We're just over two weeks out from the event!

Trek will go on as scheduled, and the snow is melted/melting!
As discussed before, we will clear the road if necessary (I don't expect it to be necessary).

More pictures in a moment... but let's bust some of the following rumors:
* Trek is cancelled - FALSE
* Trek is postponed - FALSE
* Trek participants won't be able to get their motorhomes to Meadow Lake - FALSE
* Trek participants will have to snow-camp at Meadow Lake - FALSE
* there's so much snow around the lake that there won't be room for camping - FALSE
* the hills and meadows around the lake are saturated and naked and would be damaged by camping - FALSE
We're staged for another great year, and this is the 44th year that Cal4Wheel has been doing this event -- we've had to cancel only one year, and postpone two years. The Sierra Trek team is pretty good at this, and we picked the last weekend in the summer that we could logically and logistically have the event, with school starting and vacations ending. The sky is not falling, and we're ready for another great event, building on the success of last year.

There will be no ice skating on the lake, no snowmobiling up Meadow Lake Road, and no snow-camping required. There's enough snow in the trees around main camp to keep the coolers iced down, and I'm certain snowballs will be thrown, but they'll be thrown by folks wearing t-shirts and shorts, and having a blast. Come join Sierra Trek, you can still register on-site!

Randii
Randy Burleson
Sierra Trek Chair 2011

I hope these pictures show how little snow remains, especially in context to the snow I shot pictures of two weeks ago, and the reports from last Sunday and last Tuesday, as well. The melt is moving FAST, and these pictures are from 48 hours ago. Next scout trip will be Monday. Snow is melting at 6" or better each day. Gotta love warm weather - it is almost the 80s up there!
- No snow at base of MH, then further up: IMG_20110728_073500.jpg and IMG_20110728_073913.jpg
- Deeper rutting on MH (drift visible but clear for one lane): IMG_20110728_074012.jpg
- Shallow cross-drifts at 5.3 on odometer (~5.8 on miles): IMG_20110728_074128.jpg
- Milemarker 6.5 at 15” deep, road coverage 90% at 2’ with drifts up to 4’: IMG_20110728_080114.jpg

Randii

- 90% coverage with up to 3’ drifts at the turn off Forest Service Route 86 (last snow atop MH): IMG_20110728_080343.jpg
- Good dirt road from there, most all is dry except seasonal creek and year-round spring crossings: IMG_20110728_080847.jpg, IMG_20110728_081207.jpg, IMG_20110728_081838.jpg
- Rutting near Lacey Peak: IMG_20110728_082304.jpg

Snow half-covering road, one lane open, just above OHV restroom: IMG_20110728_082650.jpg

Snow across road just below OHV restroom: IMG_20110728_082814.jpg

Clear road next to OHV restroom: IMG_20110728_082231.jpg

Road down to the lake is 30% coverage, up to 2’ depth: IMG_20110728_082925.jpg

Road down to the lake is less than 5% coverage (just drifts), max of 3-4’ depth: IMG_20110728_082136.jpg, IMG_20110728_082549.jpg, IMG_20110728_082335.jpg

OK, so we've covered that the snow is melted or in the last stages of melting. The road is open to 4x4s and quads, and many people are using it and have been for several weeks. We're ready to plow if we have to, but I do not expect to have to. One way or another, the road will be open to semi-trucks by next Thursday.

Now, let's talk about the meadow. I posted this in another thread (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=996073; ), but it fits well here...

Meadow Lake is green and beautiful, the only snow that's left is in the trees. Camping will be fine in almost all of the normal places that don't have heavy tree cover. The attached pictures were taken Thursday morning 7/28...
- main camp, looking northeast from the trees
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=611413&stc=1&d=1311980201
- main camp, looking northwest from where the outhouses normally sit
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=611414&stc=1&d=1311980201
- main camp, looking across the traditional vendor area
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=611415&stc=1&d=1311980201
- looking south over the lake, just after leaving the trees and entering the meadow
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=611416&stc=1&d=1311980201
- looking west toward main camp, just after leaving the trees and entering the meadow
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=611417&stc=1&d=1311980201

Randii
Randy Burleson
2011 Trek Chair

Thanks Randy for the pictures. Robert & Donna

Trek is going to be awesome this year! Everything is extra green and lush.

