ACE crewmembers Colleen Flanagan, Colin Hauke, Lindsey Johnson and Phil Barr-Beare each work on an aspect of trail construction to bring the project together. USFS photo
ACE crewmembers Colleen Flanagan, Colin Hauke, Lindsey Johnson and Phil Barr-Beare each work on an aspect of trail construction to bring the project together. USFS photo

NEVADA CITY, Calif. August 27, 2016 – Crew members from the American Conservation Experience (ACE), the Truckee Trail Foundation (TTF) and the Tahoe National Forest are working diligently to set the foundation for a major work day involving over 200 employees from Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI).

The project will reconstruct sections of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) north of Old Highway 40 past the rock climbing areas and the Summit Lake Trail, beginning at the junction with the PCT and proceeding north. These areas are currently below National Forest Service trail standards due to overuse and detrimental environmental conditions and require intensive maintenance.

It’s dirty work, but Conrad Kempsky, Lindsey Johnson and Halle Lambeau did not shy away from the team work and coordination it takes to move these granite boulder across the landscape to the project site. The granite boulders can weigh up to several hundreds of pounds and cannot reasonably be lifted by hand and moved. USFS photo
It’s dirty work, but Conrad Kempsky, Lindsey Johnson and Halle Lambeau did not shy away from the team work and coordination it takes to move these granite boulder across the landscape to the project site. The granite boulders can weigh up to several hundreds of pounds and cannot reasonably be lifted by hand and moved. USFS photo

While minor delays may impact recreationalists as they hike the trail Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. up to September 9th, major delays are expected on Tuesday, September 13th on these segments. Weekend use of the trails should not be affected but hikers are cautioned to move through the affected areas taking into consideration the current status of the construction.

“Without those local partnerships, and the willingness of REI to assist with trail stewardship, the project could not have happened,” said Lands and Winter Sports Specialist Joe Flannery. Flannery noted that it is a unique project, reliant on multiple partners including the Truckee Trail Foundation, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association in addition to REI.

For more Tahoe National Forest information, go to www.fs.usda.gov/tahoe. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/Tahoe_NF and “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TahoeNF.