Trail News March '98 Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 11, 6:30 PM, at the Community Rm behind the library

1998 Membership Survey Results

Oh So Scenic 50K Fun Run/Bike - March 15th
We are still accepting entries for this event although it is almost full. There are a lot of people coming from the Bay Area and other far away places. We can only have 50 participants. A bunch of people have signed up to help:

Charlie Gabri - mark course
Mike Winslow and Sherri Osborn- start/finish
Russ and Diane Melanson - first aid station
Bill and Diana Prior - second aid station
Lore Clarke, Lori Lunsford and Jack Meyers - third aid station

Proposed OHV Area Expansion at Mammoth Bar
At the February meeting Larry Clarke gave a report on the proposal for increasing the size of the OHV area at Mammoth Bar and the public meetings he attended, as well as a tour of Mammoth Bar and discussions he has had with Dave Collins, the State Parks ranger who is responsible for the OHV area. The Bureau of Reclamation has required State Parks do an impact evaluation which includes taking input from the public before expanding the area. They would like to approximately double the size of the OHV area from 900 acres and add 30 miles of trails. There are currently 17000 OHV visitors annually. Larry made a proposal that the FTA send a letter which he had drafted supporting the expansion. He said that this clearly falls within our mission to promote trails on the Divide. He said that 1800 acres is about 2% of the State Park Land and we should be able to dedicate that much to OHV trails. He also thought that having more trails would lessen the traffic and erosion problems because the use would be less concentrated. He said that noise studies had been done and the noise level would be equivalent to Foresthill Rd and within the state limits for OHV areas. Charlie Gabri said that he had also had meetings and tours with Dave Collins and that the Western States Trail Board was going to support (or as he later phrased it - not going to oppose) the expansion.
The only person at the meeting that voiced being opposed to the expansion was Sherri Osborn who thinks the river canyon is not a good place for an OHV area. 17000 motorcycle visitors per year riding 50 - 100 miles each on trails in a river canyon is going to cause significant erosion, even if they stayed on the trails which they don't. She also felt the river canyons should be a protected corridor for animals. She said the OHV area at Mammoth Bar had never done an environmental impact report and that the proponents trying to do a negative declaration (say that the project would have no impact) was absurd.
A vote was held and everyone at the meeting (except Sherri, who abstained) voted to support the expansion. However, there were complaints about this decision. The agenda for the meeting said we were to be discussing Mammoth Bar, but did not specify that we would be taking a position. Some members complained that this was a controversial issue and really should be discussed a bit more and all members given an opportunity to vote. So... we did not send the letter ... yet.
This raises the question of when an important or controversial issue comes up, how should we as an organization handle it? Many of our members don't attend meetings. Quite a few live out of the area. Should we do a vote by mail or phone? If we do take a vote, does majority rule or should we try to reach consensus? If we can't all agree, should the FTA take a position, or just encourage everyone to write their own letters? If you have an opinion about this please come to the March meeting or contact Russ Melanson at 530-367-4336.
There should be two more public meetings on the Mammoth Bar expansion. The dates have not been announced yet.

Trail Work Day - Saturday 4/4
The next big work day on the Foresthill Divide Loop Trail will be April 4th. On April 4th we are planning a lunch celebration after the trail work, so please join us and bring a dish to share. Meet at Driver's Flat, 9 AM. Tools are provided and there will be a tool demonstration before work. Bring water, gloves and work clothes. There will be an optional mountain bike ride after lunch for those interested -- intermediate level, about 10 to 15 miles.

Next Youth Outing - Friday, March 27th
We're going to hike part of the Western States Trail from Foresthill to Dardonelle's Creek. It will be about 3 miles round-trip. Meet at the Middle School at 3PM. If you'd like to join us, please call Sherri at 367-3928.

Agenda for March 11th, 6:30 PM

1. Call To Order
2. Treasurer's Report
     - Insurance $1000 (need 50 $20 members to cover our insurance)
3. Political Action
     - Monte Verde Estates Update
     - Foresthill Community Plan Update - Trail map
     - Mammoth Bar OHV  proposed expansion - will decide how to make
       a decision on this issue
4. Trail Maintenance
     - Trail Scouting Reports
     - Upcoming trail work days :
         Saturday 3/28- Clean up Foresthill Rd, 9 AM at upper end by our sign
         Saturday 4/4 - Foresthill Divide Loop Trail, Driver's Flat, 9 AM
5. Outings
     - Next Youth Outing - Western States Trail to Dardonelles Creek, 3/27, 3 PM
6. Old Business
     - Oh So Scenic 50K Bike/Run - March 15th
7. New Business
     - Community Trail Hike - Codfish Falls - in May
8. Open Forum