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Mark your calendars!! The McCloud Falls area has numerous trails blocked by fallen trees and branches, so we’re scheduling a big Earth Day cleanup on April 22 in partnership with the US Forest Service. This is a very popular area for locals and visitors to hike, so we should get it cleared before the spring rush begins. We’ll have as many as 10-12 USFS personnel, the MSTA chainsaw crew, and hopefully, a big turnout of our volunteer trail crew.

Please let your friends know that volunteers are needed to address the problems at multiple sites around Lower, Middle, and Upper McCloud Falls. We’ll meet at 9 am on Friday, April 22, 2022 at Fowler’s Campground.

Quick reminder that we’ll be installing the fiberglass posts and applying decals to them tomorrow at 2 pm on some of the new Gateway Trails. Meet at the corner of S. Mt. Shasta Blvd. and Old McCloud Rd and we’ll drive from there. We can carpool to save gas if you’re comfortable with passengers in your car.

We were planning to install signs on the Gateway Trail this Saturday, but it’s supposed to rain all day. Next Wednesday, March 23, “they” are calling for 75 degrees and sun. Let’s plan to work from 2 to 5 pm and get some signs in. We don’t need a lot of volunteers, but if we get a big turnout, we can also do some trail maintenance.

Let’s meet across from Seven Suns on the corner of S. Mt. Shasta Blvd and Old McCloud Rd. just before 2 pm and we’ll drive a couple miles up Old McCloud.

It is possible that if significant snow gets dropped at low elevation on Sat., we might postpone again.

You can volunteer by visiting this website.

HEADS UP!!! The US Forest Service plans to burn the remaining slash piles from the Gateway Trail reroute that was constructed last year starting on Thursday, March 3^rd. Sections of the trail where burning is taking place will be closed for 1-2 days for public safety (mainly from where it crosses Cascade Gulch to where Gateway connects to the One-Mile road).

Yesterday, I hoped for about 8-10 hardy folks to show up for tree removal and cleanup of the Cabin Creek Trail. By 8:35, we had 23 crazies shivering in the Park and Ride parking lot!! Then Barb and Brian met us at the trailhead for a total of 25 volunteers! The first photo shows most of the group selecting tools, patiently listening to my boring and long-winded safety talk. We split into groups consisting of one sawyer and 3 or 4 swampers/rakers and everyone trudged down the trail.

I locked up the trailer and followed. The first half mile had no trees to remove and I thought, “Oh, no, I’ve wasted everyone’s time today.” That is, until I came to a group working on a huge tree across the trail (second photo). Many thanks to Todd for bringing (and especially carrying) a saw with a 30-plus inch bar. When I first saw him with that mongo saw, I thought, “What the hell is he gonna to do with that?”

It warmed up quite a bit and turned into a spectacularly beautiful day. Welcome to new volunteers Liz, Jackie, Russell, and Howard! Quite a few of the 25 volunteers had never experienced this amazing trail. Thanks to everyone for clearing about 90% of the trail, nearly to the end. A couple of us will return to finish the bottom portion later.

Hey, we had fun!

Just a reminder that this Saturday, Feb. 5, we’ll meet at the Park and Ride at 8:30 am at the junction of I-5 and Hwy 89 to caravan to the Cabin Creek Trailhead in McCloud (formerly Squaw Valley Creek Trail) for trail maintenance. We have all the tools.

Chainsaw crew: bring all appropriate safety equipment (you know the drill). We do have 2 extra chaps and one helmet.

There is poison oak on this trail, mainly the lower portion, so wear long sleeves and gloves. Also, much of the trail is likely to be in shade, so wear layers to avoid being cold. Finally, bring water and snacks (or lunch) for yourself. We’ll likely work for about 3 hours, but you can leave anytime. It should be beautiful on the trail.

You will decide whether to travel alone or with others, depending on your own perceived risk of Covid. After all, we don’t want to tell anyone how to behave…that’s riskier than Covid!

MSTA is organizing a volunteer work day on the Cabin Creek Trail (south of McCloud) to remove fallen trees and brush, and to generally spruce up the trail before spring arrives. We’ve set Saturday Feb. 5 as the day, since the chainsaw crew is mostly available on that day and the weather seems likely to allow it. We need 5-10 swampers, loppers, and rakers to help clean the trail after the trees are cut up. It’s a great chance to get outside and forget about Covid.

The trip is about 40 minutes each way. We’ll meet at the Park and Ride on Hwy 89 (near the I-5 and Hwy 89 intersection) at 8:30 and drive to McCloud. We then turn south on Hwy 11 (Squaw Valley Rd.) for about 5-6 miles, and turn right onto a reasonable dirt road (Forest Service Rd. 39N21) for about another 3 or 4 miles to the trailhead.

If you haven’t seen or hiked Cabin Creek Trail (formerly Squaw Valley Creek Trail), you should come just to see it. We won’t care if you just walk around and stare at the creek and beautiful waterfalls, let us do the work, and give orders.

There is a lot of controversy about e bike use on USFS lands, and it is currently prohibited in non-motorized areas. The USFS is reviewing this policy and will likely make a decision sometime soon. If you wish to express an opinion (either pro or con), here are the methods:

1. Call Don Lee at the USFS office in MS at 530-440-4509.
2. Email Don Lee at don.lee@usda.gov
3. Send a letter to Don Lee at the US Forest Service Ranger Station, 204 W. Alma St., Mt. Shasta, CA 96067.