Cant wait!! have'nt had a chance to run the trail in a few years and this year I will be back a WH-2 with the Nor Cal Crawlers working. Hopfully we make it up to main camp to visit. Thanks Randii for all you do for the trail.

Dustin

Have Fun "Radar & Hotlips" i'm heading out to the "Man Cave" to work on the Jeep wish i could have made the trip too :( Next Year 4 Sure !!!

Bring your bug spray. The skeeters were the worst I've seen on the trail

Since I can't afford to go the Sierra Trek is anyone going to care if I run the trail as long I go the right way and stay out of the way of the participants? I would love to take advantage of the low river crossings but don't want to piss anyone off in the process. I guess the trail is open to everyone but you know thought I would ask. I know there are people who purposely run the trail backwards and try to interfere, that is not my intention. Thanks :D

The water's fine, a 1st gen on 33's was in our group this weekend and two rigs on 35's. Came out committee yesterday.

Bring your bug spray. The skeeters were the worst I've seen on the trail
There are plenty of mosquitoes, but no more than any other heavy winter year. 1997 was the last time I remember 'em this thick, but it does make for better fishing!

Since I can't afford to go the Sierra Trek is anyone going to care if I run the trail as long I go the right way and stay out of the way of the participants? I would love to take advantage of the low river crossings but don't want to piss anyone off in the process. I guess the trail is open to everyone but you know thought I would ask. I know there are people who purposely run the trail backwards and try to interfere, that is not my intention. Thanks :D
I appreciate the consideration inherent in your request -- thanks. We'd really appreciate it if you started your run later in the day on Thursday or Friday, staging from the Eagle Lakes exit, or early-early morning if you start from Cisco Grove. Saturday morning, you could start out whenever, since Trek only uses the top end of the trail between Committee and Meadow Lake. These start times will help minimize conflict, but if you do wind up in the middle of an organized Trek run, please do your best to roll with the flow, or to let people past. This is Cal4Wheel's biggest fund-raiser for the year, and some of these monies go to the fight to keep this trail and others open -- we're a good cause.

Thanks,

Randii

I appreciate the consideration inherent in your request -- thanks. We'd really appreciate it if you started your run later in the day on Thursday or Friday, staging from the Eagle Lakes exit, or early-early morning if you start from Cisco Grove. Saturday morning, you could start out whenever, since Trek only uses the top end of the trail between Committee and Meadow Lake. These start times will help minimize conflict, but if you do wind up in the middle of an organized Trek run, please do your best to roll with the flow, or to let people past. This is Cal4Wheel's biggest fund-raiser for the year, and some of these monies go to the fight to keep this trail and others open -- we're a good cause.

Thanks,

Randii

Awesome and I do understand what this event does to help keep our trails open and will respectfully run the trail at the off times you mentioned above to keep the trail clear for the trek. Thanks Randi for the input.

Cant wait!! have'nt had a chance to run the trail in a few years and this year I will be back a WH-2 with the Nor Cal Crawlers working. Hopfully we make it up to main camp to visit. Thanks Randii for all you do for the trail.

Dustin

Looking forward to seeing you there Dustin. Have you put padding on your roll cage? ;)

How is all the water and wet muddy ground going to affect the the road into meadow lake and the trail with all the traffic that Trek brings?

I'm getting excited for my first Trek run!!! See you all there:D

How is all the water and wet muddy ground going to affect the the road into meadow lake and the trail with all the traffic that Trek brings?
Minimally. I've been up there two times in the last 5 days, and just got back on Sunday. The vast majority of the roads on the way in are bone dry, with less than 10% wet or with snow.

The trail itself is quite dry from staging to the Wagon Wheel (near Committee), and is becoming less wet between WW and main camp. As noted elsewhere in this forum, Sierra Trek volunteers will be working education and announcements in camp and at the drivers' meetings before each trail run to minimize impacts, and working with the Friends of Fordyce on trail projects to mitigate impacts. Cal4WD has a long history with Fordyce Trail, indeed, it was wrestled back from abandon and overgrowth by Cal4 volunteers preparing for the first Sierra Trek. With that long history, we well-understand how special this resource is to all OHV-ers, and the importance of treading lightly and pitching in with maintenance.

