Category: Uncategorized

This morning, four of us drove down a narrow, rutted access road below Ten Gallon to get close to Magma Trail, which is under construction.

I left my saw in the truck and carried fire extinguisher, first aid pack, shovel, gas, and oil. Bryson Schreder, Todd Whitney, and Michael McGill carried their saws, axes, packs, etc. We hiked down a long, steep hill with Nate and Kyle, Trail Labs’ excavator operators, then attacked the deadfall obstructing the trail corridor.

Bryson, Todd, and Mike did all the saw work, while I pretended to swamp the pieces, bravely giving suggestions on where to cut, and slowly falling behind as we climbed through the branches and logs. We were able to clear a very long segment so Kyle and Nate can continue building. The photos show how difficult the conditions were. Then we climbed back up the long, steep hill with all our equipment, this wheezing geezer trudging along in last place. I think the guys considered calling search and rescue to get me out.

Many thanks to this strong crew for spending a hard day pushing Gateway II construction forward! I’m now sitting at home gobbling down handfuls of Advil.

Also, I want to thank the crew that showed up about a month ago to dig holes for kiosks at the McBride and Ten Gallon Trailheads (Mark Telegin, Chris Williamson, Chad Lancour, Emma Wilcox, Neil Posson, Steve Diaz, and Paul Schwartz). We’ll be scheduling insertion of those kiosks soon.

We have placed closure signs on barricades at the top of two newly completed trails (Deadwood and the Muir’s Ascension connector below McBride Springs) and another trail (Magma, which starts at Ten Gallon) that is only partially finished. Why? Because the soils are very dry and powdery and haven’t had the chance to compact. Therefore, riding these trails will destroy the beautiful work that Trail Labs has done to create the ups, the downs, the turns, and the berms. On other trails in the Gateway System that are suffering from erosion and degradation, we’re also asking riders to be gentle in the dips and turns because of our local soils that become moon dust in summertime. This means slowing down on your descents so you don’t have to lock up your back brake in the turn and pulverize the tread . Please help us make Gateway sustainable. Slow Down and Ride, Don’t Slide!

The County has installed the last of the seasonal bridges at Lake Siskiyou!

Good morning,

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Shasta McCloud Management Unit invites your comments on the draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the South Fork Sacramento Public Safety and Forest Restoration Project. The project proposes the implementation of public safety, fire resilience, and recreation management activities on National Forest System Lands. The project area falls entirely within two high-risk firesheds and the need for action is influenced and supported by the Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The project area is above Lake Siskiyou, approximately 3 miles west of Mount Shasta, California, and includes the land along Castle Lake Road, South Fork Sacramento Road, and southwest to Gumboot Lake. The project’s purpose is to improve public safety and fire resilience of forested ecosystems to mitigate the potential of a large wildfire and to improve recreational opportunities. The Forest’s preferred alternative is Alternative 4, which was designed to address concerns over effects to northern spotted owls, northern spotted owl habitat, goshawk, fishers, late-successional/old-growth (LSOG) associated wildlife, and LSOG in Late Successional Reserve and/or Managed Late Successional Areas (MLSA).

Shasta-Trinity is seeking authorization to use the Western Firesheds Emergency Action Declaration (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Section 40807). The draft Environmental Assessment provides public notice of the emergency authority being considered and an opportunity for public comment. 

A legal notice has been published in the newspaper of record, the Record Searchlight: https://www.redding.com/public-notices/notice/07/21/2023/legal-notice-for-comment-usda-forest-2023-07-21-redding-record-searchlight-california-18976bacaa1. Public comments on the drafts may be submitted up to 30 days from the publishing date of the legal notice. Electronic comments, in acceptable [plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), or Word (.doc)] formats, may be submitted to STNF-comments-SMMU@usda.gov (please include “SFS” in the subject line). For more information, please visit the project webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/stnf/?project=61863.

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Kendall Brockelman Natural Resource Planner Resource AssistantForest ServiceShasta-Trinity National Forest, Shasta McCloud Management Unitp: 526-926-4511 kendall.brockelman@usda.gov204 W Alma St Mount Shasta, CA 96067 www.fs.usda.gov   Caring for the land and serving people

A crack group of volunteers consisting of Steve Diaz, Rick Cory, and Mark Derby joined me this morning to place three more permanent signs on GW. One was a temporary “you are here” sign near the RR tracks on Old McCloud, while the other two are warning signs for the Steam Donkey Trail. This precision team was done with digging, cement, and assembly at three sites in about 90 minutes. Oh, yeah.

The Lower Deadfall Trail is closed to the public from 7/10/2023 – 8/4/2023 for trail restoration and boardwalk installation. The closure is well marked at both the Lower Deadfall Trailhead as well as at the junction with the PCT at Deadfall Lakes. This work is important to maintain the health of the meadow system that it runs through as well as to prevent erosion and trail braiding. We are asking users to refrain from using the trail so as not to interfere with the work because of the presence of equipment in the area that could pose as a safety hazard. We appreciate your compliance.

Taylor Cole  Recreation Management SpecialistForest Service Shasta-Trinity National ForestShasta McCloud Management UnitO: 530-926-9653  taylor.cole2@usda.gov204 West Alma St. Mount Shasta, CA 96067 www.fs.fed.us  Caring for the land and serving people

Uncertain of who might show up in warm weather to help out, I arrived at the Spring Hill Trailhead yesterday morning a bit before 8:30 to find four volunteers waiting next to their vehicles impatiently tapping their feet, with their arms folded. Within a short time, there were 13 of us gathered. We got all the weed whackers going, with a “swamper” to rake the cut weeds for each operator. Thanks to Emma Wilcox, John Kelly, Neil Jacobs, Rick Cory, John Whitson, David Tucker, Ray Uhlig, as well as Emily, Brooks, and Heidi Andrus! Mike Cooper worked even though he is recovering from major back surgery. John Brennan showed with his big pickup to haul away abandoned car parts (a door, etc.) and many of the weeds. We were done thrashing the weeds and cleaning up in 90 minutes!

Oh, yeah? Then come help us clean up the trailhead this Saturday, July 15 at 8:30 am. We mainly need to cut the high weeds and rake them away (also, there’s some abandoned car parts). If we get a half dozen volunteers, I bet we can do it in 60-90 minutes. If you don’t show up, I’m gonna do it all by myself and you’ll miss all the fun. How about that? Meet at the trailhead. And bring a weed whacker if you have one.