Thankfully, eight volunteers showed up to install the kiosk at Ten Gallon Trailhead, and we needed everybody. The posts are very heavy, the levelling is difficult once everything is connected, and there were 12 bags of cement to mix and pour. Thanks to Tony Mills, Rick Cory, Payton Birch, and Jim Wrona. A special thanks to Steve Diaz, David Court, and Mike Hlynsky who seemed to have additional construction knowledge and helped us avoid technical mistakes. Mike is an electrician who is newish to town and is the owner of Apollo Electric Co. (530-643-0217)—my “plug”, not his (and my pun).
Stay tuned; there are two more kiosks to install before Jan. 1.
Last week, Hanne Meyers (fuels specialist at the USFS) informed us that a fire crew might be available to help with brushing on planned trails in the new Gateway System. Josh McNulty (also USFS) contacted us yesterday to say that a crew was ready. This morning, Alyssa Winkleman (Trail Labs) and I headed up to the Learning Zone (near the Nordic Center) to direct the Mesqueda 19 Crew of 24 workers on where the new trail will ascend Everitt Hill to a great overlook.
This well-equipped group tackled the mix of manzanita, snow brush, and fallen trees to open a corridor for the new trail. This is hard, dangerous work (heat, hornets, and chainsaws) that helps train these crews to cut fire lines, but translates to free brushwork for MSTA and Trail Labs as we continue construction of 10 miles of new trail in the Learning Zone. Thank you USFS and Mesqueda 19!!
Recently, a volunteer crew dug holes at McBride and Ten Gallon for kiosk installation, but we ran into some large rocks at Ten Gallon that prevented us from finishing. So, Kyle from Trail Labs helped out with his excavator (see pics). Those rocks don’t look very big, but they’re impossible to pull out of a hole with shovels and rock bars.
We’re planning to install the first kiosk (out of five planned for the new Gateway System) at Ten Gallon this Thursday, August 31, at 9 am. Let’s meet at the Ten Gallon Trailhead: head up Everitt Memorial Hwy. When you pass McBride Campground, go 2.5 miles further and turn right on the short, paved apron which turns to a gravel road (I’ll leave an orange ribbon on a piece of rebar at that right turn). Travel about a quarter mile on that gravel road and it will open up into a large parking area at Ten Gallon. We’ll be at that spot.
I will have the kiosk steel posts, cement, and tools. Please bring 5 gallons of water if you can (to mix cement and clean up the tools). It will be fun…really!
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!
Need a break from the heat? Try the Lake Siskiyou Loop Trail on the Mount Shasta Trail Challenge! The seasonal bridges have just gone up after a wonderfully wet winter and it is now possible to hike or bike all the way around. The trail is fairly well shaded but still gives great views of the lake and Mt Shasta. The best part is you are never more than a minute from the waters edge. Click here for more information.
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.
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.
