Lamoille Canyon Road - closure update and recreational impacts

When they tell you that there's 6000 yards of debris covering the Lamoille Canyon Road, it's hard to imagine what that looks like.  The photos of the damage done by monsoonal rains just don't show the scale of what needs to happen to re-open Lamoille Canyon Road to vehicle traffic.  Nor does it give any inkling of how the Forest Service is going to get it done with the relative pittance (about $100,000 at the moment) they have to work with.  They have 20 - count 'em - landslides to clean up, most of which went from the ridge tops, over the road, and all the way to the creek in the canyon bottom.  There were more, but those smaller slides just created instability, not clean-up problems.

Ken and I toured the canyon this evening with hydrologist Robin Wignall from the USFS, one of  the professionals responsible for managing the response to the mudslides.  It was, honestly, fascinating to see the results of Mother Nature's handiwork.  And, as with all events like this, there are incidences of gobsmacking good luck, opportunities hidden in the debris, and a lengthy to-do list before full access to the canyon can be restored.

What Happened

For those following along at home - over the course of less than 72 hours, July 30th - August 1st, sections of Lamoille Canyon from about Pete's Corner to the Terraces Picnic grounds received up to eight inches of rain.  That's a quarter of the precipitation that Lamoille Canyon usually gets per annum.  In a matter of hours. That's the kind of storm that happens once in 500 years. 

In response, landslides came down from the steep slopes onto Lamoille Canyon Road, burying the road in massive rocks and silty mud as much as 10 feet deep.  At least half of the slide activity happened above the burn scar from 2018's Range Two fire, so while some of the damage is attributable to the fire, a lot of it isn't. Culverts under the road are blocked and/or washed away, and water continues to run down the road in places. Slopes above the road are unstable, and another sudden storm could have devastating effect. The Elko County Sheriff's Office had to mount an emergency evacuation effort to get campers out of the Thomas Canyon Campground, the first time because of fears of flash flooding, the second time because of the landslides blocking the road and threatening more rockfall. The Elko County Road Department also provided emergency response, including heavy equipment and manpower, to get the road passable by vehicles so that trapped recreationists could get out, and so that USFS crews could start working to rectify the damage.

Road damage at Pete's Corner

As of now, the road is closed to motorized vehicles at the first pullout, across from the Lamoille-Talbot trailhead. The closure is to allow construction/debris clearance crews to work more efficiently, and because there is significant instability above the road. At this point it's doubtful that an ambulance or other vehicle in a hurry could get through.  The road is open to foot traffic and bicycles all the way to road's end, and while we were there we saw bike tracks and a pair of trail runners fully enjoying the unusual solitude provided by the closures. 

The next steps

On our tour today, we saw four places where the road is damaged to the point where motorist safety would be compromised, but there is a lot of debris on the road with no inkling of what might be under all of that rock.  The USFS *just* finished a $900,000 chip seal project, so workers are doing everything possible to preserve the blacktop and not have to re-do a lot of road that just got rebuilt.

The agency has been able to rob Peter to pay Paul and come up with $100,000 from various pots, but that isn't close to enough money to clear the road and repair the damage.  They are working with other USFS districts in Utah and Idaho, that experienced damage from the same storm system, to apply for a grant from the Federal Highway Administration.  Unfortunately, the earliest those funds would come through would be after Thanksgiving, meaning that they'll be operating on a very slim shoestring until then.  There is other grant money out there that they can (and will) pursue, but none of that money will show up quickly, which means that repairs can't happen in a hurry.  It can only happen as the money comes in.  Since the road is officially a Forest route, not a state highway, state highway resources aren't available, and work done by either the state or county would need to be reimbursed.

The USFS is renting heavy equipment from all over the western US to use on the project - a hot commodity, as much of it is already committed to firefighting.  And - as a hot commodity, the price of heavy equipment rental is only going up.  In one instance, the USFS was outbid for heavy equipment by a large utility company, since the utility was able to pay more for the rental than the USFS can.  The first of the equipment the USFS has secured arrives tomorrow.  Because they have the equipment for such a short period of time, and because time is money when equipment is idling, the Canyon road will be closed to ALL traffic, including foot and bicycle traffic, while the equipment is operating.  The USFS just doesn't have the money to manage for any kind of ongoing traffic while repairs are going on.

They hope to have the road open to Thomas Canyon Campground in 4-6 weeks, obviously depending on what they find under the debris.  They are hoping to get at least parts of it open sooner.  Pete's Corner and points beyond are likely to be single-lane traffic until they can come up with money to repair the places where the slides chewed up the road and removed the retaining walls.  While it's likely that cars won't have problems getting through, people pulling camp trailers may have difficulties, and the USFS may have to limit the length of trailers that can pass that point.  It's all a big wait and see.

Groups that had the Lion's Camp rented still have access to that camp, and cabin owners still have access to their cabins.  People who had spaces rented at Thomas Canyon Campground will not be able to access the campground until the road is officially re-opened.  Terraces Picnic Area is inaccessible due to road closures, but Powerhouse Picnic Area is operating normally.

