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
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
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
The 'Other' Rubicon 