The Mount Shasta Trail Association invites you to participate in the 2020 Trail Challenge. This year’s challenge features 10 trails that highlight the beauty and uniqueness of our area.
It is an excellent opportunity to participate in an event
that naturally socially distances participants while being part of a larger group
event. This is a great opportunity for
families to have many outdoor experiences together.
You have until Aug. 31st to complete 8 of the hikes listed on the passport. The first 70 people to complete their will receive a Hydro Flask tumbler! For more details and links to individual trail guides visit our 2020 Trail Challenge page, or download and print out your passport here.
The Mount Shasta Trail
Association (MSTA), in partnership with the Forest Service and Bike Shasta, is
pleased to announce work has begun on the expansion of the Gateway Trail
network.
This project, located on
national forest system lands administered by the Shasta McCloud Management
Unit, will add 46.5 miles of multi-use non-motorized trail to the existing
Gateway trails. While the final trails will be open to hikers, equestrians,
trail runners and bikers, the primary use is expected to be mountain
biking. Thus, the trails are being
located, designed and built, meeting USFS trail standards, with mountain biking
in mind.
District Ranger Carolyn
Napper approved the project on October 18, 2019, after a thorough review of all
applicable environmental requirements and the Forest Plan for the
Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Funding
the planning effort came from a variety of partners and grantors, including
BikeShasta, the McConnell Foundation, the Mountain Wheelers, and the Mount
Shasta Trail Association – truly a project with the community pulling together!
On-the-ground trail
construction under direction from the Forest Service is being coordinated by the
MSTA and Trail Labs, CO., a small business owned by internationally-known trail
designer Andrew Pellkofer. The initial work is the clearing of vegetation from
the trail construction corridor, making way for future building of the trail
itself. On-the-ground construction of
the trails by Trail Labs, CO. is expected to begin later this year. Trail Labs has hired local labor to conduct
these activities. Completion of the
project is expected to take 4-5 years.
At this time, work is
proceeding with strict COVID-19 safety precautions. While the post-COVID-19 future is unclear,
the Mt. Shasta Trail Association, Bike Shasta and the Forest Service are
pleased to share this good news with the community. Construction of the Gateway Trails will be a
major contribution to outdoor recreation around Mt. Shasta. As we move forward on this project, we expect
that it will contribute significantly to Mt. Shasta City’s reputation as a hub
for muscle-powered and trail-based recreation.
When things get back to normal, these fantastic trails will be there for
everyone’s enjoyment.
Trail Corridor Clearing by A Crew From The Deadwood CDCR Camp
The Mount Shasta Trail Association has postponed the annual meeting until further notice. In order to complete the 2019 Trail Challenge event and maintain social distancing, we decided to draw the special prize winner today. We would like to congratulate Katy Ostrowski! The special prize this year is a $150 gift certificate for the Fifth Season.
The Mount Shasta Trail Association would still like to
celebrate your accomplishment at our annual meeting. We will announce the date
of the meeting in a few weeks.
If you are interested in participating in the 2020 Trail Challenge, the new passport will be available at the Siskiyou Science Festival in downtown Mount Shasta on May 16th. The passports will be distributed at MSTA orienteering booth.
Congratulations go out to those that completed all of the trails included in the 2019 Trail Challenge!
The Mount Shasta Trail Association wants to celebrate these accomplishments during our annual meeting on April 2, from 6:00-8:30. The evening will begin with a social hour of appetizers and drinks. It’s a great opportunity to meet other trail enthusiasts and find out more about current and future projects. Then, near the beginning of our meeting we will have a drawing to determine the special prize winner. The location will be announced soon.
The need to close some of the Gateway Trails for public safety during thinning operations begins on Wednesday February 12th. Below is a map of the closure area.
For more information, the Forest Service news release can be found here.
The
Mount Shasta Trail Association (MSTA) is very pleased to announce that John
Harch was recently elected as the association’s new president. John has
been active on MSTA’s board of directors since 2013 – serving as its vice
president for the past three years. He
was elected president at a recent board meeting, assuming the reins that Barry
Price held for over three years.
A
retired general surgeon, Harch brought a good mix of humor and energy to the
MSTA. John has been very successful in
getting volunteers and other organizations out on the ground to cut brush, dig
trail tread, build rock walls and install trail signs. His core of hard workers has been nick-named
the “crazy old men,” but under John’s leadership they’re the hardest working
bunch of guys and gals you’ll ever meet.
John earned a degree in biology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, before going on to medical school at UCLA. He completed his surgical internship and residency at LA County/USC Medical Center. Before landing in Siskiyou County, John practiced surgery in the Bay Area and southern California. John is board certified in general surgery and critical care medicine.
Don’t be surprised to run into John on an area trail, hiking, riding his mountain bike or leading a group of volunteers working a trail. With surgical precision, John will use his skills and passion to lead the MSTA into the future!
There are many ways to enjoy the trails. If you love our trails, please support the Mount Shasta Trail Association by donating during Giving Tuesday on December 3rd .
One way to enjoy the views on the Gateway Trail
Click here to pre-schedule your donation. Thank you!
Are you gathering with your friends and family for a traditional Thanksgiving feast and music? Just like you can pre-order your turkey, you can pre-schedule your Giving Tuesday donation to the Trail Association beginning November 19th. You can do that here: https://www.northstategives.org/mountshastatrailassociation
