BVTS Events for 2022
"BVTS OctoberFest”
A "thank-you" event for our volunteers
Saturday - October 1st
At "The BVAC Picnic Area" - Details to follow soon!
A DAY TO ENJOY THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOR...
The Bear Valley Trail Stewardship has been lucky to have a large dedicated group of trail supporters over the years. Now is the time to show our appreciation to all who have worked on trails or donated tools or funds during the last four seasons. We will enjoy, together, the fruits of YOUR labor.
You are invited to participate in this “Thank-You” event on
Saturday, October 1st at 9:30am.
Bring along the family or a guest!
EVENTS- There will be rides, hikes, good food, swag, live music and camaraderie throughout the day. Everything is complimentary for volunteers and their families or a guest. Come hang out and enjoy a beautiful, Fall High Sierra Day with your fellow volunteers.
MEET at the BVAC (Bear Valley Adventure Center) at 9:30 for registration and event sign-ups. That will give us a couple of hours in the morning for shuttle rides, hikes or other adventures.
PLEASE PARK in the Frisbee Golf parking lot across the street so we don't tie up the BVAC customer parking.
LUNCH: As folks drift back in, BVTS will provide appetizers, and beverages for all ages with lunch following around 12:30. This will be accompanied by live music, swag drawings, shenanigans and camaraderie.
PLEASE RSVP below so we know how many to expect.
AFTERNOON EVENTS: We are working on an optional afternoon event TBA.
BRING: Your bike or hiking shoes and/or a comfortable chair, as we may be short of them!
If we're lucky, you'll need sunscreen, and a hat.
QUESTIONS or COMMENTS:
Simply REPLY to this email, (monitored by Gary Bissell)
-or- contact: Mike.Cooke@BearValleyTrails.org (President of BVTS)
~ Trails aren't born, they are designed and created by volunteers like me and you ~
(archived)
2022 Trail Issues/Repairs
Most of our trails are clear and open.
However, if you find a tree down over the trail or find other issues that need attention, please report that on the link button below.
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Bear Valley to Silvertip Campground Trail
Current Status: 6/9/22 CLEAR 5/28/22 - Clear up to Silvertip except for one newly fallen tree about 1/2 way up. Still a bit of snow at top hairpin turn
Survey Results: 5/22/22 - by John Funke
Details to follow: This trail is 99% rideable up to the Osborne Intersection. Above that has some trees down and lots of snow in the woods.
Resolutions: 5/23/22 & 5/28/22 by John Funke & 6/4/22 by John Dube
Details to follow: Removed some small 6" trees with my handsaw on trail to just above Osborne Intersection. Still one larger tree down 1/2 way up. John cleared a newly fallen 18" tree and trail is now clear.
Silvertip Campground to Lake Alpine Trail
Current Status: No reports yet.
Survey Results:
Details to follow:
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Lake Alpine Bypass Trail - North segment (above cabins)
Current Status: 5/30/22 - Trees cleared and is now rideable, but a bit wet.
Survey Results: 5/28/22 by John Funke
Details to follow: 5-6 trees down mostly in first 1/2 mi after crossing Rt 4, not too large but didn't have saw. Moved some small trees and branches off trail. Boggy and wet in sections but mostly rideable all the way back to Rt 4 on East end
Resolutions: 5/30/22 by John Dubé
Details to follow: Cleared a number of downed trees. Trail is now clear.
Lake Alpine Loop Trail - Three Creeks segment
Current Status: All clear but could use a raking - just a bit of snow where it joins the trail to Duck Lake
Survey Results: Surveyed on 5/22 by Mike Cooke and 5/25 by Vic Taugher
Details to follow: Most clear except for a bit of snow, found 3 trees down along this segment. Could use a good raking.
Resolutions: Logged out by Mike C.
Details to follow: Removed 3 logs over trail. Could use a bit of raking, but otherwise clear.
Lake Alpine Loop - South segment (Duck Lake Trail to Dam)
Current Status: 6/5/22 - Trail cleared from campground to Slick Rock. Needs water diversion and raking.
Survey Results: 5/29/22 by John Funke
Details to follow: 6-8 trees down, mostly medium sized but a few large ones. One major snag with two large trees down together across trail requiring a bit of effort to get around/over. Needs 16" saw or larger.
