Bonus Trail

Sonora, CA — One cross-country trail closes while another opens to skiers.

The Stanislaus National Forest has closed the Crabtree trail due to the dry weather and dangerous conditions. Instead, the Forest Service and Dodge Ridge Ski Resort have teamed up to open the Gooseberry Trail in the Summit Ranger District.

Forest Spokesperson Rebecca Garcia says, “That’s actually a bonus because Dodge Ridge is going to groom Gooseberry Trail.”

In exchange, the resort can harvest snow from the Crabtree Trail for use on its ski slopes.

District Ranger Molly Fuller says, “Crabtree was actually un-groomable at this time and dangerous for skiing due to icy snow conditions on the ground. I think the public will appreciate Gooseberry far more.”

To access the Gooseberry Trail you will have to drive through the resort parking lot. An information board has been set up to direct skiers to the trail. Visitors can also call the Summit Ranger District at (209) 965-3434 for more details.