Snowlands Network
Mission Statement
The mission of Snowlands Network is to protect opportunities for quality human-powered winter recreation and protect winter wildlands.
Castle Valley Trailhead and Outreach Project
Survey Deadline June 19, 2023
Tahoe National Forest is undertaking a project to improve the parking situation at the Castle Valley Trailhead at Donner Summit. The Forest has contracted the South Yuba River Citizens League to carry out the design phase. They are seeking public input from those who visit this area to help define the characteristics of the proposed parking lot. You can help define the nature of this new facility by completing an online survey by June 19, 2023. Click on the link below for a map of the project location and a link to the survey. Click on the CASTLE VALLEY PUBLIC INPUT SURVEY button on that page and answer the survey questions.
You may read more information about this project here.
Fall Newsletter Published
The Fall 2022 issue of the Snowlands Bulletin is now avaiilable. Click here to read it. The issue contains articles about the current status of Forest Service plans to manage motorized winter recreation in the Lake Tahoe basin and six other National Forests in California. You will also find articles about a new way to record and report motor vehicle abuse in the backcountry, upcoming film festivals both virtual and in-person, and a guide to accessing the new backcountry winter huts at Frog Lake.
Click here to become a member of Snowlands Network and help support our work improving opportunities for non-motorized, backcountry, winter recreation.
Stanislaus Snowmobile Management Plan In Effect
A new snowmobile management plan for Stanislaus National Forest is now in effect with the publishing of an Over Snow Vehicle Use Map (OSVUM), released on January 21, 2022. The OSVUM map specifies where snowmobiles are allowed to travel and where they are prohibited. The plan opens 13.2% of the forest to snowmobiles. Much of the forest land designated by the 1991 Forest Plan as near-natural, non-motorized is now closed to motorized recreation. Previously, because of the lack of forest orders to legally close these areas, snowmobiles had been using them in spite of their non-motorized designation.
The OSV Use Map is available as a downloadable copy here and as a paper version at forest offices. See our Stanislaus Winter Travel Management page for more information and links.
Snowlands Now Hosting Backcountry Ski Tours
Snowlands Network is now hosting the online backcountry ski tour guides based on Marcus Libkind's guide book series Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada. Thirty-five tours in the Lassen area have recently been added to the site. There are now more than 280 tours available, and work is continuing on adding more, including tours in the Eastern Sierra. Eventually, more tours in Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks will be added.
As part of this transition, the tour descriptions have been reformatted so that the tours will display better on small-screen devices such as smart phones and tablets. The map pan and zoom features are much improved, along with the quality of the maps.
Click on the link below to access the new tour site.
Pinecrest Ski and Snowshoe Trail Guide
Snowlands Network is proud to make available to the public an up-to-date and accurate guide to the winter trails in the Pinecrest Area along Highway 108. The 14 marked trails begin at two trailheads, the Crabtree and Gooseberry, and connect at Burst Rock Junction. Within these trails there are opportunities for beginner through advanced tours.
We hope that you will enjoy this guide.
Lands Monitoring Program
Snowlands Network provides an easy method for anyone to report trespass, winter related conflicts and environmental damage. The online reporting form is here. Snowlands will see that your report gets to the right agency.
The Colorado Mountain Club has created a smartphone app that will allow you to report backcountry conditions, including motor vehicle abuse and user conflicts. See their website here for details on how to use the Recreation Impact Monitoring System (RIMS) app to record and report backcountry conditions of all types.