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Plumas Buzz An informal account of life, recreation, fun and travel in Plumas County, edited by Plumas County Visitors Bureau staff.

Please send us your stories, questions, comments or photos

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April 11, 2008

Jessica is so proud of her new skirt

The other day Jessica Albietz, a white water kayak enthusiast from Quincy, received a UPS package which she quickly tore open.  She exclaimed, "My new skirt is so beautiful!"  No it doesn't look like the newest fashion in women's attire, but it's pretty stylish on her kayak going down the North Fork Feather River.

 

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April 8, 2008

Spring has sprung but it's still winter up high

A gentleman from San Francisco came up last weekend to check out the wildflowers on Table Mountain.  After Table Mountain he drove up  the Feather River Canyon staying overnight near Graeagle. Seeing the green grass around Graeagle he naturally thought that Frazier Falls in the Lakes Basin area would be open for business.  He had read about it's splendor in Tom DeMund's book, The Feather River Country Adventure Hikes, so off he went  up the Gold Lake Highway. 

Everything was fine until he turned off onto the Frazier Falls road and much to his surprise he found a large snow drift in front of him.  Yes, in the higher elevations we still have lots of snow.  We did direct him to some waterfalls down the Feather River Canyon which are snow free and flowing.  The wonders of the high country - lakes, falls, flowers - will have to wait awhile.

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March 31, 2008

Springtime: Wildflowers and  Waterfalls  

Table Mountain, the Feather River Canyon and Sierra City are blooming and flowing

 

Karen Rodriguez spent some time at Table Mountain last week and kindly shared some photos (left and right).

 

Cora Dittrich, Director of the Sierra County Chamber, wanted us to know that the water is flowing in Sierra County  between Bassets and Sierra City.  Look at the great photo of Big Springs Waterfall cascading over the rocks (right).

 

The Feather River Canyon is alive with Redbud in the lower canyon and waterfalls are rushing off the canyon walls.   Won't be too long until the whole canyon is in bloom. Thanks to Pete Dryer for the photo (left).

 

For more details and photos check out the "Bloom Blog". and self-guided wildflower/waterfall tours.

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March 31, 2008

Early trout season opener for the Middle Fork Feather River in Plumas!
Can you believe it?  Trout stream fishing season opens on April 5 on the Middle Fork Feather River, but only at the following section between the Union Pacific railroad bridge, just upstream of A-23 in Sierra Valley, and the Mohawk Bridge in Blairsden.  Part of that stretch is the wild and scenic portion of the Middle Fork Feather. But stick to that area of the river until April 26, which is the official  opening date for stream fishing in Plumas County.

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March 24, 2008

The daffodils are blooming. (Thanks to Richard McCutcheon for this pretty photo from Indian Valley) It's been almost 70 degrees during the day, but below freezing in the morning.  The Canada geese are nesting along with several pairs of Sandhill Cranes.  The grass in the meadows has turned green and will soon be dotted by cattle returning from their winter pasture in the valley.  The willows branches are turning shades of red and green along the creeks, but there's still lots of snow on the mountain peaks.  It's a good time for bike riding, cross country skiing, hiking, or just taking a walk to get outdoors and take in some of Plumas County's invigorating fresh mountain air.

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March 18, 2008

Some tips from a fly fisherman:  J D Saunders from Calabasas, CA:  "That Hamilton Branch is one of the best trout streams in the west, and I've seen very few people there, despite the fact that you can park practically right next to it. I can't recall any evening when I've fly fished there that I didn't catch (and release) at least 20 fish, usually 1 - 2 browns among them. " Plumas county streams will be open on April 26th.

Lucas MacMath from Santa Rosa: "We spent a long weekend in Plumas County trying to take in all the activities, but had to say no to the St. Patrick's Day dance in Portola because we were exhausted after having done so many other things by Saturday night.  We did make it to Words and Music in Quincy,  the Cowboy Poetry Show in Vinton and the Longboard Ski Races near Graeagle.  There is so much do in Plumas County!"  

The Historic Longboard Revival Ski Race on Sunday brought more media attention.  The Denver Post sent a reporter out to write about the races and the article went to press yesterday.  Check it out and don't forget to look at the slide show.  Isn't technology wonderful!  And there's more:  Steve Liebenberg,  a videographer from Chico,  took a lot of footage for the creation of a new video of the races.  Ought to be some good shots of the skiers, musicians and people attending in period attire. When it's finished we'll put it up on our website for your viewing pleasure. 

Martha Flynn, a Quincy photographer, was able to capture some great photos of the Longboard Races below.

Leslie Mink (left) was part of the lively outdoor music on the day of the races - finding that in the chilly mountain weather she could play the fiddle with her gloves on, much to her surprise!

 

It was a fun family event with something for all ages. Everyone young and old had a wonderful time watching the races, sledding  and playing
                                   in the snow (right). 

The great food served at the event would not have happened without these fun-loving dedicated servers, all of  whom were local volunteers (right).

 

 

 

And as for the actual racers, here is a photo of Phil Gallagher of Meadow Valley carrying those heavy wooden skis up the hill for the final race - which he won, making him the Men's Longboard World Champion for 2008.  Alyson Young, a Quincy local, was the Women's Champion.

Don't miss out on all the fun at next year's races which will be held on January 18, February 15 and March 15, 2009 (all dates are on a Sunday). Bring your family and friends to watch and have a great time or rent some longboard skis and participate in the race yourself! For more information contact the Plumas County Visitors Bureau at (800) 326-2287.

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March 13, 2008

Can you believe it?  Two accordions at two different events for this weekend!  Can it get any better than that? Even if you don't like accordions the events will be great fun from cowboy poetry to historic longboard ski racing. 

Vinton Cowboy Poetry Show, March 14 & 15 at the Sierra Valley Grange Hall in the "big" town of Vinton in the lovely Sierra Valley (left).  Contact Betty Ramelli (530-993-4692) or  bramelli@gotsky.com.   

