Author: John Harch

A couple reports came in that there was a stump below the second table jump on Lemurian Delirium (the “Jump Trail”) that was a big problem for those choosing to fly through the air with the greatest of ease on their bikes. Today, that stump became history, although I left a very small kicker on the down side in case the crazies now want to use it for a landing or launch pad. Photos show before and after from above and below.

No doubt you’re tired of hearing this, but eight of us went back up the access road on Gateway I today to remove more downed trees and brush. We think all the trees are gone. We finished most of the brushwork, with one short segment remaining for another day. Thanks to Bill, Kathleen, Mark, Chris, Todd, John, and Jim. Jim behaved today.

Chris Marrone, who never has enough hard work to do, wants to finish brush work on the Gateway access road that we started last Monday (when we took out the downed trees). Getting this finished will make maintenance of the trails much easier, including after Grinduro. We probably got 2/3 of it done already, so there’s not a mammoth job in front of us. We will carpool from the trailhead, so there will not be much hiking.

Let’s meet at 10 am on Wed, May 10 (I have a meeting with the USFS before that and it will warm up a little if we go at 10) at the Gateway Trailhead on Everitt Memorial Hwy (same place as last time). I plan to be finished by noon, especially if we get 8 or 10 people.

Sawyers: this is a good opportunity to practice your brushing skills (maybe some of the hardest of the saw skills). Also, there are a few trees left on the upper parts of Gateway I, as well as 2 small trees just below the second segment of Gateway.

Booyah!

I’d been receiving texts and phone calls about a big tree down on the “back nine” of Gateway I for several days. Couldn’t get up there right away, but Todd Whitney (one of our best sawyers) offered to handle it right after our first day in the chainsaw class. Check out the size of that hanging tree and Todd’s big-ass saw!

On Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, the USFS gave a certification/recertification course for our volunteer chainsaw group. Eleven of us spent a day and a half in the classroom, then headed out to the forest for the fun stuff–cutting trees, limbing, and bucking. We got to try out some big saws and hone skills with our little, homeowner saws. Very big thanks to instructors Josh and Josiah for their patience, knowledge, and easy-going style. And thank you to our volunteers who donated their time to be ready to clear trails: Michael, Terry, Jeff, Devin, Jessica, Scott, Renee, Bryson, Davis, and Todd.

It was raining when I left with the tool trailer this morning, thinking we might have to cancel. As volunteers gathered, the rain stopped. By the time I gave my usual boring safety talk and hiked to the trail (about 20 minutes) it started to clear. When all the late stragglers wandered in, we had a total of 17 workers and the sun came out!! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!

The conditions were ideal for trail work and we buffed out the trail to perfection. It was a spectacular morning.

I must confess that I erroneously indicted Ray U as the troublemaker from previous work days, confusing him with Jim W, who showed up today but actually behaved for about 5 or 10 minutes before stirring things up (he appears in the second photo below). Thanks a lot, Jim.

Our trail contractor, Andrew Pellkofer, was out and about scouting the next trail for construction. When he finishes the next segments, we’ll be scheduling similar finish work. Don’t miss out.

I highly recommend you see the new Foundation Link. Just go up the original Gateway Trail from the trailhead about 3/8 mile, and when you see a banked turn curving sharply to the left, the new trail takes off straight ahead and takes you to the start of the Foundation Trail. Try to see it before they start the controlled burn in the area.

Thanks to everyone who helped today!

Twelve workers showed up on this cool, cloudy morning to clear the trails of downed trees and brush out the access roads. Our gang included regulars Davis, Jessica, Todd, John, JP, Bryson, and Chris; relative newcomer Dave; newbie Jules, and our two new Forest Service employees, Taylor and Alan. About 12 trees were removed and some very long segments of access roads were cleared of encroaching brush (which will make further work easier in the next 12 months). Everyone worked hard and had fun (I think). Sorry gang, the photo edit app squeezed the group shot down and we all look shorter and wider than we really are!

Wed we’ll meet again at 9 at the Gateway Trailhead for a short hike followed by finish work on the new Foundation Link. Don’t miss that one!

People have been asking, asking, asking, “When are we gonna start working on the trails?” Well, this is your answer!

On Monday, May 1, we’ll meet at the Gateway Trailhead on Everitt Memorial Hwy (1/2 mile north of MS High School) at 9 am. We’ll likely enter through the green gate, drive up the access road in a few vehicles, split up into a couple small groups, and attempt to remove all the fallen trees that are obstructing trails in Gateway I. This will be somewhat strenuous work, especially if you’re toting a chainsaw, but more of a walk/hike if you’re just gonna help scatter the branches and rounds. We’ll probably have some USFS personnel helping (yay, young strong people) so if this isn’t your jam, don’t worry about it. Chainsaw gang: we need you.

On Wednesday, May 3, we’ll meet again at the GW Trailhead at 9 am and walk a short distance up the GW Trail (or Lollipop) to work on the newest segment of the Foundation Link. Andrew Pellkofer of Trail Labs has most of this connector trail cut in and we just need to do light finish work (raking, removing small rocks, lopping of some roots, and small improvement of drainage features. This will be fairly easy work and I’m more interested in the social aspect of getting everyone together than doing hard work. Feel free to just hike and talk, heckle the group (yes, you, Ray), or suggest ridiculous ways to work that we won’t embrace. I’ll have the tool trailer, so you don’t need to bring anything except a sharp tongue (well, maybe a water bottle and snack). I even have gloves if you don’t have your own.

Hope to see you.

McBride Timber Sales to Resume

The Shasta-McCloud Management Unit, of the Shasta-Trinity NF, is announcing that timber harvest operations have begun on two plantation thinning contracts located north of the town of Mount Shasta off the Everitt Memorial Highway. 

     The timber sales were planned under the McBride Plantations Project CE, signed in 2018.  These timber sales have not operated since 2020 and 2021, respectively.  The project was planned as a fuels-reduction/forest health project designed to reduce the risk of fire and improve the health and vigor of the timber stands in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) around the community of Mount Shasta.  The project also lies within a designated high-risk fireshed, which is defined as an area at the highest risk of community exposure to wildfire.  The 2022 USDA Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy has placed an emphasis on hazardous fuel reduction projects, with a priority focus on areas within high-risk firesheds. 

     At this time, the logging activities will be occurring in the plantations west and north of the Everitt Memorial Highway (A10).  Residents and visitors to the Shasta-Trinity NF should be on the lookout for heavy equipment working in the area, tree falling hazards, and increased truck traffic from both log trucks and chip vans.  Hikers should be aware of logging activities that may occur on/adjacent to roads.  After initial logging is completed, there will be follow-up chipping operations as well as brush mastication and prescribed fire treatments over some of the area.  To provide for public safety, it is recommended that visitors curtail recreational activities in the area while harvest operations are occurring.  It is anticipated that operations will be occurring for the remainder of the winter and into spring.

     For more information, contact District Ranger Carolyn Napper at the Mt. Shasta Ranger Station at 926-4511.

Tomorrow, the USFS will begin burning slash piles that have accumulated along many of the new trails in the Gateway Trail System. If you are out there riding, hiking, or dog-walking, beware of this activity.