Narrow Gauge/Tressel Trail Work Day - Sunday, 11/4

From the GCTC: Due to forecasted inclement weather, this work day has been rescheduled to Sunday, November 4. Questions? Please contact Melissa at 530.268.1378

Volunteers needed to complete this important project! This is the last workday of the year and your last chance to come out and make a difference on our trails.

When? Sunday, Saturday, October 20, 2007
Time? Meet at Skillman Campground (13 miles east of Nevada City off Highway 20) at 9 a.m. We will carpool from Skillman to the work site and be finished by 1 p.m.

Why? We will be completing the re-route of the Narrow Gauge/Tressel Trail. Please bring loppers, rakes and shovels. Bring drinking water and a lunch.

Per Forest Service requirements, long sleeve shirts and pants and close-toed shoes are required; please wear gloves. Hope to see you there!

Recap: Empire Mine Workshop

Saturday's Empire Mine trail workshop was very positive and super exciting; generally speaking, State Parks has some great plans for new trail and restored trails in the Osborne Hill area of the park.

Starting as early as March, State Parks will begin construction on new sections of trails. Pending input from the community, they will generally use the same names, but the trails in this area will be very different. The net mileage of trails here will increase a bit, but most exciting is that much of the new trails will be comprised of singletrack.

State Parks plans to re-work the super fun user-built trail that follows the fence line along Osborne Hill Road to be mountain bike-specific. This means it will be optimized for mountain bikers, with rock armoring and fun up-and-down sections.

The existing Powerline, Osborn Hill and other trails will be complete removed and replaced with singletrack. There will be a net loss of fireroads in this whole area of the park, which will be replaced by singletrack on a 48" bench cut, which of course will narrow to an ideal width within a few years

The two parts of the proposal that I am not happy with are the sections of hiker-only trails and the proposal to remove some user built trails. The hiker only built trails idea was widely denounced by attendees (equestrians, cyclists and even some hikers) and I believe that State Parks got the message that this is lousy idea that would deprive many of us of trail access. As for the user built trails, I believe that some of these are sustainable trails that should be adopted in the system as-is or with some modifications.

These plans are in draft form and State Parks want your input ASAP. Note that this project is fully funded. This means that whatever final plans are agreed upon will move forward very soon. This is why it is important to comment on this projects within the week.

Nevada City Trailwork, 11/3

Please join the Miners high school mountain bike team as we revive the trails around the old airport in Nevada City. This is your chance to add to local riding so close to town.

Meet at 9AM at the old airport parking lot. To get there, head up Airport Road (see map link below). If bad weather occurs, please call 530-274-DIRT after 7:00AM on 11/3 to determine if the event will be rescheduled. Map.

Forest City Trailwork

Sunday's planned trailwork at Bullard's was moved over to Forest City upon the suggestion of Joe Chavez of the USFS. There we worked on an entirely new section of the Sandusky Trail that has been punched in by Zachi Anderson. This new section is *great* and represents of lot of talented work by Zachi. The new section of Sandusky will be sweet to ride once winter works its magic on it. There are also some freeridish features on it that I look forward to hitting.

Today's effort involved finishing work on the trail bed by BONC volunteers, as Zachi worked the excavator. I believe Bob, Jimmy and Christine joined Joe Chavez on some brushing work as well. Thanks to everyone who helped out.

Pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/velojohng/SanduskyTrailwork

Bullard's Bar Trail Day

Please join BONC as we help improve this exceptional trail system with the Forest Service. We'll have some swag for participants, food, drink and quality beer. I am sure some of us will ride afterwards.

Meet @ 9AM (note the time) on Sunday, 10/14 at the Dark Day boat launch (map). If bad weather occurs, please call 530-274-DIRT after 7:00AM on 10/14 to determine if the event will be rescheduled.

Empire Mine Workshop - Saturday, 10/27

Did you know that State Parks is considering re-routing and closing some existing trails in Empire Mine and building brand new ones? The park wants to hear from you about all this. Please plan on attending this super important workshop (see below). You'll be able to speak firsthand with the folks who will create new trails at the Mine:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Sheryl Watson, Information Officer
(916) 654-7538
October 4, 2007

Ron Munson, Sector Superintendent
(530) 273-3884

Empire Mine State Historic Park Works to Improve and Reopen Trails
Public Invited to Workshop and Hike Through Osborn Hill

WHO: California State Parks' Superintendent Ron Munson and Trails Manager Karl Knapp.

WHAT: California State Parks invites trail users to review and discuss proposed realignments and improvements to trails in the Osborn Hill area of Empire Mine State Historic Park.

WHEN: Saturday, October 27 in the Docent Building. Come to the main visitor parking lot and into the mine yard. The Docent Building backs up to the parking lot. Open House: 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. Maps and information will be available for viewing. Workshop: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Presentation and Q & A.
Hike: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Hike participants meet at the Penn Gate parking lot at 2 p.m. Participants
must arrive with good walking or hiking shoes, a water bottle and appropriate protection from the weather. Rain will cancel the hike.

WHY: Portions of the Osborn Hill trail network were closed in January based on environmental
sampling data showing elevated levels of arsenic and lead. These metals are naturally
occurring, often in areas where gold is found, and may have been brought to the surface
during historic gold mining.

California State Parks and Newmont USA Ltd. are working to address the environmental
issues. California State Park is examining a plan to re-open closed areas to the public while
remaining protective of public health. Proposed new trail routes are being tested for metal
concentrations. Unlike most existing trails in the park that are former mining roads, the new
trails will be carefully designed and graded so as to resist erosion, allow better water
drainage and withstand heavier recreational use.

Trail users are encouraged to provide their input on trail improvements in the Osborn Hill area
during this planning stage. For more information, please contact the Visitor Center at (530) 273-8522.