Trails West has two main activities during the year.  One is the Annual Banquet and General Membership Meeting.  The other is our two or three trail marking and marker maintenance outings.  These are both described below. In addition to these main activities, Trails West volunteers also occasionally engage in other activities such as: Driving the various segments of the trail to inspect markers already installed. Fabrication of new markers.   This requires finding railroad rail, cutting it, welding the cut pieces together to form a marker having a stem, a top bar [where the inscription plate is mounted] and a bottom bar to help hold the marker in place, and applying on a base coat of paint. Engraving of inscription plates. Experimentation with new methods of attaching inscription plates to the rail markers. Researching the many emigrant diaries and journals to locate material relevant to the various locations that we have installed, or envision installing, markers. Writing Guides to the various segments of the trail.   These Guides are designed to allow the modern traveler to drive the historic California Trail from its beginning to its various ends in the gold country of California.   In addition, these Guides give the traveler information about the country he or she is traveling through.

BOARD MEETINGS BOARD MEETING IN MARCH, 2009 The next Board Meeting will be held on March 28, 2009 at the Holiday Inn, McCarran and I-80, Sparks, NV, prior to the annual meeting and banquet.  For further information, contact any Board Member.

ANNUAL BANQUET AND GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

We hold our banquets in Reno since many Trails West members enjoy the opportunity to personally experiment with the laws of probability in addition to attending the banquet.

THE 2009 BANQUET AND GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING The 2009 Annual Banquet and General meeting will be held on March 28, 2009, in the ballroom of the Holiday Inn, McCarran and I-80, Sparks, NV.  Happy hour will begin at 5:00 p.m. with dinner at 6:00 p.m.  The speaker will be Jeff Kintop who will talk about the "Mormon Station Location Controversy."  Dinner is $25,00, including tax and tip.  A Block of rooms has been reserved at $71.00 plus 13.5% tasd.

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SUMMER SEASON FIELD TRIPS

JUNE 5, 6, & 7, 2009, JUNE 19 & 20, 2009 and SEPTEMBER 11, 12, & 13, 2009 ********** JUNE 5, 6, & 7, 2009 BLM CULTURAL SURVEY & APPLEGATE TRAIL LEADER:  Don Buck Our now-annual BLM Cultural Survey will be conducted at Double Hot Springs (the same place the Survey was conducted in 2008). While details have not yet been finalized, plan on rendezvousing Friday afternoon (June 5) in Gerlach (outside Bruno's restaurant in the parking area) and then caravanning across the playa to Double Hot Springs where we'll camp.  There are lots of camping sites on the flat area below the hot springs.  We'll have portable latrines.  There is even a hot tub for your enjoyment.  You'll need a 4WD vehicle to cross the playa and drive through the sand dune area. Plan on two nights of dry camping which means providing your own food and water.  We'll camp Friday evening at Double Hot Springs, survey all day Saturday, have a potluck dinner Saturday evening, and finish the surveying by mid-day Sunday. For the potluck Saturday evening, please bring enough of any of the following items for 6-8 people: main dish, salads of all types, hot or cold veggies, munchies, deserts, drinks, etc. Surveying the Double Hot Springs area will be a very worthy project, one where we can enjoy the camp out, camaraderie, spectacular scenery, and learn more about the hot springs and emigrant trail that ran by them. Please let Don Buck know as soon as possible if you think you'll be able to attend this Double Hot Springs survey. Based on your responses, Don will make up a list of volunteer participants for later announcements and updates. Following the Survey, we will replate Markers A-2 through A-16A on the Applegate Trail. ********** JUNE 19 & 20, 2009 APPLEGATE TRAIL LEADER:  Don Buck We will finish replating the markers on the Applegate Trail by changing the plates on Markers A-23A through A-33.  If time permits, we will also clear some of the brush that make it difficult to hike the trail between A-29 and A-30. ********** SEPTEMBER 11, 12, & 13, 2009 APPLEGATE TRAIL LEADER:  Bob Black When the section of trail between Goose Lake and Southern Oregon was marked, a fairly long piece of the trail was bypassed.  On this planned September outing, we will install 8 new markers along this previously bypassed section of trail. Since the area we will be working in is rather remote and a fairly long distance from anyplace, plan on camping out for three nights.  Four-wheel drive is definitely required for this outing. Following installation of the 8 new markers, Bob will lead a tour of some of the Applegate Trail you may not have seen before.

THINGS TO REMEMBER Since we often travel on rough roads during our field trips, it is advisable to have a vehicle with high clearance and a CB radio.  Safety and sharing vital information while driving the back country make the CB radio necessary.  Some type of camping equipment will be required for many of our field trips.  Water should also be carried as we often dry camp. Prior to each outing, we send every Trails West member a printed trip announcement that includes information on where and when to meet for the trip and what supplies to bring.

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