TCT #27 -- Barbara Balen

Barbara Balen and the Columbia Ditch

Our March 7, 2020 outing promises drama, history, engineering, archaeology, anthropology, geology, and botany.  Sound like a college course catalog?  Well, that's entirely appropriate, as we'll be at college -- the trails at Columbia College, that is.  Listen to TCT #27 -- Barbara Balen for a discussion about the hike and other topics including Tuolumne County's historic ditch system and "wild crafting."  Barbara's doggos even chime in!  The episode also includes real-time audio trip reports from our "Take All the Trails at Tuttletown" trip last weekend which enticed 50 (yep, 50!) trail heads to come out for the event.  Thank you to Bureau of Reclamation Ranger Pat Sanders and her husband Harold for providing interpretation and helping with the human herding!

Here's a link to the radio program TCT #27 -- Barbara Balen: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qvUZD0s-4zAbO43zWS3my-Er_TGB0sqE/view?usp=sharing

We talked with Tom Hofstra and Jeff Tolhurst about the trails at Columbia College in episode TCT #24 -- Columbia College.  TCT #27 and TCT #24 make a nice pair of related programs giving a well-rounded overview of this imminently-accessible community resource.

Here are some photos from the "Take All the Trails at Tuttletown" gathering:

About 50 turned out for the hike at Tuttletown (New Melones Lake)!

Manzanita blossoms attracted hummingbirds

(Bobcat ?) skull

Steve and an errant tire from a wave attenuator

Stevenot Bridge on Highway 49 from shady Heron Point Trail

TCT #26 -- Baja

Rainy hike, December 2018

Saw a juvenile eagle, 12/18

The next hike is the thing -- and our next hike is on Saturday, February 1, 2020.  We'll be going out to the Tuttletown Recreation Area of New Melones Lake.  We'll hike a combination of trails with the centerpiece being the Heron Point trail.  The idea is to get about 6 miles in.  This will be an easy hike.  The draw is that the manzanita should be in bloom and the little vase-like white flowers attract hummingbirds.  The lake itself attracts eagles, so we have a chance of seeing very small to very large birds.  Mark your calendar!

The January 2020 episode, TCT #26 -- Baja, features highlights of my winter vacation to Playa El Coyote and Mulege in Baja California Sur.  We drove, rested, relaxed, ate, drank, sang, and, (of course!) hiked.  One of the hikes was to a 7,000 year old cave painting site, Canyon La Trinidad.  A guide is required to this UNESCO treasure.  We signed up with Salvador Castro.  He took us and two others on an adventure that started with a long, bumpy drive through the desert.

We also have audio trip reports of our snowshoeing expedition on the Crabtree Loop near Dodge Ridge and some Dragoon Gulch news, namely -- Saturday 1/25/20 Lunar New Year (Rat!) trail work day (contact anderson95370@gmail.com for info) and Sunday 2/23/20 annual Dragoon Gulch 5k & 10k Hike and Run fundraiser (register here: https://www.active.com/sonora-ca/running/distance-running-races/dragoon-gulch-run-2020).  Theses are non-TCT events, but we highly endorse them and hope to see you there!

Here's a link to the audio of the episode:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o7WoBFpdJtXUyrgT2C3rwUqqESRGjHRx/view?usp=sharing

Dean, Cuervo, Sandy, Salvador

Dolphins at Canyon La Trinidad cave painting site

near Mulege, BCS MX

Take a tour with Salvador.  He has an info booth at Hotel Las Casitas in Mulege or

email him at mulegetours@hotmail.com

Maggie and Yogi on the trail with Playa El Coyote in the background

Trip Report - Snowshoeing at Crabtree Loop, 1/4/20

Deverie, Lynne, Bridgette, Mike, Joan, Ron, Lewis, Sue, Steve, Brian, Sharon, Bret, Barb, Donna, Jim, Renee,

Robert, Karie, Mike, and Sally

On 1/4/20, we went snowshoeing!  We'd intended to go snowshoe at Pinecrest Lake, but the reports from rangers and Trail Heads was that there wasn't sufficient snow for a safe or satisfying experience at lake-level.  However, a short drive away, up Dodge Ridge Road just before the ski resort, the Nordic trails were reported to be high enough to have a good base.  So, off we went to tromp about on the Crabtree Loop, a moderately-easy, 4.5 mile trail with only about a 330' elevation gain: perfect for beginners.  We had about 24 in our group, some new to TCT, some new to snowshoeing, and some taking snowshoeing up after a long hiatus; some in elementary school and some retirees.  After strapping on our snowshoes, we set off through the forest on what ended up to be a sunny day full of warm surprises!  Here's a link to a very useful map, should you want to head out on your own.  We took route 1.  As you can see, there are some loops and spurs off of route 1 that can extend or intensify your outing.  Also, there are other routes that offer steep, satisfying climbs to outstanding vistas!  https://www.dodgeridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Nordic-Map-AI.pdf

Corinne & Amelia

Crunchy, older snow, still

conditions were good

Snowshoeing under

sunny skies

Ron provides trail magic: fresh hot cocoa!  Barb enjoys.

