Many people don't even know that California has a state fish -- but the California Golden Trout has held that honor since 1947. Also known as the Volcano Creek Golden Trout, this exquisitely-colored little fish has plied the waters of the High Sierras for millennia. Despite its state-fish status, California Goldens are imperiled and have been listed as a "Species of Concern" by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service since 1991.

Of the many factors threatening the California Golden Trout, hybridization is perhaps the biggest. Years of stocking non-native rainbows in or near its native range (the South Fork of the Kern and Golden Trout Creek) has led to a genetic dilution. Unchecked, our state fish might be bred out of existence. CalTrout is determined not to let that happen.

CalTrout, working with Trout Unlimited and the California Department of Fish and Game instituted the Golden Trout Project as an ongoing effort to help preserve this native fish. In 2004, volunteers were taken into the Golden Trout Wilderness to help catch and test fish for the purposes of properly isolating and identifying genetically pure strains.

In 2005 volunteers helped maintain cattle exclusion fences, repair headcut banks, collect data, and remove gill nets.

The DFG, U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed a conservation agreement in 2004 to protect the California Golden Trout by dedicating $1.3 million over the next five years toward projects that will benefit the state fish. This project is a crucial first step on the road to identifying and thus preserving our state fish.

If your interested in volunteering for The Golden Trout Project email us at info@caltrout.org or call 415-392-8887.

Golden Trout Project 2007 Season Schedule, Project Descriptions and Volunteer Sign-Up

This summer and fall TU, CalTrout, and FFF are helping to coordinate a variety of opportunities for volunteers to participate in the restoration and monitoring activities that will take place in Inyo and Sequoia National Forests and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks in the southern Sierra. All of the activities involve active, outdoor activity, and some involve rigorous backpacking and/or hiking in the high country. In all cases volunteers will have to provide their own transportation to the starting points of the trips and their own camping, fishing, outdoor gear, and food.

Before filling out the form make sure you have read the project descriptions and planned activities to determine which volunteer opportunity best suits your interests. Then take a moment to fill out this form (remember, first come, first served).

Please note: If you participate in any activities you will be required to sign a liability waiver form and a CDFG Volunteer Service Agreement. If you are going to fish, a current CA Fishing license is required as well. We will take care of all other required permits.

Please submit a separate registration sheet for each family member or each individual in your group.

Work Weekend at Monache Wildlife Area
June 16 -17, (Sat. and Sun.)

Activity: Help maintain the fence at the wildlife area and the USFS Olivas pasture to keep the cattle out and protect the habitat along the South Fork of the Kern River and Monache Creek. Pot luck and barbecue Saturday night (meat and homemade ice cream provided by the CDFG). We will meet at Blackrock Ranger Station and 4x4 carpool in on Friday night. If needed, another group will drive in on Saturday morning. Plan on a full work day and potluck dinner on Saturday, 1/2 day of work on Sunday.

What to bring: Volunteers need to bring their own food, including a contribution for the potluck, and your own camping equipment. Be prepared for very cold nights and warm days. Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and eye protection (sunglasses). Bring work gloves, pliers, and a VHF radio, if you have them. All other tools will be furnished. The road into Monache requires 4 wheel drive with high clearance – we will coordinate car pooling in an effort to minimize the number of vehicles needed. Early morning and afternoon fishing for golden and brown trout on the South Fork of the Kern.

Volunteers needed: 20 – 30

 

Population Estimates in Mulkey Meadow
August 13 - 16, (Monday - Thursday)

Background: The CDFG has established a number of trout population monitoring locations which are sampled by electrofishing on a regular basis (usually every 5 years). Trends in age, growth and size composition of the fishery can then be evaluated over time in relationship to changes in habitat.

Activity: Volunteers will assist CDFG with trout population estimates in Mulkey Meadow, by helping to transport and set up equipment, net and transport fish, record data, and assist with camp chores. Volunteers will be expected to arrive the day prior to hiking in at Horseshoe Meadow (west of Lone Pine) and camp at the trailhead. The first morning we will hike in via Trail Pass to the campsite in Mulkey Meadow. All food will be coordinated and purchased for the group – there will be $30 per person charge to cover food costs.

