Lumos & Associates’ Tom Young and Chas Macquarie survey the Ash Creek bridge site

Carson City and Muscle Powered have been working with the U.S. Forest Service and public for many years to develop a trail system along the foothills of the Carson Range with connectivity to Carson City. Most of the trail will be located on Forest Service lands and some will be on Carson City lands. The project proposes to construct approximately 6 miles of single-track trail designed for non-motorized uses including mountain biking, hiking and equestrian between Ash Canyon and Kings Canyon. Trail access points will be Kings Canyon Road, Waterfall Road, and Ash Canyon Road

This meeting is one of the last steps before we can start construction on what is sure to be a fantastic trail!

If you would like to learn more about this project,  have questions, or would like to show support for the trail, please attend this meeting.

Thanks!

In the super-abridged version of the story, Jeff Potter complained to city supervisors in 2006 that more mountain bike trails were needed in the area.

Their response: Then do it.

Of course, it wasn’t that simple. There was the master plan to consult. Permits needed to be acquired. Plans needed to be drawn up.

But after years of working with Carson City’s open-space manager, Juan Guzman, to negotiate with city, state and federal agencies as well as private property owners, the plan is starting to take shape.

Max Jones, who owns Spooner Lake Cross Country and Flume Trail Mountain Bikes, lent his expertise to determining three routes connecting Kings Canyon to Ash Canyon.

Potter said they settled on the mid-line route, traversing seven miles along the east-facing slopes of the mountains. It begins around 5,600 feet and climbs 1,100 feet to the highest point of 6,700 feet. The average grade is 6 percent.

Potter said it was an easy decision.

“If this was the only trail I could put in, it would be a killer trail,” he said. “Plus, we had fewer obstacles with this option.”

He said the gradual ascents with some steep climbs will make the trail a challenge for the experienced mountain biker while still being accessible to the novice.

“This is for everybody,” Potter said. “All skill levels.”

The trail also will be open for other non-motorized use, like hikers and equestrians.

While there are some trails now in the hills of east Carson City, they are what’s known as non-system trails. They don’t connect in a meaningful way and may not have the proper permits.

The trail, with access points in Kings Canyon and Ash Canyon, will make sense to users, Guzman said.

“It’s from a very well-known point to another well-known point,” he said.

It also could draw other outdoor enthusiasts to the area, Guzman said.

“This is the kind of thing that people will drive thousands of miles to come and experience,” he said. “We have a hidden spot here. People do not realize what a unique place this is. The Sierra Nevada is just spectacular.”

Potter said while users will be able to begin at either point, he imagines most will prefer to begin from the Kings Canyon side and climb about 2.5 miles to the highest point.

Once there, they’ll be on an outcropping with views of the entire city, along with Job’s Peak, the Sweetwater Range and Washoe Lake.

From there, it will a 5.5-mile descent into Ash Canyon. Along the way, there will be other overlooks for users to take in the view.

Work on the trail is expected to begin in the spring and could take up to five years to be fully complete.

Guzman said he appreciates the dedication and expertise of volunteers like Potter.

“This is the perfect use of our lands,” he said. “This corner of Nevada is just fantastic.”

Saturday, November 12 - TAMBA Trail day with Carson Valley Trails Association.

We started the season here with the IMBA Trail Care Crew visit in April. CVTA has been busy all summer working on the Sierra Canyon Trail with trail machines putting in around 13 miles of new trail. Now they are trying to finish the last half mile section by hand. Let’s head down there and help them out!! Meet at the end of Carson Street (2 blocks south of the 4-way intersection) in Genoa at 9am. Bring your own lunch, we’ll be eating on the trail, about a 15 minute hike in. For those that stay till the end, TAMBA will buy the first round at the oldest bar in Nevada, walking distance from the trailhead! Wearing layers would be good and typical safety items like safety glasses/sunglasses and gloves. We’ll have the hardhats. More info on TAMBA website: http://mountainbiketahoe.org/

Lower Sierra Canyon Work Day – Photo courtesy of CVTA

This is the plan from CTVA on the rest of the season:

Starting this Saturday November 12, we will have trail building opportunities every day through November 20th from 8 a.m to 3 p.m. each day at the end of Carson Street in Genoa. The project site is a 15 minute walk from the trailhead. There is work in the sun or shade depending how cold it is. Wear layers, some days will be chilly and if you’d rather come a bit later in the morning, go for it.

