The Western States Endurance Run

WSER Trail Projects

Working on the WS Trail is a terrific way to satisy your service requirement hours! Attend any of the scheduled trail maintenance days listed below.

Trail Preservation Mission and Purpose:
The WSER Trustees are working diligently to assure that the WS Trail remains open for future use. Trail work is being conducted in association with the Western States Trail Foundation (WSTF), the Inez and Wendell Robie Foundation, the Drucilla Barner Foundation, California State Parks and Recreation, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) - Tahoe National Forest and the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA).

Total focus is on trail preservation, either by improvement or maintenance, and is meant to provide a safe route for the Western States Endurance Run and the Tevis Cup Ride, as well as the enjoyment of the growing population of community members who spend time in the outdoors. This is accomplished by joint coordination between the different foundations and government agencies.

Importance of Trail Volunteers:
The USFS and California State Parks and Recreation do not have general trail maintenance programs for the Western States and peripheral trails. Trail work is done principally by volunteers. Also the funding for these projects generally comes from private organizations, such as the WSER, WSTF and associated foundations. Volunteering on the trail is rewarding and fun. This is a terrific way to satisfy your service requirement hours!

Core Trail Team
The core trail team is composed of members of the WSER Trustees and the WSTF Board of Directors, plus local trail supporters. This team currently includes: Dave Van Wicklin, Mark Falcone, Tim Twietmeyer, Chuck and Jim Mather, Ric Valentine, Bill Johnson and Matt Lambert.

WS Trail Section	Status
Roble Park/Squaw Valley to Red Star Ridge	Open -- Snow and some obstacles
WS Run Snow Year route to Duncan Cyn	Open -- Snow and some obstacles
Red Star Ridge To Robinson Flat (Via Duncan Cyn)	Open -- Snow and some obstacles
Red Star Ridge To Robinson Flat (Via Soda Springs Road)	Open -- Snow and some obstacles
Robinson Flat to Millers Defeat	Open -- Snow and some obstacles
Millers Defeat to Dusty Corners	Open -- Snow and some obstacles
Dusty Corners to Pacific Slab Mine	Open and Clear
Pacific Slab Mine to Devils Thumb	Open and Clear
Devils Thumb to Michigan Bluff	Open and Clear
Michigan Bluff to Foresthill	Open and Clear
Foresthill to Rucky Chucky/Francisco's	Open and Clear
Greengate to Auburn Lake Trails (WS100)	Open and Clear
Poverty Bar to River (Tevis)	Open and Clear
Auburn Lake Trails to Browns Bar	Open and Clear
Browns Bar to Upper Quarry	Open and Clear
Poverty Bar to Lower Quarry	Open and Clear
Paige Harper to Pointed Rocks	Open and Clear
Pointed Rocks to No Hands	Open and Clear
No Hands to Robie Point	Open and Clear
Robie Point to Overlook (Tevis)	Open and Clear

Misc. Trails	Status
Goat Hill to Quarry	Open and Clear
Salt Creek (Olmstead Loop - Way Too Cool Course)	Open and Clear
American River Canyon	Open and Clear
Waterfall Trail	Open and Clear
Dead Truck Trail	Open and Clear

Please report any downed trees to trailsws100.com.

If you are running the WSER event,
we encourage you to use these project events to help satisfy your 2010 or 2011 volunteer requirement.

The trail needs you!

We can keep you posted about trailwork projects via our email list. Sign Up is easy...

Join Our Trail Work Projects Mailing List

2010 Completed Events

Event #1: Sunday, January 31st: Robie Point to Pointed Rocks

Event #1 can be applied toward the 2010 Run volunteer requirement.

57 folks participated in the January event -- A record turn out! Thanks to all!

Finally a dry/sunny day. Perfect conditions for working on our trail. We were able to spruce up the Pointed Rocks to No Hands section of the historic WST. Also, the trail is now clear from the snow line down to Auburn.

Event #2: Sunday, March 7th: Volcano Canyon -- California Loop (Cal One)

Event #2 can be applied toward the 2010 Run volunteer requirement.

31 folks turned out for this second event. Volcano Canyon is looking mighty fine as well as Cal loop #1, where Bill and crew restored washed out trail.

Event #3: Sunday, March 28th, Michigan Bluff

Event #3 can be applied toward the 2010 Run volunteer requirement.

Photos by David Gordon from the Michigan Bluff Trail Event.

Event #4: Sunday, April 25th, Devil's Thumb

Event #4 can be applied toward the 2010 Run volunteer requirement.

Event #5: Sunday, May 23rd -- Pucker Point

Event #5 can be applied toward the 2011 Run volunteer requirement.

Photos by Elke Truscott from the Pucker Point Trail Event.

Event #6: Friday-Saturday, June 18-19, French Meadows Campout:

Event #6 can be applied toward the 2011 Run volunteer requirement.

For Questions/Comments regarding Trail Projects...
Contact WSER Trustee Mark Falcone trailsws100.com

2009 Series Recap

Poppy Trail -- Star Fire Restoration, November 2009

As part of our mission -- we have been working with USFS in restoring the Star Fire area. We are restoring the original Western States Trail below Red Star Ridge that follows French Meadows Reservior. We have had 2 trail restoration work parties this Fall (Nov 2 and Nov 21). The trail will hopefully be completely restored over the next year. Photos available HERE.

Trail progress and improvements for the past year:

Over 900 volunteer hours

California Loop remediation and management

Duncan Canyon second tree planting

Elephant Trunk remediation

Red Star Ridge re-tread and remediation

Reestablishment of Picayune and Poppy Trails

Remember, all of these improvements are made possible through volunteer effort and support from the following agency and foundation partners:

United States Forest Service (Tahoe National Forest - American River District)

Auburn State Recreational Area

Wendell Robie Foundation

Western States Trail Foundation

Western States Endurance Run Foundation

The Forest Foundation

Photos from the 2009 Robinson Flat Campout

Click to view photo gallery