Tuolumne City Memorial Museum

West Side Lumber Company

Field Trip and Fun Hike

You are invited to walk the West Side “Rails to Trails”

Sunday, April 20^th, 2008 @ 9:15 AM to Approximately 12:45

[ April 10, 2008]

For further information, contact Field Trip Coordinator at:

>> TuolumneMuseum@FrontierNet.net<<

The Tuolumne City Memorial Museum, Historical Research Committee, is offering another walking field trip and picnic for 2008. We will walk the initial five-mile stretch of the West Side Lumber Company’s (WSLC) mainline grade between Old Town Summersville and the North Fork of the Tuolumne River. This field trip is open to museum members and non-members and there is no charge.

Often referred to as “the flume”, the grade was blasted into the steep and rocky canyon to build a railroad right-of-way. The WSLC built the narrow-gauge railroad to bring timber to its mill site. Chinese workers began its construction in 1901, with local Me-Wuk finishing the job.

This five-mile historic railroad right-of-way begins at the Mira Monte trailhead on Buchanan Mine Road, near Sunrise Drive. We will walk through Friedenburg, Dry Tank, Big Rock Cut, Little Rock Cut, Provo, and Mustang. This all leads down to the north fork of the Tuolumne River. The trip is guided by TCMM Docent and WSLC Historian, Art Kauppi.

You will see rails, ties, and other construction features, such as stacked retaining walls. The trail affords spectacular views and a stunning display of wild flowers in the springtime. This walk will take about three hours. Bring water, a hat, camera, comfortable waterproof footwear and your favorite walking stick and maybe your GPS handheld. There is little or no shade on this wide and level trail. This is considered a “medium” walk for those who have previously walked five miles at a time. It is a down-grade walk (4%).

At about 8:50 AM, you can park your car at the Mira Monte & Buchanan Mine Road staging area where we will have a hand-out map and a sign-in sheet. [Cell phone coverage is a hit or miss in the canyon. We will have two-way Ham Radio Operators available unforeseen emergency that may develop.]

Art Kauppi will begin his preliminary opening remarks at 9:05. The walk begins promptly at 9:15 AM. At the end of the walk, about 12:45, you will be shuttled by automobile five miles back to your car. From there, you are invited drive back to the Tuolumne Museum Courtyard for a picnic lunch (and restroom facilities). Be sure to bring your own lunch and soft drink. After lunch, we encourage you to visit the museum for further discussion about West Side Lumber Company operations.

RSVP by sending an E-mail with your names to TuolumneMuseum@FrontierNet.net or telephoning the TCMM at toll free (1-877) 838-4882 and leave a message. Your call will be returned. We would like to have your RSVP, so we can have adequate handout material. The Museum will have this event RAIN OR SHINE! It will not be cancelled. Bring appropriate rain gear and waterproof hiking boots.

Click here for list of flume walkers

Click here for directions to flume staging area

: Click here for a low resolution map to Tuolumne

Click here for actual flume trail map

www.TuolumneMuseum.org/flume-trail-map2.jpg

Click here for another flume trail map # 2

This map will be handed out on the trip.

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