Hey guys,
Sorry it's been a very busy past two weeks for me. Unfortunately we have no choice but to cancel MCR19 as originally scheduled. Last week we announced this on Facebook and Instagram but it didn't get posted here. I'll edit the opening post to reflect the change.
In addition to El Dorado, as of Sunday night the following forests have also been closed as per
Regional Order No. 21-04, however, only until Sept 6:
- Tahoe National Forest
- Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
- Plumas National Forest
- Lassen National Forest
- Mendocino National Forest
- Klamath National Forest
- Six Rivers National Forest
- Shasta-Trinity National Forest
- Modoc National Forest
With the uncertainty surrounding the Sept 30 date for El Dorado, we cancelled our Dash Plaque, T-Shirt, and Food ordering so as of now regardless of what happens there will not be a traditional Round Up. If the forest opens, and more than that, if the Rubicon Springs land owners even want us to go in on our original weekend of 9/17 - 9/19 (as they might keep their property closed despite an early forest re-opening), remember there will be A LOT OF SMOKE still in the area. We are some 150 miles as the bird flies away from the fire and it looks like Tatooine here. Personally I do not think the trail will be reopening until sometime mid to late October.
I am thinking of starting a poll to see what most people would like to do but we know for many this is their only vacation time that they schedule many months in advance so most can't just randomly change the date for when to hang out on the trail.
Obviously we'll make available the option for A) Full refund, B) Move registration to next year, or C) Donate some or all your registration $$ 50/50 to RTF and El Dorado Nat. Forest.
Other things I've thought of are doing an unofficial, very loosely organized meet up at say Moab or The Hammers or even Rubicon sometime later this fall or winter, just so we can get those interested to at least have an opportunity to hang out on the trail with good friends.
Man... We've done 18 events and now two years in a row we're having to cancel. The BIGGEST thing I'm unhappy with is that we had a record number of on-time registrations which meant a HUGE opportunity to raise a record amount of donation for RTF and El Dorado. Huge opportunity lost. These chances don't come often!!
BigMike
EDIT: This is where we're currently getting updates to the situation:
https://www.facebook.com/CALFIREAEU/ and
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7801