The 15th Annual World Championship Historic Longboard Revival Races,  
where the skiers race on very long 10 -13 foot wooden skis, will be held on Sunday, March 16, near Graeagle at the Plumas Eureka Ski Bowl in Johnsville.  Lost Sierra mountain music (photo above right) will set a festive mood.  Contact the Visitors Bureau at 800-326-2247 if you have any questions.

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March 6

South American Harpist comes to Plumas!

Plumas County has more than great outdoor stuff like birding, wildflower viewing and hiking because Plumas Arts makes sure that we also have culture.  Last night at the Quincy Town Hall Theater a wonderful concert took place with Alfredo Rolando Ortiz playing the South American harp - great music plus a personable performer.  Using Yankee Doodle as a well-known song, he showed how the rhythm would be adapted in  Ecuador, Venezuela and Cuba.  When he asked how many folks in the audience played the harp more than five people stood up.  Not only did Ortiz perform for the adult audience last night but he spent the last three days giving performances and telling stories at the local schools . Actually many students brought their parents last night because they were so enthralled by Ortiz and his music. 

Because we have so much culture up here we needed to add an arts and culture page to our website. 

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March 3

The birds are coming back!  What a splendid description of spring.

Tony Hall's report from the Birders news.

"The birds are coming back. I just came back from an evening walk where Lindsay Lane joins the Clear Creek Road (near Quincy). Out in the meadow I saw two bright male Mountain Bluebirds and a female. Next to the Ponderosa Pines I saw a pair of Western Bluebirds. Flocks of American Robin and Canada Geese were active in the meadow and I detected the still form of a Great Blue Heron in a wet patch in the meadow. Three pairs of Sandhill Cranes have been serenading us, especially in the evening from the meadow on the south side of Chandler Road. One pair would reach for the sky with their beaks and call. Then another pair would reach for the sky with their beaks and call. Are they establishing territory for breeding? Pairs of Mallards are coming to the marsh on Clear Creek Road near to Quincy Junction Road and I expect the Wood ducks will be here soon. The squirrels are busy chasing each other and carrying nesting material around."

The Birders News is an up-to-date report of bird sightings  throughout Plumas County brought to you by Plumas Audubon bird e-mail list.  There were at  least five new postings over the weekend. 

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February 28

I wonder if the Canadian geese are yearning for spring.  The photo of the geese (right)  taken by Richard McCutcheon in Indian Valley still look like they're enjoying the winter scene but who knows. Maybe they're dreaming of soft green grass and wildflowers.  As for us humans it won't be long until the Feather River Canyon starts its spring display. Therefore, we wanted to share some photos from previous spring times in the canyon (below).  Because the canyon (as we locals call it) is the lowest elevation in the county, it has the first display of wildflowers (and don't forget the waterfalls!).

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February 21

Suzi Brakken and family had a clear sky last night to view the lunar eclipse from Plumas Eureka Estates near Graeagle.  Sam her almost six year old son  wasn't too thrilled about the event saying things like  "let's go I'm cold" and "the moon's turning pink, so what, I'm hungry".  Sounds like a pretty normal kid.  Sam probably would have been happy with a cloudy sky which was the case in most of the county.

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February 19

It’s that time of year when winter and spring get a little blurred.

Winter: Last Sunday was the second Longboard race near Graeagle. The weather was spring–like but still lots of snow. Several new racers joined the excitement and it sounds like the longboard fever is growing as more are planning to compete in the World Championship on March 16. But the best quote from the day was from an out of town spectator who asked a local, “Is there an ATM at the ski hill?” You might say that’s a logical question but if you know the funky ski hill it’s quite funny. All electricity at the ski hill comes from a generator, the bathrooms are only open during race days, and the whole thing stays together because of few dedicated volunteers. And except for race days there isn’t anything to buy so the answer is no there isn’t even one ATM machine. On race days it’s all cash or checks.

Spring: Some folks were at the Longboard races enjoying the benefits of winter but others went down the Feather River Canyon to get a glimpse of spring. It’s the start of the wildflower season beginning with the fantastic display that’s just starting on Table Mountain  near Oroville. Joe Willis from Quincy sent us these photos letting us know that spring was happening down the canyon. Bib Willis is sitting on the rock by the very seasonal Table Mountain waterfall.  Table Mountain should only be getting better in the next few weeks and then the wildflower march goes up the Feather River Canyon from late  March through May with redbud, monkey flowers hanging from the rocks, and those delicate dogwoods. And of course waterfalls will be everywhere.  Check out the wildflower - waterfall action on our website as we’ll be offering up-to-date reports.

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February 15

It's getting crowded around here!!!

Last year we could say Plumas County had 8 people per square mile but we have to admit that we included water in the square mileage last year. But it’s not like we are surrounded by ocean so out of a total of 2,618 square miles only 48.4 square miles is water. But with a projected increase in people for 2008 from 22,421 to 23,090 plus leaving out the water this time (no houseboats allowed in Plumas County) we have a grand total of 9 people per square miles (that’s 8.98 for those into detail). Of course 80% of our county is national forest which helps create all that open space for us to enjoy - like the photo of snowshoe tracks heading up the Pacific Crest Trail towards Spanish Peak. And for your information San Francisco County has 10,000 people per square mile so come on up when you need some space. 

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February 12

The winter events keep rolling along. It's amazing what a lot of snow can do.

Found this quote below from Pop’s Hobby Blog about the latest sled dog races in Chester.  Thanks to Carl Raymond Piesch for the photo of the laughing sled dog.

