Fredonyer Butte Trail Project Eagle Lake Ranger District, Lassen County, April 2020

Introduction

The Eagle Lake Ranger District (ELRD), Lassen National Forest (LNF) proposes to develop approximately 24.5 miles of multi-use, non-motorized loop trails and two trailheads around Fredonyer Butte, approximately 10 miles west of Susanville, CA. The Proposed Action involves development of non-motorized trails to be used for hiker/pedestrian, bicycle, and horse trails, near Fredonyer Butte and includes construction of three separate but connected trails (Downhill Flow, Fredonyer Crest/Peak, Goumaz Campground) and a short spur trail (Little Fredonyer Butte Spur). The Downhill Flow Trail would be approximately 7.5 miles long and travel in a northeasterly direction generally following SR 36. The Fredonyer Crest/Peak Trail would also run in a northeasterly direction, would have a short bypass trail, and would be approximately 9.7 miles in length. Together, these two trails would provide a loop around Little Fredonyer and Fredonyer Butte. These trails would connect with the existing Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail (NRT) and the Southside Trail at the Devil's Corral Trailhead. The Goumaz Campground Trail would travel north from SR 36 to the Bizz Johnson NRT at Goumaz Campground and would be approximately 5.4 miles in length. The trail would use approximately 1.2 miles of an existing road on its northern end and would use an existing bridge to cross . The Little Fredonyer Butte Spur would be approximately 0.5 mile and would travel north from the Fredonyer Peak/Crest Trail to the summit of Little Fredonyer. A new trailhead is proposed at Fredonyer Crest, north of State Route 36 near the snowmobile groomer shed. The conceptual plan for this trailhead includes a parking area, informational kiosk, and one vault toilet. Additional parking space and a kiosk is planned near Goumaz Campground to accommodate day use activities on the trails. This trail system will access scenic vistas and provide interpretive opportunities for users to discover the natural and cultural resources in the area.

Purpose and Need for the Proposed Action

The Fredonyer Trail system has been a community-led project since its inception in 2013. Community members wish to develop a system of multi-use, non-motorized loop trails around Fredonyer Butte within the Hog Management area that will connect with the existing Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail (Bizz NRT) and the Southside Trail. The entire trail system is in the Lassen National Forest. This system will expand trail-related recreation opportunities near Lassen County's two major population centers and respond to public demand for more diverse trail experiences in the northeastern California region. The proposed system is consistent with the 2011 Lassen County Bikeway Master Plan to provide safe and efficient bikeways in Lassen County and to implement a proposed trail system (Lassen County 2012). It is also compatible with the County's aspiration vision in the 2012 Lassen County Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) to become "one of the nation's top destinations for community living and outdoor recreation". The CEDS acknowledged that bike trails and the outdoors are Lassen County's strongest assets and best magnets for attracting visitors. Outdoor recreation is also an economic driver supporting many local businesses. CEDS specific goal is to "Become one of the Top 15 Mountain Biking Destinations in the United States" (Lassen County 2012). This project will help the County achieve that goal.

The Proposed Action is designed to implement the U.S. Forest Service Trail Design Parameters and meet the applicable standards and guidelines for hiker/pedestrian trail design. The Proposed Action would eliminate existing unofficial trail routes in the project vicinity and design three trails to meet the standards aimed at ensuring pedestrian safety, minimizing trail degradation, and preventing environmental impacts from erosion, sedimentation, and other trail-related issues.

Proposed Action

Objectives

•Gain 23.3 miles of new designated hiking trail in the Eagle Lake Ranger District (ELRD) of Lassen National Forest (LNF).

•Provide the public with parking, a restroom, and basic trail amenities.

•Develop and maintain trails of quality trail design to preserve hiker safety and enjoyment while minimizing adverse environmental impacts.

The Proposed Action involves development of approximately 24.5 miles of multi-use, non-motorized loop trails and two trailheads around Fredonyer Butte. The Proposed Action consists of three separate but connected trails. The proposed Downhill Flow Trail would be approximately 7.5 miles long and travel in northeasterly direction generally following State Route 36 (SR 36). The Fredonyer Crest/Peak Trail also would run in a northeasterly direction and be approximately 9.7 miles in length. Finally, the Goumaz Campground Trail would be 5.4 miles in length and extend north. The Downhill Flow and Fredonyer Crest/Peak trails would connect with the existing Bizz Johnson National Recreation Trail (the Bizz) and the Southside Trail at the Devil’s Corral Trailhead. The Goumaz Campground Trail travels north from SR 36. The trail would use approximately 1.2 miles of an existing road on its northern end and would use an existing bridge to cross the Susan River. The Little Fredonyer Butte Spur would be approximately 0.5 mile and would travel north from the Fredonyer Peak/Crest Trail to the summit of Little Fredonyer. The Goumaz Campground Trail ties in with the Bizz NRT at Goumaz Campground where there are facilities to accommodate visitor parking, camping and picnicking.

