Tevis Forum 2022

TEVIS FORUM 2022 - 79 www.teviscup.org Granite Chief Wilderness Trail Reroute Project Receives $800,000 Award Through Great American Outdoors Act (continued from page 65) run,orrideshorterlooproutesfromboththe east and northwest side of the Wilderness. New trail segments will be designed using BestManagementPracticestominimizeero- sionandbesafer forall users.Unsustainable sections of the existing trail will be closed and vegetation in the affected area restored. In a typical year, the project area is coveredby snowfromOctober to June, and therefore field work can only be performed during summer months. The Project has been scheduled for the summers of 2022, 2023,and2024.A20-personprofessionaltrail crew will live in the Wilderness and work 5 days each week, for a total of 14 weeks. On weekends,volunteertrailcrewswillperform work commensurate with their skill level. For the summers of 2022 and 2023, access has been arrangedwith thePalisades Tahoe Resort, and trail workers will use Palisades Tahoe maintenance roads to bring supplies and personnel into the Wilderness from the east. For the summer of 2024, accesswill be from the northwest edge of the Wilderness using Forest Service Road 51. Craig Thornley, Race Director for WSER, states: “I have been very excited about this new trail since I first walked it a fewyearsago.Itwillnotonlyprovideamore environmentally sensitive and sustainable way to traverse the Wilderness and sub- stantially improve the views, but because the new route across the Wilderness will be shorter it will allow us to make other changes farther down our event route to incorporate more single-track and sustain- able trail sections.” ChuckStalley, theRideDirector for the Tevis Cup also supports the project, as “it willprovidesaferpassageforourhorsesand their riders and require less annual mainte- nance.” It will also offer stunning views to south, east, andwestdue tothe300’ upslope location at 8200’ elevation. MattBrownlee, theUSFSDistrictTrails Manager, is fully committed to the Project. “This exciting new trail realignment project will requirethreeyearsofhardworkbutwill provide years of public enjoyment while at thesametimeprotectingsensitiveresources in federally protectedwilderness. This proj- ect was originally identified in 1993 due to accelerated erosion and lack of trail design parameters but didn’t gain traction until 2016 when USFS/WSER/WSTF representa- tives began initial ground-truthing. Obvious terrain and construction hurdles will make this a logistically challenging project but will benefit the American public for years to come. Amentor of mine used to say, ‘just go out there and make it better,’ I truly feel that’swhatwearegoing toaccomplishwith this legacy project, and I welcome any and all who would like to be part of it.” The USFS has estimated the Project will cost $1,350,000.With$800,000 inGAOA funding, therewill be$550,000 inuncovered costs. The WSER and WSTF are presently pursuing other grants that may reduce the amount of uncovered costs and are starting fundraising to further close the cost gap. Please donate to WSTF to support the longevity of the Western States Trail for fu- ture generations to continue to enjoy. WAYS TODONATE toWSTF (WSTF is a designated 501c tax deductible or- ganization) Check payable to: WSTF Attention: Trails donation 150 Gum Lane Auburn, CA 95603 Online www.teviscup.org and click on DONATE Volunteer for trail work at https://www.wser.org/volunteering/ trail-stewardship/trail-work-opportu- nities/