Meet Mark Telegin. Meet Mount Shasta City Park’s two newest bridges! For years, Mark has wanted to complete this bridge over a low spot in “Big Springs Meadow” in Mt. Shasta’s City Park. This winter drainage is on the northwest end of the park, right next to an old apple tree, along part of the beautiful park trail system maintained by volunteers from the Mount Shasta Trail Association. The bridge not only improves the hiking experience for visitors to the park, but is built to handle the weight of tractors used for maintenance in the area.
The second, smaller bridge, was built by Glenn Harvey, and is next to the maintenance shed in the lower area of the main part of the park. This bridge provides maintenance access to the southern parts of the park.
Materials for the bridges were provided by a combination of private donations (by unnamed individuals such as Mark T******) and a District Grant provided by the Rotary Club of Mount Shasta.
Stop by City Park this fall to enjoy the always improving trail system! City Park staff have also recently restricted parking near Big Springs, referred to as the Headwaters. This helped relieve some of the parking congestion in the area nearest the springs. Hope to see you there!
The US Forest Service just finished some heavy work to revise and reroute the Sisson Callahan Trail, but it needs some finish work by volunteers.
The Mount Shasta Trail Association, BikeShasta, Shasta Gravity Adventures, and Trail Labs Co are combining forces to sponsor the volunteer work this weekend. This is your chance to get out there, get dirty, and touch up a fantastic trail.
Here’s the plan:
If it’s not raining significantly (we’ll work in light rain) and the AQI is < 100, we’ll meet in the parking lot just north of the Lake Siskiyou Dam at 9 am on Saturday, Oct 10. The address is 2400 WA Barr Rd for out-of-towners. Assemble near the restrooms.
We’ll caravan (carpool for those who are comfortable) up South Fork Rd and then to the second cement wash.
Bring your own lunch and some water (we’ll provide some snacks, water, bubbly, etc.).
We’ll have loppers, iron rakes, and McCleods, but you can bring your own if you have them.
Appropriate personal protective equipment includes long sleeve shirts, pants, boots, gloves, and hardhats. We will bring some hardhats.
You’ll be asked to sign a volunteer sheet and listen to a short “job hazard analysis.”
We’ll work from 9 to about 1, but you can leave anytime, or stay longer.
Some may wish to ride up in the back of pickups with their bikes, then bicycle out.
The temporary closure of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest has been lifted as of 8 a.m. on Saturday the 19th. Therefore, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest is OPEN for public entry, with some exceptions. Many other national forests in California remained closed.
Specifically, the Shasta McCloud Management Unit established a forest closure order prohibiting dispersed camping in certain areas on the Unit. These areas are open to day use. The two areas are: South Fork Zone and a Mount Shasta Zone. This is in effect until October 31st. Additionally, the Bunny Flat gate will remain closed for the remainder of the season, which includes no camping in Panther Meadows Campground (area behind the gate is open to day use). The gates on Castle Lake Road and just above McBride Springs CG on the Everitt Memorial Highway will be opened on Monday when the County is able to do so. That’s when day use sites above these gates will re-open
All fire restrictions are still in effect. Therefore, no campfires, no propane grills, no ignitions of any sort – this includes in developed campgrounds.
Due the unprecedented number of extreme wildfires, as of 5:00 PM today, the Forest Service has temporarily closed all national forests in California, including the Shasta-Trinity. That means no nothing. No hiking, mountain biking, running, fishing camping, etc. The temporary closure will be evaluated every day, so stay tuned. Here’s a link to the news release.
The Mount Shasta area and surrounding Shasta-Trinity National Forest lands offer plenty of beautiful natural areas to do dispersed camping. To help you do dispersed camping safely and ethically, Northern California hiking guidebook author and former Mount Shasta Trail Association board member John Soares has just released his latest book: Camp for Free: Dispersed Camping & Boondocking on America’s Public Lands.
What Is Dispersed Camping?
Dispersed camping (also called boondocking) entails driving down a road on national forest land (such as Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Klamath National Forest) or Bureau of Land Management land (common in desert areas) and finding a beautiful and legal site to camp. These campsites are usually far from organized campgrounds and often also far from other people — and they’re usually free.
Dirt roads on Shasta-Trinity National Forest lead to great sites for dispersed camping.
What Does Camp for Free Cover?
