Cisco to ELR trail

[Tinman]

Just a heads up. Cal 4wd (Trek) is working with Cisco Grove to construct a trail on Cisco property to connect the campground to Fordyce trail. I don't have all the info yet but wanted to give a tentative warning about a work day next Saturday May 30th. Rick at Cisco will provide heavy equipment and we would provide labor.

Please keep this date in mind and I'll post up more when I get it yet.

A couple of questions I have asked but not gotten answers for:

1. Where exactly will the trail tie into? I have heard trail head but I'm not sure. I thought it would be ELR somewhere.

2. Will the trail be open all year for 4x4 use? I have talked to Cisco and the original intent was to use it for Trek only but they are interested in an all year thing if they can control abuse of access. A fee would no doubt be charged and I have suggested a yearly permit fee. I would be more than happy to pay them for the use of a road like that! I also suggested giving it a shot for a year if they are hesitant and if the trial didn't work out they could always close it.

I'll post up more info as I get it but please keep next Saturday open just in case if you're interested in helping.

Thanks!

[1lilrasz]

Email from Jeff Blewett:

"We need some help on May 30th for some trail work. The owners of Cisco grove campground are willing to break a trail on their property
down to the trail head. If we can get this trail through no one would have to use the freeway to get to the trailhead from the campground.
They will provide some type of heavy equipment and we will need to provide the manpower. I do not know the start time as of yet but please
e-mail me back if you can help. unfortunately I can not get out of work that weekend and its the CA4WDC BOD meeting so i will need some help
that weekend. Please get back to me as soon as possible.

Jeff"

[ErikB]

Interesting idea. I assume this is the property you are talking about. It would have to connect to ELR (not the actual trailhead) unless you are working with the FS because the parcel to the north is FS land.
I wonder how steep the terrain is on that ridge that the power lines cross?

For reference, Cisco exit is in the lower right, Fordyce trail is at the top kind of to the left, and Eagle Lakes Road exit is about dead center.

And FWIW, it looks like Cisco campground is located just south of all the property lines- in Placer County.

[Kendo]

How funny, I drove by yesterday and saw the bulldozer on the frontage road. I thought that would be a great idea to cut a road between the two, then came in here today and saw this!

Please keep us informed Bret, I have the day penciled in on the calendar. Also, let us know what we might need to bring (chainsaws, shovels, picks, ???).

Ken

[Tinman]

I haven't gotten enough information back from Cal 4wd yet so I'm going to say don't worry about going there to help out this weekend. It really looks like it would have to tie into ELR but does Cisco Grove have approval to access a county road from their property? Will the road be open all year for OHV access?

When we get some more answers we can possibly commit to helping with the construction. I know everyone is busy and I just can't see jumping the gun, getting a bunch of people up there only to find out there isn't a good plan in place for this trail.

[1lilrasz]

The only thing that I've heard so far. I plan on going to the Sierra Trek meeting tonight to find out more info.

Last email. He still plans on cutting new trail.
"Hi all...
A quick update on the trail work. We do need more people to help out Sat.
They plan to start at 8am Sat. morning at the Cisco grove Campground Store.
We need the usual tools ( saws, pry bars, vehicle with winches etc...)


dont forget tomorrows Trek meeting.

Jeff"

[Blue Devil Toyota]

Originally Posted by 1lilrasz

The only thing that I've heard so far. I plan on going to the Sierra Trek meeting tonight to find out more info.

Last email. He still plans on cutting new trail.
"Hi all...
A quick update on the trail work. We do need more people to help out Sat.
They plan to start at 8am Sat. morning at the Cisco grove Campground Store.
We need the usual tools ( saws, pry bars, vehicle with winches etc...)


dont forget tomorrows Trek meeting.

Jeff"

Same email I got. Here is Jeff's e-mail if anyone wants to contact him.


2009 Sierra Trek Chairman
Jeff Blewett
sandraider@clearwire.net

[Bebe]

Rick (Cisco Grove Owner) talked to some of us last fall about it. He also said he had taken his ATV through several times and it is totally doable. IIRC his property comes right out onto ELR but I'm not sure where.

He's been planning this for at least 9 months, and is a 'do it the right way' kind of guy.

I'm looking forward to it.

[1lilrasz]

[QUOTE=Tinman;9860189]
1. Where exactly will the trail tie into? I have heard trail head but I'm not sure. I thought it would be ELR somewhere.[QUOTE]

Somewhere on ELR, I'm not sure where.

[QUOTE=Tinman;9860189]
2. Will the trail be open all year for 4x4 use? I have talked to Cisco and the original intent was to use it for Trek only but they are interested in an all year thing if they can control abuse of access. [QUOTE]

Not going to be open for public use year round, but the owners will let you use it if asked.



