California Association of 4 Wheel Drive Clubs, Inc.
8120 36th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95824-2304
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Article by: Jack Raudy
(530) 389-9154 or email jraudy@foothill.net

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KYBURZ FLAT, CA – It was an absolutely perfect day at Kyburz Flat along the historic Henness Pass Trail north of Truckee. More than 100 of his closest friends and four-wheel drive brethren, as well as his wife, June, were on hand and everyone was telling stories about Ed Dunkley’s passion for exploring backcountry trails in Nevada; California; Baja, Mexico, and his fervent desire to further the goals of the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs.

The occasion was the recent dedication of the Edward R. Dunkley Memorial Plaque that now proudly rests on a giant granite boulder near the boardwalk at Kyburz Flat Interpretive Area, a stage stop during the 1860’s, and one of Dunkley’s favorite sites for research and relaxation.

Prior to unveiling the plaque, Warner Anderson, one of Dunkley’s closest friends and a historian himself, told the gathered group of four-wheelers that it had taken three years and many hours of volunteer work to make this day a reality.

"We had to negotiate with the forest service for many months to secure a big granite boulder and permission to place the boulder and plaque at Kyburz Flat," Anderson said. "Additionally, the Sacramento Jeepers and the Old Phartz 4X4 group joined forces to raise $400 to buy the plaque, current Sacramento Jeepers president Dana Holland moved the boulder with a large towing truck and my co-chairman for this event, Louie Hicks, crafted the language and designed the plaque which reads:

"We had a long and lasting friendship with so many trips and adventures that I could not begin to list them all," said Hicks, who first met Dunkley in 1966 when Ed was the president of the Sacramento Jeepers.

Hicks said that Dunkley was a prankster and enjoyed fooling his buddies. "I vividly remember one trip in the Nevada desert many years ago and we were wandering around the old Black Warrior Mine site near Unionville," Hicks recalled. "Ed turned to me and said ‘Louie, look at this’ and he held two yellow objects in his hand that look like gold nuggets. By then, everyone ran up to see what Ed had in his hand and they scattered like a covey of quail looking for their fortune. All the while, Ed just stood there watching with a big grin on his face. A little while later, we all learned that we had been duped and Ed had melted down some brazing rod and it looked like gold nuggets."

Dunkley received scores of honors during his 43 years of four-wheeling, but the highest honor came this year when he was inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame joining other Hall of Fame members such as Walker Evans, Mark Smith, James Garner, Steve McQueen and Parnelli Jones.

Steve Morris, the first president of the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs during the period 1959 to 1961, had this to say about Ed Dunkley’s induction into the Hall of Fame: "I knew and admired Ed Dunkley for 43 years as a friend, and the most dedicated and effective advocate of responsible 4WD recreation in all of the four-wheeling world."

Ed Dunkley was one of the original members of the California Association of Four Wheel Drive Clubs, Association office administrator and was the founder of the Association’s Conservation & Education Foundation. In addition, he was the original organizer and trailboss for the Lassen-Applegate Historic Trail Ride, the Trip to the Diggins, the Mud Drags, Barrel Racing, and in 1967 he started the annual Sierra Trek event that now is the largest all-volunteer four-wheel drive event in the country.

Larry Calkins, who was president of CA4WDC from 1983 through 1985, said that it was often difficult to communicate with Ed because he had so much he wanted to say. "When I talked to Ed about any subject, I quickly learned that he was so full of knowledge about four-wheeling and historical trails, that I simply had to let him unload that knowledge and then he was receptive to what I had to say," said Calkins.

Ed Dunkley became fascinated with Jeeps and four-wheeling while serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. After his tour of duty ended, he accepted a position at McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento. Ed retired from civil service after 35 years of service and devoted his full time efforts to four wheeling.

With his love of the mountains and deserts and a spirit known only to a true outdoorsman, Ed Dunkley soon developed an insatiable interest in the history of the pioneer trails and eventually became a recognized authority on the settlement of the American West.

Chuck Walker met Ed Dunkley in the late 1950’s when Walker was selling Jeeps in Sacramento and Ed was looking for a mode of transportation that would take his family into the high Sierra. "I sold Ed on the idea of joining the Sacramento Jeepers and he not only became a member, but he also became the club’s leader and mentor and continued to use that knowledge as an advisor to the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Forest Service and other public agencies," said Walker.

"Ed went on to become an expert on emergent trails, use and care of our mountains, deserts and he always had his eye on the future," said Walker. "He had a passion for new families to be able to enjoy the outdoors like his family had and I am so glad that Ed made the decision to become a Jeeper almost 50 years ago."

The Edward R. Dunkley Memorial Plaque is located at the Kyburz Flat Interpretive Area. Take Hwy 89 north from Truckee for approximately 15 miles. Watch for the Kyburz Flat sign and turn right and proceed one mile to the interpretive area.

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