Colby Mountain Recreation Project

Colby Mountain Recreation Project

USDA Forest Service

Lassen National Forest

Almanor Ranger District

Butte, Plumas, and Tehama Counties, California

Notice for Opportunity to Comment: Colby Mountain Recreation Project.

The Almanor Ranger District of the Lassen National Forest is initiating scoping for the Colby Mountain Recreation Project. The Colby project is a collaboration between the Lassen National Forest and the Butte County Resource Conservation District.

The objective of the project is to expand recreational opportunities in the Lassen National Forest to multiple user groups by providing long-term, sustainable trails built in a safe and resource sensitive manner. Actions proposed with the project include construction of approximately 36 miles of new non-motorized single-track trails out of Jonesville Snow Park, reconstruction and expansion of the Jonesville Snow Park parking lot, and reconstruction of the Humboldt Summit Trailhead and construction of a new trailhead at the junction of National Forest System roads 27N06 and 27N36, both of which would include a vault-style toilet and picnic tables.

The project area is located on the Almanor Ranger District in Butte, Plumas, and Tehama Counties, California, approximately 17 air-miles southwest of Chester and 33 air-miles northeast of Chico near the communities of Butte Meadows and Jonesville. It is within Township (T) 26 North (N), Range (R) 4 East (E), Sections 1-4, 9-14; T26N, R5E, Sections 26-28, 33-36; T27N R5E Sections 31 and 32 and T26N, R5E, Sections 5-7 and 18; Mount Diablo meridian.

The proposed action and map are available on the Lassen National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=63192 and at the Almanor Ranger District office, 900 East Highway 36, Chester, California.

The Lassen National Forest is requesting input on the project as it relates to the proposed action and identification of any issues (point of discussion, debate, or dispute) about the anticipated effects from this proposed action. Specific written comments should be received on or before September 23, 2023, so your comments may be considered in the next phase of the planning process.

Written comments may be mailed to: Russell Nickerson, District Ranger, Almanor Ranger District, P.O. Box 767, Chester, CA 96020, or faxed to 530-258-5194, or delivered in person Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays, at the Almanor Ranger District, 900 E. Highway 36, Chester.

Electronic comments may be submitted through the project specific electronic comment form at: [email protected] with the subject line of Colby Mountain Recreation Project. Electronic comments must be submitted in a format such as plain text (.txt), rich text format (.rtf), portable document format (.pdf), or MS Word (.doc or .docx).

For more information on the project, please contact Russell Nickerson, District Ranger, by phone at (530) 258-5110 or by email at [email protected].

Names and contact information submitted with comments will become part of the public record and may be released under the Freedom of Information Act. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an equal opportunity provider and employer.