Whiskeytown

729 ' ' ~ ?- ~r .~-- ~~~\11~1t.f!· ;.rf1 . Water Sports in a Mountain Setting The Whiskeytown Unit of the Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area protects the Whiskeytown Lake and surroundings tor water sports and other outdoor recreation activities. Whiskeytown is the smallest of the recreation area 's three impounded lakes (see small map) , but its constant level in the summer makes it ideal for recreational use. Popular water sports here include sailing , canoeing , power boating , jet skiing , swimming , sunbathing , and fishing from boat and shoreline on the lake and streams. Other popu lar activities are hiking , horseback riding , tour-wheel drive touring on established backcountry roads, recreational gold panning , and nature study . Boats and other water craft may be rented at Oak Bottom Marina. The lake's stable summer level makes sandy beaches possible. The many coves and arms are conducive to quiet boating and canoeing , and to putting ashore for picnicking . Cold waters at the lake's western end assure good-to-excellent fishing through - out the season . Yet the waters at its eastern end are pleasantly warm tor swimming and other water-contact sports. Cree ks flow into the lake like networks of refreshing aquatic environ ments, extending recreation pleasures up into the valleys and canyons of the high slopes that surround the reservoir. These sh aded corridors are fresh co unterpoints to summer' s heat. The surrounding extensive backcountry can be explored by primitive road , afoot, on horseback, or by combinations thereof . Th e eight year-round creeks dra in numerous peaks, the highest of wh ich , Shasta Bally, reaches 1,893 meters (6 ,209 feet) elevati o n . so me 1,500 meters (5 ,000 fee t) above the lake surfa ce. The re sul t is a recreation haven of diverse possibilities and att rac tions. Whiskeytown Lake resul ted from the creatio n of the Trinity River Division of the Central Valley Project, desig ned to div ert water from the Trinity Rive r Ba in to the Sacramen to River (see below). Its worki ngs include the Judge Francis Carr Powerhouse and the Whiskeytown Dam . The explorer of this landscape will find va st evidence of the California Gold Rush , pa rticu larly in the Tower House H istoric District and in abandoned mine workings. The discern ing eye -or sensitive spirit - may also sense the delicate imprint of the W intu Indians who inh abited this region from abo ut 900 A.D. until the Gold Rush and e nsuing white settlement rapidly d isrupted th ei r culture . of fi sh . But the cessation of logging and the land 's recovery to brush have reduced erosion so that the streams now generally run clear except in flood stage during the rainy season . Trout and salmon once again navigate them to spawn. The increasing naturalization of the impounded lake, and this new health of tributary streams, are giving the area new ecological integrity. Or, as an angler might put it: the fishing 's getting better! Historicall y recent attempts to wrest livings from this landscape copper mini ng, timbering and ranching-are attested to by varying impri nts. Pollutants em itted from copper smelting activ ities drastically impa ired areas of vegetation here. Lumbering denu ded area s of today ·s recreatio n area , and they recover only sl ow ly even with reforestati on. Suc h logging caused heavy siltatio n in stre ams and severe ly reduced the spawn ing activity The Wintu Dam and Powerhouse I I Indian women and baby, Camden House, 1894 Indian basket Befo re European settlement. todays recreat ion area was the home of Wmtun-speak ing Native Ame ri cans. They followed a valley and plain s li fe style o f foodgathe ring. supp lementing an aco rnbased d iet with ante lo pe. elk. and deer. and salmon taken wh il e spawning. The bow and arrow was th eir standard wea po n They fash io ned cu tting tools from flaked obs1d1an viewed as embued w ith tho ugh ts and feelings . W1n tu ch iefs had no rea l and used long fi shing spea rs to take salmon. They wove baskets for collect 1ng. sto ri ng. and