Resolutions: 6/5/22 by Mike Cooke. 6/4/22 by John Dube
Details to follow: John cleared eight trees 6-14" (one tree remains 36"). Mike cleared all trees from campground to Slick Rock (Muntz Trail). Trail still needs water diversion and raking
Lake Alpine Loop - Dam to spillway & beyond (West end Month Trail)
Current Status: No reports yet.
Survey Results:
Details:
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Rings Trail (lower)
Current Status: Surveyed 5/20 by Jeff Whitney & 5/21/22 by John Funke & 5/22 by Mike Schwabauer & Paul Peterson - Clear
Survey Results:
Details to follow: Mostly clear with one tree down just past first small creek (now cleared), another further down (cleared). Mostly rideable but there are still about 15-20 snow patches to get across, some requiring dismount or ride-around. Few boggy sections and stream crossings will get your feet wet.
Resolutions: Clear of trees and debris
Details to follow: Used rake and shovel to clean up entire trail from 207 to Power Line. Two down trees, one was too large for my handsaw but cleared the other. Larger tree later cleared by Mike S. along with more raking and drain clearing.
Oddenn Trail (Upper Rings)
Current Status: 6/11/22 - Trail is clear and in surprisingly good shape but needs raking.
Survey Results: 6/22/22 by John Funke
Details: Several fallen trees across trail. Cleared them all the way down (see resolution).
Resolutions: 6/11/22 by John Funke
Details to follow: : Logged and cleared except for a few snow patches. Trail is actually in pretty decent shape, some erosion and debris.
Lower Woodchuck Basin Trail (Woodchuck basin to Three Creeks)
Current Status: 5/23/22 - Logged out, still needs raking
Survey Results: 5/23/22 by Mike Cooke
Details to follow: Twelve trees down on trail (now cleared).
Could use a good raking.
Resolutions: 5/23/22 by Jim Bushman & 5/28 by Mike Cooke.
Details to follow: Logged out by Jim Bushman. One LARGE tree remains. Bypass is a possible solution. Remaining trees logged out by Mike Cooke. John Dude cleared 3 trees 8-16"
Powerline Trail
Current Status: Surveyed 5/20 by Jeff Whitney - Clear
Survey Results:
Details to follow: Mostly clear with few quick repairs.
Resolutions:
Details to follow: Used rake and shovel and traveled entire length of Power Line from Rings to Granite Slab. Cleaned up what was needed.
Elusive Trail (Corral Hollow Ridge down to Corral Hollow OHV Road)
Current Status: 6/5/22 - One tree and one widow maker remain across trail
Survey Results: 5/29/22 by Scott Fairman
Details to follow: There are 6 larger. 1 first 50 yards of upper elusive, 3 on lower elusive after intersecting the jeep road, 2 on water line (or whatever that's called from jeep trail to Thor)
Resolutions: 5/29/22 by Scott Fairman
Details to follow: Cleared several small trees, but many larger ones left to clear
Upper Tamarack Trail (aka: AT&T Trail)
Current Status: Mostly clear and rideable. Erosion issues below the granite slab.
Survey Results: 5/23/22 by Brennan Vandenhoek
Details to follow: Trail is clear for the most part. Just moved a couple of small branches. Just bellow the large granite slab the erosion is getting pretty bad but still rideable.
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Lower Tamarack Trail
Current Status: 6/15/22 Good shape with one small tree down, needs raking
Survey Results: 6/15/22 by Jeff S.
Details to follow: One mid size log down. Easy go around. About 1/2 mile in. A five minute job. Otherwise good to go to giant log fall by Tamarack Lodge.
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Cape Horn Trail
Current Status: Ridden 6/14/22 - Trial is clear from top to bottom, just needs a bit of raking and drain repair.
Survey Results: 5/29/22 by John Dubé
Details to follow: As snow is melting it is revealing 6-8 small trees down over trail.
Resolutions: 6/4/22 by John Dube - Cleared eight trees 8-14". Trail is now clear.
Lodgepole Trail (Highway 207 to campground)
Current Status: Cleared from top to bottom buts needs raking.
