TCT #32 -- Buzz & Karen Eggleston

Karen & Buzz Eggleston

The "Tuolumne County Trailhead" radio show for July 2020 features an interview with Buzz and Karen Eggleston of San Andreas.  Buzz and Karen talk about their travels and interest and growing expertise in the petroglyphs and pictographs of the Indians of the Southwest, especially at Casa Grande and Mesa Verde.  We also talk about Mother Lode geology --  Buzz is writing a book about the subject.

Here's a link to the program:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/11A_1wljGVsxBAsuTN5P2_UD0CrH1NaR_/view?usp=sharing

TCT #31 -- Tyler Summersett

Directional sign at 

the Sonora Community Trail

In this month's Tuolumne County Trailhead radio show, we catch up to Tyler Summersett about improvements on the Sonora Community Trail, a sweet little figure-8 loop trail of just under a mile in length.  The trail is behind the Sonora Main Branch of the Tuolumne County Library on Greenley Road.  Tyler, a Senior Transportation Planner/Trails Coordinator for the Tuolumne County Transportation Council, hopes for a trail work day and grand opening in the not too distant future -- pandemic permitting.

Springtime view to the north from the Sonora Community Trail.

Trail Heads & cool clear ditch water

Also, we went hiking in early June!  The pandemic eased and the stay-at-home order was modified.  We offered three hikes with group sizes limited to 10 per outing.  On Friday, June 5, we did a 13.5-mile loop from Twain Harte to Lyons Lake.  We walked up the ditch and flume trail and back via the Confidence Railroad Grade.Confidence Railroad Grade.

Trail Heads at Arnot Creek in the Donnell Fire Burn Scar

On Saturday, June 6, we hit the high country with a 6.5-mile hike on the Arnot Creek Trail, off of Clark Fork Rd.  Highlights included crossing the creek on a massive downed log, the largest and healthiest population of Pussypaws (a wildflower) I've ever seen, and a tree whose bark had been shredded by a bear!

Doggos and peoples alike enjoyed the hike

On Sunday, June 7, we opted for the short, strenuous Dutchess Mine Trail.  This trail starts at the north east side of the Parrotts Ferry Bridge and scales Table Mountain gaining 1000' in a short 1.5 miles (a 3 mile loop).  The views were spectacular!

Looking toward Murphys from the top of Table Mtn.

Since we'd taken a hiatus from hiking for a couple months, our programs have been lacking the "Three T's," real-time trip reports from hikers on the trail.  I'm thrilled that in TCT #31 we have my favorite feature back!  Give a listen:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZotXgSDkj_l8BNA0eADhWwlR4KFaMUVC/view?usp=sharing