Scouting New Trails on the Cold Canyon Headwaters

Annie's Trail, our first trail on the property, to be built in memory of our friend and fellow board member, Anne Schneider, was scouted in September, 2010.

The trail will take you to the southernmost part of the property, with fantastic views along the Blue Ridge and of Lake Berryessa.

Trail building is tough stuff. We were pushing through chamise, poison oak, and dead tree branches.

We'll start building as the weather gets cooler.

Andrew Fulks

Finally Building First Segment of the Berryessa Peak Trail

On March 24-25, 2010, I’ll be leading a trip above Lake Berryessa on the new Berryessa Peak Trail easement, to start constructing the half-mile length of the easement. So, if you’re like me and you are on a furlough from UC Davis, or you want to be with the first members of the public to see this amazing private ranch that has so graciously donated a public trail easement, bring your backpacking gear and come out for two days of trail construction. Total distance is 10 miles, round trip, with 2000-foot elevation gain. I have enough tools for 16 people.

When completed, this trail will offer the first open public access to the 9,100-acre Berryessa Peak BLM public lands. Located in Yolo and Napa Counties, this public land was previously inaccessible. I’d been working for 15 years to raise awareness of these lands and to get agency and landowner approvals for this project, and the time has finally come. We can build it!

Photos of the hike can be seen here: http://picasaweb.google.com/yolohiker/BlueRidgeTrailScouting#

We’ll camp in a lovely grove of ridge-top oak trees, with endless views of Lake Berryessa on one side, and the central valley on the other. If you are interested in going, email me at yolohiker@yolohiker.org.

Andrew Fulks

It's Kayaking Time on Cache Creek

With the drought we had in the 2008-2009 rain year, there is only enough water for the District to release for about 6 weeks. Normally I'm used to a 4-month kayaking season, but given the drought I'm just happy to have ANY season at all. You can check the release flows here. If the combined flows are 500cfs or above, you are good to go on the Wilderness run, provided you have a minimum of 120cfs on the North Fork of Cache Creek.

Flows will be over the second week of July, so get out there!

Andrew Fulks

Last Trail Building Date Finished First Trail Segment

We finished the first mile and a half of the trail at Yolo County's Otis Ranch! I posted photos online, so take a look.

Next fall we'll keep heading back into the hills...so until then, stay cool and enjoy the outdoors!

Andrew Fulks

First Two Trailbuilding Dates Were Successful!

Volunteers came out to help build the first half of the Otis Ranch's first official trail on March 13th and 15th. I've posted photos online, so check them out and come out to build on our next two dates, March 27th and April 11th.

Andrew Fulks

It's Trailbuilding Time

Working with Yolo County Parks, Tuleyome is working to build the first trail on Yolo County's Otis Ranch Open Space Area, located upstream from Rumsey!

We have posted work party dates online, so come out and help build trails on your public lands!
Andrew Fulks

Trip report - Camping on Blue Ridge 12-12-08

The nice thing about camping in the inner Coast Range in the winter is that, well...you can actually camp in the winter. I love it. Sure, it's a little cold, but with a mylar tube tent (lightweight), mylar blanket, and sleeping bag, you can easily stay warm in 30 to 40 degree farenheight weather.

We were scouting an easement route for a new trail which will allow hiking up to Berryessa Peak. While it will take a couple years to get the trail completed and open, we need to start now by identifying the route before beginning the process to build it. So, this was the first trip.

The trip was pretty easy at the beginning, but the final hundred feet to the ridge was pretty steep with lots of chemise to bust through. The area had burned in the 2003 Rumsey fire so at least the brush was short. Once at the top, we continued south until we reached a nice clearing to set up camp. At that point we began scouting the easement route.

After finishing, we got dinner going, started a nice campfire, and enjoyed the sunset over Lake Berryessa. This is why we work so hard to protect the region.

You can see more photos from the trip, here.

Andrew Fulks