Central CA club opens 11-mile loop on former dam site

IMBA Trail News
Volume 12, Number 1
March 1999

Thanks to the three-year effort of volunteers from the Folsom Auburn Trail Riders Action Coalition [FATRAC], a new 11-mile loop trail is expanding the very popular trails system in the Auburn State Recreation Area above Sacramento, California.

Land for the Auburn State Recreation Area was originally purchased to build the long-proposed Auburn Dam. The area could be largely obliterated if the dam is ever built. Although Congress has not funded that dam, it remains authorized and a looming threat to the hiking and cycling trails of this area.

However, the new Foresthill Divide Loop would be above the high water mark.

Trail grubbing on the Loop began in March, 1996, with the California Department of State Parks relying heavily on the enthusiasm of volunteers from FATRAC. IMBA Trail Care Crew No.1, Mike and Jan Riter, visited the area twice to assist FATRAC with chainsaw work and trail bed construction.

The 11-mile loop was designed and flagged by State Park Ranger/Trails Coordinator Greg Wells, who had already partnered with mountain bike volunteers on two other trails in his district. FATRAC proved to be the most committed volunteer trail construction group, devoting more than 1,000 hours and 10 organized trail work sessions to the trail, with an assist by a few equestrians.

FATRAC was fortunate to have four retirees (two of them ultra-distance runners) who went out mid-week for a year to do much of the grubbing. State Parks sped the process by renting a SWECO trail cat in April, 1998, which greatly improved the waning morale of the volunteers.

For more information, contact FATRAC President, Jim Haagen-Smit at (916) 663-4626 or email: . Check out FATRAC's website at www.jps.net/fatrac .

Jim and Cathy Haagen-Smit

Buying trail lands at Tahoe

FATRAC is helping the Truckee-Donner Land Trust to acquire land west of Lake Tahoe for the 25-mile Donner Lake Rim Trail. Their campaign slogan: "Donate some money to a good cause. This is your ticket to ride."

To contribute, send checks to the trust at PO Box 8816, Truckee, CA 96162.

For info: call (530)
582-4711 or email to .