Survey Results: 5/28/22 by John Funke
Details to follow: 5-6 trees down. a few requiring dismounting some of which look <1 week old, one large but can be ridden under. Few snowy sections but mostly rideable. Some erosion, diverted some runoff. Cleared a bunch of smaller trees and branches.
Resolutions: 6/11/22 by John Funke
Details to follow: Cleared from top to bottom.
Elephant Rock Lake Trail
Current Status: No reports yet.
Survey Results:
Details:
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Mosquito Lake to Pacific Valley Trail
Current Status: No reports yet.
Survey Results:
Details:
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Rodeo Clown Trail
Current Status: No reports yet.
Survey Results:
Details:
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Cow Camp Trail
Current Status: Clear 6/19/22 - All trees removed. Trail is now Clear.
Survey Results: 6/5/22 by Mike Cooke
Details: Partial Survey Only - One large tree down near start of trail just above Spicer Rd.
Resolutions: By ???
Details to follow: Tree has been removed. Trail is clear
Granite Slab Trail -
Current Status: Surveyed 5/20 by Jeff W. - Clear
Survey Results:
Details to follow:
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Emigrant Trail - From Hwy 4 to Slick Rock Road
Current Status: 5/22/22 - Several snow patches and 6 large trees down over trail
Survey Results: 5/22/23 - by John Funke & 5/29/22 by John Dubé
Details to follow: There are 4-6 big trees down 1.5-3' diameter requiring chainsaw. A couple snow patches and some boggy sections.
Resolutions: 5/23/22 - by John Funke & 6/5/22 by John Dube
Details to follow: John F. - Emigrant from Osborne Ridge to Lake Alpine trail - cleared a few 4-6" trees/branches with handsaw and removed some debris. Still 6 LARGE trees over trail requiring chain saw. John D. - Cleared two trees 6-12" diameter. One remains 36".
Upper and Lower Loki Trail plus Thor Trail
Current Status: Clear Reported 6/5/22 Trees removed on upper and lower
Survey Results: by Jeff W.
Details to follow: Large tree down toward bottom of Loki/Thor intersestion.
Resolutions: 5/13/22 by Fritz Baggett & 5/20 by Jeff Whitney. 6/5/22 by John Dube
Details to follow: Fritz took out large tree near bottom of rock roll. Jeff made re-route around large tree down at Loki/Thor intersection. Too big to saw. 6/5 - Cleared two 10" trees. Trail is now clear.
Osborne Ridge Trail - Mostly clear to Emigrant intersection
Current Status: Logs over trail are all cleared out. Needs raking
Survey Results: 5/29/22 by John Funke
Details to follow: Snow patches are gone and trees have been cleared. Could use a raking.
Resolutions: 5/29/22/22 bu John Funke & Mike Cooke
Details to follow:
John: Cleared about 6 trees 6-10" diameter and swept out sections of major debris.
Mike: Cleared several trees that need too e rolled out of the way
All is now clear of trees. Could use a raking.
Wolfe-Bray Trail
Current Status: Many trees still down. 25 at last count remain to be removed
Survey Results: 6/18 by John Dube
Details to follow: Removed 1/2 of the down trees but at least 25 remain to be cleared
Resolutions: Partial resolution by John Dube
Details to follow: Started from 7N01A just off Spicer Reservoir Road, moving toward the reservoir. Made it 2.4 mi before turning around. Removed 15 trees from 4 to 24". Counted 26 more trees down from 6 to 32" diameter in that 2.4-mi stretch.
Connector Trail from Cape Horn to Woodchuck
Current Status: 5/28/22 - Needs work. Small trees down, easy to lose trail
Survey Results: 5/28/22 by John Funke & 5/29 by John Dubé
Details to follow: Few smallish (<8" diameter) trees down and some snowy bits. Definitely needs some work to make trail more obvious because I actually lost the trail and ended up back on Rt. 4.
Resolutions:
Details to follow:
Past Trail Work Events
Trail Events from 2019 and later
(archived)
"Elusive Trail"
Trail Work Day with
BVTS volunteers
-Saturday, September 7th-
Come and join us for a Trail Work Event, combined with a hike (almost all downhill), that starts at the top of the Ski Area. We will carpool to this drop-off point which has some fantastic views, so if you have a pack, bring your camera! We will hike with light-work for 1 mile down the Corral Hollow ridge to the trailhead.