Barb & Brett

Donna, Sue, Renee & Jim

Karie & Wendy

Wendy and Amelia's snowperson

Out of the forest & returning to the 

trailhead via Crabtree Road

UPDATE - 1/4/20 Snowshoeing at CRABTREE

We will be snowshoeing on 1/4/20, yay!  However, our Trail Head scouts and the rangers at Pinecrest say the snow at Pinecrest Lake isn't adequate for a safe and satisfying snowshoeing experience.  So, we're revamping the location very slightly -- we'll snowshoe at the Crabtree Loop at the Nordic area near Dodge Ridge.  The loop is about 4.1 miles with an elevation change of about 330' and is rated as one of the "easiest" trails by the Forest Service.  If you have Kathi Joye's book "more Day Hikes Along the Highway 108 Corridor," see page 201, "Crabtree - Redwood Semi-Loop from Crabtree Nordic Trailhead," for a description.  Kathi says, "This Dodge Ridge Nordic trek is one of the easier snowshoe/cross-country ski loops in this location.  The well-marked trail winds its way through a mixed coniferous forest and past small meadows and seasonal creeks with gradual slopes.  There are no dramatic viewpoints but the forest is quiet, the pine aroma is heady and with snow on the ground, the ambience is magical."  Magical is right!  Sound enticing?  Here are the details:

To carpool/caravan, meet at Mi-Wok Ranger Station at 8:15; leave at 8:30.  Or meet at Pinecrest Ranger Station at 8:55; leave at 9am.  Parking is limited at the trailhead, so we will carpool/caravan from the Pinecrest Ranger Station.  DO NOT MEET AT THE CRABTREE TRAILHEAD!  We should start snowshoeing by 9:30.  We should be back to Mi-Wok by 3pm.

Bring snowshoes and poles.  Rent at Sierra Nevada Adventure Co. in Sonora (or Avery) or Heidi's in Cold Springs.  You may be able to rent from Dodge Ridge, as well.  Dress for snow -- warm, waterproof pants and boots, gloves, beanie.  Bring water and snacks/lunch.  A thermos with a hot drink is a special treat!

Here's a map of the Nordic trails.  We'll be on number 1.  https://www.dodgeridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Nordic-Map-AI.pdf

RSVP by 8pm Friday, January 3, if you're going to join us.

TCT #25 -- Trips to Take

Snowshoeing @ Pinecrest, March 2011

Trail Heads, we're gonna go snowshoeing!  Our first outing of 2020 will be on Saturday, 1/4 (remember, our hikes are FIRST SATURDAYS year-round rain or shine).  So far, the outlook looks promising for a snowshoe hike.  If somehow all the snow melts by 1/4, we'll take a hike to Catfish Lake, east of Pinecrest.

You'll need to provide your own snowshoes.  Here are some FAQs about snowshoes:

• May I rent snowshoes locally?  Yes, at Sierra Nevada Adventure Co. (downtown Sonora, Murphys, and Arnold) or Heidi's (Cold Springs).  Also, try borrowing by putting the word out within your social network.
• Are snowshoes big and bulky?  The comical snowshoes of Saturday morning cartoons are long-gone.  Today's snowshoes are light and easy to walk in, and there's usually crampons in the toe at least to help with traction.  I use a pair where each "shoe" is about 8" wide and about 26" long.
• Do you need special shoes or bindings for snowshoes?  No.  Actually, "snowshoes" is kind of a misnomer; they probably should be called "snowframes."  They're really just a wide platform with built-in bindings that attach to your snow boots and keep you aloft as you walk in unpacked snow.  You can also wear galoshes or your regular hiking boots with waterproof gaiters.  You step into the binding attached to the snowshoe frame and tighten it onto your foot using clips or straps.
• Is there any other gear I need to snowshoe?  You should bring your hiking poles with the tips converted to snow baskets.  You'll need these to help you get up if you fall -- which I invariably do!

