Nevada County backcountry visitors warned to prepare for remote trails, limited cell service

As thousands of people headed to the mountains for Memorial Day weekend, law enforcement and rescue crews in Nevada County warned visitors to be prepared before heading into the backcountry.

Deputies patrolled remote trails near Bowman Lake, where limited cell service and rugged terrain can quickly turn a weekend trip into an emergency.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, Sgt. Dustin Moe with the Nevada County Sheriff's Office patrols parts of the Tahoe National Forest backcountry.

"It looks like someone was going too fast and rolled it," Moe said as he pulled up to a broken-down side-by-side.

Moe said it appeared to be the aftermath of a recent accident where someone had to be life-flighted off the mountain.

"We're trying to keep people safe out here because you can tell it's easy to go fast out here. People come out and think it's a racetrack," he said.

On a windy day, a helicopter may not be able to make it into the area, meaning search and rescue teams may have to respond instead.

"At least a two-hour response, if not three to four hours depending on what we're gathering," Moe said.

"Having to drive all the way back into town to call 911 has been an issue for these people," said Betina Jackson.

Jackson lives in the town of Washington, a small rural community with no cell service. She said people double-parking in the fire lane can restrict access for first responders during an emergency or fire.

"It's very unsafe for everyone to get help when they need it," she said.

Jackson said she sees the beauty of where she lives and wants to share it with others, but she also wants people to enjoy the area responsibly.

"It's great. You follow the rules, you wear your helmet, you be safe. Then you can have fun and not worry about getting in trouble or hurt," Jackson said.

Moe said deputies often pull into staging areas and find trailers parked with no sign of where the riders went.

"We'll pull into a staging area and there will be ten or 15 trailers parked and who knows where these people are so we'll go in the back country and try to find them," Moe said.

Moe said there has been an influx of people recreating in and around Bowman Lake since the pandemic, when word of the area spread on social media. He said that continues to bring in people with little to no backcountry experience.

"That's where it created some issues. Them not knowing how to treat it out here, not knowing how to respect the land and the people that are with it," Moe said.

Moe said his primary focus is education. He said off-roaders should bring a satellite phone, extra food and water, and plenty of safety gear.

He also said people need to stay on marked trails because riding off-trail through dry pine needles can quickly become dangerous.

"And this is one of the areas we really don't want a fire to kick off. Obviously the resources responding in are going to be extremely delayed in getting in," he said.

As the unofficial start of summer arrived, deputies urged visitors to plan ahead, ride responsibly and respect the land so everyone could make it home safely.

The Nevada County Sheriff's Office said off-roaders should always let someone know where they are going before heading into the backcountry.