Author: John Harch

Hello!

If you haven’t met me yet, or heard about this, there is a new position on the SMMU! It is for a seasonal interpretive ranger, who will be in charge of developing various educational programs about our forest, monitoring Panther Meadows, coordinating the Trailhead Host program, planning a National Public Lands Day event, etc.

So far this season, I have mainly focused on outreach to let the community know to expect to see programs, and hopefully get an audience for them, meanwhile working to get those programs actually developed. By July 2nd, I will have an entire program on Panther Meadows, Geology, and hopefully the Legends and Lore of the area as well. As time permits, hopefully by the end of July, I will also have a program on Forest Health Management. I attached the advertising flyer for these programs, which you might have seen up around town and the forest, as well as on social media!

I attached the program schedule here as well. I’ve only put up the one for July as of now, because it’s a new position, and I might find that the times or locations should change. For next month, I will be giving programs at 11am, 3pm, and 7pm every Saturday, and 11am and 3pm every Sunday. The daytime ones will rotate between Panther Meadows, McCloud Falls, and Castle Lake, and the evening program will go between Fowlers and Castle Crags State Park (they have an amphitheater). Eventually, the idea is to have each location have it’s own topic- Panther Meadows: the meadows, McCloud Falls: Forest Health Management, Castle Lake: Geology, Castle Crags and Fowlers: Legends and Lore. However, for the beginning of July, McCloud Falls will also have the geology talk, and the first weekend, Fowlers might have geology as well. Each of the programs will be around 30-40 minutes.

If anyone is interested in learning some more about the forest you work on, come on out to a program this summer, and pass it on to your friends too! If you have any recommendations on other ways to get the news out to the community, any ideas for a National Public Lands Day event topic, or any other input, feel free to reach out! And last but not least, thanks to all the folks that have helped me out with developing this new position so far this year. I look forward to working with all of you throughout the season!

Haley WilkenInterpretive Park Ranger Forest Service Shasta-Trinity National ForestShasta McCloud Management Unitp: 530-926-9653haley.wilken@usda.gov204 West Alma Street Mt. Shasta, CA 96067 www.fs.fed.us  Caring for the land and serving people

Thursday evening, 17 trail work volunteers from the Bay Area (known as Trail Center) will be arriving in MS to assist in constructing part of Gateway II. Friday, we’ll be working on “Sisson’s Trail,” which connects McBride Springs Campground to the first segment of Gateway I. A number of locals have put significant time into this trail, which is likely to be the only “hikers-only” trail in the new system. Part of the trail has to be rerouted in a drainage area, some brush removed, water bars constructed, all to US Forest Service standards. At least one USFS employee will be on site to guide our work.

Saturday, we’re likely to continue work on the same trail, then we move on Sunday morning to a nearby site on the already-constructed CZ-5 to armor the trail where it passes through a drainage.

This is a chance to have our local trail volunteers meet and work side by side with these folks who are donating their entire weekend to help us build trail. Yes, it will be hot, but much of this trail is shaded or partially shaded. As is usual, you can come for as long as you want, or just come to say hello. Lunch will be served for volunteers around noon by Glenn Harvey.

I will be parked about a hundred yards up Everitt Memorial Hwy from McBride Campground with the tool trailer by about 8:30 on Friday and Saturday mornings; you can’t miss me unless you want to (which I would understand). We have all the tools and hard hats. If it gets too hot, we’ll quit and go jump in the lake.

Attached is a photo of the trail. Hope to see you.

Believe it or not, I have a half dozen deranged volunteers who’ve agreed to help clean the trail and remove poison oak on the Cabin Creek Trail tomorrow morning, Friday, June 17, at 8:30. Here are the rules:

1. Meet at the Park and Ride at the junction of I-5 and Hwy 89 at 8:30 am. We’ll try to leave together by 8:45. We’ll drive to the Cabin Creek Trailhead in McCloud, open the locked gate, and drive to the bottom of the trail. Easy, huh?
2. Weather predictions are for scattered showers and about 63 degrees. If we don’t go, we’ll get no rain. If we go, we’re guaranteed to get some rain, so best to go.
3. Wear boots, long pants, long-sleeved shirt. I have gloves and protective glasses, but if you have your own favorites, bring ‘em.
4. Glenn and I have all the tools and hard hats. Bring water and a snack or lunch…and eat your vegetables…and look both ways before you cross the street…
5. If you detest poison oak, you can stay at the end of a long rake and fling the cut pieces off the trail, go for a hike, or just stand there and jeer at us for being so stupid. There may be other entertaining things to do as well, like watch us scratch ourselves.
6. Bring a change of clothes. If you end up rolling in the poison oak (like Tim and Glenn and I plan to do) then you should remove your garments before climbing back in your car (this will avoid marital discord later).
7. Recommended cleanup for the urushiol oil in poison ivy includes Tecnu soap, rubbing alcohol, and Dawn dishwashing soap. I toss my clothes right into the washing machine and haven’t had a problem.
8. I plan to work to about noon or 1. You can leave anytime you want; this isn’t a prison crew.

The photo shows the prep for tomorrow.

This is gonna be fun!

If you’ve been eager for trail work, but the chance to frolic around in the poison oak on Cabin Creek doesn’t light your candle, we have other options.

