The County has installed the last of the seasonal bridges at Lake Siskiyou!
Seasonal bridges are in at Lake Siskiyou
Information from the USFS about the South Fork Sacramento Project
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 |
No Sweat
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.
Closure of Lower Deadfall Trail
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 |
Mount Eddy — A Great Trail Challenge Hike
One of the most strenuous, and most beautiful, trails on the 2023 Trail Challenge is Mount Eddy via Deadfall Lakes. The last snow blocking the trail is gone and the road is clear. Around 10 miles and 2200’+ of climbing so maybe work your way up to this one. Incredible 360 degree views from a great summit are worth the hard work.
This trail allows dogs as does every trail on this years challenge!! Even Mt Shasta and Castle Crags have trails featured this year that allow dogs so if you hike with your dog, this is your year! Feel free to post your dog hiking pictures here.
Note on some seasonal items. The Deadfall Meadows trailhead is temporarily closed for some rehab so use the Parks Creek/PCT Trailhead. It’s a little longer but less climbing! Beware of bees on the summit and avoid them by staying away from clumps of flowers.
Spring Hill Trailhead Cleanup
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!
Like to Hike the Spring Hill Trail?
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.
Check Out The Trail Challenge Swag!
This summer the Trail Association is again hosting a Trail Challenge to promote the beauty of the Mount Shasta area, encourage healthy exercise, and be environmentally sound stewards. This is our sixth year!
As an incentive to get you on the trail with feet, bike wheels, horse hooves or snowshoes (we recommend you wait for winter), the first 100 participants that complete at least 6 of the 12 featured trails are eligible for some of the swag pictured below, such as a stainless steel pint glass. For more information on the challenge, click here.
Another Sign Installation Day on Gateway
If you missed last Saturday’s sign installation work party, don’t despair. We’re doing it again just for you. This time, we’ll be putting in the four-inch fiberglass signs with decals, but also placing some steel signposts with slightly larger, aluminum signs. We’ll attack several sites. There will be the easy decal placement that anyone can do and slightly harder (but quick) pounding in of the fiberglass posts. If you want to get dirtier and work a bit harder, you can help dig a couple holes, mix cement, and place the steel posts. Oh, what fun!
Meet at the Gateway Trailhead on Everitt Memorial Hwy at 9 am this Saturday, June 24.
Sign Installation on Gateway Trails
Thirteen eager beavers showed up Saturday morning, June 17 to begin the process of labeling and installing the signs necessary to prevent confusion while using trails. The beautifully obsessive-compulsive engineer John Thomson gave preliminary instructions on how to label and exactly where to install, then stood back while the group elbowed each other to get it done. No one was hurt in the flurry of excitement, and about sixteen new signs went in.
Thanks to Neil, Ray, Davis, Lynn, Emma, JP, Rick, Dave, Mark, Nick, Neil, and Kerry!