We have built about about 1,000 feet of trail over the past 8 work days, some of the most challenging you may ever build, thank you. We have about 2,300 challenging feet left to go to connect and open the final ~8.1 mile Genoa Loop.

Important:

• Required work wear is long pants, long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses or other eye protection…very important, good hiking shoes and work gloves.
• Bring lunch and water.
• Tools and hard hats are provided.
• Check the CVTA website for cancellations if the weather is questionable.

This is an urgent call for help building trail up Sierra and Genoa Canyons (up to the Tahoe Rim Trail) to all mountain bikers.

Background: The CVTA is dedicated to providing access and developing trail in the Carson Valley for all users (hikers, bikers, and equestrians). Under a matching state grant program, the CVTA was able to build a significant new trail network from Eagle Ridge (N of Genoa) to Genoa Canyon and up Sierra Canyon to the TRT (near Genoa Peak) this summer. The mountain bike possibilities on this trail are tremendous including loops and downhill runs starting from the TRT between Daggett and Spooner Summits.

Construction on the Genoa Foothill Trail System

What is needed: CVTA is in desperate need of volunteers to help build trail (at this point mostly trail cleanup). Hours are needed to comply with the matching portion of the state grant. The deadline to provide matching volunteer hours is the end of calendar year 2011. If bikers are going to be users of this trail it is only fair that they pitch in to help build and maintain the trail.

What you can do: Trail building dates are posted on the CVTA web site: http://www.carsonvalleytrails.org/Programs-Calendar.html

All tools are provided and NO experience is necessary. We need all cycling groups to post this message to their members. Help is needed urgently as future trail development is contingent of the success of this major initiative.

Please pick a date and show up. If you enjoy the trails you should realize that they are only exist because of the hard work of many volunteers. Won’t you be one of them?

CVTA invites you to “Build for Bill”

Saturday, October 22, 2011
8am to 3pm
Genoa Canyon (located at the end of Carson St in Genoa)

Come to Genoa Canyon and “Build for Bill” on Saturday, October 22. Every hour of trail building that you donate will be an hour of support for Bill Hay, CVTA president, who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer, which prevents him from doing the trailbuilding he loves. For more information on how you can help, see the “Build for Bill” flyer (.pdf).

On Tuesday, June 28th, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) President Kevin Joell invited me along for an afternoon ride and evening dinner with International Mountain Bicycle Association (IMBA) Events Coordinator Terry Breheny.  At the request of TAMBA, Terry is in the Tahoe area looking at potential sites to host the 2012 IMBA World Summit. Two other cities in the running for the World Summit are Jackson Hole, WY and Santa Fe, NM. Terry’s itinerary included stops at Squaw Valley, Northstar, and the Hyatt Regency in Incline Village.

Snow Pass

My day started at the Hyatt. The Flume Trail Bikes (FTB) shuttle picked us up at 1:30pm and shuttled the riders to the FTB shop at Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, Spooner Lake.  Joining us on the ride were FTB proprietor Max Jones, TAMBA Vice President John Drum, and TAMBA Communications/PR Director Nils Miller.

We set a casual pace up North Canyon giving everyone a chance to chat with Terry and provide him with some history of the area and to educate him on what the local advocacy groups are doing in the region; The great work the Poedunks are doing in Reno, the Carson Valley Trails Association in Minden/Gardnerville, and Muscle Powered’s recent & past successes.

Terry, Max, and John on the Flume

The snow is melting fast, though we still encountered quite a few patches on our way to the Flume Trail.  Judging by the numerous stops along the trail to take photos, I think Terry was impressed with the ride.

From here we can see the future

We descended Tunnel Creek Rd to Hwy 28 and then headed back to the Hyatt where we met Hyatt representative Kristin Larson at the Lone Eagle Grill for dinner.  Over dinner we discussed our families, bicycles, advocacy, more bicycles, and listened to Max’s racing stories and his adventures of clearing the Flume Trail back in the day.