Some crazy good luck

The slides ran right through the cabin area - without burying any cabins

Even though the road is spectacularly buried in a lot of places, this event COULD have been a whole lot worse than it was. Nobody died, which was a very real possibility. Thomas Canyon Campground was undamaged. The cabins were mostly undamaged, although the slides came right through the cabin area and the cabin access road is impassable in places. The USFS had completed a scaling project in the Narrows just last year, and so a lot of rocks that otherwise would have been candidates for smashing into cars and bikes had already been removed. The Backcountry Horsemen and Friends of Nevada Wilderness had re-established the old Colonel Moore Trail after the 2018 Range Two fire, meaning that trail access to Liberty Lake and points beyond is still available. The dead mahoganies burned in the fire remain rooted enough to provide some slope stability, and likely helped prevent worse damage. The Scout Camp was undamaged, as were the hiking trails up Right Fork, Thomas Canyon, and at Road's End. The road damage isn't catastrophic, and with some work the road can be made passable again. Some of the dispersed camping near the Lion's Camp is inaccessible due to a road washout, but the road is repairable and the bridge over Lamoille Creek was undamaged. The storm cells don't appear to have been as ferocious above the Terraces Picnic Ground, so (perhaps amazingly) the Verdi Chutes didn't slide. The bridges on the Island and Lamoille Lake Trails weren't damaged. The Nature Trail was largely undamaged, as well.

What this means for recreation

HIKERS - The Lamoille Canyon terminus of the Ruby Crest Trail, as well as the Island Lake trail, aren't going to be accessible by vehicle any time soon.  Those planning on Ruby Crest Trail trips are best served by exiting/entering via the Colonel Moore Trailhead, on the Ruby Valley side of the mountains.  Would-be Lamoille Canyon dayhikers have access to the Lamoille-Talbot trailhead at the mouth of the canyon, or can walk up the road a few miles to access the Right Fork and Thomas Canyon trails - while the heavy equipment isn't operating.  The Lamoille Canyon end of the old guide trail from Pete's Corner to Talbot Canyon was washed out... hopefully money for re-establishing the trail can be part of the Pete's Corner repair project.

CYCLISTS - The road is open to bicycles to Road's End, as long as the heavy equipment isn't operating.  The road is passible by road bikes, but there is a significant amount of gravel on the road, and a gravel bike might be safer.  The road up to Pete's Corner is largely clear.  

HUNTERS - Those scouting hunts are going to face the same limitations as hikers.  The road is closed to all motorized vehicles just past the first pullout, so scouts will need to travel on foot or horseback.  Access to the high country for hikers and horsemen is via the Colonel Moore Trail, the Overland Trail, Krenka Creek, Secret Pass, Rattlesnake Canyon, Soldier Canyon or Harrison Pass.

The Dead Snag access trail is largely gone

ROCK CLIMBERS - The Sport Rocks area is largely undamaged, although there is significant instability and the risk of rockfall is real.  The Buttresses are largely unaffected.  The approach to Dead Snag Wall was one of the more damaged portions of the canyon - the small stream crossing on the approach trail became a raging torrent and dumped tons of rock and debris on the road.  The access trail is largely gone.  Odin's was a massive wash-out... conditions depending, it may now be a very interesting alpine climb/ski descent in the winter, to rival Terminal Cancer Couloir.

Odin's... need snow for this one.

One of the East Side Climbs - now steeper and more interesting

ICE CLIMBERS - The Canyon's ice climbers are likely to have a number of tasty new climbs to explore.  Many of the gullies that form ice are now a lot longer, steeper and cleaner than they were before the storm.  There is a newly-exposed formation below Scout Camp that looks long and steep enough to be interesting, with a short and simple approach (a real gift, there).  There were significant flows in a couple of the East Side Climbs, and the new climbs could prove to be a lot more interesting than their predecessors.  Ice Capades experienced some flows, but nothing that would change climb characteristics.  Upper and Lower Slabs, Delay of Game, and the other popular ice climbs appeared largely unaffected.

SNOWMOBILERS/SKIERS - The road will be open to snowmobiles and skiers all winter.  The slides had no effect on the approach to Terminal Cancer Couloir, or on the couloir itself.

RV CAMPERS - The Thomas Canyon Campground should be accessible again to RV campers in 4-6 weeks, although there may be some limitations to vehicle length.  Those using dispersed camping near the Lion's Camp will lose access to the most upcanyon campsites, until the USFS can repair the washed-out road.  Campsites downstream from the washout are unaffected.

Silver linings

Perhaps surprisingly, there are a few opportunities that this crazy event has presented.  One opportunity - all of the debris is now a whole lot of potential construction material that can be used to repair roads and trails.  As an example - with some forethought some of it can be used to repair the Lamoille Canyon end of the Ruby Crest Trail - the first half mile or so is incredibly eroded, and in need of material.  The potential is there for Historic Roads and Trails grant money designated for repairs to be used for building better trails than were there previously - say, for instance, the Talbot-Lamoille Trail, whose Lamoille Canyon terminus was completely wiped out.

Insert new trailhead here

As was the case after the Range Two fire, the slides are going to become part of the lore of the canyon, and will force people to look at the canyon in new ways. Our old friend is different now.  I remember after the last huge slide event more than two decades ago, when Thomas Canyon Campground was heavily damaged, the local talk was that the canyon would never be the same.  

A decade later those old slide scars were still findable, if you knew where to look, and the re-routed creek through Thomas Canyon Campground is a geology lesson, if anything.  The canyon ISN'T the same, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  The canyon recovered from the last slide cycle, it is recovering from the catastrophic fire, and it will recover from this, too. 

The Lamoille Canyon fire, a year later

It was a year ago today that we watched our beloved Lamoille Canyon burn, the victim of gross negligence on the part of Spring Creek Association and the unbelievable stupidity of some jackass exercising his Second Amendment right to be a complete idiot with his rifle.