A group of dedicated trail work volunteers called Trail Center are coming from the Bay Area to help us with Gateway II construction. Between 15 and 20 people will arrive on Thursday evening, June 23^rd, to set up camp at the KOA. They will work on trails all day Friday, Saturday, and half of Sunday. To support this effort, MSTA needs the following:

1. You can do trail work alongside the visiting group between 9 and 3 on Friday or Saturday. We’ll announce where to meet and we’ll provide lunch. You can work any amount of time you wish and leave at your leisure. It will be fun to have a large group of locals and visitors contributing to our signature trail project.
2. Glenn Harvey will be cooking breakfast for the visitors all three mornings. He needs help with that on Friday and Sunday mornings at 6:30 am—yes, you heard me correctly, 6:30 am. But if you want to come at 7 or 7:30, we’ll hug you and say thanks. Everyone needs a hug.
3. We need help setting up lunch at the worksite on Friday and Saturday—likely at noon.

If any of these options sound like a thumbs up for you, contact me or Glenn Harvey via email or phone.

Glenn  Harvey: 530-925-9287  glennharvey54@gmail.com

John Harch: 530-859-2454 john@harchms.com

More info to come as the dates near.

Trail Crew Masochists:

How about this for a fun proposition: let’s gather at the Park and Ride in south Mt. Shasta, burn $7.50/gallon gas to drive out to Cabin Creek, go to the bottom of the trail, and remove poison oak? Sounds like a blast, doesn’t it?

We’ve cleared the top end of the trail and have only the bottom portion (perhaps 25%) left. If you don’t want to mess with poison oak, you can clear trees, branches, and other debris. Also, you could just wield a fine rake and fling the cut poison oak to the side. We’ve done this carefully in the past (including using power equipment) and haven’t gotten a problem with the poison oak.

It takes about 40 minutes to get out there and we’ll probably work for about 2-3 hours.

How could you miss this?

MSTA is receiving ongoing and increasing reports of motorcycles on existing, newly constructed, and partially constructed Gateway Trails. Evidence of significant damage to the trails can be seen already. When the soils dry out, this damage will become exponentially worse and will threaten all the time, energy, and money that have been expended by the USFS, MSTA, BikeShasta, and all our donors. Keep in mind that we have spent about a half million dollars on these trails and expect to spend at least another $1.3 million before we’re done. It would be a great loss to the community to see these trails destroyed. In addition, heavy, fast-moving motorcycles are a big risk to hikers, dogs, and bicyclists.

MSTA and the USFS have initiated a plan to stop this activity, but we need the public’s assistance. Please help us identify where and when the motorcyclists enter the Gateway System, where they are riding, and when they seem to be present. Photos would be useful. The USFS will step up surveillance and enforcement with increased personnel and possibly trail cameras. Please do not confront the riders yourself.

You can send reports to mtshastatrail@gmail.com

The combination of blowdown, thinning, and hazard-tree removal left a rather shocking mess across the entire Fowler’s Campground. Virtually every campsite was uninhabitable.

A group of about 50 people from MSTA and the USFS got busy in there, with rakes, brooms, blowers, and chainsaws. Massive amounts of slash were piled for later burning. The trail to Middle Falls was cleared of downed trees. Every campsite was made ready for campers, and the campground will be open starting this Sunday.

Everyone was so famished by 1:00 that several people were injured in the scuffle for the front of the line at the delicious BBQ lunch hosted by the USFS. First aid was promptly administered and then everyone got a full tummy.

It was a beautiful day in the forest. If you missed it, we’ll save a spot for you on the next workday. Don’t you dare miss that one.

This is the final bother about the joint work effort with the USFS tomorrow at 9 am at Fowler’s Campground. We’ll be removing downed trees and generally cleaning up. Hope you can help us on this big job, and bring friends.

BBQ courtesy of USFS afterward.

Trail Labs has been making excellent progress on new trails in the Community Zone of the Gateway II System. These trails won’t be ready to hike or ride until completed and approved by the Forest Service. Shown below is Becky Cooper, Recreation Officer for the USFS, accompanied by MSTA board members John Thomson and John Schuyler as they survey a partially finished trail.

The following is an announcement from Marcus Nova of the USFS regarding the rescheduled, jointly sponsored volunteer work event at McCloud Falls next week: 

Community members! 

This winter, the Forest Service completed logging within the McCloud River Recreation Area. The work consisted of thinning forests to generate ecosystem restoration and fire resilience landscapes. Significant logging slash and winter debris still remain within recreation sites and along trails. There are downed trees and debris that need to be cut and moved off trails and campsites.  We’re planning an Earth Day celebration and work day Thursday, April 28 from 9:00am-2:00pm (this event was moved from actual Earth Day due to inclement weather). The Forest Service will be providing a BBQ lunch. The Mt. Shasta Trail Association will be leading volunteer efforts and providing tools, hardhats and gloves. We will meet at Fowlers Campground at 9:00am. Hope to have you there! 

Work needs: 

– Low stumping with chainsaws.

– Cut (with chainsaws), drag and pile 4’X4’ slash piles. Piles will be placed outside of campsites. 

– Sweeping/raking off campsite pads and roads.

– Clearing trails of brush and downed trees 

– Rehabbing skid trails by knocking down berms and naturalizing the area. 

– Bucking logs into rounds to clear sites and provide firewood for campers.

Directions to Fowlers Campground: 

From McCloud, California, go east on Highway 89. Drive 5 miles and look for the Fowlers/Lower Falls Sign. Turn right just after the sign and drive approximately 1 mile. Once you cross the River Loop Road take the left fork into the campground. The right fork will take you to the day use/parking area for Lower Falls and the beginning of the River Trail.