From Pop’s Hobby Blog: “One of the high points of the weekend at the cabin was a trip to watch dog sled racing. Dog sled racing is not, in my opinion, a great spectator sport but we still had a great time watching the starts and finishes of several races. The races were typically a four mile race and after the start there was a lot of standing around waiting for the 20 second finish. The lag time between races seemed a little long, but the dogs seemed to really enjoy it and their owners were very willing to show off their beautiful dogs. The AKC registered dogs were down right gorgeous but it appeared to me that the cross mixed dogs performed a little better. The show dogs seemed to be in a different class than the skinny, rock hard muscled cross breeds. But what do I know about dogs? Enjoy” 

John Sheehan from Quincy  was amazed at the number of cars up at  Bucks Summit last Saturday on his way to do some  cross country skiing.   He didn’t realize that it was the Bucks Lake Poker Run and it was a fantastic day - sunny, warm with lots of snow. Cynthia Lusk from the Forest Service sent us a few photos (right)  from the event.

And there’s more. You can go to Chester or Lake Davis on Saturday for  snowmobile poker runs and then head east on Sunday for the second Longboard Race in Plumas Eureka State Park. Those Longboard races are getting a lot of publicity – Boston Globe in January, Adventure Sports Journal out of Santa Cruz and Forbes Magazine coming in March. We just a call from the SF Chronicle for a piece on Thursday. Wow! Hopefully for the March 16 World Championship Longboard Race we’ll get a video to put up on our website.  Won't that be great!  The photo on the left was from the race in January - just to show that there are  some hardy women racers and looks like more to come in February.   Rebecca from Tahoe heard about the races and is planning on bringing her friends to race in February. 

A month ago we mentioned Laura from the Bay Area who was looking for dining, dancing, jazz and museums during the Plumas winter. Well here is an example of our winter night life. Traci, offering wine tasting at the Studio Gallery (above) during last Friday's Art Walk in Quincy, is practicing for the March opening of the Drunk Brush, a  wine bar with jazz.    It's across from the new Alley Cat Café. Check out the locals hanging out at the Retro Room of Club  Roost  (right) – an upscale groovy place in Quincy.  This all seems pretty cool to us and about as much night life as we can handle. 

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February 8

How many poems are written about Plumas County?  Well here is one.

That’s Plumas County by Margaret Garcia-Cough from Crescent Mills
( to the tune of the Jam’s That’s Entertainment)

A train engine and a whistle blows
Echoes haunting in a mountain canyon
Black night sky and the silence of midnight
Connecting dots of stars through open windows

That’s Plumas County

Tin roofs and decrepit barnyards
Tall grass and cows in the valleys
Kids begging to raise up pigs and cows and sheep
Parents happy to keep them from the urban streets

That’s Plumas County

Days begin at the crack of dawn here
Days end mid way through the sunlight
I get hungry at the three in the afternoon
I get hungry for things that I can’t find here

That’s Plumas County

Waking up on a hot summer’s morning
The sight of insects crawling through the broken screen
The smell of nothing but clean air and pine trees
Heading to a lake to do absolutely nothing––relaxing

That’s Plumas County

Waking up where everyone knows you
Driving steep grades in Suburus and Durangos
It’s half in the paper and half in the whispering trees
Anything that you’ve ever done good or bad

That’s Plumas County

Two lovers making plans on myspace
Two lovers walking along highway 89
People retiring here, people getting out
People living in these mountains over 2000 years

That’s Plumas County

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February 5

And guess what? We had more snow last weekend.  We're happy about all the moisture but some of us are running out of places to put the stuff.  We're beginning to get closer to those neighbors that have  some type of mechanized approach for getting rid of the stuff.  Shoveling out cars and walkways can become a full time job.  But kids who aren't old enough to shovel are building forts and enjoying the joy of snow.   School was even closed last Friday. When we're not shoveling, keeping the fire going or going to work  we can find  time for skiing, snowmobiling or snowshoeing.

 

Some of us may have dreams of summer.  How about a nice warm day camping out in a tipi?  Can you believe it - this tipi is open for summer reservations.  

 

 

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January 30, Wednesday

I guess you could say that we’re having a real winter in Plumas County.  All those events that were cancelled last year because of lack of snow are thriving this winter. Last weekend  sled dog races along with snow shoe races took place at Lake Davis near Portola.  Chester is also having sled dog races on February 9th and 10th in case you missed the ones in Lake Davis. Thanks to Carl Piesch for the photographs.

And the fun doesn’t stop.  For those snowmobile enthusiasts you can attend three poker runs (Bucks Lake, Lake Davis and Chester) in the next three weeks if you’re good at being in two places at once. Check out our events page for all the details. If you’re not a winter outdoor person or are looking for some culture (or free food and drink) try out the Quincy Art Walk on February 8 - taking place in Quincy’s downtown theater district.

How do people in Plumas County get around in the winter?

Karen (left) walks to work wearing snow boots and Yaktrax (chains for your shoes so you don’t slip on the ice). Jessica (right) is the most hardy - she’s still riding her bike – she says it’s a little chilly but not too slick. (Notice the icicles) Terry also walks with no Yaktrax - hasn't fallen yet.  Kari drives to Quincy every day from Cromberg in her 4X4 Honda (right) with studded snow tires. 

Visitor Stories:

Laura from the Bay Area called a few weeks ago looking for a romantic weekend in Plumas County including dinner, dancing and a little jazz plus some museum touring during the day. That’s a fair request but probably not in the dead of winter in Plumas County. Also she’s staying at a lodge 10 miles from Chester somewhat in the middle of nowhere. The St. Bernard Lodge is quite romantic but certainly not a snazzy jazz club. We called around to see if dining places in the area were playing any kind of music - no luck. We finally recommended The Roost which is one hour away in Quincy. With much enthusiasm we also told her about the great snowshoeing and cross country skiing– but that didn’t hit a positive chord. Hopefully the snowy beauty of winter here will transcend the lack of urban nightlife.

Another guy called for a visitors guide in order to get some information about summer activities. His goal was to get his wife away from reality TV. We hope it works.

