FTA News March 2000 Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 28th, 6:30 PM, at Steve and Lori Lundsford's house, 5390 McKeon-Ponderosa Way Phone: 367-4254 Snacks and friendly conversation provided

Thank you to all our renewing members and Welcome to our new members

Agenda Items

• Future community hikes
• Foresthill Road fencing issues - access gate locations, barbed wire fencing
• Decomposed granite on the new Foresthill Rd trail - what is the County going to do?
• Michigan Bluff Staging Area
• Trail Scouting Reports
• Trail Maintenance Work Party

Our First Community Hike (this year)
We had a great time! A big Thank You to Ranger Mike Lynch and Canyon Keeper volunteer Carrol Mistler who shared their knowledge of the trail and surrounding areas with our group. We had 18 people join us and it was a big success. Watch for details on the second community hike.

The Canyon Keepers conduct a volunteer docent program for the North and Middle Forks of the American River, supplementing the professional Ranger staff. Working at the river confluence on weekends between May and October, they provide information to river and canyon users on local history, plants and animals, trail locations, safety concerns, conservation and preservation practices. Free training for volunteer docents will be held Saturday, April 8 and April 29 and May 6 and May 20, with an optional training hike on May 13 led by noted Sierra College botanist, Joe Medeiros. For further information or a volunteer application, please call Jim Ferris at (530) 885-3776.

From Charles Gabri...
California Trails Day is April 22nd. Western States Trail Foundation have trail work parties planned and all are invited to help. I will head up a trail cleanup party (party???) on April 22, 2000 on ponderosa road. Meet at 9 am at the gate and pick up trash at put it at the road side. Usually we work about 4 hours. Martin Mackin will have people working on other trails that day. Another one is the Tevis river crossing trail. That will be trimming brush, hoeing early star thistle and clearing rocks off trail. Again, 9 am at the trail head. For further information, call Martin at (530) 268-8611.

Saturday, June 3rd is National Trails Day. You can read about it at www.Americanhiking.org. The Western States Trust Fund (Led by Marty) is organizing a work party that day which will help us get recognized by the American Trails Association and get the Western States Trail listed on their web site as a 'Millennium Trail'.

Foresthill Gold Miners Gathering
Historic Emigrant Trail Wagon Train...
You are invited to participate in a recreation of a wagon train following the historic trail from Robinson Flat to Foresthill with the Ghost Riders, September 13 to September 17, 2000. Register Wed, 9/13, leave Thurs, 9/14, arrive in Foresthill Sat, 9/16 to open Foresthill's 150th Birthday Celebration.