My question is do they have permission to cut a new road into their property?

[BMFNTOY]

So what's the word on this? Did they break ground on this yesterday like planned or did it get pushed off?

This would be awesome if it happens!

[1lilrasz]

Originally Posted by BMFNTOY

So what's the word on this? Did they break ground on this yesterday like planned or did it get pushed off?

This would be awesome if it happens!

Yep, It happened yesterday. We "cleaned up" the trail from Cisco Grove Campsite to ELR.





And we also ran it.

[BMFNTOY]

So where exactly does it connect to on the ELR side?

[randii]

Please honor the private property owner's rights... this is a private road across private property, and we need to hang back and find out what the rules are for using it.

A sense of entitlement and ignoring the issue might keep us closed out forever...

Randii

[pepe]

This is such a good thing, finally a business that "gets it". The campground can now provide full access to the trail for it's customers weather those customers are camping or just paying to park their tow rig.

[Brothergrim]

Originally Posted by randii

Please honor the private property owner's rights... this is a private road across private property, and we need to hang back and find out what the rules are for using it.

A sense of entitlement and ignoring the issue might keep us closed out forever...

Randii

As I understand it the owner is not going to have it open 24/7. I think his plans are for opening the trail will be open for Trek only. But I have been wrong before.

[ErikB]

I don't really need it, but I think its cool that the property owners are offering it!
I just hope people use it for what it is- an access trail, not a wheeling trail. We might need to post some signs or something at the ELR end for random people who might assume its a place to go wheeling.

[Sno White]

From the few pics posted it looks like a good addition for Sierra Trek. It might be a good extra selling point for the participants of Trek.

If the owners do not want it used at other times, I'm sure they are aware they can put up a chain/gate and/or signs.

[Brothergrim]

x2

[BMFNTOY]

Obviously permission of use is at the discretion of the property owner but I sure hope it's not just going to be for Trek. I have a full tube buggy and pay for parking at Cisco everytime I go to Fordyce. Not being street legal, it sure would be nice to have the option to run the whole trail by using THIS trail to get to the ELR trailhead.......but again the use is up to the property owner.

Jeff

[randii]

Originally Posted by pepe

This is such a good thing, finally a business that "gets it". The campground can now provide full access to the trail for it's customers weather those customers are camping or just paying to park their tow rig.

Amen! I intend to stop in at the campground store on the next trip up I-80 and thank them directly... I'm looking forward to using the route in the future, but I can get some thanks rolling right now.

In fact, friendly thanks in advance might be reasonable by email, as well: http://www.ciscogrove.com/
SHOWING a positive impact to business through parking and store revenue, with friendly requests for expanded access... if I were a businessman, that would impress me. We can also help this cause by keeping speeds low in the campground, respecting other patrons, and keeping an eye out for the gate, facility, and property in general.

I'm STOKED that Cal4 has partered so successfully with the Cisco Grove Campground -- and vice versa! Kudos as well to the work group who busted their butts on the ground, as well!

Randii

[1lilrasz]

Originally Posted by BMFNTOY

So where exactly does it connect to on the ELR side?

It connects not to far after the first turn from the freeway. It's right under the power lines. We didn't clear to much of it next to the road because he (the owner) doesn't want people on it before he get a gate up.

Originally Posted by Sno White

If the owners do not want it used at other times, I'm sure they are aware they can put up a chain/gate and/or signs.

There will be a gate with a combo lock on it. If you want to use it, you will need to get a hold of the campground for permission and the combination. It was a fun trail (not road) to clear.

[STILWELL]

This is a great idea, I would be willing to pay a few more bucks for parking and using the new trail to ELR. My cruiser is licenced and insured but not "road" legal.

[lil-bronc]

Great news.

My family and friends have been camping at Cisco Groove for the two to three years and do day trips in to Fordyce. I wish I would have read this earlier, as I would have been more than happy to help.

Tinman, future work on that trail, feel free to contact me.

[Tinman]

If anyone in a non street legal rig ends up using this road please keep in mind that it is still not legal to drive on ELR to the Indian Springs trailhead and the road is patrolled. Don't know what the plans are for Trek. They might get a pass from LE for the event. I believe a lot of marginal rigs drove down to the trailhead on the freeway last year and there wasn't much of a problem.

[JDunn]

Bret,

I sent an e-mail to the campground using the e-mail address from their web site and it was sent back to me. It said it could not be delivered (info@ciscogrove.com). Do you have another address I can send it to?

Thanks JDunn