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January 23, Wednesday

Long Live Longboards!  The Historic Longboard Revival Series race held last Sunday at Plumas Eureka State Park in Johnsville brought out a variety of folks from a Forbes magazine photographer  to the Clampers from Plumas County.  There were new young racers (Jack Webster climbing the hill for the finals below) and older veteran longboard racers (Rob Russell on the left), lots of kids sledding while their parents were cheering on the racers, and people munching on hot dogs while tapping their feet to the music (below).  It snowed off and on which brought cold kids and some adults into to sit by the fire in the lodge.  The races seemed to have excited the press - an article in the Boston Globe, the Adventure Sports Journal, and sometime next year an article in Forbes (the business magazine) and maybe during the next race the SF Chronicle will attend the event.  Pretty cool - but where else can you watch skiers in 1850's outfits speed down the hills on 15 foot wooden skies just like the gold miners used to do. 
Thanks very much to
Bill Obernesser, from Sacramento who shot these photos and kindly shared them with us.  He heard about the race from an article in the Boston Globe sent by a friend.  Small world!
 

Even Norway is excited about this event because it's actually part of their history too.  It was Norwegian gold miners who created those longboard skis in the first place.  Here is a message from a Norwegian ski resort:

"My name is Adam Ollard, I come from England and I am working for the Skiskole (ski school) in a 1004 year old resort in Norway called Skeikampen.

A few weeks ago I purchased a DVD from our local town which you may know of called Lillehammer. The DVD entitled ET SKI EVENTYR, which in Norway translates into A Ski Tale and deals with the history of Norwegian Skiing. The 1st disc deals with the story of Snowshoe Thompsom and later leads to the Johnsville Longboard Ski Race in Plumas County. It's so wonderful that people still take time to consider the tradition of ski history and continue to carry it on in to the future.

Our resort is small by comparison with the rest of Europe. And unlike a lot of Europe is based upon a small community rather than be developed as a purpose built resort that crams in tens of thousands of fun seekers every year. I think this is mainly due to the fact that people do not know we are here, which has an advantage that allows the resort to go completely unspolied. Although technology has advanced over the last few years by way of new chair lifts and more recently floodlights. However we are a resort for families run by families.

After watching the DVD, for whatever reason I felt compelled to write this email to congratulate the organizers in what they are doing by keeping hold of a tradition and hope we can be inspired to to one day offer something with a similar passion."

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January 18, Friday

The winner of the Christmas Tree Contest!!!
It goes to the Dan and Susan Bezzant family from Pleasanton who are the happy winners of a two night stay at Sierra Sky Lodge (near Graeagle) plus a dinner at the nearby Trattoria Rosa Cucina Italiana and a free tree permit for 2008.

This is their story and a photo of the tree:

"A different kind of Christmas tree: not one you could find on any lot I know of. Our kids started a tradition a few years ago of finding the strangest looking tree in the forest. Decorated with a large number of white lights to outline each weather beaten twist and bend, the unusually shaped tree takes on its own kind of beauty.

We got the permit out of the Chester ranger station the day after Thanksgiving. The tree was cut not far from Echo Lake in a patch of forest where the snow loads and winds get heavy enough in the winter where many of the young firs show the story of their battles to grow upward in a world of hostile winter elements trying to push them down.

The tree was judged by a panel of eight people from our office.  As you can see the original contest description didn't say the most beautiful tree but only "send us a photo of your decorated tree" which left it wide open for interpretation.  We hope you like our choice.  Next year make plans to cut your tree on the Plumas or Lassen Forest for a fun family event and an opportunity to win a grand prize. 

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January 17, Thursday

Wacky winter event: The Longboard races are happening this Sunday. Grown men and women will be dressed up in traditional garb of the 1850’s, doping up (waxing) their 15-16 foot skis just like the gold miners, hauling those wood skis up the hill and down they go. Don’t forget you can’t turn  these monsters - you just go straight downhill as fast as you can go. To stop them you use a large wooden pole.   At the end of the day there’s a guy and gal winner. If you’re feeling adventurous come to the Plumas Eureka Ski Bowl to try out some skis as you can borrow some for the day for a small fee. Take a few practice runs before noon and then you’re good to go for the big race. But  you won’t get the special “dope” (check out upper left photo for doping the skis) because people have their secret recipes just like the miners did,  but there will be some "dope" to share. 

This great event is put on by a few dedicated volunteers who spent last weekend clearing off the deck of the ski lodge (right) for bystanders to hangout in the sun (wishful thinking) while watching the races. That's John Sheehan, Director of Plumas Corporation, behind the snow machine.  See you there.

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January 10, Thursday

The whole county is a winter wonderland - meaning we have snow everywhere!  The snowplows have been working overtime, kids are making snowmen and igloo houses, and neighbors are greeting each other while shoveling snow.  Some more adventurous folks have already been out cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, sledding, snowshoeing and generally enjoying the white stuff.  But some of us are waiting for a sunny day and snow that's a little more packed down.  Thanks to Toni Morris for the photo looking at Gold Mountain near Graeagle. 

During the big snow storm last weekend kids were even shoveling snow.  Cora Grace and Noah Hardee from Quincy were shoveling out a neighbors driveway.  Even their little  brother, Josiah, wanted to help. The kids also took some time to create a rather a large snowman.   Cora Grace was quite proud that she came up with idea to use pickle slices for the eyes.  Not sure if their dad, Kyle, was aware that his hat was sitting on top of the snowman.

Katherine, from the Cedar Lodge in Chester, also sent us a rather stylish snowman that was created before the last storm.  By the way you can snowmobile or ski directly from the lodge. 

Not sure how to enjoy the beauty of winter - try a free snowshoe hike with Barbara Jackson from the U.S. Forest Service at the Almanor Ranger District in Chester.  You get to learn some snowshoeing techniques, get a good workout, check out animal tracks, and more.  Barbara says, "I love doing these nature walks.  It's the best part of my job, meeting new people and helping them learn a new sport. "  The snowshoes are provided but you need to pre-register at 530-258-2141.  The first tour is this Friday starting at 1 pm, then January 26 (Saturday) and February 15 (Friday).  Snowshoe walks are also available by special request for school and educational programs.  Sounds more fun than the classroom. 

