Northern Buttes District Hosts Hike at Sutter Buttes State Park
Story from: Chaye VanKeuren, Northern Buttes District
 Snow Goose Festival participants at the base of House Hill at Sutter Buttes State Park. Photo from Chaye VanKeuren, Northern Buttes District.
The Northern Buttes District participated in the Altacal Audubon Society's annual Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway on Saturday, January 28, in Chico, California. District staff led two excursions to the secluded Sutter Buttes State Park, which is only accessible to the public via guided entry. Both trips sold out quickly, with 24 festival attendees accompanied by State Parks Peace Officer Bryan Taylor, Forestry Aide Chad Mackie, Environmental Services Intern Rosie Blackburn and me. Hikers enjoyed beautiful weather while experiencing the rich assortment of cultural, geological and natural features of the Sutter Buttes.
Many Californian Tribes have stories about the Sutter Buttes, as it can be seen miles away rising from the middle of the Central Valley. Along the hike routes, bedrock mortars and hunting blinds prompted discussions about the significance of the Sutter Buttes in nearby Patwin, Nisenan and Konkow cultures. Remnants of the Pugh family homestead helped hikers imagine life in the late 1800s as a settler in the Buttes. The restored sheepherder barns are reminiscent of the century-old grazing history of the land.
The highest destination of one hike is a volcanically formed butte referred to as House Hill. At the top, hikers enjoyed panoramic views of the valley, seeing as far as Mount Lassen, Mount Shasta and the Trinity Alps. The other hike took the participants on a winding loop around Peace Valley, with plenty of birding opportunities and lookouts of the isolated viewshed. Every bird in eyesight and earshot were noted and identified, including a phainopepla, hermit thrush and multiple bald eagles.
Back at the festival headquarters, district interpretive staff set up an information booth with brochures, trail maps and educational bird activities. Interpretive Park Aides Lisa Sannar and Quinn Neves spent Saturday afternoon answering questions about State Parks and helping kids craft bird bookmarks.
 Photos 1 and 2: Hikers enjoying the 3-mile loop around Peace Valley at Sutter Buttes State Park (SP). Photo from Chaye VanKeuren, Northern Buttes District. Photo 3: Interpretive Park Aide Lisa Sannar at the State Parks booth at the Altacal Audubon Society's annual Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway. Photo from Quinn Neves, Northern Buttes District. Photo 4: Hikers taking in the view from the top of House Hill at Sutter Buttes SP. Photo from Bryan Taylor, Northern Buttes District.
State Parks Lifeguards Make Multiple Rescues on Same Day at San Mateo Coast
Story from: Cameron Weaver, Santa Cruz District
 Left: Rescue of a swimmer in distress at Poplar Beach. Top right: Lifeguard Rhodes assessing the ocean before entering the water at Half Moon Bay State Beach. Bottom right: Rescue in progress at Half Moon Bay State Beach. Photos from Mike Swift and Darren Ferrera, park visitors.
It was an incredible day of rescues at the San Mateo Coast on Saturday, January 21.
The first one happened at Half Moon Bay State Beach at around 10:40 a.m. Lifeguard I Riley Rhodes was first on the scene after a fisherman had been knocked down in a large shore break and dragged out by a rip current. The fisherman’s waders had filled up with water, and he was actively climbing the ladder. A local surfer grabbed Lifeguard Rhodes’ rescue board and attempted to make access to the victim while she stripped to reds (lifeguard attire) and entered the water with tube and fins. The local surfer was able to momentarily stabilize the victim before Rhodes made contact. Rhodes then brought the victim safely to shore through a large shore break and strong currents.
That same day at Poplar Beach (Half Moon Bay City Beach), Lifeguards Miles Dickey, Riley Rhodes and Max Hunter, along with myself, responded to reports of a lost swimmer just before 6 p.m. Lifeguard Rhodes was first on the scene and immediately suited up. Lifeguards Dickey and Hunter arrived moments later.
Based on reporting party information, they were able to get a glimpse of a swimmer over 300 yards out, well past the breaking waves. Guards Rhodes and Hunter entered the water as the light was fading to affect the rescue. They negotiated large swells over 8 feet, shallow sandbars and deep holes. As they cleared the breaking waves on the sandbar, they lost visual of the victim, and other units on shore lost sight of them.