A new trailhead is proposed at Fredonyer Crest, north of State Route 36 near the snowmobile groomer shed. The conceptual plan for this trailhead includes a parking area, informational kiosk, and one vault toilet. Additional parking space and a kiosk is planned near Goumaz Campground to accommodate day use activities on the trails. Trailhead Parking would utilize existing areas located adjacent to , Goumaz Campground and the BLM Devils Corral Trailhead. This trail system would access scenic vistas and provide interpretive opportunities for users to discover the natural and cultural resources in the area.

The trails designed use would be for all non-motorized uses, including hiking, biking, and horse riding. Trail design specifications would reflect USFS Trail Class Three development incorporating sustainable trail guidelines for trail construction (see Table 2-1 below). The width of trail construction would vary initially depending on how construction is performed. Initial trail construction would be approximately 24 inches to 36 inches wide if built by hand crews and 30 inches to 60 inches wide if built by small trail tractors or mini-excavators used for trail construction. Regardless of construction methodology, final standard width of the trail will be 24 inches, with the trail widening slightly on the side slopes and other areas as necessary to promote safety and resource protection.

Location

The Fredonyer Butte Trail project area is in a montane region at the confluence of the , the , the Modoc Plateau, and the Cascades Mountain Range, just above the Valley to the east. Elevation averages between approximately 5,500 and 6,000 feet above mean sea level. The Susan River crosses the northernmost end of the Proposed Action area, West Fork Willard Creek runs 0.5 mile south of the southernmost end of the area, and Fredonyer Pass is adjacent to the south. Eagle Lake is 12 miles to the north and is 14 miles to the southeast. Overall, the area surrounding the project area is uninhabited mountain and forest lands with patches of land that have been harvested for timber.

The Proposed Action is in the southeastern portion of the LNF Land Resource Management Plan Management Area No. 25 (Hog MA) with the proposed trailhead and parking area approximately eight miles east of the community of Westwood on SR 36. The Hog MA consist of approximately 19,680 acres and except for the southern and western slopes of Pegleg Mountain, the area is part of the Susan River watershed. The area is nearly flat in the north, while slopes in the south are moderate to steep (USFS 1992).

The site is located in portions of Sections 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10-17, 21, 22 Township 29 North, Range 10 East, and Section 33 Township 30 North, Range 10 East, Mount Diablo Base and Meridian within the “Fredonyer”, “Roop Mountain”, and “Pegleg Mountain” 7.5-minute topographic quadrangles (U.S. Geological Survey [USGS] 1995a, b and c, respectively).

Proposed Construction

Trail specifications would reflect USFS Trail Class 3 development, incorporating sustainable trail guidelines for trail construction. Initial trail construction would be approximately 24 inches to 36 inches wide if built by hand crews and 30 inches to 60 inches wide if built by small trail tractors or mini- excavators. Final standard width of the trail tread would be 24 inches, with the trail widening slightly on the side slopes and other areas as necessary to promote safety and resource protection. All trails would fall within the identified and cleared trail corridor, which would be approximately 72 inches wide and 96 inches high. Equipment used for trail construction would vary but may include the following: 36 inches wide mini-excavator, 60 inches wide mini-excavator, 24 inches wide motorized wheelbarrow, chain saws, and a variety of hand tools such as Pulaskis, picks, McLeods, shovels, loppers and rakes. The native surface and material would be utilized with no foreign materials being incorporated into the trail. Gravel and rock would be acquired on site. Target grades would not exceed 10 percent with maximum short pitches of 15 percent. When necessary, vegetation would be cleared from the trail corridor. Turning radius for switchbacks would fall between four and eight feet. No bridges or culverts would be constructed. Seasonal drainages would be hardened with native rock. Signs would be installed at trailheads, junctions, boundaries, and points of interest. Trail surface would be primarily maintained by regular passage of trail users. Future trail maintenance would be completed and coordinated by Lassen County and Lassen National Forest. Trailhead parking would utilize existing areas located adjacent to Fredonyer Pass, Goumaz Campground, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Devils Corral Trailhead (USFS 2008).

Decision to be Made

The Eagle Lake District Ranger on the Lassen National Forest is the deciding official for this proposed action. Considering the purpose and need, the deciding official would review the proposed action and alternatives developed in response to issues raised by the public

The responsible official would decide whether or not to construct the new trails and associated actions in the Fredonyer Butte area, as described in the proposed action, or in another manner that would meet the identified purpose of and need for this decision.

These management activities were developed to implement and be consistent with the Forest’s 1993 Land and Resource Management Plan (LRMP), as amended by the Sierra Nevada Forest Plan Amendment (SNFPA) FEIS, FSEIS and Records of Decision (2004). The proposed action has been determined to be in conformance with this plan as required by regulations (36 CFR 222.1 et. seq.).

When

The Forest Service expects to conclude its review and analysis and issue a decision on this proposal by September 2020.