Visitors to Downieville

The timing of our conversation couldn't be more dramatic. Just as Brendon's crew was preparing to arrive in Downieville, the government shutdown threw their entire project into uncertainty. With federal funding frozen and permits in limbo, countless forest management projects across the state ground to a halt.

On a warm August afternoon, I found myself sitting at the confluence of the Downie and North Yuba Rivers, on the deck of the Riverside Mountain Lodge, watching the sunlight dance on the water. That’s where I met the Mejia family.

This week, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down, virtually, with Ron West, Board Director at Backcountry Discovery Routes  (BDR) ,...