Camp for Free is not a guide to specific campsites; there are several hundred thousand sites on the over 400 million acres of public lands in the United States. Instead, the book is a how-to guide that includes all the details of enjoying dispersed camping, and how to do it both ethically and safely.
Main Table of Contents
Introduction Chapter One: Dispersed Camping Defined Chapter Two: Vehicles Chapter Three: Where You Can Go Chapter Four: Before You Go Chapter Five: Finding the Best Dispersed Camping Sites Chapter Six: Best Practices Chapter Seven: Safety Chapter Eight: Sleep for Free in Towns and Cities Appendix: What to Take
Camp for Free author and former Mount Shasta resident John Soares on the platform bed in his minivan with his sweetheart Stephanie Hoffman
Dispersed Camping in the Mount Shasta Area
There are hundreds of places to do dispersed camping in the greater Mount Shasta area on Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Klamath National Forest lands, and they are all great for exploring more remote areas where you can hike. (The Mount Shasta Trail Association has lots of info on Mount Shasta trails.)
Dispersed camping campsite on Shasta-Trinity National Forest — back when we used the Subaru Outback and slept in a tent
Camp at least 200 feet from streams, springs, meadows, and trails, and at least a quarter-mile from campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, state highways, and private property.
Follow Leave No Trace principles:
Pack out all your trash, plus any other trash you find
Don’t drive off-road
Bury human waste in a cat hole at least eight inches deep, and consider packing out your used toilet paper. More details at the Leave No Trace website.
Don’t Start a Wildfire!
Seriously, make sure you have a California campfire permit and be aware that for much of summer into autumn all fires are prohibited in California national forests, including Shasta-Trinity National Forest and Klamath National Forest. Even if it’s early in the season and campfires are allowed, strongly consider skipping it. Always make sure you follow all regulations and understand fire safety.
Spread Out
As the Mount Shasta area becomes more popular, hikers and campers tend to congregate in a few popular areas, especially on the west side of Mount Shasta and nearby. Try to go farther out so that you have more privacy and can minimize the impact of humans on the environment.
Get More Information
Call the ranger station that has jurisdiction and ask about best places for dispersed camping, including which roads are open and any current restrictions or rules.
Since we still have 11 of the prizes (Hydro Flask tumblers) remaining, we’ve decided to extend the Challenge to October 1st. All you have to do is complete 8 trails listed on the passport and email us the list of those trails. Here’s a link to more information: link
Starting August 31, the Shasta-Trinity National Forest will begin work to replace the West Parks Creek OHV trail bridge with a new bridge. The new bridge will provide a safe crossing of the stream for motorized vehicles 50” wide or less, reduce sediment delivery into West Parks Creek, and restore meadow conditions adjacent to the trailhead. The West Parks Creek bridge is located at the end of Road 41N73, on the Shasta McCloud Management Unit off of Parks Creek Road, 42N17. The trailhead to West Parks Creek Lakes will be closed during construction so parking will be limited. The project is scheduled to last 30 days, but may be completed within a couple weeks of the start date. If recreating in this area, please use caution when around heavy equipment and only pass the worksite when signaled to do so. Please call the Mt. Shasta Ranger Station if you have any further questions at (530) 440-4509.
Twenty volunteers showed this morning to make the library and Sisson Meadow look good. Rarely have I seen a crew work this hard. Love to see so many people who believe that cleaning up makes their community a better place. We had fun, too. Check out the before, after, and crew photos.
Don’t forget that we’ll be tackling the weeds behind the MS Library on Tuesday, Aug 4, at 9 am. Bring weed whackers, rakes, and wheelbarrows.We’re gonna have so much fun. Photo of the jungle below.
Feeling so cooped up that you’re smacking the cat? Gained 5 pounds because you eat every time you walk by the kitchen?
Let’s meet at 9 am on Tues, Aug 4 to clean up the jungle that has grown in Sisson Meadow behind the MS library. We’ll stay 6 ft apart (or more) in the fresh air and get some exercise (and make our city look good).
Glenn Harvey and I will bring lots of tools, but you can also bring weed whackers, rakes, loppers, gloves, and water. It’s OK if you just want to work for 30 minutes; we’d still like to see you. When it gets warm, we’ll quit (you, however, can quit any time you want). I doubt anyone will work past noon.