We lucked out on our December 7 hike on the Lakeside Trail

at the Blue Oaks Recreation Area at Don Pedro Lake near La Grange.  We dodged the expected atmospheric river and had a largely rain-free outing under dramatic clouds.  Our reward:  A double rainbow!  The trailhead for the Lakeside Trail is adjacent to the Blue Oaks Group Area at Don Pedro Lake near La Grange.  If you go, be aware that there is a $10/vehicle parking fee and dogs are NOT allowed.  The trail skirts the lake's high-water mark.  It's fairly easy with some hills but no appreciable elevation gain.  It ends at Buzzard Point, for a one-way distance just shy of 6 miles.  Our friend Seth Connolly from Tuolumne River Trust and a couple of interns, Jenna and Caitlyn, joined the trip.  They shared info about the lake's natural history and construction.  Seth says TRT will be hosting some snowshoe trips at Pinecrest this winter.  Keep up with TRT's news and activities through this link to the Tuolumne River Trust webpage: tuolumne.org

As the year ends, I have a lot thank yous to people who helped make this project successful, starting with interviewees and resources: Diana Fredlund, Molly Day, Curtis Kvamme, Sabra Purdy, Leslie Smith, Guy McCarthy, Joel Silverman, Hilary Maxworthy, Pat Sanders, Karie Lew, Lisa Murphy, Erin Naegle, Kathi Joye, John Buckley, Anca Husher, Tom Hofstra, and Jeff Tolhurst.  Thanks to Diana Beasley for her fantastic art work which yielded our great logo and cool t-shirt design.  I'm grateful for friends who joined me on special hikes:  Sheri Betz, Ann Thompson and Sabine Wahl-Berry, Andria Hernandez, Corinne Grandstaff, Shelly Davis-King, Gary Stockel, and Barbara Balen.  To Trail Head Brian Burns, thanks for all your help with the human herding!  Super-special thanks to Ellen Stewart and fond, loving memories of David Purdy, KAAD'-LP's mom and pop.  Thanks to Robin Eschner for permission to use her late husband's composition for our theme music; when you hear "Switchback" by Bill Horvitz, it's time for TCT!  Big love and endless thanks to my husband, Dean Zaharias.

Wendy & Rebecca

A bittersweet thanks and farewell to Rebecca Andrade.  Getting to know Rebecca better and to work with her was one of the highlights of my year.  She's moving on, though, in a full-circle way: she'll be working with the California Conservation Corps., where she started out in her wilderness career, up in Humboldt County, where she went to college.

Our December 2019 episode, TCT #25 -- Trips to Take, includes a farewell chat with Rebecca (warning: we met at Serventes, and there's some background noise).  Instead of our regular "3 T" audio trip reports, the Trail Heads who went on the Don Pedro hike share their hiking (and backpacking) wish lists.  We're gonna do our best to hit 'em all in 2020, haha!  Also, we include Anca Husher's smartphone astronomy app recommendations.  Here's a link to the audio of the episode:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/16FkNamgePjbOwTgHQzgSlYX9aZ7W31qS/view?usp=sharing

Sharing some upcoming non-TCT events:

• 12/14/19, Saturday - Central Sierra Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count - Sonora.  Contact Steven Umland (stevenum71@gmail.com)
• 12/14/19, Saturday - Geminid Meteor Shower viewing event at New Melones Lake, Tuttletown Recreation Area.  Meet at 6pm at Eagle Point Picnic Area.
• 12/16/19, Monday - Central Sierra Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count - Groveland.  Contact Steven Umland (stevenum71@gmail.com)
• 12/21/19, Saturday - Winter Solstice Trail Work Day at Dragoon Gulch.  Contact Kevin Anderson (anderson95370@gmail.com) for details.  (By the way, here's a link to a sweet video about the VO-Cal Dragoon Gulch Trail Extension work weekend: https://vimeo.com/368934792.)
• 12/28/19, Saturday - Central Sierra Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count - Calaveras.  Contact Keith Maurer (kandsmaurer@goldrush.com) for details
• 1/1/20, Wednesday - New Year's Day Hike at Peoria Mountain, New Melones Lake.  Meet at 10am at Peoria Wildlife Area, end of Old Melones Dam Rd.
• 1/25/20, Saturday - Lunar New Year (Year of the Rat!) Trail Work Day at Dragoon Gulch.  Contact Kevin Anderson (anderson95370@gmail.com) for details.

TCT #24 -- Columbia College

Columbia College campus trails - don't walk un-signed trails alone!