Said jackass walks free because the dozen or so people watching him shoot at a rock above the target area chose to let him walk rather than do the responsible thing and drop a dime on the guy.  God knows we can't POSSIBLY hold someone responsible for their actions, as long as said actions are committed with a gun.  The millions of dollars of damage caused, the millions of taxpayer dollars spent to fight the fire and rehabilitate the burn area, the millions of memories gone up in smoke... none of it matters.  At least not to the local Second Amendment crowd.

We had another fire at the range again this summer.  Because, you know, Second Amendment and stuff.

I'm not advocating that the range be shut down - not at all.  But it DOES need to be managed, people!!  It needs to be STAFFED, and it needs to be closed on extreme fire danger days.  They either need to figure out how to safely accommodate people using long range rifles, or they need to prohibit their use at the range.  The good people of Spring Creek need to decide they want to be good community members, and pressure their do-nothing Association to manage that range safely.  And they have to agree to pay for it.

Or they can keep skating on the backs of the rest of us taxpayers, who have to foot the bill to clean up the mess they continue to make.

And in the meantime, our beloved mountains are sacrificed on the altar of gun rights and anti-tax irresponsibility.

Another summer, another fire at the Spring Creek Rifle Range

Proving once again that our Second Amendment right to sell a weapon to any idiot who wants one, and to let them use said weapon any where and any when they want to, without any kind of education or regulation, is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING in this country of ours.

Once again, the Spring Creek Rifle Range is burning.  What will it take with it this time?

When will the Good People of Spring Creek figure out that, if they're going to have a rifle range, they need to STAFF IT during times of extreme fire danger so that those afore mentioned idiots don't burn the place down????

Lamoille Canyon Fire Recovery Update

Winter is heading this way like a big old freight train, and USFS road crews have been up in Lamoille Canyon trying to re-open the canyon road after the devastating Range 2 Fire.  A fair bit of work has been going on behind the scenes, with the goal of reopening the road as quickly as possible.  Winter is the deadline, though - weather that makes it impossible for them to work up there will shut road repair efforts down until spring.

Right now rocks the size of watermelons are releasing from above the road, but the unstable house-sized rocks have so far stayed put.  Road crews are clearing rockfall, putting up signage, repairing culverts, felling "widowmaker" trees, and soon will be rebuilding much of the damaged guard rail.  Approximately 90% of the existing rail will be able to be reused, which will speed rebuilding and save a bunch of money.

USFS District Ranger Josh Nicholes has assembled an advisory committee of interested locals, including representatives from Elko County, the snowmobiling community, cabin owners, the Lion's Club, and non-motorized recreational users.  It's a diverse group, and it's coming to the table with some good suggestions for ways of managing user safety, communications, community resources, and more.

USGS engineers have completed a slope stability study that purports to show the impacts of anticipated winter weather on the burn area above the road.  That study will be pretty critical in being able to anticipate slope stability above the road through this first post-burn winter.

Here's one of the USGS runoff maps showing risks of debris flows in the burn area from a "design storm" (the storm size used in the study... the USGS modelled seven different storm intensities). This particular map shows anticipated debris flows should we get one of the "pineapple express" rain-on-snow events that we get every five years or so, or a very heavy rainfall of about 1/2" in 15 minutes.

It's a damned sobering map.  Click on the image to look more closely.

Here's a map from another model, this time looking at what would happen after a typical monsoonal fall rain, like the kind we get every two years or so:

Keep in mind that this is an inexact science, and that the effects of precipitation are cumulative.  A few days of precipitation may accumulate to trigger the same effects as the shorter, more intense design storms in the models.

Pretty obviously, the biggest risk from debris flows is on the canyon's northeast aspect, across the creek from the road.  However, there could be moderate to significant risk of debris flow from sources uphill of the road, depending on the storm... and any debris flow that originates there can be anticipated to run across the road, possibly damaging it even further.

The committee is working under the premise that, once the road is reopened, it will remain open until conditions warrant closing it for safety reasons.  To that end, the USFS is installing a temporary gate at the canyon mouth, above the Powerhouse Picnic Area, so that the road can be opened (and closed, if necessary) more easily that it can with the current physical barriers.  USFS and community monitors will tour the road after significant storms, assessing safety hazards and considering any potential need for a road closure.  One of the ideas is to use a "green light, yellow light, red light" system, similar to the one avalanche forecast centers use to communicate avalanche danger, to rate potentially dangerous road conditions.  It's all still a work in progress, but progress is indeed happening, even if it doesn't look like it from behind the Jersey barricades.

Today, Nicholes stated that he anticipates opening the road to snowmobiles, if not automobiles, should road crews be unable to finish before winter.  Subject to change and subject to conditions, of course.

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Progress on raising money to rebuild the ravaged Lion's Camp is encouraging, as well.  So far the club has raised $40,000 of the $1,000,000 they're trying to raise to rebuild the camp.  They are one of the beneficiaries of this year's Festival of Trees, so that number can be anticipated to go up. 

There are a few other options for donating right now, as well:

• The Elko Host Lion's Club has a GoFundMe page specifically for rebuilding the lodge and camp.  Click here to donate.  All proceeds go directly to the project... GoFundMe is NOT collecting a service fee.
• The Club is receiving donations for the rebuild through Elko Federal Credit Union.  Contributors can also mail a check to the club at PO Box 19, Elko, NV  89803
• The club is doing its annual See's Candy sales, at the old Spoon Me location across from JoAnn's Fabrics.
• The club is selling raffle tickets for a special edition Elko Centennial rifle.  Tickets are limited to only 250 sold, for $100 each.  Pick up raffle tickets at the club's Festival of Trees booth, or at their See's Candy sales location.