Lots of sledding going on at Plumas-Eureka State Park - up by the presently non-functioning ski hill.  Go through Johnsville, park in the lot, walk up the trail to the ski hill but take the right-hand trail before the ski lodge for the easiest route to the sled hill.  Have fun!

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December 31, Monday

The three of us at the  Plumas County Visitors Bureau wish you a very happy new year.  Thanks for visiting Plumas County in 2007.

Suzi got soaked sledding into a snow drift.	Karen enjoyed cross country skiing near Bucks Lake	Kari stayed warm and dry at home

We hope you'll come again in 2008.  The lakes, streams, mountains and friendly small town communities will still be here. 

Couldn't resist sharing these new photos of the Bucks Lake Area.  Thanks to Dewitt and Kim Henderson. 

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December 31, Monday

Don't take your tree down yet. Last day to enter the Christmas Tree Contest !
 
Our latest entries are two families from San Francisco - the Dunn's and Burrell's who found Christmas trees in the La Porte area. 
About the experience Andrew Burrell says:
"Here is a picture of the tree (left) that we cut down at the north end of the lake in La Porte, CA.  My and 11 other families made a weekend out of the tree cutting excursion by staying at the La Porte Sierra Union Retreat.  What FUN! "

The tree on the right belongs to Jennifer and Gary Dunn. 

Thanks so much for sharing your trees with us.  We'll announce the winner sometime in January. 

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December 28, Friday

Winter can be great fun!

Winter is happening up here in the northern sierra mountains. If you like getting out in the wintry weather last week was fun: sledding, snowmobiling , ice skating, cross - country skiing and even snowy ATV tours. This week should be about the same. In the last few days we got a little bit of powdery snow but not much. It’s been pretty cold so the snow should stick around but another foot would be great. Jay Read from High Sierra ATV tours sent us the photo on the left. 

Around Christmas time you can’t usually both ski and ice skate in Plumas County because skating usually means there isn’t snow and skiing usually means snow is covering the frozen lakes and ponds. But this year you could do both as shown by the photos of the cross - country skier (with the day glow hat) at Bucks Lake taken by Cynthia Lusk of the Forest Service  and the hockey skaters on a pond in Genesee Valley below (taken by Jim from Genesee). The hockey game took place on Christmas Day. Not a bad way to spend the day.

Cross - country skiing should be pretty good at Bucks Lake, around Lake Almanor, behind the Plumas Eureka State Park Museum near Johnsville, or up the Gold Lake Road out of Graeagle.  Actually you can choose any snowy backcountry forest road to ski on just don’t get lost. To get more specific information give us a call (800-326-2247), check our website or call the Forest Service.

Snowmobiling is definitely happening throughout Plumas County.  You can snowmobile towards Bucks Lake with several lodging options to choose from - might be a fun way to bring in the New Year. Thanks to Cynthia Lusk again for the photo on the left.  From Cedars Lodge in Chester you can jump on your snowmobile and go.  Katherine of Cedar Lodge says the snowmobiling is good but could use a little more powder on top for perfection.

Take your kids sledding or just snow playing at the ski hill (not presently running) in Plumas Eureka State Park. It’s a great place because you have wide open spaces that were once the ski hill – so not much worry about running into trees. Same thing as skiing you can sled anywhere in the National Forest but some places are certainly better than others. You need to head for the higher elevations because Quincy doesn’t have enough snow for sledding.
 

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December 21, Friday

Winter is here!

The mountains have a blanket of new snow and the tree branches are drooping with the fluffy white stuff. All over the county snowmobiles are revving up, snowshoes and cross country skis are coming out of storage and the snow plows are out clearing the roads.

 

Guy Hinrichs from Quincy took a trip to the Bucks Lake area yesterday - snowshoeing near Bucks Summit on the Pacific Crest Trail towards Spanish Peak (photo on right). He said it was beautiful but lots of work because the snow was so fresh.  He did get some exercise but was unable to wear out his dog, Rider.  Thanks Guy for the photos. 

The snow plow (left) has opened up Bucks Lake Road to the summit and after that you’ll need a snowmobile or cross county skis to get to the lake and lodges.

Chester- Lake Almanor has a couple feet of snow. There’s a great trail on the west side of the Lake Almanor for cross county skiing and several snowmobile staging areas.  Just got some new photos of Chester - Lake Almanor  (below) from Katherine Templeton of the Cedar Lodge in Chester. Thanks Katherine. 
 

We tried to get  photos of cozy winter lodging after the snow storm with some results, but lots of folks were having camera difficulties.  The Chalet View Lodge near Graeagle (right) and
Yorkshire House B & B in Greenville (left) came through with winter pictures!
Haskins Valley Inn near Bucks Lake also has enough snow for snowmobiling and skiing.

Thanks to Filip from Bidwell House  in Chester for the photo on the right.   He says it's looking beautiful. 

La Porte Cabin rentals had the camera but not the means to send photos, but they did let us know they have 3 to 4 feet of snow and grooming was happening on the snowmobile trails. But here is an old photo. They even have some warming huts for snowmobilers.  The road to La Porte from the Quincy side is closed, but Highway 20 east  from Marysville to Marysville Road to La Porte is opened.  Might want to check with Caltrans before coming (1-800-427-ROAD).

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Tuesday, December 18

It looks like a White Christmas in Plumas County! 

The storm dropped some snow today.   People got to use  snow blowers that have been packed away, pulled out snow shovels and snow boots and cruised around with four wheel drive vehicles.  The flakes were coming down pretty heavily for a bit but now it's not doing much.   We'll have to wait to see what the next storm brings us. 

Don’t forget the Christmas Tree Contest?  Send us a photo  of your decorated tree as long it was cut on the Plumas or Lassen Forest - you could win a free night stay with a dinner out in lovely Plumas County. 

