Bucks Lake

I am in receipt of an email with photos from David and Cheryl Casagrande who fought their way to 4Trees over the weekend. They ran into snow at Walker Plain and gave up at 4Trees in 24″.

So, if you were planning for the County to have an easy time of finishing the plowing, reality has a different idea. Still, it is supposed to be fair weather for several days, and that can only help.

So, now we focus our attention on the one remaining road. And the news is pretty good. I looked at it yesterday, expecting to find all the equipment at the Cow Camp.

Surprise! The road crew has made it to about a quarter mile past the top of Frenchman Hill. That bodes well for the rest of the road, but remember, they have the rest of 11 miles, and they are likely only working three days next week. So if you are waiting for the first possible second to drive the road, be thinking of something like June 8, 9, or 10. I’ll keep looking and posting.

Yes, and they are. I took a look at the Dam Road this afternoon. It is open and the grader is finishing it before they go home today. Since the big blower is down for a couple of days, they brought over the one from Chester. It is not nearly the machine that the one in Quincy is, but it is helping out.

I talked to a Cat operator at the bottom of the Dam Road, and they have started on the Oro-Quincy Highway this afternoon, with cats and the blower. His guess was two weeks before it is opened.

The Highlands Road is also open now.

For those of you waiting for Wilburn to come up and start plowing the Forest Service and private roads, there is still as much as 8 feet, way more than they will plow. We will be talking frequently about their schedule.

This info is NOT from the Road Department. But it is from Roger Grubbs and Ken Nelson, so…….

The plows made it up the Dam Road to Mile High and then the blower broke again. They made a turn around there until they return on Monday. There is a 5′ wall of snow on Mile High and on the Dam Road.

They also broke open the Highlands Road, but I do not know if it is driveable yet.

The County opened the Big Creek road yesterday. What a job that must have been! Today they are sending a cat over the snow to the top of the Highlands Road, and it will break it open on the way down. Possibly a grader will finish it sometime next week.

They also plan to open the Dam Road today. I have asked for confirmation when that actually happens, and I’ll put it here if I get it.

That’s right. I had a look around the lake today, and there is just a huge amount of snow everywhere.

Also, from the Road Department, today they were hoping to link the two crews working on Big Creek. Countryman’s is done. The blower was down for a few days with burned bearings, but was expected back today.

That leaves the Highlands next, and then the Dam Road.

Do not hold your breath for Memorial Day. Even where the County has plowed, access to the cabins is definitely over the snow.

This info is from Jay Grubbs, who is just off the mountain. The plowing is very difficult, as snow depth varies from 6′ to 10′. The plowing crew is still in the vicinity of Countryman’s. That leaves the Highlands, with 10′ to do yet before they go elsewhere unless they change their plans. I am still waiting for something direct from the Road Department to put out the most accurate information. More when I have it.

If you are a Bucks Lake Homeowners Association member, you have just received a letter from the Association asking you to vote on raising the fire dues.

I’ll confess my bias right here. I have already voted yes. For the record, the fire department has saved lives and cabins, and will do so in the future, if we keep it alive and viable. We would not be in the financial hole we are in if the dues had not been dropped to $65 years ago, but there is nothing to be gained from that mistake, but to learn from it.  As distasteful as it is to think of paying more for anything right now, this is something we need to do. We cannot rely on Meadow Valley, because a heart attack victim will be dead, or a cabin will have burned, by the time they get to the lake, and they are not obligated to respond! Also, remember the Forest Service does not fight structure fires. And, without our own fire department, our fire insurance will become more expensive, and maybe become unobtainable, in the future.

We are on our own for fire and medical emergency response, and we have to fund ourselves adequately to do the job. Please vote; and vote “yes” to keep the fire department adequately funded.

I did not get an official update from Plumas County this week, but I have heard the following from people who are watching the process. They found the going very tough in the Haskins area this week, and they are stopped somewhere around the Highlands road. Where ever they are stopped at, they still have to make the hook up on Big Creek, then do Countryman, then the Highlands, then the Dam road, and finally, out the Back Road to the snow line or county line, whichever comes first.

Patience is required……