July was a busy month for the club with Concert on the Green, Pole Creek trail maintenance with Jeff Wiley from the USFS and a run up to Saddleback Fire Lookout north of Downieville where we visited with Tony who was manning the tower. The views from the tower were spectacular and Tony has done a great job adding visitor decks, benches and stairs at the tower. I highly recommend the trip. The road up to the tower is rocky but suitable for 4WD trucks and Jeeps. We had done a pre-run with the Gages and the Austin’s (AKA the “two door” 4WD Club) to Saddleback Mountain to scout the route through the old mining site of Poker Flat to La Porte and Quincy. It was an amazing run but had some tough uphill sections with limited passing opportunities - not good for a busy weekend trip with 10+ vehicles, plus it took 13 hours round trip including dinner in Quincy. We shortened the full run looping west from Saddleback to Morristown and Craig’s Flat back to Highway 49 to the south. There is lots of mining history in the area.
September 7thbrings us the fifth annual Trails and Ales which includes a trail run up Bear Valley OHV route and a delicious catered dinner by the Tahoe Donner catering team. Then on September 21stwe head south to discover Genoa Peak via an easy dirt road to see more beautiful views.