Trash Mobs are a grassroots community effort coordinated by Muscle Powered volunteers to keep the walkways and bike paths around Carson City free of litter.

The monthly, one-hour events take place at various locations around town that are in need of cleaning. Volunteers, who are supplied with work gloves and trash bags by Muscle Powered staff, remove litter from areas often used by citizens for recreational purposes such as walking, jogging or cycling.

According to Muscle Powered’s Randy Gaa, “The idea is to keep our trails free of litter, whether they’re paved or dirt. For example, we’ve removed tons of garbage from the paths along the Carson River. We’ve even had volunteers pull appliances and car parts out of the water.”

The idea of the Trash Mob was conceived by former president of Muscle Powered, Donna Inversin. Inversin had been planning the Trash Mob project for some time, but had difficulty fitting the event into her schedule. During a Muscle Powered conditioning hike in 2015, Randy Gaa complained to Inversin about litter he had seen, and Inversin recruited Gaa to be the new Trash Mob project coordinator.

Since that time, Trash Mobs have been involved in removing thousands of pounds of trash from the trails all over Carson City. The project has grown both in scope and participation. In 2016, in partnership with Carson City’s Parks, Recreation, and Open Space division, Trash Mobs were involved in removing invasive species of noxious weeds from Horse Creek Ranch. In another Trash Mob project, the father and son team of Todd and Ari Erickson coordinated the removal of old tree protectors that had been put in by the Forrest Service after the Waterfall Fire in 2004 and had long since outlived their usefulness.

This Saturday, August 26^th the Trash Mob will be removing littler from the area along the Multi-Use Path that follows the freeway near College Parkway. The event has been held at this spot multiple times in the past. According to Gaa, “It’s a bad spot due to a couple of reasons. First the wind blows trash in from two nearby big box stores and the fence along the path acts like a net, catching the litter. Secondly, the area is just out of view enough to allow people to illegally dump garbage without being easily seen.”

All interested individuals are encouraged to join the effort by participating in this month’s Trash Mob. With the idea of increasing participation by minimizing the impact to volunteer’s schedule, the Trash Mob event is only one hour long and held early enough in the morning so that it does not conflict with other weekend activities.

For more details or to join Muscle Powered, go to the organization’s website at: www.musclepowered.org

August Trash Mob details:
Date: Saturday, August 26^th
Time: 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Location: Meet up at parking lot between Dotty’s Casino and US Bank just north of the Walmart Parking lot off College Parkway. For a Google map of the meet up location, go to: https://tinyurl.com/y7xdb2dy
Work gloves and trash bags will be provided.

Click here to read the original Forrest Service document.

United States Department of Agriculture
Forrest Service
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Carson Ranger District
Douglas County, Nevada

July 31, 2017

 

Scoping Document
Clear Creek Extension Trail Project

 

Comments Welcome

The Carson Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest welcomes your comments on this proposal to construct an extension of the Clear Creek Trail that would add approximately 6.5 miles to the existing trail. The proposed extension would connect the trail at its high point (6,200 ft.) to the Tahoe Rim Trail at the Spooner Summit South Trailhead (7,150 ft.). Approximately 6.5 miles of the proposed trail extension is located on National Forest System (NFS) lands on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest primarily in Sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 of Township 15N and Range 19E, Mt. Diablo Meridian. (see Figure 1: Clear Creek Extension Trail Project Map).

The Carson Ranger District has tentatively determined that this proposed project may be categorically excluded from documentation in an environmental assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS) pursuant to Forest Service Handbook (FSH) 1909.15, Section 32.2(1), “Construction and reconstruction of trails,” (36 CFR 220.6(e) (1)). A Decision Memo is anticipated to document the decision regarding this proposed action, unless extraordinary circumstances related to the proposed action warrant further analysis and documentation in an EA or EIS as outlined in FSH 1909.15, 31.2.

 

Background

The Carson Ranger District has been working with a variety of partners over many years to provide a sustainable system of trails that meets the needs of forest visitors and local communities while protecting resources. Generally, the District focuses on multiple use trail proposals that meet the shared goals of the Forest Service and trail partners. These goals include:

• Connectivity between existing trails;
• Creating long loop opportunities; and
• Improving access to existing trailheads and communities.

 

Purpose and Need for Action

The proposed trail extension would provide a much-needed connector between the Tahoe Rim Trail and the Clear Creek Trail, creating opportunities for longer trips and increased connectivity to surrounding trails. In addition, the new trail segment would help address ongoing trespass issues on adjacent private lands (Old Clear Creek Road) by offering legal access to the Clear Creek watershed from the existing Jacks Valley Trailhead.

 

Proposed Action

The project includes full bench construction of a new trail that would be open to all non-motorized uses including hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian. The estimated trail length represents approximately 6.5 miles on NFS lands. The new trail segment would provide a connection from the existing Clear Creek Trail to the Tahoe Rim Trail at the Spooner Summit South trailhead located on U.S. Highway 50.

