TCT #17 -- Joel Silverman

In this episode of Tuolumne County Trailhead, we get the inside scoop on hiking trails in the Stanislaus National Forest!  Listen to Rebecca and Wendy's conversation with Wilderness Supervisor Joel Silverman about his favorite "secret" trails in our three local wildernesses -- the Emigrant, the Mokelumne, and the Carson-Iceberg.  Joel and Rebecca also give a glimpse into the upcoming Stanislaus Wilderness Volunteers (SWV) annual meeting on Saturday, 4/27.  Rebecca is President of the SWV this year and has committed to a mercifully fast and efficient meeting from 10am to noon at 10 S. Forest Rd. in Sonora.  The group will then travel to Tuolumne to take a Leave No Trace Awareness hike at 1pm on the West Side Trail.  You don't need to be an SWV member to take the hike.  The mission of the SWV is to "preserve the wilderness character of designated public lands through education, example and coordinated effort in direct support of US Forest Service work in the Emigrant, Carson-Iceberg, and Mokolumne Wilderness areas of the Stanislaus National Forest."  The organization provides free training in Leave No Trace education and wilderness preservation and restoration techniques.  There's a membership dues of $50/year (which mainly covers insurance) which may be reduced for seniors/students/low-income.  Here's a link to the SWV website: http://www.swv1.org/

Sutter Buttes Geology

Dean Place, Sutter Buttes

Episode 17 also features a report of a "Remote Possibility" hiking weekend Wendy took with Trail Heads Corinne Grandstaff and Shelly Davis-King.  The threesome took two hikes in the Sutter Buttes: a "Wildflower Exploration" at Dean Place (near Yuba City) and a "Ranch Exploration" at Shaeffer Ranch (near Live Oak).  The Sutter Buttes are billed as "The World's Smallest Mountain Range" and are largely in private ownership.  Four families allow limited hiking through agreements with Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes http://www.middlemountainhikes.org/.  Middle Mountain is what all the local tribes called the formation which was sacred to them all.

Gary & Wendy at Brushy Peak

Morgan Territory

Our April 6 road trip to Livermore to hike at Brushy Peak and Morgan Territory was lovely but sparsely attended with only Wendy and Gary Stockel making the journey.  Despite predictions of extreme weather conditions, it turned out to be a perfect day, and we explored another area that was sacred to native people.

Peoria Mountain Trail

Finally, for our next hike, May 4, we'll have Ranger Hilary Maxworthy along to guide us on a wildflower exploration of our own at New Melones Lake's Peoria area northwest of Jamestown.  Ranger Hilary has arranged to open the old New Melones Dam Overlook for parking for the hike and picnicking after.  We're planning on hiking a 6-mile loop that includes Peoria Mountain.  Mercifully, approaching the mountain from this starting point provides for a slightly less demanding haul uphill.  Thanks, Ranger Hilary!






Listen to the episode here (be patient while the Google Drive file downloads):  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g8HNRaQ5m8Yd0vS8R3uaekDfAsdoRAf8/view?usp=sharing

Brushy Peak/Morgan Territory 4/6/19

Hello, Trail Heads!

We're sticking with Saturday, 4/6 for the Brushy Peak Hike.  Gary Stockel has offered to lead a bonus hike of 3 miles after we finish the main hike (7 miles; moderate-to-strenuous).  This will be to a Vulvon village site on Contra Costa Water District property accessed from Morgan Territory Regional Park, a short drive from Brushy Peak.  Unfortunately, dogs are NOT ALLOWED on CCWD property, so if you bring your pooch, you'll be limited to the Brushy Peak hike.  The addition of the hike to the Volvon village will lengthen our day, but will be SUPER-SPECIAL!  Thanks, Gary!

Please RSVP via reply to this email by Friday night.

To carpool/caravan, meet at the Jamestown Day-O between 8:15 - 8:30.  Or meet at the trailhead; hike starts at 10am.  We'll probably be back to Sonora around 6pm.

To get to Brushy Peak: From I-580 in Livermore, exit north at Vasco Road and immediately turn right onto Northfront Road. After about .8 miles turn left onto Laughlin Road and proceed approximately two miles to the staging area at the end of Laughlin Road.

Take care, stay dry & hope to see you soon!  -w

TCT #16 -- Guy McCarthy

Welcome to TCT #16 for March 2019.  In this episode, we excerpt just a fraction of the crazy fun conversation Rebecca and Wendy had with Guy McCarthy.  Guy is the environmental reporter for the Union Democrat.  He also writes a periodic column called "Out There" about his adventures hiking and in the outdoors.  The program also includes 3-T trip reports (what was Trippy, Tough & Tremendous) about the soggy Old Don Pedro Overlook hike in the Red Hills on 3/2/19.  Wendy and Rebecca spend a little time catching up on field trips in late January and February AND we preview the upcoming hike to Brushy Peak in Livermore (on April 6).  Enjoy!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=13RIAr1xyZim8KOHBTeygmnLhle1Z4Lr6

TCT #15 -- Leave No Trace

Here's a link to the February TCT radio show in which we talk about dogs on the trail, Leave No Trace, and the government shutdown.  We also chat with Leslie Smith about the Dragoon Gulch Hike and Run in Sonora.  We give trip reports of Dave Moore Recreation Area and Cosumnes River Preserve (Rebecca) and the Devils Slide trail (Wendy).  Finally, we talk about plans for the March 2 hike to the Old Don Pedro Overlook trail in Red Hills.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1htQz_zEC0zRV0VuO3IDlI54BlrkyCFz6

TCT #14 -- Angels Creek (hike date 1/5/19)

Here's the January episode of the Tuolumne County Trailhead radio program in which we:

• Hear Trail Head reviews of the Angels Creek hike (3.5 easy miles at New Melones Lake, Glory Hole Recreation Area near Angels Camp)
• Learn the plan for the February 2 snowshoe hike at Calaveras Big Trees State Park.  Bring your own snowshoes if you've got 'em.  If not, there are loaners available for free at the park; only cost associated with this hike is $10/auto parking.  We will carpool and caravan and share the cost.
• Get a rundown of upcoming trail runs including the 2/24/19 Dragoon Gulch Hike and Run in Sonora -- pancakes, yoga, hiking!  Sun or snow!
• Recommend a fellow KAAD-LP program -- Yosemite Can O Peaches by John DeGrazio.  This show is also available as a podcast.  The recent episode with Yosemite NP Ranger Sheldon Johnson, of "Buffalo Soldiers" fame, is especially notable.

Click this link to program audio on Google Drive:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1kdqAtkaXEMK3StLd-5DSJINPzSf-Bfll

Revision for 1/5/19 hike

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Trail Heads, we have a co-host!

Rebecca Andrade

Welcome, Rebecca Andrade, our new co-host! Rebecca's family roots began in Tuolumne County five generations ago. She finds that living and working in the wilderness areas of the Sierra Nevada for the past decade provides a deep sense of freedom and connection which allows for a lifestyle of service to the community and environment of Tuolumne County. Her joys are building trails, restoring native habitat, surveying high alpine meadows and providing wilderness education. Rebecca's developed a deep appreciation "for the opportunities to connect with people, in these rare and beautiful environments, while improving conditions for all generations to enjoy. It’s an honor to be a part of TCT, and I'm looking forward to enjoying new adventures together!"