TCT #34 -- Cate Culver

 

"The Untold History of Sonora Pass and Its People 1860 to 1960" by Cate Culver is a beautiful new resource for folks who love the Tuolumne County high country.  Cate is a local, and I tracked her down for a fun, extensive interview which is the focus of September's episode of the Tuolumne County Trailhead.  Give a listen:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uXGI3cMxK0sAOgwRWlK3DQEDc41li7Mc/view?usp=sharing

The book is available at the stores at Dardanelle and Kennedy Meadows.  Pack a lunch and take a drive up the Pass for a bit of nature therapy.  Buy the book and page through at one of the picnic sites -- maybe you'll even get out of the smoke!

Send fan mail or inquiries to Cate at sonorapasshistorybook@gmail.com

At the peril of sounding like a parent who always says "maybe" when the kids know it means "never," I'm hatching an idea for some hike/s in October.  Maybe our patience and compliance through forest closures for fire safety and physical distancing for pandemic reduction will be rewarded with some fall color.  Stay tuned!

TCT #33 -- Steve Weldon

Steve Weldon in Redwood National Park

In late spring, I was on track to do a 4-day, 3-night backpacking trip on the Trans Catalina Trail.  Disappointingly, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down that plan.  Luckily, I live in a recreation wonderland and have been able to hike and backpack close to home.  So far this summer, I've gone on two memorable backpacking trips -- one in the Emigrant Wilderness and another in the Hoover Wilderness.  Mosquitoes and incredible scenery were plentiful!  I was also able to take a bucket-list day hike:  Mt. Dana in Yosemite National Park.  The view at the 13,000' summit brought me to tears (and even a little press!  See Guy McCarthy's article here: https://uniondemocrat.pressreader.com/@Reader13800290/csb_J-7a1dqPdaovGRW7ycr233vuHE9eCFa85jKWk8Ijro1OfSrl8uGPMyY21NJ6gxIR?fbclid=IwAR0dVn0jXZn-SpRpjvwwdl7OPRJH5chczIetB5OrwaKBTQ4avbbgn1By3RU).

Still, the Trans Catalina Trail trip was the hiking version of "the one that got away."  When I learned that there was a TV show about it -- an episode of a program called "Walkin' California" -- I jumped on the chance to experience the route virtually.  To my surprise, I recognized the name of the host:  Steve Weldon.  Steve is a Tuolumne County personality having hosted a radio show on KKBN (Twain Harte) years ago then running "Doc's Dogs" hotdog stand outside Cost-U-Less grocery and "Doc's BBQ" restaurant on Stockton Road in Sonora.  It seems Steve (Doc) has retired -- to hiking and hosting at TV show!  All of a sudden he was everywhere I looked, and listened.  Steve's back on the radio on Monday and Tuesday mornings from 7-9am on KAAD-LP's "Gold Country Gold" show when he spins classic country records (yes, records.  He's old-school!).  So, I used all my wiles (meaning, I wrote to the station manager) to line up an interview.  Steve was more than willing and went above and beyond what with an original song AND commitment to provide a "dividend" for $1000 donations to the radio station!  I've gotta say, it's the most fun I've had with my hiking boots on in a while!

Listen here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lgLdov9CTHbyn0Fzk1Ud5CoS_3n2W9JH/view?usp=sharing

Steve says the Walkin' California website is down for maintenance but there's a work-around if you want to watch any of the episodes (there are 7:  Yosemite, Redwoods, Murphys, Catalina Island, Placerville, Pismo Preserve, and Montana de Oro).  Do a Google search for "Walkin' California," and the videos all come up at the top.  I accessed them through the PBS source:

https://www.pbs.org/search/?q=walkin%27+california

Trail Heads, stay safe during these days of COVID-19.  Entice your immediate-household members out for a walk on hiking trails near your home and be sure to slip your mask on for close encounters with other hikers.  Let's not lose anyone so we can all get out together again soon!

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

TCT #30 -- The Four Founders

Three of the Four Founders -- Robert Swift, Vonna Breeze-Martin & Deb Campbell (not pictured: Wendy)

On the Sugar Pine Railroad Grade-Strawberry Branch [Fraser Flat], July 2009

Tuolumne County Trailhead as an interactive radio show/hiking group is about three years old but actually was born 11 years ago, as a Facebook group.  It was intended as a meet-up space for hikers looking for partners.  Our first hikes were at the Red Hills and Fraser Flat with a core I've come to call "The Four Founders":  Vonna Breeze-Martin, Deborah Campbell, Robert Swift, and me.  The COVID-19 pandemic shelter-in-place order aroused fond memories of getting together with you Trail Heads.  Naturally, my mind drifted back to TCT's beginnings, and I decided to get the old group together again -- for a Zoom conversation.  Listen to us chat about the good old days, wax philosophical about the mental benefits of being in the outdoors, our plans for future adventures, and more.  Here's a link to the radio episode "TCT #30 -- The Four Founders": https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CGKy4SCqlTHGUxzKyiegacFBJVAExPas/view?usp=sharing

Robert on a

recent TCT hike

Deb at Angels Landing, Zion NP                                                Vonna

Also, hang in there Trail Heads -- Wendy's working on a plan to get out together:  more hikes in small groups.  Stay tuned!