cooki ng foods Their moneta ry system used round d isc beads made from a marine clam she ll. The Wi ntu s rel ation to the la nd-in tim acy and mutual cou rtesy-was one of crea tive stewa rd ship They sh unned any no ncon form ity w ith the na tura l o rder. w hich th ey powerbeyo n dthepe~ suas1ve ness o f the ir ad vice and moralist ic exhor tat io ns. Although Nati ve America n settle ment patte rn s we re probably stable for 1.000 years before w hi tes arri ved . th e Go ld Rush e ra prope lled the Wm tu and oth e r tri bes into ra pid decli ne. Judge Francis Carr Powerhouse shipped s 100.000 in go ld per month. Miners moved heir cab ins to trace veins I admg under th em . Place r and oth er min mg practices have o bl iterated all but a few archeolog1ca l sites. Two prom ine nt early d eve lopers he re were Charles Camden and Levi Tower. The latter bu ilt the Tower House hotel, w hich figured in the area 's sub- sequen agriculture mdus and ranspo r a ion stones Its 1mgat1on s stems ditch es. flumes. and pipes were m ngu1ng precurso rs of toda s dam and powerho use. Tower House . destroyed by fi re m 1919 . was built along he pro 1table toll oad Charles Camd en built and operated Ca md n s house still stands umero us mines he re- the El Dorado B1 c ford . Desmond Ganim . and · Shasta - produced s1gni 1cant gold ro 1 s Toda you can rell e tha t head exc itement here th roug recrea tional panni ng fo r gold Wh1skeytown Da m and La ke sto re and reg ulate waters being d iverted from the Tri nity River into Californi a's Central Vall ey for ind ustrial and munic ipa l water su pplies. Lewiston Da m d ive rts Tri nity River wate rs into th e Clea r Creek Tu nn el. The tu nn el ca rri es it 18 kilometers ( 11 mi les) through the Hoadl ey Pea ks to Judge Fra nc is Carr Powe rhouse (see map) and into Whi skeytown Lake . Th e wate r next goes by tu nn e l to Keswick Rese rvo ir. to be mi xed w ith water fro m Sh asta Dam and re leased through the Kesw ick Powe rpla nt into the Sac rame nto Ri ve r. Fro m there the wate r flows so uth to San Francisco Bay and th e Pac ific Ocean. Whiskeytown Unit Access and Services The Whiskeytown Unit li es on Ca li fornia 299 off Interstate 5 near Redding , Calif. Redding has air, rai l, bus, re ntal car, and full to urist serv ices. Th ere is a small store and post offi ce at Whiskeytown. Oak Bottom and Brandy Creek Marinas offer snack bars , a camper store, and boat rentals in the nati onal recreation area. Th e Visitor Information Center offers publ icati on sales. orie ntation map, ex hibits, and information d esk. Hours 0 0.5 Regulations and Safety Please observe all safety precautions and regulati ons. including those described below und er spec ific activi ti es. They are designed to protect both you and the areas resources. No fir es are permitted on beaches. Use of fire may be restric ted to developed campgrounds when fire danger is extreme. Pets must be kept off beaches; they must be under physica l restraint in campgrounds. near boat landin gs. and in other areas of conce ntrated human use. If yo u have questions about any activ ity . ask a ranger before undertaking it. You are responsible for knowing th e regulations. This wil l help assu re you an accident-free visit. Remember. however. that yo ur safety must be your responsibil ity. Backcountry Use All overnight backcountry use requires a backcountry use pe rm it issued free at ranger stations and th e Visi tor Info rm ation Center. Wi th pP.rm it. you may camp anywhere lfl the backcountry excl:lPI within 1.6 kil ometers ( 1 mi le) of th e lake shore. Check for other restrictions when you obtain your permit. Much of th e backco untry is accessible v ia 80 kilometers (50 mil es) of graded dirt and gravel roads. You may drive on ly on these maintai ned roads. Check local cond i- lions. These backcountry roads are regularly patrolled only in sum mer. Some are closed in winter. If you have vehicle trouble and must go for help. stay on roads. Do not go cross-country for help ence. and proper equipment, including a divers' down fl ag. Lifegu ards are on duty at th e B ra ndy Creek and Oak Bottom Beac hes. as scheduled . from about Memorial Day th rough Labor Day. Never swim alone. and please watch c hild ren c lose ly in and around park waters . 