IMPASSE
Here is one more from Palisade Falls, my big backpacking trip down into the North Fork American River canyon a couple weeks ago.
This last weekend I tried to get into Wildcat Canyon Falls again. The last time I was there was in 2007, 11 years ago. I did not make it this time. I got almost all the way down there, I could see one of the waterfalls off in the distance, but then I hit a wall of brush. For the last half mile or more, there was a mound of thick brush, at least 6 feet tall, and completely impassable. Eleven years ago, there was no brush at all. Unbelievable and incredible and so disappointing.
This is now the fifth trail I have tried into the North Fork American River in the last couple years, all of which are now impassable. American River Trail: impassable, Beacroft Trail: impassable, Mumford Bar Trail: almost impassable, Big Granite Trail: impassable, and Wildcat Canyon Trail: impassable. These used to be all excellent trails, they are my favorite trails in the world, and now you cannot hike them at all. Tahoe National Forest has not done anything to maintain these trails whatsoever, and now you cannot even hike them. What a horrible shame. The only trails that are still good are the Palisade Trail, and Sailor Flat Trail (I think – but I have not hiked this one recently). I could very well be wrong, but I do not really sense such a huge issue for trails in other National Forests, but only in Tahoe National Forest.
I am at a loss what to do; however, I’ve been thinking about it. I thought maybe I should go in and clear them by myself, but that would be impossible. One person hacking down a wall of brush 6 feet high for a half mile? That would be senseless. One thing I am doing is sending a letter to Tahoe National Forest about it, and I urge you all to do the same thing. These trails need to be restored. I am even going to volunteer to help them do it. I am waiting for a response from them. We will see what happens, but I am sure the excuse will be no funds or some such thing. Sigh.
July 16th, 2018 at 3:18 pm
Leon,
I’d be thrilled to help you!
Maybe I can talk to a few friends at SYRCL and see if they would be interested in helping a fellow river get its trails back! Did Tahoe ever write back?
Bea
July 16th, 2018 at 6:08 pm
Hey Beatrisa. They did not write back. Actually, I need try to send them a second note again. However, I found out that Tahoe NF did clear out the American River/Beacroft/and Mumford Bar trails last summer. So this is excellent news! I would really like to see the others cleared too.