 

The trees to the left don’t qualify for the contest because they are still alive.  Bill Benson from the Beckwourth Ranger District (part of the Plumas National Forest ) came upon these trees last week  (near Lake Davis)  that someone with a lot of Christmas spirit took the time to decorate – not sure why but why not.  Right now they’re probably drooping with snow.

 

 

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Monday, December 17

Winter recreation goes from ice skating to (hopefully) cross country skiing

On Saturday ice skating was still an option because it had been so cold. Snake Lake was the destination for locals from the Quincy area. Sue Jackson is warming up for her pre-Olympic workout plus  a group of folks (not shown) were involved in a rigorous game of hockey. Most of the skaters are decked out in thrift store ice skates that they’ve been collecting over the years, but one person had bought a new pair of softec skates that she was encouraging everyone to try. Boy what a difference! By the way - no one fell in this time around. 

Change is what winter is about in Plumas County. Now the mountains are blanketed with snow and those skaters are thinking about getting out their cross country skis. Not quite yet  - but things look promising if the snow keeps coming and the rain stays away.  The photo is that same old barn you've seen before near the Visitors Bureau in Quincy.   There's even more snow in the Graeagle, Portola, and Chester area. 

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Tuesday, December 11

Playing in the snow

Near Graeagle in the Lakes Basin area there was lots of snow for frolicking last weekend. Two local families hiked into Smith Lake, a  trail off of the Gold Lake Road a few miles from Graeagle,  to enjoy the first snow. 

"It was beautiful, snowing a bit, and several inches of fresh powder, in which we broke trail.  The kids had a blast playing in the snow, and it was a good workout for all of us!"

The lake was frozen over (right top) because it’s been so cold -even the snow was a bit dry for making a snowman. Did you know that you need a certain kind of snow for building a really good snowman?

 

 

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Monday, December 10

Christmas tree contest attracts all kinds.

A Christmas tree story from Dan and Susan Bezzant of Pleasanton:  "A different kind of Christmas tree: not one you could find on any lot I know of. Our kids started a tradition a few years ago of finding the strangest looking tree in the forest. Decorated with a large number of white lights to outline each weather beaten twist and bend, the unusually shaped tree takes on its own kind of beauty.

We got the permit out of the Chester ranger station the day after Thanksgiving. The tree was cut not far from Echo Lake in a patch of forest where the snow loads and winds get heavy enough in the winter where many of the young firs show the story of their battles to grow upward in a world of hostile winter elements trying to push them down.

Our neighbor across the street knew about our annual treks to Lake Almanor to cut a tree and showed us the S.F. Chronicle article about the contest. Our family has a 39 year long tradition of cutting a Christmas tree from the Plumas Country forests on Thanksgiving weekend. We love the natural look of the forested trees that is so unlike a commercial farmed product."

Another Christmas tree story: 

"Hi, my name is Veronique Bohne. I live in San Francisco in the very nice neighborhood of Northbeach.  Three weeks ago my husband, daughter and I joined our friends (9 other families) to go to the Sierra to LaPorte, CA. There, we
spent the week end at the Union Hotel, went to get our permit to cut our own christmas tree...et Voila!
Wish us luck (in the contest). "



 

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Friday, December 7

It's looking more like Christmas:  We got some snow on the higher peaks above Quincy and I hear it has snowed some in Portola, Graeagle and Chester.  Not much on the ground but enough to look like snow.  The photo is taken from the front of the Visitors Bureau with Mt. Pleasant in the background (elevation about 8000 ft).  If you look hard you can see snow on the peak.  The Pacific Crest Trail runs along the ridge from Spanish Peak to Mt. Pleasant. 

Looks like good weather this weekend for Christmas tree cutting so come on up but dress warmly. 

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Thursday, December 6

Guess what? Our  Christmas Tree contest  made it into the  SF Chronicle!! 

After the column by Tom Stienstra came out in the paper today,  we got a call from some folks in the Bay Area making sure that La Porte was in Plumas County so they could  enter the contest.  Last weekend they rented the Union Hotel (on the right) in La Porte for a group of nine families whose main purpose was cutting Christmas trees and having fun.   Not only did they have "an absolute blast" while up in the mountains but after getting home and decorating their trees they had what they called a "tree crawl" .  What is a tree crawl?  It's taking one evening to visit each others Christmas trees - maybe there is some drinking involved.  Not sure about that.  We're looking forward to getting the photos of those lovely La Porte trees. 

New update on the Christmas tree contest prize.  We not only have a one night stay at the Sierra Sky Lodge near Graeagle, but a dinner for two was also added as a prize at the nearby restaurant, Trattoria Rosa Cucina Italiana !  

The Quincy Sparkle on the left is happening this Friday.  Come join hundreds of local Quincy folks celebrating the season with the annual tree lighting and parade along with caroling and merchant's open house.  Looks like the weather will cooperate, but some snow would sure be nice!

 

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Tuesday, December 4

December in Plumas County:  Outdoor fun

On 11/29/07 News from Wiggin’s Trading Post at Chilcoot.  Randy Golden from Sparks NV caught a 5# rainbow from the Frenchmen Lake shore (he wouldn't say where) with night crawlers. 

Ice Skating at Snake Lake:  Don’t recommend it now that the weather has gotten warmer.  Last Saturday, when it was still cold, Dave McKee an experienced skater fell through near the beaver dam on the shady side of the lake.  He was close to the shore so made his way out, skated back to his parked car and then rapidly changed clothes.   Not sure if he continued to skate or went home.  He said it was the first time he had fallen through the ice in the 30 plus years he has been skating on Plumas lakes. 

Christmas tree cutting tips:  Michele Jimenez-Holtz, Public Affairs Specialist from the Plumas National Forest gave us some more reasons to  promote cutting   Christmas trees on the national forest.  “Thinning them out (white fir and red fir) from the understory helps open up the forest canopy, letting sunlight in for the larger trees to grow”. 

