Club Removes Five Abandoned Vehicles and Trash from National Forest ● UPDATING

The Mud Sweat & Gears 4×4 Club, a Cal4Wheel-based off-road club from Sonora, has successfully removed five abandoned vehicles, a boat, and approximately 35 cubic yards of trash from the Stanislaus National Forest over the past few months. The club, which regularly explores forest roads in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, noticed a growing problem of illegal dumping and launched the "Don't Trash the Stan" project in April, in partnership with the Solid Waste division of Tuolumne County Public Works.

Club officer Cody Kryznel coordinated multiple agencies, companies, and five to seven club members for each cleanup project. The first effort took two days and targeted 20 known dump sites in the Mi Wuk district, hauling out trash and a 16-foot boat.

The California Highway Patrol authorized the group to check vehicle identification numbers (VINs) on six vehicles; one was reported stolen and left for investigation, while the other five had clear titles and were removed.

The first vehicle recovered was a 1999 Ford Taurus near the American Fire Lookout Tower. It had no wheels or hub studs, requiring two winches and an old square-body hood used as a sled to drag it two miles to a flatbed trailer.

It was delivered to R&S Metals. The second vehicle, a 2002 Grand Cherokee, had been upside down for at least six months down the Old Buchanan Mine Trail.

Club members flipped it over and got it running briefly. Despite the steep, rutted trail, an "outstanding crew" had it out by lunchtime.

A found key unlocked the steering column, and Rob at RKP Marine & Auto loaned a set of wheels.

The third abandoned vehicle, described as a "little ranger," had been sitting for at least a year on flat ground near Italian Bar Rd. Club members used donated wheels and tires as rollers for the rear and a dolly up front, removing it by lunchtime.

The fourth vehicle belonged to missing person Ronnie Dale Henley, who disappeared in March 2024 along with Ronnie Lee Duncan Jr. Human remains were found nearby in August.

The heavily stripped and vandalized truck on Grant Ridge lacked a rear axle, so it was towed with front wheels on the ground. Ratchet straps fixed disconnected steering linkages, allowing a 9-mile tow.

Dylan White donated a wheel, and O'Reilly Auto Parts in Soulsbyville donated lug nuts.

The final vehicle, a 2001 Dodge Ram from behind Cedar Ridge, had missing front steering linkages but retained its rear axle. Club members moved the front wheels to the rear, winched the front onto a dolly, and towed it a couple of miles to a drop-off location for a tow truck.

The club's efforts highlight the ongoing problem of illegal dumping in national forests and the dedication of volunteers to preserve public lands.