At Ellis Lake in Marysville
Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture (YSAC) is pleased to announce the new date for the next in its series of free, outdoor nature programs geared toward getting the community outside to enjoy guided hiking, art, and journaling adventures. The event originally planned for July had to be cancelled due to the intense heat wave the area was experiencing. The program is made possible thanks to an Outdoor Equity Program Grant from the California State Parks & Recreation Department to help advance its “Outdoor Access for All” initiative. Nature is a public good that’s crucial for adults as well as children’s health and well-being. Studies show that access to parks and greenspace can increase children’s physical activity, reduce stress in children and adults and improve student academic performance. Previous guided outings have included trips to Table Mountain, Hidden and Fairy Falls and the Truckee Tunnels at Donner’s Pass.
On Saturday, October 14 from 8am-12noon, YSAC will host this urban nature adventure a little closer to home at Ellis Lake in Marysville. The area was originally a natural spillway of the Feather River, but was redesigned and reengineered in the 1930s by Robbie McLaren, the designer of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Work on the lake was completed during the Great Depression through President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal Plan.
There will be presentations by representatives of Marysville, the Yuba Water Agency, the South Yuba River Citizens League, the Blue Zones Project, and the Yuba County History Commission. Science teachers, naturalists and artists will be on hand to talk about plans to improve the lake and surrounding area. The lake is 1.2 miles around and participants may go on a guided walk all the way around the lake or just take shorter hikes with one of the trip leaders. Arts supplies, water and light snacks will be provided along with appropriate food for the ducks and geese. October 14 is also the day of the upcoming solar eclipse. People across the western United States will witness the sun disappearing behind the moon, turning daylight into twilight, causing the temperature to drop rapidly, and creating a phenomenon called a ring of fire. Prime viewing of the eclipse will occur at approximately 9:20am. YSAC will provide eclipse viewing glasses. The lead science educators for the outing are Anna Newman and Nicodemus Ford. If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to give Anna a call: (956) 525-2031.
To register for this outing go to yubasutterartarts.org. Again, the event and art supplies are all free to those who register in advance. Participants will receive more details prior to the outing as well as an invitation to a pre-trip Zoom call to further discuss the event. Advance registration at yubasutterarts.org is a must as the last three trips have been sellouts and attendance is restricted. For more information about YSAC’s many programs and events, call 530-742-ARTS or email david@yubasutterarts.org.