The re-build will happen in three phases, and the club obviously has a lot of fundraising to do to get even the first phase off the ground.  So give.  Even if you've already donated, buy a raffle ticket or some See's Candy.  Makes a great Christmas gift.

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And then, there's the reseeding.  More than 140 volunteers turned out to help collect and plant mahogany seeds in the Canyon a couple of weeks ago, and volunteers will have another chance to help with reseeding this weekend.  The Nevada Department of Wildlife is hosting a sagebrush seed collection event on Saturday, 1 December, at the Spring Creek Campground.  Call 777-2391 on Friday, or check NDOW's Facebook page if the weather's not great to find out if the event is going on or has been postponed.

Devastating... and yet...

I had a chance to tour the burn area in Lamoille Canyon this morning, as the USFS is allowing very limited vehicle-only access to the area for the next couple of days, before closing it again to visitors.

It was devastating to see, and I was repeatedly in tears.

It was fascinating, as the bones of the canyon, and its history, were laid out and vulnerable.

It was powerful, and timeless, as if I were seeing the canyon for the first time.  I was often disoriented, as familiar landmarks became strange... or disappeared.

And it was stunningly beautiful, in an austere, moonscape way.

As you approach the canyon, the heroism of the firefighters is on display, as time after time, inch after inch, you can see where they fought back the fire, where they held the line, at roads and trails and the dozer line they created.

The juxtaposition of what remains of this gorgeous fall and the hideous scar from the fire is heartbreaking. In some places, the fire still makes the recent rain turn to steam.

Very quickly, it becomes apparent that this fire was a fury, not only killing the brush but erasing it from the moonscape it created.

Most of the lower canyon recreation sites burned.  Oh, they were able to protect the USFS picnic ground, and Thomas Canyon Recreation Area, too.  

But the climbing areas burned, and burned hot. The grasses and brush that stabilized the climbing trails are gone. The anchoring trees are gone. 

Sport Rocks

Dead Snag wall, with the namesake dead snag burned.

Colossus. 

Sunshine, an ice climb whose approach is now rubble.

Scout Camp, probably the most popular ice climb in the canyon, with its tree anchors gone. 
This photo also shows the Beaver Tail ski area, along with much of the route for the Talbot-Lamoille Trail.  

The trailhead for the Secret-Lamoille Trail is ravaged, and the first half mile of trail is denuded. The fire made runs at the northeast aspects of gullies farther along the trail, meaning future users will be in and out of burn areas for the first two-plus miles of their trip.

The trees and brush that stabilized the Y Chutes are gone.

The approach to Terminal Cancer got much easier,
as a lot of the heinous bushwhack at the base is gone.

It goes on and on. You get the picture. Think of a recreation site in the lower canyon, and it burned.

And yet...

And yet...

The Canyon has changed in my lifetime, several times. And now it has changed again. You can see the remnants of the Canyon's history now that once was lost to the trees.

Here, you see a bit of the old road up the canyon, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.  When I was a child, the narrow, scary road was the only way a vehicle could get into the canyon.  I still remember how terrified I was when we drove through the Narrows... the road one skinny car wide, with no guard rail.

There, you see the remains of the old flume line, the foundations from the power generator, from the CCC barracks.

Pete's Cabin, there for all to see.

The fire slowed as it climbed uphill, and largely spent its fury by the time it reached Thomas Canyon.

And that's where they made us turn around.  Not safe, they said, even though that was the part of the canyon that didn't burn.

It was enough, though.  My heart and my eyes were full.

Even injured, the canyon was beautiful.  Majestic. The melted guard rails will no longer stop your car from plunging down the same steep cliffs that were there before. Mankind's nod to safety is fleeting.

The same stone sentinels soar overhead, framing a changing sky of clouds. The scars from the flood year are there, vulnerable, waiting to be ripped open again by the spring flows.

And the sound has changed.

The birdsong now echoes from the cliff faces, with no trees to stop the music.

The cliffs made sacred by time, and by the ashes of a friend,

stand guard while the mountains heal.

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Rebuilding the historic Camp Lamoille lodge, and other fire news

Before the burn

I attended a meeting this evening of the Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group, where representatives from the US Forest Service, the Nevada Department of Wildlife, the Nevada Division of Forestry and NNSG reported on current conditions and potential directions for restoration after the devastating Lamoille Canyon fire.

There are a lot of updates to report:

CAMP LAMOILLE - The Elko Host Lion's Club has started a GoFundMe account to rebuild the historic Camp Lamoille Lodge.  Click here to donate.  The club is trying to raise $200,000, and the effort is just getting off the ground.  Donate, and share that you did on your social media accounts.  Every nickel counts.

The camp is on the National Register of Historic Places... no word on whether the Lions will be chasing potential funding sources through that listing.

The USFS district ranger, Josh Nicholes, stated that the USFS is "100% behind" efforts to rebuild the historic lodge.  It was originally designed by USFS architects, and built in 1939 using funds provided by philanthropist Max C. Fleischmann.