What to bring: All of your own backpacking, camping and fishing gear. Food for camping at the trailhead and the first day’s hike in.

Volunteers needed: 4

Mulkey Meadows Headcut Repair
Sept 6 - 11, (Thursday - Tuesday)

This is a great opportunity to work in a beautiful place and stop some headcuts in the stream in order to protect the meadows and golden trout habitat. We will be working with the Inyo National Forest Resource Crew, building and repairing stream structures, and learning construction skills and restoration practices. We will meet up with the Resource Crew at the worksite and help with the collection of materials, construction, etc. If you really need some flexibility on this schedule, please say so when you sign-up or contact Howard Kern or Lisa Sims.

This project will take place in the Golden Trout Wilderness and requires backpacking five miles to the camp site where we will be staying. The Forest Service mule packers will pack in up to 50 pounds of gear per person - if you bring more, you pack it in! It is a rigorous hike up over Mulkey Pass and the work will be labor intensive, moving and placing boulders, rocks and logs. The days will be long to get all the work completed but the reward will be big! Meal planning is still up in the air - does anyone want to volunteer to be a camp cook? This would entail pre-trip meal planning, purchasing food and preparing it at the campsite. The workers will need good, robust meals to keep the energy flowing!

What to bring:  All of your own backpacking, camping and fishing gear. Food for camping at the trailhead and the first day's hike in.

Volunteers needed:  Six

Monache Wildlife Area – Work Party
Oct 6 - 7, (Saturday & Sunday)

Activity: Help take down the fence at the wildlife area and Olivas Meadow for the winter. Volunteers will assist with electrofishing the south fork Kern in the area near the Schaeffer Barrier. Pot luck and barbecue Saturday night with meat provided by the CDFG. The road into Monache requires 4 wheel drive – we will coordinate car pooling in an effort to minimize the number of vehicles needed. Early morning and afternoon fishing for golden and brown trout in the South Fork of the Kern. Work full day Sat, potluck dinner on Saturday night, drive out (fish) on Sunday.

What to bring: Volunteers need to bring their own food, including a contribution for the potluck, and your own camping equipment. Be prepared for very cold evenings. Bring work gloves and pliers, all other tools will be furnished.

Volunteers needed: 15 - 20


MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRIPS WILL BE SUPPLIED TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR THE SPECIFIC ACTIVITY INCLUDING A PERSONAL EQUIPMENT LIST.

** ALL TRIPS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE **

Volunteers will be contacted and informed of any changes to the trip itinerary. The specific times and meeting places will be communicated to every volunteer that has signed up for an activity. The need for flexibility of schedule is important on some of these trips. We will do everything possible to communicate specific times and locations to all volunteers in a timely fashion.



Location note: All activities will take place in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, where we will be at elevations from 7,000 to 12,000 feet. Remember, we will have warm days with potentially very cold nights. A good sleeping bag is critical. For some trips, such as those originating from Horseshoe Meadow Trailheads, access is from Hwy. 395 (south of Bishop), which is on the east side of the Sierra. For these high-elevation trips, altitude sickness is a possibility, so being well-rested, well-hydrated and becoming acclimated to the altitude prior to the trip by camping at the trailhead are essential.

Forms: It is required that every volunteer register for all of these activities. It will also be necessary to fill out special release forms for the time you are working on the project.

For more information contact:

Howard Kern
Volunteer Project Coordinator
Golden Trout Restoration Project
(310) 772-7033
howardkern@adelphia.net

or visit the Project's Website at:

http://www.californiagoldentrout.org/

TRIPS FILL UP QUICKLY!

BE SURE TO SIGN UP EARLY IN ORDER TO ENSURE YOUR PARTICIPATION IN A SPECIFIC ACTIVITY.