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Monday, December 3

Now we need to get real serious about getting a Christmas tree because December is here.  There were lots of great trees leaving Graeagle area this weekend as you can see from the  photo.  By the way Christmas tree cutting permits can be found at lots of different stores and organizations like the Graeagle Outpost on your right.

Christmas tree cutting tips:  Remember you're in the forest not a tree farm so its easy to get lost wandering around looking for that tree.  You might try bread crumbs or maybe a GPS thing would be better.  Don't use the following method:  Turn right at the green tree because there are so many green trees. 

Looks like a lot of folks combined cutting  their Christmas tree with the Graeagle Holiday festival: wagon rides, shopping, a little cheer and of course Santa.  

 

There's more to come in the way of small town festivities and tree cutting tips so stay tuned.  Read previous reports for other tree cutting tips. 

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Friday, November 30

George and Arlie from Paradise did make up it here today to cut their Christmas tree as promised.  Arlie's son, Greg, from Temeculah, also joined them for the adventure.  We gave them a few routes that might produce some fine looking trees and they took the Silver Lake route.  They left the Visitors Bureau at around noon and returned at 3:30 pm to get their photo taken with their newly cut tree.  No problems -just had a generally great time - fantastic scenery and "perfectly cold" as Greg described the weather.  Arlie can't wait to decorate it but is wondering how her cats will react to the tree.  Greg said that a tree like the one they got would go for $100 in Riverside County.  They plan on entering the Holiday Tree Contest.

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Thursday, November 29

Cutting Christmas trees in northern California - TIPS:  Fir trees in the Plumas Forest  are much easier to decorate than those bushy ones you can buy or cut on tree farms because there's some room between the branches for them to hang.  Much easier and more fun for kids to help with the decoration.  We heard of someone who was used to the Plumas firs but couldn't get a tree this year because of fear of scratching the new Prius - so what was the result?  Her husband bought a very expensive bushy one - she spent hours decorating it  because it was difficult to get the ornaments to hang right - and then it fell over and she had to start all over again.  Maybe next year she'll get her tree in the Plumas Forest.

Christmas tree cutting locations:  You get a map with your permit but that almost creates more confusion.  Here's a few ideas but not inclusive.  These are just general routes many being dirt or gravel roads.  Each route has lots of side roads so be careful to pay attention where you're going.  Give us a call (800-326-2247) or ask at a local business if you need more detailed information.  We want you to spend your time finding a nice tree while  enjoying the outdoors not getting lost so be careful. 

Quincy area:  Squirrel Creek Road; Big Creek Road towards Bucks Lake; Silver Lake Road
Chester area:  (Need to get Lassen Forest Permit) Humboldt Road off of Highway 89 a few miles south of Chester; Juniper Lake Road (once you get into the Lassen National Park no cutting allowed)
Portola/Graeagle area:  Up Gold Lake Road (1 mile from Graeagle)  or road towards Smith Peak near Portola. 

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Thursday, November 29

On a serious note:
Ginny Michaux, a trained presenter from Al Gore’s Climate Project comes to Quincy on Wednesday, December 5 (Town Hall Theater). It’s free so hope to see you there.

Ginny will be speaking about her expeditions to the North and South Poles and about some of the startling climate change science coming from those areas. She will show beautiful slides from her trips, the most recent of which was in February of 2007. These photos and her stories of life on the ice vividly confirm some of the dramatic changes going on at either ends of the Earth. She will also discuss how these changes in the far away Arctic and Antarctic are expected to affect the mid-latitudes where we live.
Not such fun news but hopefully there will be some discussion about what we can do to decrease some of the negative effects.

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Wednesday, November 28

Show off your tree trimming - You could win a free trip!
Got yourself a beauty of a tree from Plumas forests? We'd like to see how it looks all set up and decorated. Send us your photos and you'll be entered to win our Plumas Holiday Tree contest, which will include a free night's stay at the Sierra Sky Lodge in Cromberg and a tree-cutting permit for the 2008 season. Include your name, address and phone number, and the location you purchased your permit, along with your digital photos (non-county residents only please.) Enter by Dec. 31; we'll contact the winner in January.

These trees came from Plumas County.  We have all sizes and shapes - "silver tip" (red fir), Douglas fir, cedar and white fir.  The one on the left has some beautiful origami bird ornaments that unfortunately you can't see very well   It was part of a Christmas celebration at Ada's Place, a popular lodging choice  in Quincy.  The less tame tree with the white lights was decorated by Barbara Nelson for her house in Sausalito.

Just got a call from George and Arlie from Paradise who wanted to know how to go about cutting a tree up here in Plumas County. ( Pretty simple - just need to buy a $10 permit from  the Visitors Bureau or any other place selling them.  With that permit you'll get a map plus some friendly advice from  the Visitors Bureau.)  George from Arizona had cut his own tree once before and Arlie from Southern California never has had the experience.  George said they got the idea after his barber mentioned that he had just got a tree in the Bucks Lake area.  George is bringing along his chain saw but you should be able to get one down with a sharp saw if it's not too big.  George wasn't too worried about cutting it but thought it might be tough to find one.  There's lots of trees but you might have to look a bit for the right one.

Please send us your tree cutting stories so we can share them with the world.  We'll even take stories that aren't all happy even though we like happy endings. 

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Monday, November 26

In case you missed the the chili and light parade in Taylorsville this weekend, Richard McCutcheon took some photos to show you what you missed.  Pretty snazzy don't you think.  And how cozy does the Taylorsville Tavern look where the chili and other beverages were being served before the Holiday parade.

And yes there were lots of cars with cleverly tied down Christmas trees plus  trucks with silver tips thrown in the back.  Fortunately for the adventurous Christmas tree cutter  the weather was cold but not stormy.  This family had a good time except for one episode of stickery things adhering to the kids' pant legs.  Just be careful where you step.

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Wednesday, November 21

The day after Thanksgiving is known as one of biggest shopping days of the year. Here in Plumas, the crowds will be out -- not in the stores -- but in the national forests as families carry out the annual ritual of cutting down a fresh Christmas tree!