LAMOILLE CANYON ROAD - Right now, the road is the USFS' biggest concern in the canyon.  The guard rails on the road burned, making it much easier for drivers to plummet down steep cliffs while they're gawking at the burn area.  In addition, house-sized rocks above the road have been destabilized and there is major concern that one or more of them will come crashing down without warning.  There is also significant smaller rockfall - smaller than the huge rocks but still large enough to smash a windshield and take out a driver.  The USFS has experts working on the problem, but it won't be solved in the next day or two.  Right now the tentative date for reopening the road is November 30th.

RESEEDING - It's critical that reseeding be done quickly in order to minimize the spread of invasive weeds in the canyon.  The agencies plan to reseed with a mix of native grasses, and don't plan to introduce non-native species that may be more attractive to specific wildlife species (for example, mule deer).  Unfortunately, seed availability for forbs (broadleaf plants like native wildflowers) is very, very limited this year, with poor growing/seed gathering conditions and the huge demands on seed supplies from the many western fires under restoration.

Right now NDOW plans a sagebrush seed gathering day for volunteers to be held December 1st, with the location and volunteer information to be determined.  NNSG plans on hosting a seed gathering day targeting mountain mahogany in November, date and location TBD.  Unfortunately, mountain mahogany will be very, very slow to re-establish, but seeding will at least give them a chance.

The good news, if you can call it that, is that the fire spread so quickly that much of the canyon's root stock survived the blaze.  The fire spread more than 150 acres every 15 minutes... the entire 9000+ acres were on fire in only 12 hours.

TRAILS - The news is less good when it comes to trails.  The USFS is considering closing the Secret-Lamoille Trail for a year in order to prevent people from cutting the (now very visible) switchbacks in the first half mile, and letting the seedings get established.  I suggested that there might be other ways of approaching the problem, as are often used in Colorado and other more trafficked areas where many feet need to stay on the trail.  It's all very early in the process, but decisions are being made so now's the time to pick up the phone if you'd like to see another solution.

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION - NNSG plans on doing research into fire effects and recovery at a couple of different sites in the burn area.  In addition, they plan on partnering with the agencies and Friends of Lamoille Canyon to provide education and information on the effects of fire and how nature recovers after a burn.

WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW - The fire remains 90% contained.  Crews are working to mitigate hazards in the burn area, in addition to the road.  They're felling hazard trees in the campgrounds, clearing streams to prevent spring flooding (thank you, says this Lamoille resident), repairing dozer lines, treating noxious weeds and working on slope stabilization - where they can.  It's steep up there and there isn't much they can do in a lot of places.

Overall, the agencies are very much facing a triage situation given the number of massive fires this year, including the South Sugarloaf fire in Elko County earlier this summer.  That fire burned a popular USFS campground just below the Wildhorse Dam, as well as thousands of acres, hundreds of miles of fence, and hundreds of miles of roads.  All of the dozer line needs to be reseeded, firebreaks and green breaks need to be established, invasive weeds need to be treated.  All while the agencies are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

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I spoke this afternoon with a woman whose friend was at the Spring Creek Rifle Range when the fire started.  Apparently there were a number of people using the range to sight in their rifles that morning - every table was in use.

That gives me hope that the fire investigators might have more than tracks and casings to work with.  We'll see.

"Pretty gut wrenching"

I spoke yesterday with a friend of mine whose family owns one of the historic cabins up Lamoille Canyon, and who was allowed in to visit the burn site over the weekend.

In his words, "it looks like a different place up there.  Pretty gut wrenching."

And that, folks, would be the understatement of the century.

Thankfully, only one of the historic cabins burned, but several of the other cabins lost sheds and other outbuildings.  And, based on the photo he sent me and on the aerial footage I've seen, there was a tremendous amount of tree loss through that part of the canyon and on down.  The leafy, shady canopy that made those cabins such a wonderful, private getaway is largely gone.

As always, there are silver linings to most catastrophes, and there are here, too.  As an enthusiastic backcountry skier, I'm happy that access to several lower-canyon runs just got a lot easier.  And, in a good snow year, they likely got a lot longer, too.  There is an historic trail in the burn area, the Talbot-Lamoille Trail, that has been extremely difficult to find in recent years.  With the brush removed by fire the tread should be a lot more apparent - this could be a great opportunity to locate and re-establish that old trail.

I'd trade that silver lining for my canyon back to where it was a week and a half ago any day, and twice on Sundays.

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As of yesterday, the fire was 90% contained, with a perimeter expected to be completed by October 10th.  Total burn area 9,196 acres.  There are still 60 people working the fire - two hand crews and one aircraft, commanded by an Elko County local, Matt Petersen.  There is snow on the peaks now, we've had a couple of heavy rains, and the concern now is what the oncoming winter weather will do to the burn, and how the conditions are hampering efforts to effect repairs up there.

Where was all this rain two weeks ago?

I'm heading to a meeting tonight of the Northeastern Nevada Stewardship Group to discuss canyon restoration and potential volunteer opportunities.  I'll let you know what I find.

Fire map and update

The ash is starting to settle a bit, and the firefighters have released a map showing the perimeter of the Range Two fire that burned Lamoille Canyon, Seitz Canyon, and Right Fork Canyon, and portions of Thomas Canyon, Hennen Canyon, Snell Canyon and Talbot Canyon.

The good part is that the highest parts of Seitz and Lamoille Canyons didn't burn, protecting the fisheries in Seitz and Lamoille lakes, as well as the incredible mountain ecosystems there.  The top of Right Fork Canyon survived the blaze, as well.  The bad part is that four trails were badly burned, including the Secret-Lamoille Trail, the Seitz Canyon Trail, the Right Fork Canyon trail, and the old guide trail that runs between Pete's Corner and Talbot Canyon - the Talbot-Lamoille Trail.