The trail would be constructed to Forest Service specifications as follows:

• 18”-30” full bench construction.
• Average trail grade would be 7% or less depending on soil type.
• Maximum trail grade (12%) for very short sections (100’ or less).
• Short pitch sections up to 20% with runouts and armoring.
• Trail grade would not exceed one-half of side slope grade.
• Minimum 2%-6% out slope on bench cut / trail tread.
• Back slope from bench cut to be minimum 1:1 slope.
• Bench cut material on down slope to be thoroughly dispersed.
• Trail corridor to be clear of vegetation for a width of 6’ and height of 10’ to allow for pack stock.
• Grade reversals or grade breaks every 100-200′ maximum spacing.
• Switchbacks and turns would be located on side slopes less than:
  • 40% for switchbacks
  • 25% for berm turns
  • 15% for climbing turns
• The trail layout avoids cutting of trees greater than 8 inches in diameter at breast height (DBH). No five-needle pines would be cut and the District Forester would review any trees identified for removal prior to cutting.
• The trail alignment has been carefully placed and surveyed to avoid cultural resources, rare plants, and sensitive habitat for wildlife species.

 

How to Comment

Comments would be most helpful if received by August 30, 2017. Written comments must be submitted to: Irene Davidson, District Ranger; 1536 South Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada, 89701 or to the facsimile number (775) 884-8199. The office hours for those submitting hand delivered comments are: 8:00-4:30 Monday-Friday, excluding holidays.

To provide electronic comments please email your comments to the project contact at
danielmorris@fs.fed.us. Please use the term “Clear Creek Extension Trail Project” in the subject line of your email.

Comments received in response to this scoping notice, including names and address of those who comment, will be considered part of the public record for this project and will be available for public review and will be released if requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

For further information, please contact Daniel Morris at 775-884-8140. danielmorris@fs.fed.us

 

Join the Bike Parade from the BAC to Sassafras this Saturday, July 15th at 11:00 AM for the Sassabration! Costumes and Flair encouraged. A to Zen is hosting a refreshment stop halfway to Sassafras!

Previously, a message had gone out inviting volunteers to participate in a special Trash Mob this Saturday, July 15th, removing the invasive weed, Bull Thistle from Carson City’s easement at Horse Creek Ranch.

Those plans have been changed.

Parks & Rec called today and with the current conditions of the meadow at Horse Creek Ranch we will not be able to make it up for the thistle removal. Everything is still too wet and overgrown to have a complete, safe work day. We will try again later this fall when the conditions improve.

Instead, we will hold a normal one-hour Trash Mob on the east side of the Carson River. Meetup Saturday, July 15th at 8:00 am at the dirt lot just off Sierra Vista Ln.

Meetup location: http://tinyurl.com/yde33ry2

Work gloves and trash bags provided. Dress appropriately.

 

The deadline to purchase raffle tickets to win one of three high-speed mountain bikes is fast approaching. There are only a few hours left before the deadline of midnight tonight (Sunday, June 25th). The drawing will be made at noon on Monday, June 26th. So act now and go to https://epicrides.com/hailthetrail/ to get your raffle tickets.

From the Epic Rides website…

• Registration will close on June 25th, 2017 at 00:00 PDT.
• Winner will be drawn, at random, on June 26th, 2017 at 12:00 PDT.

 

 

The deadline to buy raffle tickets for the Hail the Trail fundraiser has been extended to Monday, June 26th at 5:00 pm PDT.

Teri Vance, local journalist, had the chance to talk to Zoë Loffreda from Epic Rides regarding the Hail the Trail fundraiser. “With our Off-Road Series ending June 18, we want to round out the season the best way we know how – giving back to our local trail associations,” said Zoë, marketing manager for Epic Rides. “By extending our Hail The Trail Program, it allows for more riders and trail lovers to get involved after experiencing some top-notch riding at the Carson City Off-Road. We are incredible close to reaching our $30,000 goal, but we need your help!”

 

According to the Epic Rides web site, Hail the Trail is a new annual fundraiser to benefit the trail organizations that build & maintain trails of the Off-Road Series. 100% of the funds raised will go to repairing, maintaining, and expanding existing trail systems in Prescott, Grand Junction, and Carson City. Funds raised will be split evenly between all 3 locations.

 

Raffle tickets are $4 each and three mountain bikes will be given away to some very lucky riders. The winners will get to choose from any Ibis bike, a Salsa Deadwood, and a Norco Optic C7.1. With all of the components, each of these mountain bikes are worth over $6,000. So not only does purchasing a raffle ticket give you the opportunity to win a mountain bike, it also helps trail building efforts right here in Carson City.

Go to epicrides.com/hailthetrail for more details and to purchase raffle tickets.