It’s one giant “tree farm” out there in some 1.2 million acres of public land, with evergreens of all sizes and types for the bargain price of just $10!

You'll see vehicles of all sizes and models with trees strapped to their tops and poking out of truck beds, making their way down remote stretches of unpaved roads and out to the the highways. It's the first sign that Christmas is upon us once again.

It appears it will be dry sunny weather for this year’s “event,” but that’s usually not the case. Oftentimes there’s already lots of snow or it will inevitably snow on that day. A couple of years ago, Kristi and Rick Brakken of Sausalito headed out of Johnsville toward McCrae Meadows with their kids when it suddenly began to snow with thunder and lightning! The wet ground caused Kristi to slip down the hillside (luckily no one was hurt, baby remained  untouched - photo to left - since she fell on her behind!) Nevertheless, it was a slow drive home along the slippery dirt road. Not exactly the fun family trip they’d planned!

A few quick tips learned from that outing: Do wear boots, not tennis shoes (photo to left)  when you go to cut your tree. Bring warm and dry clothing. If possible, bring a four-wheel drive vehicle packed with the usual things to feed and entertain kids while on a road trip. Have a tailgate party to make it fun. Know and tell someone else where you’re going, bring a map, and watch for weather! If it’s bad, just send Dad!

Also if you're coming up this weekend and looking for small town  holiday events  as part of your Christmas tree cutting experience check these out:  Chester will host the Merchant's Open House Night on Friday, November 23 along with a gingerbread house contest and a tree lighting.  Rumor has it that there will be a hay wagon to get you around town.  How about Taylorsville's annual Christmas Light Parade on Saturday,  November 24 with a chili dinner at 4:30 to warm you up in the Taylorsville Tavern.  Don't forget shopping in Graeagle at the Mohawk Valley Artists Guild Annual Holiday Fair on Saturday and Sunday.

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Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Imagine this:  "Cutting your Christmas tree in the national forest
is one of the best things you can do for the health of the forest," says Mike Yost (former Feather River College forestry instructor).   Why is this? Because these   small under story trees become ladder fuel for forest fires thus increasing the intensity and overall destruction caused by fires.   Historically these small trees had been eliminated through natural fires but presently they provide kindling for forest fires . And better yet many of  those small trees are white fir, red fir (silver tips) or Douglas fir - all of which make some fine Christmas trees. So now your conscience can be clear and you can start a family tradition of cutting your own Christmas tree in a real forest surrounded by mountains versus a Christmas tree farm.

Some folks from the Bay Area called us today wanting to know if the Visitors Bureau would be open to sell tree permits on Friday and Saturday.  (By the way we will be open).  They figured after they paid for gas, the tree permit ($10), food and lodging that they hadn't really saved money on the tree, but it was so much more fun than a tree lot that it was worth it.  And also you're helping support the economy of mountain communities - so why not come?

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 November 15, 2007

Ken from Nevada City is coming up the first weekend of December to find a tree in the Graeagle area. How did he hear about getting a tree in Plumas County? He said his friend, Teresa, was having a Christmas party last year and he was admiring her Christmas tree and learned that she gets one every year in Plumas County.  He and his wife plan to make a weekend of it:  cutting a tree, taking part in holiday events and whatever else comes their way. 

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November 10, 2007

Has anyone been out in the forest to get their holiday tree yet? We want to hear about your adventure and see your photos. We'd also love to hear some funny stories about your tree-cutting escapades. Let us know!

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November  9, 2007

Hi Everybody!
Fall greetings to each and everyone of you!

My husband John and I were just there in Quincy last week (10-30) and stopped in to the visitor's center. How kind you were and we enjoyed our visit! Plumas County is beautiful, and we were able to see lots of color also. The drive was wonderful and the weather was perfect. When we drove through Blairsden-the colors were gorgeous and the sky just beautiful! We were able to stop at Plumas Eureka State Park-attached is a photo. (That's John and myself there on the rock!) We saw lots of adorable deer by the road and in the woods. Also, we took a nice drive and was fortunate to see a train go through the tunnel and Keddie Pass! Cool!

We also had some really good breakfast at The Courthouse Café. Excellent food there and we will go there again next time. Also went to the museum there behind the courthouse. Very interesting!

We drove through Portola and made a stop at The Western Pacific Railroad Museum. Really enjoyed it and the gentleman there had great knowledge of the trains and their history. I suggest this for everyone to see this place!

Thank you for the super leaf-peeper kits! Thank you also for putting our photo on your website! That was so kind of you, and we give you, and Plumas County an A+!!! We will return again to your awesome county!

Happy Fall!
God Bless!

Lauren & John Woodward
Naples, Florida

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November 5, 2007

No, we’re never going to be the cultural capital of the world but we do have lots going on for a rural mountainous community.  How about the Summer of Love Celebration and Dance next Saturday!

How many communities are celebrating the 40^th anniversary of the sixties generation that was born in 1967 in San Francisco?  Plumas Arts is sponsoring the Summer of Love Celebration & Dance on Saturday, November 10 at the Quincy Vet’s Hall with local DJ Farmer Dave,  who has been collecting music and reading up on history to shape the program.  Lance Barker is producing a multimedia visual extravaganza and Phil Gallagher, a local artist, is designing a spatial transformation that will change the Quincy Vets Hall into what he is calling “Fillmore North.”  Local poets will present the works by sixties era literary greats like Allen Ginsberg and Gary Snyder.  Either dig out the old duds you wore, your parents wore, or come up with your own period garb.  You can also send a digital photo of yourself from the sixties - sample to the left of a Plumas County professional - that will be used in some capacity during the event.  It sounds like great fun no matter what your age. 

Contact Plumas Arts  (530-283-3402) for more information.  By the way, Roxanne Valladao,  the Executive Director of the Plumas Arts just won the Plumas Corporation Economic Development Award for 2007.