Joe Doucette from NDOW tells me that the ash from the fire will have a significant negative impact on the aquatic life in the effected area, which is disturbing.  Snell Creek is home to endangered Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, and Lamoille Creek has always been a popular fishing stream.  All of them drain into the Humboldt River, which waters much of northern Nevada.

NDOW and the USFS have their work cut out for them assessing and mitigating the damage.  Josh Nicholes, the USFS district ranger, tells me that the existing closure through Nov. 30th is to give them time to get started with that process, but that the closure may be lifted earlier than that based on conditions.

There is a volunteer move afoot to help with reseeding, deadfall removal, and other necessary recovery activities.  I'll post up information as it becomes public.

Watch this space.

Black is the color of my heart today

Lamoille Canyon burned.  This photo is from around 3:30 PM, September 30, 2018.

The canyon was sacrificed to stupidity. To people who didn't have the common sense to put a rifle range someplace where a fire could be contained, and to close it down - or at least staff it - during extreme fire danger. To people who ignored another, smaller, fire started by shooters using the range a couple of years ago, who ignored another, smaller fire just west of the range a couple of weeks ago.

To people who ignored red flag after red flag after red flag.

The people who started the fire were the apex of a huge heap of people making stupid, selfish decisions all based on their BY GOD given rights TO SHOOT THEIR GODDAMNED GUNS ANYWHERE AND ANYWHEN THEY BY GOD FEEL LIKE IT.  High winds and extreme fire conditions be damned.  And reality be damned, too - it's been amply demonstrated that many, many people in this area aren't at all responsible when it comes to firearm ownership and use. People who consider themselves responsible firearm owners have a responsibility to face the FACT that a large percentage of people who own guns AREN'T responsible.  DON'T make good decisions.  Since our Constitution says that any Tom, Dick and Harry can buy a gun, responsible gun owners need to be responsible enough to establish and maintain boundaries that safeguard the rest of us from these asshats' complete fucking stupidity.

The Second Amendment crowd goes on and on about onerous firearm regulation.  Bullshit.  I fail to see the regulation, here.  Whoever started this fire likely bought their gun legally by flashing a drivers license and passing a laughable joke of a background check.  There was no requirement for education, no requirement for the most rudimentary demonstration of skills and knowledge.  No requirement that this idiot show that he knew enough to not be out there shooting in high wind in dry grass on a red-flag fire condition day.  On a day when we hadn't had rain in months.

Spring Creek Association posted a few rules for their rifle range, assuming these idiots would read and follow them.  Well, guys, they didn't.  Nor did they use an iota of common sense.  And that, my friends, was entirely predictable.  As were the consequences.

Lamoille Canyon burned.

Road at the mouth of the canyon.  The Secret-Lamoille trailhead area burned, as did the remains of the historic flume.  Firefighters saved Ruby Dome Ranch... the fire burned down to the corrals where cowboys were scrambling to finish the work they'd started early in the day before the fire overwhelmed them.

Right Fork Canyon

The access point for Terminal Cancer Couloir.

Scout Camp, including the ruins of the lodge built during the Great Depression.

What remains of the historic lodge.  It makes me want to cry.  So many memories there.

See a single word about fire safety or extreme fire conditions? 
I don't either.

As of today the USFS anticipates the canyon road will be closed through November 30th.  The Spring Creek Rifle Range and Campground are closed until further notice.  That means access to the following trails is closed:  Secret-Lamoille Trail, the Ruby Crest Trail (Lamoille Canyon trailhead), Island Lake Trail, Right Fork Trail, Talbot-Lamoille Trail, Thomas Canyon Trail, Hennen Canyon Trail (accessing Griswold Lake and Ruby Dome), Seitz Lake Trail.

Review - Secret-Lamoille Trail, Lamoille-Talbot section

A friend of mine - a photojournalist and adventure sports writer - recently blew through town on his way back home from covering the Sea Otter, a huge season-opening mountain bike race meet in California.  While he was here, he decided to give the completed portion of the Secret-Lamoille trail a spin, and here's what he told me via e-mail, along with some photos he took:

"I’ve been riding in the Rubies for about 12 years now. I first rode them back in about 2005, returning from Colorado to the Bay Area, where I lived at the time. I asked the desk clerk at my motel if there was anywhere to mountain bike and she sent me to Lamoille Canyon. My expectations were low and since it was November I hit snow pretty early in my ride and didn’t get far. However, what I saw stuck with me and I’ve been going back at regular intervals, ever since.

"Although I’ve explored the Rubies a bit, my main ride is the one that goes to the pass at the top of Lamoille Canyon. It’s pretty steep and rocky and definitely not for everyone. The scenery and descent are fabulous, though.

"A couple of years ago Sue took me on a short hike up the Secret-Lamoille Trail. Aside from easy access and friendly grades, it didn’t make much of an impression on me at the time. However, after riding it for the first time (the morning after our phone call), I have very different feelings about it. Other than a couple of corners that were too tight for me to make, it’s a very, very nice trail. It flows well and I think it has pretty broad appeal to both beginners and experienced riders. The climb up was pretty comfortable without being boring or easy; and the descent was super fun. I like that they left some rocks in the trail to keep things entertaining. And as you’ll see from the photos I took, the landscape is absolutely spectacular.

