures
Posted: November 7, 2023 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: closures, gates, winter Leave a commentAs many are now reporting, the USFS has started closing gates for the winter. This happens every year.
The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) is the first to close Rubicon area trails, by closing Forest Road 03 in Blackwood Canyon, June 15th – November 5th. This is the paved road to the summit of Barker Pass. The (second) lower gate is just past the river crossing before you head up the hill. There is a gate at the top that should also be closed. It reopens June 15th, depending on road conditions, typically, it’s a late opening due to snow.
I should mention that the Forest Service does not have the best record for closing the gates on BOTH ends of a trail. Just because a gate might be open at the top, do not expect the gate at the bottom to be open if it’s past the closure date.
Other LTBMU trails around the Rubicon SHOULD be open through November 15th: Noonchester Mine Road (14N34A), Buck Lake Trail (14N40) no upper gate, Ellis Peak (14N40B), Middle Fork Trail (15N38).
Forest Road 03 should close on November 16th but is typically left open to the river late, so people can collect Christmas trees, FS permit required. Forest Road 03 will close to wheeled vehicles for the winter, but is a ‘Winter Sno Park’ area for snowmobiles. A parking permit is required to park at the Kaspian Campground parking lot.
Many roads around the Rubicon are open until January 1st: Forest Road 03-04, Upper Barker Meadow (16E79), Lower Barker Meadow (16E76), Long Lake Trail (16E12), Ellis Lake Trail (16E18), Richardson Lake Trail (14N39).
It is the user’s responsibility to know the closure dates and to know where you are at all times.
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Rubicon Ronin
Rubicon Trailhead Conditions, Tahoma 2/17/23
Posted: February 17, 2023 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: snow, snowwall, winter Leave a commentI did a quick drive by of the Tahoma trailhead today.
No evidence that a wheeled vehicle has been up the trail for some time. But maybe a few snowmobiles.
Surprisingly, the trailhead does not have the typical dip, so the wall is about the same height all the way across.
Once on the trail, there may have been wheeled vehicles on the trail.
The trail is as wide as a vehicle. The surface seems hard from melting and refreezing but I’m not sure it will support a 4000 pound rig.
The trail did look inviting but I was in my truck after skiing.
Right now, the roads are clear and the walls are steep.
Don’t go alone. And there are a few storms coming in next week.
Enjoy.
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Rubicon Ronin
NEVER GO OUT ON THE RUBICON ALONE!
Posted: December 26, 2022 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: snow, stuck, winter Leave a commentHow many times do we need to say it?
I needed to get out of town and so I took a drive up to the lake. Of course, I swung by the Rubicon trailhead.
Please note: I did not go out on the trail alone.
The trailhead was clear with no berm or evidence that the locals had tried to block wheeled access.
The work we all did has allowed a good deal of people to access the trail. Awesome!
There was that one guy. The guy who went alone. The guy who got stuck.
If you know the Tahoe side, he didn’t get far. And it looks like many people went around him.
He did try all the old tricks: dig out the tires, wood under the tires, floor mats under the tires, etc.
Maybe we need more aggressive signage to prevent people from being stupid.
There’s a wet storm coming soon. Maybe the snow will firm up after the storm, after it all freezes again. There is a slight off camber pitch to the trial at the trailhead. Although the trail is flat, the way the rotary plow threw the snow, the left side is higher than the right side on your way in. No idea how far people have gone in. I wasn’t going to walk it.
If you go out to play, be prepared to spend the night. Bring everything: a second vehicle, friends, winch, shovel, tow straps, recovery gear, food, shelter, clothing, water, sleeping bags, tent, ETC! You cannot be OVER prepared for winter on the Rubicon.
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Rubicon Ronin
ENF Closes Trails Early
Posted: December 2, 2022 Filed under: Access, Travel | Tags: closure, rain, winter Leave a comment U.S. Forest Service Eldorado National Forest 100 Forni Road Placerville, CA 95667 530-622-5061 www.fs.usda.gov/eldorado  News Release For Immediate Release December 2, 2022 Media Contact: Jennifer Chapman, jennifer.chapman@usda.gov www.facebook.com/EldoradoNF Twitter:@EldoradoNF Seasonal dirt road and trail closure begins December 1 on the Eldorado National Forest PLACERVILLE, Calif. – Due to the amount of rain and snow received, the annual seasonal dirt road and trail closure for motorized vehicles went into effect December 1, 2022 on the Eldorado National Forest. The seasonal closure is designed to protect roadbeds and watersheds from damage and to protect water quality. A minimum three month closure period from January 1 through March 31 was designated in the Eldorado National Forest Travel Management Plan for the core part of the winter. To maintain flexibility, the timing of the seasonal closure is determined based on current conditions each year which may cause the closure to go into effect early or be extended. This year, storms saturated the soils in November with rain and melting snow making dirt roads and trails susceptible to rutting and erosion. Regardless of when the closure is in effect, visitors should always use good judgement about whether motor vehicle use will cause resource damage. The roads and trails subject to the seasonal closure are identified on the forest’s Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) which are available free of charge and can also be found on the forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/eldorado/maps-pubs . The seasonal closure does not affect routes in the Rock Creek Area of the Eldorado National Forest near Georgetown, which has its own route closure process. For more information on recreation opportunities and current conditions in the Eldorado National Forest, visit the forest website or contact a Visitor Information Specialist Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at: · Forest Supervisor’s Office: 530-303-2412 · Amador Ranger District: 209-259-3774 · Placerville and Pacific Ranger Districts: 530-644-2324 · Georgetown Ranger District: 530-333-4312 ### 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. |
This early closure would only include the Sourdough Hill Trail on the Tahoe side and all other trails in the ENF.
For the record, the LTBMU closes their trails Nov 15th.
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Rubicon Ronin
The 'Other' Rubicon 