Units on shore attempted to call the lifeguards in due to hazardous conditions and darkness, not knowing that Guards Rhodes and Hunter, using the victim’s screams for help to guide them, had successfully located the victim in the dark, at a distance they estimated to be 500 yards from shore. Guards Rhodes and Hunter, believing that the Pillar Point Harbor patrol had seen them, attempted to swim the victim to the patrol vessel.
After towing the victim several hundred yards toward the Harbor Patrol Boat, they realized that the Harbor Patrol had not seen them and was moving away from them, and they had to swim the victim in. U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter 6538 arrived overhead and immediately began flying a search pattern, attempting to locate the guards and victim with no success. Guards Rhodes and Hunter towed the exhausted victim into shore, navigating large surf, shallow sandbars and currents, eventually making it ashore near Redondo Beach, almost a mile from where they entered the water.
From the perspective of all the rescuers on the beach, seeing the guards emerge into the light of the rescue group on the beach, along with the victim who appeared to be in good health, it seemed almost unbelievable, as we had been attempting to recall the lifeguards for over 30 minutes, not knowing what they had gone through. Both victims are expected to make a full recovery.
Celebrate Chinese New Year at Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park
Story from: Jack Frost, Northern Buttes District
 The Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park (SHP) is happy to present a traditional lion dance to celebrate Chinese New Year on Saturday, February 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The lion dance celebration has been a part of Weaverville for the past 171 years.
This year is the year of the water rabbit. The rabbit is said to be trustworthy, empathic, modest, diplomatic, sincere, sociable, a good caretaker and sensitive. The water element represents someone who is sympathetic, usually a perfectionist and a great coordinator.
The Chinese zodiac calendar is a repeating cycle of 12 years, originating from astrology due to the 12 full moons in a year. Each year within the cycle is represented by an animal and its reputed attributes. Traditionally, these zodiac animals were used to date the year. Depending on what year you were born, the characteristics of the associated animal are deemed to be a representation of your personality traits and how you are perceived by others.
However, it is not just the associated animal that can determine a person’s characteristics.
There are also five elements within the Chinese zodiac: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. It is believed that these elements not only affect a person’s destiny but also make the universe and its creatures constantly cycle. The five elements are set in a specific order, as one creates or controls the next; for example, wood makes fire burn, fire creates earth, earth bears metal, metal runs water and water makes wood grow.
Each animal sign is attributed one of the five elements, depending on the year that the sign occurs.
The Chinese New Year lion dance celebration at Weaverville Joss House SHP is a free event. For more information about the event, please call the park at (530) 623-5284 or visit Weaverville Joss House State Historic Park | Facebook.
 Top left: Lion dance celebration at Weaverville Joss House SHP in 2021. Right: Cloud Forest Temple at the park. Bottom right: The altar inside the Cloud Forest Temple. Photos from Northern Buttes District.
Cleanup of Illegal Camp at Malibu Creek State Park
Story from: Teddy Vecchione, Angeles District
 Left to right: Environmental Scientist Cody Hoffman, Park Maintenance Aide Angel Rodriguez, Chief Ranger Darrell Readyhoff, Ranger Teodoro Vecchione, Environmental Services Intern Ingrid Izzo, Officer David C Wilson, Environmental Scientist David West, Ranger Daniel Allen, Ranger Andrew Fewsmith, Ranger Gina Romero and Maintenance Worker Bryce Wilde. Not pictured: Malibu Sector Maintenance Chief Rick Matsuo, Environmental Services Intern Carlos Calderon, Maintenance Aide Augustin Galvan and Supervising Ranger Christy Araujo. Photo from Christy Araujo, Angeles District.
Members of the Angeles District Resources Team along with maintenance workers and peace officers cleaned up a large illegal encampment on the banks of Malibu Creek in Malibu Creek State Park on Tuesday, January 31. The camp had been negatively impacting the creek and environment for some time, and now with debris, trash and other items removed, this area can heal and return to the way it was.
Prior to the cleanup project, the unhoused individual who lived in the park was contacted and offered services in Santa Monica, California.
Resources, maintenance and public safety divisions all worked together to get this job done, and it was a long time coming. This was a particularly important project as the creek spills into the ecologically sensitive Malibu Lagoon, home to many different species of animals that rely on it being clean.
Items removed included 17 shopping carts from various grocery stores, two futons, two couches, a mattress, an outdoor space heater, two televisions, a giant toy gorilla, various small items, all piled into 40 to 50 garbage bags. The haul was large, but the good spirit was larger.
