The Backcountry News Winter 2013 Unit News MOTHER LODE UNIT MATTERS 2012 Submitted by Corky Layne
We started out our year having a great time at the Rendezvous, which was nice and close for us this year. Our table looked great once again (thanks to Terri Riley’s decorations) but we were not part of the competition this year because we won the Table Decorating contest last year (2011). Our Table Decorating Committee took on the awesome job of assigning tables and judging the
table
decorations. Not all units take the time or go to the trouble of decorating their tables, but the ones that do take it very seriously!
In March
President Mike Kohlbaker attended a Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) Summit that introduced PCTA crew leaders to BCHC Units that have PCT in their region. Everyone present shared job descriptions and discussed volunteer opportunities. During Rendezvous PCTA, BCHC and the USFS jointly gave a “partnership presentation” which re- enforced the March Summit discussions.
Little Guy at Rendz 2012
Two of our members, Brian Kaiser and Andy Asserto, gave a tremendous showing at Mule Days in Bishop as part of the Rock Creek Pack Station scr amble , winning two out of the three scrambles this year.
Big Guy at Rendz 2012
On May 12, 2012, Jerry Heitzler, Jerry Le dbe t t e r ,
Daryl Shankles, and Mike Kohlbaker had a booth and gave a packing demonstration at the Scout-A-Rama in Roseville. There were 12 troops (approximately 720 Boy Scouts.) A metal mule was used for the packing demonstrations. Thanks were extended to Jerry
Page26
Heitzler for making it happen. It was a good showing for BCH.
At the Forest Service Chain Saw Class in May, three of our members, Al Kaiser, Jerry Heitzler, and Jerry Ledbetter, were re-certified and a new member (Rory) was certified. Mike Kohlbaker has taken the First/Aid CPR in preparation for the next Chain Saw training.
Our Gentle Use Camp at Horse Expo in June was fun and successful and looked really sharp. The camp area was set up with different stations: Metal Mule Packing Station, Photo Display and Handout Table, Highline and Knots, Dutch Oven Cooking, and Kid’s Corner. There were two tents and a couple of metal mules. The Dutch oven cooking kept the people coming by and many people were interested in all the knots available for high-lining.
Dan Marus Gentle Use Camp
With a lot of support from our unit and the Sutter Buttes Unit we generated 383.75 volunteer hours over the four days and 110.5 travel hours. We want to thank the people who helped in the setting up, taking down, transporting of materials, and donation of equipment to our camp.
Bob Magee, BCHC Vice President of Public Lands, was our guest speaker at the June meeting. He spoke to our current public lands issues and answered questions. It was great having him there to hear firsthand about issues at the state level and receive his compliments on our Gentle Use Camp.
Mother Lode provided pack support for the Forest Service in early August. We packed in about 300 pounds, plus hand tools, to Lake Sylvia on August 5, and packed the group out on August 11.
The Student Conservation Association gave the Mother Lode Unit and Elegant Ears Mule Club $1,000 in appreciation for the pack support we provided for the 2011 Maude Lake Trail Project.
Al Kaiser, Trail Projects Chair, reported there were 15 people and 4 7/8 pack animals (the 7/8 was Cathy Andrews’ pony) who worked on the Tells Creek Trail project. They cleared a little over five miles of the Two Peaks Trail on Saturday and about 1.7 miles of the Sun Rock Trail on Sunday.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32