Background:    Over the past several years gill nets have been set in this lake over the winter to remove hybrid fish that are a threat to the CGT found downstream in the Golden Trout Creek watershed. . 

Activity:   We will assist CDFG personnel in removing the nets and will backpack them out to the roadhead at Horseshoe Meadow. Camp at Horseshoe Meadow Friday night in order to acclimate to the altitude, hike in Sat. morning over Cottonwood Pass ( 11,200 ft. elev.), remove and load the nets, and hike out at the end of the day, approximately 5 mile hike each way.  Trip may be delayed due to this year’s heavy snow pack.     

What to bring:   Bring a large, empty pack to use to carry out the nets, sturdy & warm hiking boots and clothing for hiking in snow. Bring all your own camping gear (car camping), warm clothing, and food.

Volunteers:   6

Activity:    Help maintain the fence at the wildlife area and the USFS Olivas pasture to keep the cattle out and protect the habitat along the South Fork of the Kern River and Monache Creek.  Pot luck and barbecue Saturday night with meat and homemade ice cream provided by CDFG.   We will meet at Blackrock, 4x4 carpool in Friday night, possibly another group can drive in on Saturday morning.  Plan on a full work day and potluck dinner on Saturday, 1/2 day of work Sunday.

What to bring:    Volunteers need to bring their own food, including a contribution for the potluck, and your own camping equipment.  Be prepared for very cold nights and warm days.  Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and eye protection (sunglasses).  Bring work gloves, pliers, and a VHF radio, if you have them.  All other tools will be furnished. The road into Monache requires 4 wheel drive – we will coordinate car pooling so that everyone does not need their own vehicle. Early morning and afternoon fishing for golden and brown trout in the South Fork of the Kern.

Volunteers:    20 - 30

Background:    There is a Forest Service Administrative Pasture in Casa Vieja intended for temporary pack-stock use, but the fence excludes cattle from the stream banks at the same time.  The fence has not been put up for several years.  We will assist the USFS and CDFG by putting up the fence prior to the cattle arriving on the allotment.

Activity:    Camp Friday night at the Blackrock Saddle Trailhead.  Saturday, hike two miles to the worksite.  The work will focus on putting up the “take down” fence.  You will need to carry in some fence pliers, gloves, lunch, water, appropriate clothing, and possibly a shovel, if we find that major repairs are needed (a survey will be done after the snow melts, and other necessary materials will be packed in by mule, if necessary).  Continue the fence work Sunday, as needed.  

What to bring:    Bring your own camping gear, food, water and work clothes.  Camping will be at the Blackrock trailhead.  There will be a community potluck on Saturday evening at Blackrock trailhead, and meat will be provided.

Volunteers:    Up to 15

Background:    The Forest Service completed work on a large headcut in Olivas Pasture in the 1990s, preventing it from moving further into the meadow.  The repair currently requires maintenance to prevent the structure from failing.

Activity:    We will assist the Forest Service Watershed Crew in repairing the headcut structure.  Labor includes collecting rocks and small boulders and placing them into the previously repaired headcut. There will be shovel and pick work, digging and moving soil, placing filter-cloth to encourage vegetative growth.  There may be lots of hauling rocks to the site, so make sure your back is feeling strong! 

What to bring:    We will meet at Blackrock Ranger Station, 4x4 carpool in Friday night, and car camp in the DFG Monache Wildlife area.  Bring your work clothes, leather gloves, camping gear and food for the weekend.  There will be a community potluck on Saturday evening, and meat will be provided.

Background:    This will be a continuation of data collection for the modified, “extensive” SCI streambank monitoring that the Forest Service implemented in 1998 within the streams of the Golden Trout Wilderness.  The surveys are being conducted on a schedule which ensures that all streams will be monitored within a five-year cycle.  This will be the second time that the data will be collected for the Little Whitney, Groundhog and Salt Lick Meadows areas.

Activity:    We will assist the Forest Service Stream Survey crew with data collection, such as holding measuring tape and taking precise, neat notes and documenting photos.  This will be a six-day back-pack trip.  We will leave from the Horseshoe Meadow Trailhead on Monday morning and try to backpack the 12 miles into Salt Lick Meadow (or somewhere close).  Data will be collected on Tuesday through Friday in several streams as we make a loop from Salt Lick to Tunnel Meadow.  Saturday we will hike out back to the Horseshoe Trailhead.  The work days will be long, lasting approximately eight to ten hours, but if work goes fast, there will be time for breaks and fishing.  Lisa promises that you will not have to work as much as her crew!  Volunteers will need to pack in all their own gear, and possibly one item of equipment for the survey. 

