Telescope Viewing of the Solar Eclipse on May 20th!
This Sunday come and see a spectacular site from 5:45 PM to 6:45 PM in the Ski Bowl parking lot at Plumas Eureka State Park. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most people since most solar eclipse events for this area typically cover little of the Sun. We should be able to see the 'Bailey's Beads' (momentary band of bright 'pearls' at edge of the moon). The center path of this annular eclipse will pass in a line from Crescent City to Hallelujah Juction. That will effectively be over the state park. The moon will be completely within the circle of the Sun and will cover 94% of the Sun.
A special top quality telescope will be used at the state park to view the moon in front of the Sun at a visual distance of about 3,000 miles from the moon. We may see sunspot magnetic storms in the telescope that are larger than earth.
Weather permitting. Visual acuity will not be affected by a thin cloud covering, but preciptation will cancel the viewing & lecture.
View the solar event only through a properly equiped telescope or welding lens. Do not view with exposed film which does not filter destructive invisible ultraviolet rays. A silhouette of the event may be observed with a piece of cardboard with a tiny hole in it projected onto white cardboard.
Be prepared for an early chilling temperature around event time. Restroom is available at the state park ranger station (at tight right curve just before entering Johnsville) as there may not be one at the event site. Before entering Greaeagle on hwy 89 from the north, turn right onto Johnsville road at the Graeagle Fros-Tee.
Ski hill viewing site: continue past state park, go through Johnsville (PLEASE OBSERVE SPEED LIMIT OR LESS through Johnsville). Continue on paved road to ski hill parking lot.
Presented by amateur astronomer & lecturer Robert Whalen. Questions welcome at the event. e-mail: roshwha2@digitalpath.net
Plumas-Eureka State Park to Open in 2012!
March 17, 2012
Plumas Eureka State Park Association (PESPA) Board of Directors has been working with the State of California Department of Recreation for some time to come up with a plan to keep Plumas-Eureka State Park open and removed from the list of Parks slated for closure. We are extremely pleased to let you know that we have successfully negotiated a donation agreement with the State to provide the necessary support to staff the Park and campground through December 31, 2013.
The plan is to open the campground and museum beginning in mid June, weather permitting, and after the condition of the Park water systems and infrastructure have been checked out and found to be fully operational. Due to a small amount of unfinished work that still needs to be completed by the Environmental Protection Agency, a few sites in the campground will be unavailable at that time. The campground will open on a first come, first served basis until a time that all things are fully “up and running” at which time it will be put back on the reservation system.
Without the support of PESPA members and park volunteers such as you we will not be able to make this plan work. PESPA will be relying heavily on memberships as well as financial donations from our members and supporters to secure the funds needed to pay for Park expenses. We are also currently planning a number of fund raising activities to raise the additional funds needed.
If you have not joined PESPA for 2012 please do so today. Email Rich Amlin at ramlin@pacbell.net and you will be sent a membership form . Additional donations above your membership dues would be greatly appreciated. Plumas Eureka State Park Association is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. As such your monetary gift is a charitable donation for tax purposes. Also for tax purposes, we state that no goods or services were provided in consideration of this gift.
Thanks again for your continued support. Please check this website for additional communications and plans for the summer at http://www.plumas-eureka.org/ Should you have further questions please feel free to contact Jay Skutt at jtskutlbut@yahoo.com or Lyn Nafzgar at mtndream@accessbee.com
Best Regards,
2012 PESPA Board
Jay Skutt, President, Lyn Nafzgar, Vice President, John Sciborski, Treasurer, Marian Sciborski, Secretary, Rich Amlin, Larry Fites, and Jan Peters Board members
2012 Volunteer Park Cleanup Day Saturday a Success!
In an effort to open Plumas Eureka State Part by Memorial Day, the PlumasEureka State Park Association asked for volunteers to help clean up the Park on Saturday, May 12. After eighteen months of closure there are wood chips to be spread, trails to be cleaned, lawns to be raked, roads in the campground to be swept and general spring clean-up. Many members of the community showed up to help us. Volunteers worked four plus hours and we took an important first step in getting the Park open for June 15.
Work was concentrated in the Lower Campground, where the EPA did extensive work last summer, and in clearing trails. We are now waiting on water tests to ensure a clean supply to the campground. A big Thank You to those of you who helped. We will keep you informed of additional cleanup activities.
Plumas-Eureka State Park Association
Welcome to Plumas-Eureka State Park Association's website! "PESPA" was established in 1977 to support the interpretive and educational programs at Plumas-Eureka State Park. As a non-profit cooperating association, we rely on membership fees, museum sale profits and donations to fund programs at the park. On our website you'll find current information about the park, planning your visit and how you can support this unique historical legacy.
The Plumas-Eureka State Park headquarters is housed in a historic miner's boarding house at the entrance to the park. At the headquarters, you'll find camping and park activity information, a Camp Store and the park's Museum. The park Museum features natural history exhibits, archeological finds, mining artifacts and a working 1/24 scale model of the Plumas Eureka Mine's stamp mill, as well as hands-on exhibits for children.
There is a self-guided tour located across from the Museum which includes a working Blacksmith Shop, an Assay Office, livery stable and the Mohawk Stamp Mill. Tours of the Moriarity Houseare available during the Summer months. The Moriarity House, dating from the mid to late 1800's, is a historic home belonging to one of the miners who lived in Johnsville which is adjacent to the Park. See what living conditions were for a typical family 100+ years ago. These tours can only accommodate 8 persons at a time, so be sure to stop by the Museum and sign up.
Activities for children may include Candle Making, Quilting, learning about Bats, Nature Hikes and other exciting programs. Visitors of all ages can enjoy Panning for Gold in a trough (Yes, there is REAL gold in there!). Hike to the Eureka Tunnel, one of the original mine entrances, where you can go a short way into the tunnel and experience something of what it may have been like to be a hard rock miner. Additionally, there are guided hikes, events, nature walks, historic walks and many other activities. To see what's happening this week, check out our events You're sure to enjoy some of the many Hiking Trails in and around the park.