"Lamoille Canyon and the Rubies were already a worthy mountain biking destination. But if the Secret-Lamoille Trail can be completed, they will have a whole lot more to offer. The Secret-Lamoille Trail is more than just a fun trail, too. It would provide increased access to the whole Ruby Mountain range, most of which is blocked by private ranches. It’s the beginning of what could be a huge trail network. I would love to see that."

It's gratifying to get such a glowing review from someone who's ridden some of the country's most epic trails, and who has covered some of the most important MTB events in the world. The even more exciting part is that there is the teeny tiny possibility that IMBA, the International Mountain Bicycling Association, may be interested in working with locals to get the trail, finally, completed and built to USFS spec for an MTB and equestrian trail.

We'll see.  The potential is there to develop a trail that could earn IMBA's Epic Trail designation - a designation that will put Elko County on the map for mountain bike tourists. I'm not counting chickens, at least not these ones, but stranger things have happened...

More pretty pictures from my friend John Shafer, a man perhaps better known in MTB and photography circles as Photo-John.  Click on the pictures to make them bigger - you'll be glad you did.

SnoBowl Bike Trails RFP

It's finally happening!  After what seems like FOREVER, we have final approval from the folks at the Recreation Trails Program to fund our mountain bike trails project up at the SnoBowl!

Here is the RFP for the project.  Contact me if you'd like me to e-mail you a .kmz.

ELKO SNOBOWL FOUNDATION REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ON TRAILBUILDER WORK
FOR THE SNOBOWL CROSS-COUNTRY MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL SYSTEM

The Elko SnoBowl Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization, (the “SnoBowl”) invites all interested and qualified persons or firms capable of providing the listed Scope of Work to submit bids for the completion of an approximately 9.15 mile singletrack mountain bike loop trail system. Completed bids must be received by the SnoBowl prior to bid opening.  Mail or deliver bids to Elko SnoBowl Foundation, PO Box 281267, Lamoille, NV  89828.  The bid-opening will occur at 2:00, Friday, February 23rd, 2018, at the Elko BLM office.

ABOUT THE SNOBOWL BIKE TRAIL PROJECT
The Elko SnoBowl Foundation has acquired grant funding from the Federal Recreational Trails Program (“RTP”)  to build a new natural surface, purpose-built, singletrack mountain bike trail loop system at the SnoBowl Ski & Bike Park in Elko, Nevada  (hereinafter referred to as the “Project”). The Trail will commence at the ski base area of the Elko SnoBowl, and will feature a stacked loop system on the west and southeast aspects of the SnoBowl property.  While this is to be a cross-country mountain bike trail, the SnoBowl will also in future provide weekly lift-served trail access to riders. This will be the only constructed mountain-bike specific singletrack trail in the region and it should be designed in anticipation that it will eventually (with future undetermined funding) serve as the heart of a trail system connecting the SnoBowl with the Elko city limits. The SnoBowl desires to purchase the services of a professional trail building contractor (the “Contractor”) to build the Project, the build to commence in spring, 2018, with a completion date of no later than November 1, 2019.  Contractors able to complete the project before December 31, 2018 will receive special consideration in the bid process. 

It cannot be more strongly emphasized that this project is for purpose-built natural surface singletrack mountain bike trail. Desired characteristics include: cambered trail surfaces, insloped turns, rolling terrain, incorporation of native rock features, novice-friendly switchbacks and seamless transitions between trail types.

The following preliminary work has been completed: a flag line has been established which generally marks the Trail corridor; archaeological clearance of a 100’ corridor centered on the flag line has been completed, and a grant agreement has been signed by the SnoBowl and RTP administrators.  Approximately one mile of frontside trail has been completed by community volunteers, and a second mile of frontside trail has been started. Cooperation has been committed by local businesses and community groups to provide material support for the project. 

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Contractors are asked to outline strategies for and professional experience in meeting the following general specifications:

1. Federal Grant Requirements.
Because funding for the Project relies upon federal grants, Contractor must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the requirements of Federal grant agreements related to Project Work and agree to make every reasonable effort to abide by said requirements.

2. Suggested Site Visit (“Walk Through”).
The Project will be built on terrain with slopes averaging 15-30 degrees with specific soil and drainage characteristics.  While it is not a requirement to bid, it is suggested that any Contractor who wishes to submit a bid for the construction of the Project should complete a Walk Through of the Trail location sufficient to gain a general understanding of the area’s terrain, general topography, rock and soil types.  Ignorance of building conditions related to the natural conditions in the trail location will not be considered in any requests for waivers or changes to Scope of Work.

3.  Coordination with Community Groups
A significant portion of grant match for the Project consists of a series of at least eight scheduled community build days.  Community volunteers will consist of a mixture of experienced volunteer trail builders and new trail volunteers.  The SnoBowl will coordinate these build days with the Contractor, and the Contractor will provide appropriate supervision and, if needed, training to volunteer crews.  A SnoBowl representative will be onsite for all build days to serve as volunteer coordinator/crew lead.  Please note that, while community groups can and do provide significant manpower for the build, Contractor should not anticipate that volunteer crews provide all or a majority of needed hand work for the Project.

4. General guidelines for trail design.

A. Desired characteristics include: cambered trail surfaces, insloped turns, rolling terrain, incorporation of native rock features, and seamless transitions between trail types.  All trail tread, rock-armoring, switchbacks, and all other features should be built to best industry standards.