Here's a link to the "On Being" podcast Vonna mentions in the program:
https://onbeing.org/programs/john-odonohue-the-inner-landscape-of-beauty-aug2017/

TCT #29 -- COVID-19

Rebecca Andrade, Gary Stockel, and I employed Zoom to produce this month's Tuolumne County Trailhead episode.  We discuss what we've been doing, watching, and reading during the statewide Stay At Home Order:

• Rebecca offers some nature-oriented websites such as California State Parks PORTS, https://www.ports-ca.us/ and Yosemite Nature Notes, https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/photosmultimedia/ynn.htm
• Gary suggests a couple of books: "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson and "The Death and Life of the Great Lakes" by Dan Egan
• Wendy recommends some movies: "Wild," "A Walk in the Woods," "Mile...Mile and a Half," and "The Way."

Wendy also editorializes and PROMISES a return to hiking IF we all do our part to bend the COVID-19 pandemic projected infection curve:

• As Governor Newsom said, "Just assume that you potentially are contagious and act accordingly .. Be a good neighbor.  Be a good citizen."
• Bear in mind that "Asymptomatic transmission is driving coronavirus epidemic, experts say" (SF Chronicle headline, April 3, 2020)
• Respected hiking sites (American Hiking Society, https://americanhiking.org/blog/hiking-responsibly-faq-covid-19/) and outdoors organizations (Sierra Club) say to limit your outdoor excursions to your immediate neighborhood with members in your immediate household.
• During normal times, hiking is essential.  For now, we must sacrifice this simple pleasure out of care, concern, and love of our elderly and immune-compromised family and friends. Out of respect for businesses which closed to keep us healthy and businesses limping along in order to hopefully reopen after all this is over.  Out of respect for laid off workers and essential workers still providing services.  Out of respect for front-line health care providers and first responders.

Finally, we play our theme music, "Switchback" by Bill Horvitz (on his album "Tuolumne Songs"), in full.  No fade ins or fade outs or voice overs.  We need the optimism of this bright, cheerful song!

Please take a listen!  https://drive.google.com/open?id=1i9rl_uZpSUekhMH4ksDUHL8TcjmIssC4

Stay the bleep at home - COVID-19 non-hiking

"I Stayed Home" badge "stolen" from The Mountaineers

Hello, Trail Heads.
No hiking for us for a while.  We won't carpool; we won't crowd trailhead parking lots; we won't travel to rural areas and potentially impact their limited medical resources.

We will take walks in our own neighborhoods.  We may introduce and/or encourage our spouses, significant others, and housemates to join us in our favorite pastime.  There are predictions of a baby boom 9 months after the COVID-19 crisis ends.  We may also experience a Trail Head membership boom!

Meantime, you may want to seek out hiking or outdoor-oriented books, podcasts, movies, TV shows, YouTubes, websites, and more.  You may want to service your gear.  You may want to plan dream hikes and backpack trips for the future.  You may want to hone your nature journaling skills.  You may want to listen to the back catalog of "Tuolumne County Trailhead" (at the KAAD-LP 103.5 FM program archives:  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-tKI43sgIjqTugSua5JH9oYDSJ735zr9).  You may want to support hiking, natural resource, and outdoor-oriented non-profits and organizations.

Wash your hands!  Don't touch your face!  Make a mask out of your bandanna!

Watch this space; I know we'll be seeing each other soon!  Love you, Trail Heads!  -w

Hiking Movies
"Wild," Cheryl Strayed's story about finding herself on the Pacific Crest Trail
"A Walk in the Woods," based on Bill Bryson's book about hiking the Appalachian Trail
"Mile ... Mile and a Half," five friends walk the John Muir Trail in a high snow year
"The Way," after his son dies while walking the Camino de Santiago, a grieving father completes the hike

Hiking Books
"The Man Who Walked Through Time," Colin Fletcher walked the length of the Grand Canyon in 1963
"Salt to Summit," Daniel Arnold hiked cross-country from Badwater, Death Valley to the Mt. Whitney summit in 17 days late one spring
"Trespassing Across America," Ken Ilgunas walked the proposed route of the Keystone Pipeline
"Into Thin Air," Jon Krakauer's classic about the disastrous 1996 climbing season on Mt. Everest

Hiking Podcasts
"The Outside Podcast," from Outside magazine (check out their old "Science of Survival" series)
"The First Forty Miles," Heather & Josh Legler, a married couple from Oregon produced a delightful  214 episodes that ended in December 2018
"Life in 16 Ounces," a fun podcast about outdoor adventure and beer, brought to us by Modesto-area residents Brandon and Paul
"Tough Girl Podcast," since 2014, Sarah Williams has been inspiring and motivating women and girls in outdoors pursuits through interviews with female explorers, adventurers, athletes, and plain folk

Hiking Online Learning Resources and Videos
"Yosemite Nature Notes," a video podcast available through your podcast provider and YouTube
"CA PORTS," California State Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students
"Smithsonian Learning Lab," free online access to millions of Smithsonian images, recordings, texts, and videos

Local Organizations
Tuolumne River Trust
CSERC (Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center)
Stanislaus Wilderness Volunteers
American Hiking Society
KAAD-LP 103.5 FM, Sonora
YExplore
PCTA (Pacific Crest Trail Association)
Friends of the Inyo
Three Forests Interpretive Association
Yosemite Conservancy