Over the last few months, we've been steering you to events at Columbia College (Bat Night, Madagascar).  Besides a revolving calendar of fun programs to engage your intellect, Columbia always has a variety of recreational venues available to you anytime any day: The Labyrinth for rock climbers, the Fitness Trail/Par Course which circumnavigates the campus and follows the Gold Rush-era ditch, and the Arboretum Nature Trail which showcases rock formations and native plants.  In this episode, we talk to professors Tom Hofstra and Jeff Tolhurst about the trails at Columbia College.  The Arboretum Nature Walk handout is available in our "Pages" section.  We also talk to Columbia College physics professor Anca Husher about another alluring event:  Starry Nights Moon Gazing on November 22 at 4:30pm at the college's astronomical observatory.

Our next hike will be on Saturday, December 7, 2019.  We are going to Don Pedro Lake to walk the Shoreline Trail out of the Blue Oaks Group Area.  This is a little less than 6 miles.  We'll be walking above the high water level of the lake; there will be ups and downs, but no appreciable elevation gain.  If the visibility is good, we have a chance of seeing some high Yosemite peaks such Mt. Lyell.  We'll probably see a variety of waterfowl including Great Blue Herons.  Bald Eagles, Ospreys, and Red-tail Hawks like the area, too.  Dogs aren't allowed on Don Pedro trails, and there's a $10/car parking fee.  We're excited that Seth Connolly, our friend from Tuolumne River Trust, will join us on the hike!

Here's a link to the Don Pedro Recreation Area Shoreline Trail brochure:
https://www.donpedrolake.com/sites/default/files/2016%20trail%20brochure%20web%20version.pdf

As usual, our radio show includes our "Three T" audio trip reports from the trail.  Listen as the Trail Heads share what was trippy, tough, and tremendous about our outing along the Middle Fork Stanislaus River from Sand Bar Flat to Spring Gap.  The easy-to-moderate 7-mile hike is a riot of color in the fall as the deciduous trees drop their leaves.  The adventurous aspect of this hike was the drive to the trailhead, over 10 miles on a warren of unpaved, 4WD, high-clearance-required forest roads.  Put "Sand Bar Flat Dam" (or GPS coordinates 38.1844, -120.1565) into your navigation, and you'll get there.  Basically, though, you take Highway 108 east toward Cold Springs, Turn left on Fraser Flat Road.  It will be 45 minutes to the destination from here.  Cross the bridge and pass the campground.  Then the pavement ends and you'll take the following forest roads: 4N42, 4N01, 4N88, and finally 4N85.  Please review the route on a map before and as you travel!  Here are some photos from our fun outing:

Connie, Deverie, Brian, Dexter, Gay, Robert, Steve, Gary, Katie,

 Sue, Ruben, Brett & Mike

For scale: the boots are size 9.5!

Middle Fork Stanislaus River

Deverie and the

"Dalmatian Tree"

Ruben made a flute!

Dexter and Gay

Here's a link to the program, TCT #24 -- Columbia College:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nzYMtoLDW8lNNC2TqXCLvZbV7CJS93PT/view?usp=sharing

TCT #23 -- John Buckley

Middle Fork Stanislaus River,
east of Sand Bar Flat

A palette of autumn colors will please your eye on our November 2, 2019 hike up the Middle Fork Stanislaus River from Sand Bar Flat (near Cold Springs) to Spring Gap, a 7-mile round trip.  It's hard to say what's the most compelling attraction:  the river (always!), the Dogwoods and the Big-leaf Maples (duh!), the bright, pillow-y mosses on the rocks, the wildlife (all possible: Osprey, American Dipper, bears, river otters), or the remnants of hydro-electric infrastructure.

Listen to TCT #23 -- John Buckley for more about this hike which has become one of my annual fall traditions.

Nature journal!

As the episode title suggests, the program features an interview with John Buckley, the Executive Director of the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center (CSERC).  John discusses the organization's beginnings, challenges, joys, volunteer opportunities, and advocacy work.  We also hear three-T trip reviews of the South Grove Calaveras Big Trees hike.  On that hike, Rebecca introduced us to nature journaling.  Listen as she shares reasons why keeping a nature journal enriches your experiences on hikes and in the wilderness.

Here's a link to the Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center (CSERC) webpage: https://www.cserc.org/

Here's a link to the radio program, TCT #23 -- John Buckley:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1idf66wxIZ-G3pb6VGcpNU-kHiYDI4KnN/view?usp=sharing

Trail Heads at the Big Trees

Donna & Sharon

Also, on 9/21, we took a "bonus hike" to the flank of Stanislaus Peak (via St. Mary's Pass Trailhead).  Here are a few photos:

Trail Heads @ 10k'

Brian