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Former MSTA board member and outdoor enthusiast John Soares has updated his guidebook on some great hikes in northern California. This book includes trails in the following areas: Sierra Nevada, Cascades, Klamath Mountains, North Coast and Wine Country, and San Francisco Bay Area.

This guide is loaded with beautiful color photographs and detailed maps to help you enjoy these trails.  A good addition to your bookshelf!

Here’s a link to more information on the guide and how to obtain a copy:  100 Classic Hikes

On Saturday morning, a group of 20 Boy Scouts and their leaders got together with five MSTA volunteers to give the Spring Hill Trailhead a facelift.  The weeds were about five feet high, but were cut down with weed whackers, brush mowers, string trimmers, and hand-pulling (in tight spots).  Blackberry bushes were cut back and a pile of illegally discarded yard debris was removed and taken to the dump.  Attached photos show the progression from high weeds to a nice, neat finish.

Thanks to Dave Affleck (one of the Boy Scout leaders) for organizing the morning, and for providing water and lunch.  Thanks to Mike Solano for free loan of the brush mower from Solano’s Rental Center.

On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, I attended “Shop Appreciation Day” at the Mt. Shasta Ski Park.  It was arranged for owners and employees of sports stores, as well as a few members of trail and mt. bike organizations to learn about the mt. biking possibilities at the Ski Park.

 

We loaded our bikes on the lifts, then sped down the Beginners’ Trail, the Flow Trail, and the Downhill Course.  There are loads of trail features, including big bermed turns, jumps, ramps, The Wall Ride, doubles, a teeter totter, and a massive curved ramp jump (many of which this old dude didn’t attempt).  The Flow Trail and Downhill Trail have been outfitted with sprinklers to keep the dirt firm and the dust down.  There are a number of other trails (Perimeter, Back-Side Douglas, etc.) which traverse larger expanses of the park that we didn’t have time to try, but we did have an absolute blast.

The Ski Park has invested a load of money and employee time to create a really fun experience for mountain bikers.  Please consider supporting this effort by buying a summer season pass ($130) or a day pass ($32) and seeing the park in a completely new way.  The park is open on Saturdays and Sundays from now until September.

Thanks to Taylor Russell (Bike Park Manager) and Richard Coots (General Manager) for the guided tours, lunch (with beer!), and their hospitality.  Yes, they served us beer and sent us back out there on the Downhill Course!  Thanks to the trail crew for all their efforts: James, Pat, Ben, and Chase.

The Mt. Shasta Trail Association held its annual meeting on Wednesday, May 23, 2018.  We offered a large variety of delicious catered food, terrific beer from Deschutes Brewery, and fantastic wine, all for free.  If you missed it, it’s most definitely not our fault, but you can start planning for next year’s meeting now.

Attendees enjoyed socializing with new and old friends, then were updated on numerous events and projects that MSTA is promoting.  PowerPoint presentations were given on the following:

1. Progress on the much-anticipated Gateway Phase II Trail, a 45-mile expansion of the popular Gateway Phase I Trail network.
2. Very exciting news on the work to create a safe trail to Mossbrae Falls. The trail would cross the river at Hedge Creek Falls (via suspension bridge) and then travel along the river about 20 feet below the RR tracks.
3. The plan to make Mt. Shasta the first Pacific Crest Trail “Trail Town.” A celebration of this designation will occur on July 21, 2018.
4. Rules and etiquette for trail interactions between hikers, bikers, and horseback riders.
5. Completion of the conservation easement on Rainbow Ridge by the Siskiyou Land Trust, which will conserve almost 500 acres of forest and opens up future trail opportunities. Trails on Rainbow Ridge may ultimately connect to the Lake Siskiyou Trail and the PCT.
6. Planned expansion and improvement of the Parks Creek Trailhead, an important portal to the PCT.
7. New collaborations between BikeShasta (Mt. Shasta Mountain Bike Association) and the Mt. Shasta Trail Association.
8. Five suggestions for new trails that would link other important trails together and enhance the experience while traveling those trails.
9. Numerous trail maintenance and trash clean-up projects accomplished by the trail crew over the past year.

If you’re kicking yourself for missing the meeting (and the free grub and booze), and want to get involved, send us an email to mtshastatrail@gmail.com or a message through our website, mountshastatrailassociation.org.  You can also join our trail crew for work projects.

Many thanks to Deschutes Brewery for the beer and Joe and Michael Wirth for the wine!

Join the Forest Service in a celebration of National Trails Day by working on the Dog Trail. See poster for more information.

Please join the Mt. Shasta Trail Association and the Boy Scouts for a morning of maintenance at the Spring Hill Trailhead on June 2 at 9 am.  The weeds will be about 3-4 ft. high, so we’ll weed-whack, trim, rake and remove the debris.  If you have a weed-whacker or rake to bring, go ahead, but we’ll have a lot of tools.

The Boy Scouts are providing drinks during the morning, and sandwiches for lunch.  If a half dozen volunteers show up from MSTA, we’ll make short work of this.

Come on out and make some new friends.

If coming north on Mt. Shasta Blvd., turn right on Ski Village Dr., stop at the stop sign, and go straight about 50 yards and you can’t miss it.  If coming south from the freeway (N. Mt. Shasta exit), turn left on Ski Village and do the same.  If confused on the location, google Spring Hill Trail and look at the map.

JH

Please join the Mount Shasta Trail Association on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, at Sisson Museum for our annual meeting.  We’ll review the considerable progress made on the following important projects:

 

1. The Gateway Phase 2 Trail proposal, a 45-mile addition to the existing 10.7 miles of the existing Gateway network on national forest lands.
2. Work to create a safe trail to Mossbrae Falls (yes, it’s mind-bending to think this might happen).
3. Numerous work parties to maintain trails and clean up messes left by those who can’t be named.
4. The plan to make Mt. Shasta the first official Trail Town on the Pacific Crest Trail.
5. Further expansion and improvement of the City Park to Downtown Greenway Trail.
6. Efforts to construct a permanent bridge across the Lake Siskiyou Delta and create a formal trail through the campground.

 

There will be short presentations by mystery guests on multiple topics—if they exceed their time limit, they’ll get the hook.  We want you to stay awake!

 

Beer, wine, and appetizers will be served at 6 pm, with socializing from 6 to 7, if you possess the skills.

 

Program from 7 pm to 8 pm.  Home by 8:20.  No lie.