Special thanks to Sector Chief Rick Matsuo and Chief Ranger Darrell Readyhoff for making this project happen.
 Left (left to right): Officers Daniel Allen and Gina Romero, Maintenance Aide Angel Rodriguez. Top right: Prior to the cleanup. Bottom right: After the cleanup. Photos from Teddy Vecchione, Angeles District.
Border Field State Park Launches Season Two of ‘Divided Together’ Podcast
Story from: Anne Marie Tipton, San Diego Coast District
California State Parks and Parks California have launched the second season of Border Field State Park’s podcast series, “Divided Together.” The two episodes of the second season are now available and include topics like the history of the western U.S./Mexico border and the natural benefits of the Tijuana Estuary. The podcast reveals topics that involve separation and unification related to the border, featuring guests with direct experience and knowledge.
The first episode of the second season is about the history of marking the border and early border control. Episode two covers the natural benefits or ecosystem services of the Tijuana Estuary for a teaching farm on the U.S. side and an upcycling craftsperson on the Mexico side of the border. The podcast was created to help visitors explore the park, which is on ancestral land of the First People, the Kumeyaay, and learn about its origins. Each episode showcases the park through a unique perspective that ties the land to its people. The series can be found on the Reserve’s website (trnerr.org), Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, Stitcher, Podchaser, Pandora, iHeartRadio and TuneIn.
Specific topics of focus in season one included scientists and geographers collaborating across the border to help preserve and study the land, the various land use practices the Kumeyaay have used throughout time and how altering them has created an alarming impact, and human rights along the border.
Adam Greenfield, independent podcast educator and producer, is the engineer and coproducer of this podcast and I am the host, coproducer and Tijuana River Reserve Education Coordinator.
The podcast series was inspired by creating digital content for the park’s 50th anniversary on Aug. 18, 2021. We are thrilled about having 1,743 total downloads of the podcast and 119 downloads of season 2 episodes since January 18. Several middle and high school teachers have used the podcast for homework before their classes have come to the reserve for school programs.
“Divided Together” is a California State Parks podcast series for Border Field State Park brought to you by Parks California and the generosity of an anonymous donor.
|
Winter Program Revitalization and Teamwork at Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park
Story from: Elizabeth McMillan, Sierra District
 Administrative Officer I, Lake Sector Park Operations, Elizabeth McMillan stops for a break while grooming to express gratitude for teamwork. Photo from Johnny Herlihy, volunteer.
Many of you may not know that Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park in the Sierra District is the home of the 1960 Winter Olympics biathlon event. Biathlon is winter sport that involves cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Over the last few decades, there have been winter grooming programs that have come and gone for multiple reasons. This year, after the hard work and determination of the Lake Sector staff, the program is finally off the ground.
As park employees know, best-laid plans succeed with teamwork. Without all our program areas working together, this program could not have been possible. With our partner Sierra State Parks Foundation, we were able to get the help needed to purchase a grooming attachment for our trails. Then, working together with the maintenance and heavy equipment mechanics, staff welded, wired and attached the groomer to our snowcat.
However, before we could give it go, we had several feet of new snow with severe winds knocking many trees onto the trail. So, with the help of the forestry management crew and maintenance, we headed out to clear the trees, digging and sawing our way around the trail.
Finally the fun part—grooming. Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park has almost 12 miles of snowshoe and cross-country ski trails, and up to 8 miles of those trails are groomed on the campground side of the park along General Creek and site of the 1960 Winter Olympic biathlon event.
The local community and visitors are thrilled to enjoy this amazing winter wonderland. A heads up that we will be hosting a biathlon event, Sunday, March 5, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Come try your hand at the biathlon with two former Olympians!
Interpretive programs are available throughout the winter. Join us for our popular full moon snowshoe hikes or ski on your own to the 1960 Olympic Biathlon site following the interpretive panels along the route. For more information, visit Cross Country Skiing.
 The Ginzugroomer doing its magic (left), and a skier enjoying the newly groomed trails. Photos from Elizabeth McMillan, Sierra District.
 Left: Heavy Equipment Mechanic Brandon Rettmann hides from camera after welding. Top and bottom right: Park Maintenance Worker I Javier Gallardo (top) and Park Maintenance Assistant Malinda Meyer remove trees on the trail. Photos from Elizabeth McMillan, Sierra District.
  Email photos to the WeeklyDigest@parks.ca.gov.
|
