Trails association plans meeting, birding outing

The Carson Valley Trails Association held its annual meeting on Monday, with more than 50 members and guests attending. Past-President Barbara Slade introduced 2006 President Dick Morissette. CVTA Board members and partners provided an update on trail access, construction, and maintenance in the Foothill Road area including trail damage caused by the New Year's eve rainstorm.

Several partnering groups such as Douglas County, U.S. Forest Service, Carson City Parks, The Nature Conservancy and Jobs Peak Ranch were represented at the meeting. Morissette pointed out the importance of partnering to achieve the mission of the association, i.e. gain public access to public lands. He is very excited about the progress being made so far in 2006 toward achieving this mission. He also stated that these efforts require much patience and persistence to reach fruition. Board member Rich Bennington provided more detail on trail access activities at Jobs Peak Ranch, Eagle Ridge and Pine Basin. These are areas where efforts are currently ongoing by CVTA and partners to complete the access phase of these projects. Since much still needs to be done in this phase, no date has been set for the construction of trails at Eagle Ridge or Pine Basin.

CVTA Vice President for Trail Operations Phil Brisack discussed the progress being made on construction of the Jobs Peak Ranch Trail which started last summer. The Jobs Peak Ranch trail is scheduled to be completed in 2006. Remaining construction includes a stream crossing, a rock wall to protect riparian areas and rock steps that will lead to national forest lands and a connection to the Faye/Luther trail. Volunteers will build these structures. A fence in appropriate locations and paving of the trailhead parking area will be constructed by outside contractors. Brisack discussed flood damage to the existing Faye-Luther Trail. The Dec. 31, 2005, storm damage will require a reroute of the Faye/Luther trail. About 300 yards of the trail were washed out up to 4-feet deep when the adjacent stream breached its bank. CVTA and the Bureau of Land Management agree that another storm could repeat the damage. A plan to move this portion of the trail to a sustainable location is the best solution. An alternative trail currently exists in this area and, after improvements, it will become the main route.

Lisa Granahan, assistant to Douglas County Manager Dan Holler, stated that partnering with the CVTA is helping the county meet the goals of the Douglas County Trails Plan. She said that grant writing is an example of where the County could use help. Granahan said the County is making an effort to gain new accesses, especially in the area of Pine Basin located on Kingsbury Grade. Trails could extend from Pine Basin to the upper section of the original historic Kingsbury Grade Road and provide a connector to the Tahoe Rim Trail. The County is also applying for grant funds to purchase available parcels on the Carson River near Genoa Lane and the River Fork Ranch.

Steve Hale, USFS, discussed the progress being made to complete the environmental impact studies needed to improve and extend the trails currently accessible from the Faye-Luther trailhead including the connector to the Jobs Peak Ranch Trail. The studies have been completed and will be submitted to the California State Historic Preservation Office for approval. Upon approval, the environmental assessment can then be completed by the BLM. CVTA hopes to start reworking this area this fall and will be looking for volunteers. Hale said there is a project to improve the access and parking on the south side of Highway 50 at Spooner Summit. This is an existing four-season multi-use area. The design is ongoing with construction expected in 2007.

Laura Crane, project manager for The Nature Conservancy's River Fork Ranch, gave a presentation on the plans for trails on the ranch. Grant funding is now available to proceed with this project and trails construction is expected in summer 2007. A presentation on the Carson River Project will be given on Thursday, 6-8 p.m. at Walley's Resort and a birding outing on Saturday.

CVTA board member John Cobourn discussed efforts ongoing to develop a restoration plan for the entire Carson River through Carson Valley. This effort is being led by the University of Nevada, Reno, cooperative extension where Cobourn is employed.

CVTA is an all-volunteer organization and anyone interested in getting involved can contact Dick Morissette at 267-3924 or rpm@carsonvalleytrails.org