By Tim Hauserman
Anyone who has had the fortune of skiing up Crabtree Canyon from Euer Valley at Tahoe Donner Cross Country, will be happy to hear that the Tahoe Donner Association is in the process of purchasing a 640 acre parcel which includes Crabtree Canyon. In addition to the benefits for skiers of protecting the parcel, Steve Miller, president of the board of Tahoe Donner Association says, “The acquisition of the Crabtree Canyon parcel will also protect Tahoe Donner’s borders from future development.”
The purchase will allow the reopening of 16 percent of Tahoe Donner XC’s ski terrain that had previously been closed due to land use concerns, including the Crabtree Canyon trail. Tahoe Donner will also be exploring future opportunities over this property for hiking, biking, and equestrian usage in accordance with its comprehensive trails master plan and land management plan.
Adjacent to the Crabtree Canyon parcel is Carpenter Valley, a beautiful alpine valley similar to Euer Valley, that the Truckee Donner Land Trust is interested in acquiring in 2017. “Carpenter Valley is one of the most spectacular — and little known — valleys in the entire Northern Sierra. Preserving the pristine natural beauty of our surroundings and ensuring continued recreational access is of utmost importance to us,” said Perry Norris, executive director of the Truckee Donner Land Trust. “This is a critical open space that is of great value to our community, and we are pleased to work with Tahoe Donner Association to help protect it.”
Non-motorized summer and winter activities will be encouraged on the new parcel of land and officials from the Truckee Donner Land Trust envision a loop trail around the valley, with plans to link Tahoe Donner and Independence Lake via a new trail system.
“This land acquisition helps us move forward in keeping with our guiding principles, which includes environmental stewardship,” said Robb Etnyre, Tahoe Donner’s general manager. “The majority of our members surveyed last summer identified protecting and investing in open space and trails as a top priority for the association.”
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