What to bring:    Volunteers will need to bring all their own camping/backpacking gear, including food and water for six days of travel and work.  Be prepared for heat, cold, bugs, rain and anything else that can’t be predicted!

Background:    This will be a continuation of data collection for the modified, “extensive” SCI streambank monitoring that the Forest Service implemented in 1998 within the streams of the Golden Trout Wilderness.  The surveys are being conducted on a schedule which ensures that all streams will be monitored within a five-year cycle.  This will be the second time that the data will be collected for the Redrock and Casa Vieja Meadows.

Activity:    We will join up with the Forest Service stream survey crew at the Blackrock Saddle Trailhead on Monday morning, and backpack to Casa Vieja Meadows.  We will assist the stream crew with collecting data by holding measuring tapes, taking precise, neat notes and documenting photo-points.  Data collection will start in the afternoon and continue until Tuesday.  We will backpack to Redrock Meadow on Tuesday afternoon, and collect data on Wednesday.  If there is time we will collect some base data at Cold Meadows.  Friday we will hike out to the Blackrock trailhead. 

What to bring:    Volunteers will need to bring all their own camping/backpacking gear, including food and water for five days of travel and work.  Be prepared for heat, cold, bugs, rain and anything else that can’t be predicted!

Volunteers:    Two volunteers will be needed, and the trip is weather dependent (trip will be cancelled if there is severe weather predicted, of in the case of wildfire).

Background:    Templeton Barrier is critical as it separates pure golden trout upstream of the barrier from non-native fish downstream on the South Fork of the Kern River. 

Activity:    This work party will monitor trout by electrofishing in the area of the Templeton Barrier to ensure that fish are not moving upstream over the barrier. Nearby Strawberry Creek will also be electrofished to remove non-native trout to reduce the potential of these fish moving around the barrier when conditions are favorable.  Volunteers will assist  CDFG personnel with carrying gear, electrofishing and data collection, and will help with camp preparations, etc.  We will meet Fri. afternoon at Blackrock Saddle Trailhead and camp overnight.  Saturday morning we will send our gear with the packer, and drive via the jeep road into Monache Meadows, then hike in about 7.2 miles to the camp site at Strawberry Meadow.  All food will be coordinated and purchased for the group – there will be $50 per person charge to cover food costs.

What to bring:    All of your own backpacking, camping and fishing gear.  Food for camping at the trailhead and the first day’s hike in.

Background:   The CDFG has established a number of trout population monitoring locations which are sampled by electrofishing on a regular basis, usually every 5 years.  Trends in the age, growth and size composition of the fishery can then be evaluated over time in relationship to changes in the habitat.

Activity:   Volunteers will assist CDFG with trout population estimates in Templeton and Ramshaw Meadows, by helping to transport and set up equipment, net and transport the fish, record data, and assist with camp chores.  We will meet Sunday afternoon at Horseshoe Meadow (west of Lone Pine) and camp at the trailhead.  Monday morning we will hike in 10.2 miles via Trail Pass – an all day hike, and camp at Lewis Stringer.  All food will be coordinated and purchased for the group – there will be $50 per person charge to cover food costs.

What to bring:   All of your own backpacking, camping and fishing gear.  Food for camping at the trailhead and the first day’s hike in.

Activity:   Help take down the fence at the wildlife area and Olivas Meadow for the winter.  Volunteers will assist with electrofishing the south fork Kern in the area of the Schaeffer Barrier. Pot luck and barbecue Saturday night with meat provided by CDFG.  The road into Monache requires 4 wheel drive – we will coordinate car pooling so that everyone does not need their own vehicle.  Early morning and afternoon fishing for golden and brown trout in the South Fork of the Kern.  Work full day Sat, potluck dinner on Saturday night, drive out (fish) on Sunday.

What to bring:   Volunteers need to bring their own food, including a contribution for the potluck, and your own camping equipment. Be prepared for very cold.  Bring work gloves and pliers, all other tools will be furnished.