B.  Treadway shall be a minimum of 24” and wider where necessary.  Because of the ongoing trespass by ATV users in the Elko area, use of trail building machines with a tread wider than 30” is discouraged.  Please include the tread width of any machines anticipated to be used for the Project.

C.  Because of the lack of available mountain biking trail in the region, and because of the topographical features of the land it is being built upon, the trail will largely be designed for riders at a beginner skill level with some short intermediate sections as needed. There may be opportunities to build advanced “opt-in features” if funding is available.

D. A flag line has been established and GPS of the route completed. There is a 50’ buffer to each side of the flag line for Contractor’s preference in building the trail.

E.  Specific trail design features to discourage trespass by ATV/OHV users will be critical to the long-term success of the Project.

5. Qualifications and Selection Criteria.
The SnoBowl will consider the status and capability of the bidder along with responsiveness to the bid requirements in its analysis of which is the lowest responsible bidder. The SnoBowl will use a points system to aid in its selection of the winning bid, the parameters of which is outlined below:

A. Company Profile. The bidder may receive up to 150 points for demonstrating its capability to complete the work and its status as a reliable contractor. The bidder should be a member of the Professional Trail Builders Association (PTBA) or equivalent and should demonstrate stability of its business. Civil or criminal judgments against the bidder or financial weakness which would affect the bidder’s performance or ability to complete projects will negatively affect this rating.

B. Relevant Experience with Similar Projects. The bidder may receive up to 250 points for demonstrating experience in building natural surface mountain bike trail in similar conditions as those existing in the Project location. The contractor should submit a portfolio of at least three, and up to six, projects of a similar nature to this project, completed within the last five years and preferably completed in similar terrain.  Please include contact information for project clients.

C. Project Details and Work Plan. The bidder may receive up to 300 points for the demonstrated ability to comply with the specifications in this RFP and how well the work plan suits the needs of the SnoBowl. Contractors able to complete the project by December 31, 2018 will receive an additional 100 points.

D. Cost. The bidder with the lowest total cost shall receive 300 points. All other bidders shall receive cost-based points based on the following formula:

Lowest proposed cost total	X300	=	Cost-based points awarded
Bidder’s proposed cost total

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
1. Business Registration. Any Contractor which is a Nevada business must be currently registered with the Nevada Secretary of State.

2. Performance and Payment Bonds. Formal, notarized performance and payment bonds issued by an insurance or surety company are required for the Project and must be provided upon execution of the contract.

3. Worker’s Compensation. The Contractor must certify that it is in compliance with Nevada statutes regarding Worker’s Compensation insurance.

 4. Commercial General Liability Coverage. The contractor shall carry Commercial General Liability  Insurance of $1 million/occurrence, $2 million/aggregate, and shall furnish a certificate listing the SnoBowl, the City of Elko and its partners as additional insureds upon execution of the contract. The certificate shall show the type, amount, class of operations covered, effective dates, and dates of expirations of policies.

5.  Contractor must have a valid and current Nevada Contractor’s License at the time of contract execution.

6. Invasive Species Prevention. Active steps to prevent or limit the introduction, establishment, and spread of invasive species are required during contracted work. The contractor shall prevent invasive species from entering into or spreading within project site by cleaning equipment prior to arrival. If the equipment, vehicles, gear, or clothing arrives at the project site with soil, aggregate material, mulch, vegetation (including seeds) or animals, it shall be cleaned by contractor furnished tool or equipment (brush/broom, compressed air or pressure washer) at the staging area. The contractor shall dispose of material cleaned from equipment and clothing at a location determined by the SnoBowl. If the material cannot be disposed of onsite, secure material prior to transport (sealed container, covered truck, or wrap with tarp) and legally dispose of offsite.

7. SnoBowl reserves the right to reject any or all bids. Low bid will not be the only consideration for award.

8. The warranty period is one year from the date of acceptance by the SnoBowl.

GEOLOGICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA.
The following is general information to assist contractors in their understanding of the geological and biological conditions of the trail building location.

The SnoBowl Trail Project shall be constructed on a 640-ac section of land owned by the City of Elko that serves as a community ski hill in the winter.  The section is bisected by a 7500’ ridge, and the trailhead is at the SnoBowl ski base at approximately 6500’ on the east side of the ridge.  Two trails climb from the base area over the ridge to a series of stacked loops on the western side of the ridge.  A connector trail links the top of the SnoBowl ski lift to the trail system. 

The trail traverses soil in the Sumine-Cleavage-Cleavage, very cobbly association group.  Slopes range from 15-30 degrees, with mean annual precipitation approximately 7-15”.  The soil surface is a very gravelly loam, well drained, with a gravelly clay loam layer from 6” – 29”.  There is limiting bedrock averaging 20” – 39”in depth.  Rock outcroppings are scattered throughout and are composed of a gravelly composite.   Depositions of faceted loose rocks 6” – 18” in size dot the hillsides.

There are numerous small springs in the area, and the trail crosses several very ephemeral small streams. 

The typical plant community is a mix of grasses and forbs, with intermittent small sagebrush.  Short, tundra-type plants populate the ridgetops.  A portion of the subject parcel burned a decade ago, and there has been a significant cheatgrass incursion in the burn area.

The Elko SnoBowl is approximately five miles north of the city of Elko, NV, on North 5^th Street.
Please see attached map for trail layout and topography.

PROJECT CONTACT:        Sue Kennedy, Elko SnoBowl Foundation (775) 934-4466

colorado_event@hotmail.com