Kevin and Max using a Leatherman to cut a tree

I would be surprised if IMBA didn’t choose Lake Tahoe for their 2012 World Summit. TAMBA did an outstanding job organizing the site visit on short notice, and the Hyatt did an excellent job welcoming Terry to the hotel (recognizing IMBA on the menu was a nice touch!).

Beautiful day on the Lake

View from the future trail. Elev-6100′

The future Kings Canyon to Ash Canyon Trail (KC/ACT) will be a seven mile non-motorized multi-use trail designed for mountain biking and running, and managed for hiking and equestrian use.

Chas Macquarie (Lumos & Assoc.) and Toby Welborn survey the Ash Creek bridge crossing.

After we work out a few details with the City (we’re reviewing the final draft of a cooperative agreement between Muscle Powered and Carson City) we can start construction on the City owned land while we work toward meeting the environmental requirements on the U.S.F.S managed land. We believe this arrangement will speed up the completion date of the trail. By the time trail crews reach the U.S.F.S. boundary, the NEPA process should be complete and we can continue building through to our goal of reaching Kings Canyon.

Juan Guzman (w/camera) Chas Macquarie, Mark Kimbrough, and Dan Morris (USFS) discuss Ash Creek bridge crossing.

Two thirds of the KC/ACT is on land managed by the U.S.F.S., while one third of the alignment is on land owned by Carson City. Our only requirement before construction can begin on City land is to conduct a cultural survey, and in November 2010, Vidler Water’s archeologist Jim Hutchins generously donated his time to perform the survey. Thanks Jim! When it comes to federal land though, we have to comply with the NEPA. And while the cultural survey is one component of NEPA, the other studies we need to complete are hydrology, wildlife, and botanical.

Archeologist Dr. Jim taking notes.

Kelly, Natalie and Ann discussing plant identification.

On Friday, June 10th, I guided U.S Forest Service botanists Kelly and Natalie across the KC/ACT alignment for the botanical survey. Joining us were Carson City Natural Resources Specialist Ann Bollinger, and Muscle Powered hike leader and board member Donna Inverson.

The trail will pass just below the big boulder.

It takes quite a long time to cross the alignment. When we mapped the trail in June of 2010 it took us six hours to cross. To prepare for the upcoming surveys we re-flagged the area and it took us 11 hours to cross. The new deadfall and the rapid re-vegetation make this a difficult area to cross. Fortunately the “ologists” haven’t found anything that will require us to reroute any sections yet.

Kelly, Natalie and Donna.

We hope to start construction on the KC/ACT at the end of June or beginning of July. With all volunteer labor it will take us approximately five years to reach Kings Canyon. To achieve an earlier completion date we are pursuing grants that will fund a professional trail crew to assist in trail construction.

Tank, Kayla and Amy at the trail’s high point: 6700′

If you would like to become involved with this project please contact me at: jeffpotter@musclepowered.org.

This project wouldn’t happen without the assistance and support from our outstanding partners and friends:

Amy Potter
Anne Macquarie
Chas Macquarie
Steve Hartman
Howard Riedl
Janice Brod
Roger Moelendorf
Juan Guzman
Ann Bolinger
Vern Krahn
Jim Hutchins
Toby Welborn
Amanda Garcia
Lester FitzHenry
Jeff Moser
Oliver Lieder
Keith Conrad
Alex Kirkpatrick
Josh Lynn
Ward Knous
Marcus Marcheggar
Jenny Scanland
Pat Glancy
Max Jones
Dr. Sandra Koch
Vdler Water
Poedunks
Carson City Runners
Sagebrush Stompers
IMBA
Carson City-Open Space Advisory Committee
Board of Supervisors
Parks and Recreation Commission
U.S. Forest Service-Genny Wilson
Dan Morris
Tank, Kayla, Zuesa, Bogart & Percy

This trail wouldn’t be possible without Tank.

Long time Muscle Powered members will remember that it is this path that got Muscle Powered started as an organization. Basically, the path along the freeway was on the city’s bicycle plan; NDOT said they would not build it; the new Muscle Powered organization gathered hundreds of signatures on a patition asking that it be built – and it was.

At least, the northern half was built. This is the southern half. It would be good if Muscle Powered members and others could show up at this open house and demonstrate to the city that there is still a lot of support for the path. Imagine – riding north to south through all of Carson City on an off-street path – sound good?  Show up on Wednesday!

