Lessons Learned from the NFARA

Lessons Learned with
the NFARA
By Libby Jelinek

            A few weeks ago I went with my dad and some of the members of the North Fork of the American River Alliance to help with a trail clean-up at Gold Run. On this excursion, I realized a few things.

“Trail clean-up” does not mean picking up garbage here and there along a commonly used trail. It means picking up your loppers and chainsaws and hacking up branches or even entire fallen trees and hauling them out of the way.
My definition of a shortcut (an easier, shorter route to get you to your destination in less time and with less effort) is very different from that of experienced outdoorsmen. Their definition: go where there is no trail - those are only boring suggestions anyway, right?
There are many theories about how to prevent poison ivy. Between the overgrown trails and the abundance of poison oak found on the “shortcuts,” I encountered far more than my comfort zone tolerates. The NFARA members shared every trick they knew to prevent reacting to it - baby wipes, rubbing alcohol, tecnu, cold water then hot water, hot water then cold water... so I tried them all and fortunately for me, I stayed itch-free. Needless to say, I’ll be wearing jeans next time to save me the worry.
Bring cookies. It’s amazing how the promise of homemade chocolate chip cookies can keep you moving towards your destination. And there’s nothing like wolfing down six or seven of them to motivate you to get back on the trail and start working them off.
You’d be surprised how much is out there. We saw gorgeous creeks,  enormous tunnels, impressive canals, and even an abandoned stone house 
where the gold miners used to stay (you could still see the box spring, oven, and tattered curtains in the window). It was all about an hour from my house, and I had never been there.

            The main thing I took from this trip was to take advantage of the parks and trails near you. Between storms, under-use, and the added strain of less maintenance due to budget cuts, parks and trails are at risk of becoming unusable or even closing. People like those in the NFARA go out and make sure others can continue to enjoy the trails and breathtaking views. I encourage you to help them. Participating in trail maintenance outings or just hiking for fun is a fun way to get outside, see some amazing scenery, meet interesting people, and help your community.

Updated 9/15/14