Rubicon Trail Closing? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

mjonags32 · 03-26-2009, 02:41 AM

I've never been there before, but I've heard great things about this place. I'm actually planning a camping trip right near that area this summer and was thinking about checking it out while I was there

More info on the close here:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/savetherubicon/

eccracer104 · 03-26-2009, 02:47 AM

Really?! Do they need to do this? UHG! WHY? Is this necessary?
For motorcycles, any bike designed for kids 12 and under are now BANNED because of lead poisoning. What has been going on lately?

blackhawke88 · 03-26-2009, 03:24 AM

this is all because of these mofos:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWVyJ-YG3ew

we should definitely do something. Im also down to go, haha, but i probably wont be around during the summer.

***lotust*** · 03-26-2009, 05:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackhawke88

this is all because of these mofos:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWVyJ-YG3ew

we should definitely do something. Im also down to go, haha, but i probably wont be around during the summer.

lol

mjonags32 · 03-26-2009, 09:05 AM

i was scared to click on that link. i didn't want to get rick rolled again

***05Moose*** · 03-28-2009, 10:13 AM

I wouldn't sweat the closing of the trail. Most of it will likely fall under the same conditions as all the forest land in the area out here (notice where I live as it's in my back door). The forest service failed years ago to do environmental impact reports (EIR) on all the forest roads created while logging. As a result, the interim court order forced the closure of all forest roads (essentially all off-roading) from Jan 1 - March 31 each year since this is when the ground is the wettest and most susceptible to erosion. That may all change once the EIR is done (but don't expect that for years). And don't ever expect the Rubicon Trail to ever close permanently. Likely, it too will close during the wet months, but that's kind of like saying there'll be no water skiing on a lake when it's frozen. After all, there's too much snow on the Rubicon during all those wet months! The trail is just too popular/famous to ever get closed.

mjonags32 · 03-28-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05Moose

I wouldn't sweat the closing of the trail. Most of it will likely fall under the same conditions as all the forest land in the area out here (notice where I live as it's in my back door). The forest service failed years ago to do environmental impact reports (EIR) on all the forest roads created while logging. As a result, the interim court order forced the closure of all forest roads (essentially all off-roading) from Jan 1 - March 31 each year since this is when the ground is the wettest and most susceptible to erosion. That may all change once the EIR is done (but don't expect that for years). And don't ever expect the Rubicon Trail to ever close permanently. Likely, it too will close during the wet months, but that's kind of like saying there'll be no water skiing on a lake when it's frozen. After all, there's too much snow on the Rubicon during all those wet months! The trail is just too popular/famous to ever get closed.

ahhh good to know. it's always good to get a local's insight.

btw... i'm going camping in that area, a site called "Stumpy Meadows." any reviews on that place?

***05Moose*** · 03-28-2009, 09:18 PM

Yeah, I really like it there. We've kayaked on Stumpy. And keep your eyes open for the Bald Eagles and the Ospreys. We've watched an Osprey diving into the water for fish on Stumpy, and, in general, the Bald Eagles are making a huge come back in the U.S.! We used to go years without seeing a Bald Eagle in Tahoe (family used to live up there before moving to Whidbey Island, WA) but now we see them 50 percent of the time when we just go down to the local lake.

I assume you're not going to Stumpy until the snow melts? Oh, and beware the bears. Campgrounds are a great hangout for bears in CA these days (especially Stumpy Meadows and Fallen Leaf Lake in Tahoe). Those are two I've heard the most about. So remember not to leave anything (mints, gum, food, etc) in either your truck or tent!!!

We've had times in the past when we stayed at my in laws when we'd go out in the morning and there's a bear print on the door by the handle (they would stand up and take a look/sniff thru the window). I won't even go into the bear that broke into the in laws house when it was for sale...and my mother-in-law was in the house at the time! Man have I got a lot of bear stories...

Okay, I'll share one more since it was rather funny. Mother-in-law's former co-worker told her this one. She was home one day and noticed a bear walking through the neighbor's yard. Pretty soon the bear walked up to the front door of the neighbor's house (must have smelled something cooking). Whatever he did, he either rang the doorbell or caused a knocking sound because guess who opens the door? The neighbor opens his front door to see who's there. Can you imagine the shock on his face? I hear he can slam the door pretty darn fast.

mjonags32 · 03-28-2009, 10:09 PM

whoa crazy! i'm not going there until the end of july so I have plenty of time. i did a bunch of research in trying to find somewhere to camp for our group of friends, then when it came time to book, everywhere cool was booked. then i ran into Stumpy Meadows, did more research on it, and it seemed like a cool place.

one thing i'm really looking forward to is the hiking. its suppose to be pretty good there, yeah? and also, whats the off roading like there on the way to the Rubicon? there might be other trucks going with me on the camping trip, but they're 2wd. will they be able to hang? its either that, or our group gets divided because I'm going there for sure

***05Moose*** · 03-28-2009, 10:57 PM

Never actually been on the Rubicon...went to the end of Loon Lake near it though. Former neighbor used to go on the Rubicon until he rolled is Taco, totaling it.

I spend all my time south of Hwy 50 (Mormon Emigrant Trail that runs from Pollock Pines over to Hwy 88 below Silver Lake). And some stuff on I-80 up near Fordyce Lake.

What you should do is take some time and go up to White Rock Lake up behind Bowman Lake off I-80. There's a 4 wheel drive only camping area. Campsites are far apart (the last one is a good 1/4 mile from the previous campsite). Although it's 4 wheel drive only camping, anyone with decent clearance (like a prerunner) would make it no problem. There's even a hill behind the lake that I wouldn't go up without backup and a locker!

Oh, and I forgot to mention that the reason Stumpy has bear problems is because that's where Tahoe relocates the problem bears!

I'm sure you'll go to Stumpy via Georgetown, but if you take the Hwy 50 route up to Ice House Rd and it's daylight out, take a detour on the road right across from the cutoff to Ice House Reservoir (Big Hill Lookout Rd). The view is phenomenal up at the antenna tower on the top of the hill.

Or if you're over near Union Valley Reservoir and want a short hike to a waterfall, check out Bassi Falls (you can get directions and see pics on Leon's site...waterfallswest.com).

Enjoy.