As for the meadow, it is green and beautiful, with snow left only in the trees. Camping will be fine in almost all of the normal places that don't have heavy tree cover.

Randii
Randy Burleson
2011 Trek Chair

Well I know a new game for main camp.

Snow ball fight!!!!!!!!!

Well I know a new game for main camp.

Snow ball fight!!!!!!!!!

Just rememeber what happened the last time you threw one at me. :flipoff2:

Just rememeber what happened the last time you threw one at me. :flipoff2:

I had you. I was just letting you win the wrestling match. I know how sensitive you get when you loose.

The water's fine, a 1st gen on 33's was in our group this weekend and two rigs on 35's. Came out committee yesterday.

I got trashed after I got your message and forgot about it until now. Must have just missed ya sunday.

I had you. I was just letting you win the wrestling match. I know how sensitive you get when you loose.

The way I remember it he chased you down and tackled you face first into the snow. There was no wrestling involved.:grinpimp:

The way I remember it he chased you down and tackled you face first into the snow. There was no wrestling involved.:grinpimp:

Yeh:laughing:, but I was laughing the whole time. You know as well as I do that we have to let him win once and a while.

Yeh:laughing:, but I was laughing the whole time. You know as well as I do that we have to let him win once and a while.

I let him win all the time (well not let him he just wins) mostly because he could swat me like a fly anytime he wanted to so why piss him off?:laughing:

Jethro is a force of nature.:mr-t:

We’re plowing Motorhome hill in two hours. It’ll be done by Wednesday noon.

GM Construction is taking care of the remaining snow down by the lake on Thursday -- great folks, the way they put their business behind our event!

Everything is coming together nicely; clear road, food transportation, trailer transportation, RVs clear, porta-potties/dumpster/rentals clear. It’ll be a great event!

Gotta go, pics later.

Randii
Randy Burleson
Event Chairman
Sierra Trek 2011

Thanks Randi for all the hard work...Can't wait...already packing for the event!:D

Trailer is packed with the Truck, Rhino and the dual sport bike to get around, leave Fri. am with a short stop in the Mammoth area and then into Meadow on the 8th. Thanks Randii for the work that you have done, I am coming up from So. Cal, you met my Dad (Past Pres. Ron Parkinson) at the bottom of MH hill last week. See you in less than a week at Meadow, look forward to a great Trek at Meadow.:D

Randy,

Big thanks for your positive attitude and perserverance in keeping Trek on track when faced with adverse conditions. Without you it may not have happened!

Gonna be a GREAT TIME!!

Thanks for the good words, all, I'm lucky to have a GREAT team, which really helps keep us moving forward. :cool2:

Yup – it's going to be a great event, for sure!

The bulldozer (IMG_20110803_093655.jpg) worked Wednesday morning, and when I drove back out at about 3, the 1” of remaining slush was almost all melted and the road had no standing water. Waiting until this week saved us BANK over the estimates I had before in early July – we let mother nature do most of the melting and just gave her a little push with a John Deere 650x. Honestly, the permitting, engineering, and pre-planning was way more work than the actual plowing/dozing!

I drove my Subaru (IMG_20110803_114839.jpg) into Meadow Lake over a few spots of very low snow, and what little snow remains will be dealt with tomorrow. Yeah, i'd MUCH rather have made that trip in my 4x4, but the Subaru runs and drives right NOW!

The meadow is ablaze in green, with yellow, purple, and red highlights (IMG_20110803_114854.jpg). Yes, there is still some snow in the trees, but it is having minimal effect on most camping areas that aren’t fully shaded. The general state of the meadow appears to be under most discussion for the folks who have not yet visited it this year… please come on up and see it for yourself before assuming it is covered in snow, sunk in the mud, or underwater in the lake. :p

See ya soon!

Randii
Randy Burleson
Event Chairman
Sierra Trek 2011

Good Job Randy,

side note I'm heading your way this am for the day job, call

Less than a week left... the snow is clear, the sun is shining, the grass is green, and Meadow Lake is waiting for you!