14-day limit appl ies from May 5-Septembe r 15; a 30-day limit oth erwise . Brandy Creek (no fee) o ffers RV ca mping for selfconta in ed units only . No hooku ps or restrooms . A sanitary dump station and drinking water are provided . Oak Bottom (fee) offers RV campin g with dump stat ion and water, but no hookups. Water and modern restrooms are nearby. Oak Bottom also offe rs walk-in tent camp ing wi th firep laces. picnic tab les. and modern restrooms. There are co ld showe rs only, on he beac h. Write th e su perintendent for fees and Go lden Age. Access. and Passports in fo rmation . Picnic tabl es, firepl aces. and trash ca ns are prov id ed at al l beac hes. fo r advice on he best trails for you cessio ner fa cilities. Check with a rang er for full seasons and regu lalions info rmation before you hunt. Trapping is proh ibited. Hiking and Horseback Riding The extensive backcountry provides ample hiking and horseback n ing oppo rtunit1es Ask a ranger Interpretive Activities Ranger-guided wa lks. gold panning demonstralions. and illustrated evening prog rams (at Oak Bottom Amphi th eatersee map) are prov id ed fro m mid-J une throug h Labo r Day. Eve ning programs cove r history, natural history, and recreat ion top ics Sc hedul es are posted at the Oak Bottom Campground restroo ms, or ask at the Vi sitor Information Cente r. t.:::.:::.:::.::J Trail E3 Activities and Points of Interest Fish ing Lake 1shing 1s good rom boat or shore Spec ies inelud e rai nbow and bro n trout; large-. smallmouth. and spo ted bass . and koka nee. A California fi sh ing license is required. A synopsis of fishin g regulat ions is availabl e on re ues vary w ith seasons. For information wri te to th e Superintendent at P.O. Box 188, Whiskeytown, CA 96095-0188. The Shasta and Trin ity Units of the national recreation area are adm ini ster'ed by the U.S. Forest Servi ce. For information about these units write: Shasta-Trin ity National Forest, 2400 Washingto n Avenue , Redding , CA 9600 1. Water Spo rts Exce llent boating. waterski ing, scu ba diving , and swim ming are availa ble on th e lake Powe r boat- 1ng . sai l boating. and canoe1ng are popu lar. All ed eral and state boat1n reg ulati ons app ly. Reg ulations and Califorma Boa ting Tips are availab le on request . Please observe th e res tricted boa ting areas (see map be low) . There are concess ione r-ope rated marinas at Brandy Creek and Oak Bottom. Th ere is a launch ramp at Whi skey Creek . Sc uba divi ng requires trai ning, ex peri - Camping and Picnicking Ca mping is perm itted in designated ca mpgrounds and in the backcoun try (see Backcountry Use). A 1 Ki lometer =:::J 2 1 Mile ~ Area closed to boating f 4-wheel drive only road Hunting Hunting requires a Ca lifornia license . The main game species is the blacktail deer. Califo rnia regu lations are avai lable on request . So me areas are posted ; please observe hem . No discharge of firearms 1s al lowed in areas of concent rated human use. including pien1c areas. launch ra mps, campgrounds and con- m Ranger station SD Launch ramp m Unpaved road Picn ic area ry Creek Group Camp (reservations only) Brandy Creek I',,, ~ , ~ "' ~'Y' ! ~o/ o/ /\_/·-- I / I ,-...,. ( J,/ ................J Shoemaker Bally• 1815m 5955n r-J "'.}"" 103km. 6 4m1 _ :Y \ ~" '(, r IJ , \ .... Shasta Bally 1893m / . 62091t ~ { / vr\{' '{,./' ..) "'"" ~-..t"P--~...¢... 5 ...., ........ ~}. . Brandy Creek 1 A " \ Sheep Camp .A \-.,, llo~.../I Brandy Creek 2 • Monarch Mountain 777m 255flN Gold Panning Gold panning may be done for recreational purposes only, not to make mon ey. It must be done in th e historical manner, usin g a metal or plastic gold pan . Pan ners may use only sma ll hand tools . " Public telephone 11 Gasoline station 5' Trailer sanitary station ·:: GPO 1985-46 1-444/ 20004 ~ Campground A Primitive Camp I' Di stance indicator