The International Mountain Bike Association Trail Care Crew, with assistance from the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association, Carson Valley Trails Association, and the USFS, is coming to our area to offer a trail building weekend that is open to the public. This is a great opportunity to learn from the pros:

Subaru/International Mountain Bicycling Association Trail Care Crew Coming to South Lake Tahoe, California

Expert team will join TAMBA to teach sustainable trail building

South Lake Tahoe, CA: April 8-10 – The International Mountain Bicycling Association’s (IMBA) Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew will be in South Lake Tahoe, from April 8th through the 10th to talk trails, how to work more effectively with your area land managers, and how to improve the overall economic and social health of our community by creating more riding opportunities. The visit is one of about 70 stops on the 2011 schedule. Everyone is invited to attend the weekend’s events.

The award-winning Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program includes two full-time, professional teams of trail experts who travel North America year-round, leading IMBA Trail building Schools, meeting with government officials and land managers and working with IMBA-affiliated groups to improve local mountain biking opportunities. IMBA’s crews have led more than 1,000 trail projects since the program debuted in 1997.

With the abundance of spring snow, the crew will spend the first day in the classroom on Friday. In collaboration with the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA), topics will include Land Manager Training, Better Living Though Trails, and Club Care Advocacy. These presentations will teach and advocate the health, economic, and social benefits of trails within our community. Weather permitting, Saturday’s session will culminate in a trip to the Carson Valley to break ground on a new trail that will ultimately connect the Tahoe Rim Trail with the town of Genoa. The crew will spend the morning teaching attendees about the proper techniques of trail building with actual hands-on trail work in the afternoon.

The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program has inspired great volunteer trail work across the U.S. and abroad – a big help to government agencies and land managers who have limited funding for trail construction and upkeep. As a direct result, there are now thousands of new and improved trails in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and several European countries.

The Trail Care Crews teach “sustainable” trail building, which means building lasting trails that require minimal maintenance. This helps reduce trail damage, protects the environment and enhances visitor enjoyment.

The Crews travel in new Subaru Outbacks provided by Subaru of America. The company has been IMBA’s leading sponsor since 1997.

All are welcome to join the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew leaders when they come to town. Below is a schedule of events that are open to the public:

Friday, April 8: 12:30 – 5:00 pm; USFS conference room, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe

-TAMBA presentation – “Who we are and what we’ll do”

-Land Manager training.

-Better Living Through Trails

-Club Care presentation (time allowing)

6:00pm -Social event at the Divided Sky in Meyers

Saturday, April 9: 9:00am – 12:00 pm; USFS, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe

-Trail Building classroom session.

1:00 – 4:00 pm – trail construction on the Carson Valley trail outside of Genoa.

Sunday, April 10

-Group mountain bike ride in the Carson Valley. Specifics TBA.

To register for the work day visit https://www.imba.com/civicrm/event/info?id=111&reset=1

For more information contact: bfish@designworkshop.com

Carson River near Eagle Valley Creek, by Dan Allison

A donation of land from Vidler Water Company fills a gap between the trail on the perimeter of Empire Ranch Golf Course, and Riverview Park, making the trail route available all the way from Mexican Dam to Deer Run Road. The Board of Supervisors accepted the donation yesterday at the board meeting. The last remaining link will be a bridge over Eagle Valley Creek, which will take some time to accomplish with necessary design and then grant funding. Muscle Powered has always supported completion of this trail, as well as extensions up and down river, and with the network of trails in and around Carson City.

See the Nevada Appeal article.

Max at the switchback

With 2,000 feet new trail built, including a switchback, the Back Country Trail Work Camp was a big success. We now have a total of 5,030 feet of the Hobart Link Trail completed.

I could tell you about our blisters, aching muscles and hangovers from the Trail
Work Camp, but instead I’ll just share the photos from our weekend.

Morning ride before trail work.

Bill would like to thank everyone who came out to help;
Jay, Wade, Jody, Max Jones, Susan, Fiona, Donna, Oli, Skip, Garret, Jacob, Kevin Joell, Mike, Al, Monica, and Raj.

Photo courtesy of Bill Champion

Thanks to Cliff Bar for donating a case of Cliff Crunch Granola Bars.

Bill at the end of the day