We're still taking online registrations at www.cal4wheel.com through Monday 8/8/2011... and we'll be handling on-site registrations right up until the day of each event (right now, there are still slots available for all, but some are getting pretty full).

Randii

I forsee your on site regi's exceeding the pre regi's. It's a year of procrastination for many.

Less than a week left... the snow is clear, the sun is shining, the grass is green, and Meadow Lake is waiting for you!

We're still taking online registrations at www.cal4wheel.com through Monday 8/8/2011... and we'll be handling on-site registrations right up until the day of each event (right now, there are still slots available for all, but some are getting pretty full).

Randii

If I wasn't putting all my extra cash into my rig I would pony up, wish I could make it! The goal is next year though and I will be ready until I go to tons.

I forsee your on site regi's exceeding the pre regi's. It's a year of procrastination for many.
Phil, you have no idea how appropriate that is with respect to my modus operandi. :p Why do something today that can be put off until tomorrow?

We'd love to see it, though that does make some challenges for event planning (food, porta-potties, trash, etc.).

Randii

My wife and ar taking the kids up there today to see it. I saw on the map you can henness rd or jackson meadows rd what is the best way to get there from 89

Take jackson meadows rd off of 89 then left at Meadow lake rd. Stay to the right until you see the lake, then follow the lake rd to base camp.

Take jackson meadows rd off of 89 then left at Meadow lake rd. Stay to the right until you see the lake, then follow the lake rd to base camp.
We'll have yellow directional tape and signs up by the end of this weekend to assist with directions.

Randii

We'll have yellow directional tape and signs up by the end of this weekend to assist with directions.Randii

Randy,

We do our Mr. Miyagi ATV ride in September, here's the directions I have for that.

Directions:
From HWY 80


North on Hwy 89
(Toward Sierraville) (RESET odometer at exit)
14.8 miles Turn Left at Jackson Meadows
(Sign before turn says Weber Lake, Independence Lake and Jackson Meadows)
Go EXACTLY 9.7 miles (just past Weber Lake) turn left toward Meadow lake.
It's 11.1 Miles to Meadow Lake.
(The road turns to dirt in about 100 yards.)

From Sierraville on 89
Turn right at Jackson Meadows and repeat above.

Phil, you have no idea how appropriate that is with respect to my modus operandi. :p Why do something today that can be put off until tomorrow?

We'd love to see it, though that does make some challenges for event planning (food, porta-potties, trash, etc.).

Randii

yeah I heard about the planning ahead for it and it sounds well thought out. I think very few have any idea how much effort goes into an event like this. I'm not a fan of people complaining about the prices either. Some of my friends consider it a ton of money for some food (as that would go pretty far camping) but the bigger picture of building a town in the middle of nowhere and providing lots of services for a large crowd, not to mention the fund raising aspect of the event, really adds value in my opinion. I hope for much success! See you all thursday!

We'll have yellow directional tape and signs up by the end of this weekend to assist with directions.
Signs are in place after the 89 turn-off.... look for yellow TREK signs and flagging tape.

...here's the directions I have for that.
Great directions, Ken! Simple and easy. :)

yeah I heard about the planning ahead for it and it sounds well thought out. I think very few have any idea how much effort goes into an event like this. ... the bigger picture of building a town in the middle of nowhere and providing lots of services for a large crowd, not to mention the fund raising aspect of the event, really adds value in my opinion. I hope for much success! See you all thursday!
Thanks for the good words, Phil -- I work with a great team of hard-working volunteers! I'll see you this weekend -- a few days away to the big event!

Randii

randy I have 4 names that are going to cover winch hill 5 with the Zombies, I cant get a hold of Bonnie.

randy I have 4 names that are going to cover winch hill 5 with the Zombies, I cant get a hold of Bonnie.
Sorry i'm behind on communications, please ring me <snip> and we'll get you squared away. We appreciate the help!

Randii

Randi, heading in tomorrow to WH1 with GV4W Club. See ya there for more good times. Talked to you last month at Cisco about the trail. Hope to get up to Meadow for the party after the runs have passed WH1. Brian.