(click on map for a larger view).
TRAIL WORK: The Elusive Trail is 1.5 miles long and needs some logs removed, a few minor re-routes and some drainage and tread repairs. At the end of this trail, there is a 1 mile hike down the Corral Hollow OHV Route to Highway 4 and BV. All together, this combined work/walk is 3.5 miles, (again downhill), from the top of the Ski Area (drop off point), to BV at Highway 4.
MEET at the Bear Valley Adventure Company at 8:30 am where we will have a quick tool safety briefing, then car pool to the top-of-the-world.
BRING water, snacks, gloves wear long pants, long sleeve shirts and don't forget a hat. Tools will be provided to all those who do not have their own, but if you have a favorite, please bring it along.
For more details, see: BearValleyTrails.Org for the latest information and more
or email Mike@bearValleyTrails.Org
(archived)
"Lake Alpine Loop"
Trail Work Day with
BVTS volunteers
-Saturday, August 24th-
Last Saturday (8/24), 22 volunteers came out to help build the new (reclaimed) trail from Woodchuck Basin to Lake Alpine. Great progress was made and the build was completed to about 2/3rds of the way up. A big thanks to Sierra Nevada Brewery for bringing in 12 volunteers from the Sierra Nevada Ale for Trails Project to help out and to the other 20 local volunteers who came out to help. We will make a serious attempt to complete the trail on Saturday (8/3).
(archived)
"Ales for Trails"
Trail Work Day with
Sierra Nevada Brewery volunteers
and BVTS volunteers
-Saturday, August 3rd-
On Saturday (8/3), 32 volunteers came out to help build the new (reclaimed) trail from Woodchuck Basin to Lake Alpine. Great progress was made and the build was completed to about 2/3rds of the way up. A big thanks to Sierra Nevada Brewery for bringing in 12 volunteers from the Sierra Nevada Ale for Trails Project to help out and to the other 20 local volunteers who came out to help. We will make a serious attempt to complete the trail on Saturday (8/3).
(archived)
"Open the Trails"
Trail Work Day
Saturday - June 29th
First Trail Work Event - Saturday, June 29th
32 volunteers stepped up to open our local trails!
Our first official trail work day of the season was our biggest yet! Thirty two volunteers showed up to help work on 4 of our main local trails. After a brief welcome and safety briefing by USFS, we divided into three groups and headed out for a few hours of trail work. Some folks hit the Upper Tamarack Trail from both ends. After opening drains, removing downed trees and debree, they event found time to start onto the Lower Tamarack Trail and got the first portion of that cleared as well. These may
involve the ATT trail between B
Center at 8:30am and car pool to the work sights. Another group worked on the top half of the Silvertip to BV trail, loggin downed trees, filling erosion trenches and creating new drains. After that, they even found time to work on the start of the Lower Rings Trail from Hwy 207 to the first creek. Other groups did similar work on the Emigrant Trail, the lower half of Silvertip to BV trail and then came into town and worked on clearing the trail below Granite Slab.
Overall it was one of our best trail work days and a great start to a new summer trail season.
(archived)
USFS Chain Saw Class
USFS Chain Saw Certification Class
Saturday, June 22nd
David McCrea with the FS is scheduling the BVTS chain saw certification class for June 22 at the FS station in Dorrington at 10:00 am. The class will take most of the day so bring lunch. The class covers the mechanics of a chain saw, chain saw safety and proper chain saw use techniques. Participants need to wear long pants, ankle high (8 - inches) boots preferably leather, long sleeve shirt and eye protection. If your have leather gloves, hard hat and sawer's chaps please bring them. In order to get your certificate you must present proof of currant first aid and CPR training. The sawer's certification will allow you to operate a chain saw in the National Forest to remove downed trees blocking our trails, brushing and to drop small trees that pose a safety risk to trail users. Dropping large trees is not covered by the class and certificate. We report the larger trees to the FS for them to remove.
No cost.
If you are interested in taking this class please contact Mike Cooke at mike.cooke@bearvalleytrails.org
