Contributed by Bonnie Steele, Cal4Wheel Office Manager

“A Walking Encyclopedia” and “Historian Supreme” of institutional OHV knowledge is how one of many letters of recommendation for Jim Bramham refers to this Class of 2018 inductee.

Jim was inducted in the Pioneer - Advocate category, in recognition of his more than thirty years of off-road advocacy work, from his early years as a volunteer to the presidency of the California Four Wheel Drive Association (Cal 4 Wheel), and many roles in between.

During his decades long relationship with Cal 4 Wheel, that continues to this day, Jim has served the Association as event chair, board of directors’ member, and natural resource consultant. Throughout his long history of event leadership and participation, he has helped the organization earn hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund legislative and land-use outreach at every level. His presidency pushed the organization to the forefront of both state and national recognition and respect.

Jim’s vision for Cal 4 Wheel included a permanent facility that could be used for an office, meeting space, event equipment storage, and association gatherings. To that end, Jim located and negotiated for the building and property that houses the organization and offers meeting space for like-minded groups and functions.

Good to see that OPEN sign and the Forest Order pulled!! Good job Sierra National Forest (SNF) and all Volunteers who made this happen!! For those who may not know.. This is a map that will show you the North Entrance to Dusy-Ershim at Kaiser Pass via White Bark Vista trail 7S32: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fs.usda.gov%2FInternet%2FFSE_DOCUMENTS%2Ffseprd510023.pdf. Here is the map that will show you the South Entrance at Voyager Campground: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fs.usda.gov%2FInternet%2FFSE_DOCUMENTS%2Ffseprd510024.pdf

Working with local 4x4 clubs, the Clean Trail Program helps to protect our favorite trails

ExtremeTerrain’s Clean Trail Initiative Program is ramping up and is looking to improve the trails near you. The Clean Trail Program was founded by ExtremeTerrain in 2015 and setup to fund trail improvement projects that can include anything from trail clean-up, trail restoration, trail expansion, and more. ExtremeTerrain has worked with numerous Wrangler and 4x4 clubs/groups as well as many privately and publicly owned off-road trails to enact changes for the betterment of trail conditions for the communities being served.

The Hi-Landers 4WD Club wrote to say thanks for a grant from the C4WDA Conservation and Education Foundation. The funds were used to purchase meals at two chainsaw classes that they conducted in April.

For more information about the foundation, see this link

The Eastern Sierra Four Wheel Drive Club has been awarded a grant from Tread Lightly! to participate in the Quadratec Cares Stewardship Program. The program is designed to promote land conservation and responsible outdoor recreation.

The grant will be utilized to reinforce Tread Lightly!’s message to only “RIDE ON DESIGNATED ROUTES”. Tread Lightly decals with this message will be used with carsonite posts and kiosks at important locations within the Inyo National Forest and the Bishop Bureau of Land Management areas. Support from both these agencies was crucial in obtaining this grant. Forest Supervisor, Ed Armenta, said ”I believe that all our combined efforts will help protect resources and provide a quality experience for users of the motorized trail system in this area”. BLM Field Manager, Steve Nelson, stated this “would complement our ongoing efforts to promote responsible riding”. Volunteers from the Four Wheel Drive Club will provide the manpower to get the signs installed.

The 2016 Sierra Trek: Come for the trail, stay for the party!

Back in 1964, a small group of Jeepers got the idea of creating a fundraising event for the newly formed California Association of 4WD Clubs (CA4WDC). It would need to be a first-rate event similar to the then-famous Jeepers Jamboree on the Rubicon. Sacramento Jeepers member Ed Dunkley, an encyclopedia of knowledge on Sierra Nevada history and old mining routes, gathered a few folks and began searching for a suitable trail. The chosen route was a long-abandoned wagon road from Cisco Grove, California (near Truckee), to the shores of Meadow Lake and the 1860’s mining camp of Summit City. It had been decades since the “road” had been used, and Mother Nature had played her hand at reclaiming the land.