If you don’t have time for a trip up to Yosemite or the USFS lands near us and still want to get out and enjoy nature, you sure don’t have to go far to get your fix in our own backyard at Ahwahnee Hills Regional Park off of Hwy 49 adjacent to Wasuma Elementary School in Ahwahnee. Although I walked ...
Read More »Adventures with Candace
Mom and I Hit the Big City to See Shen Yun
Mom and I had a very different type of adventure this week. When we heard about Shen Yun coming to Fresno, it was something so different to us, we wanted to see it and learn more. We had heard that these dancers wore incredible costumes and the show was full of authentic classical Chinese but not much more than that. ...
Read More »Hiking to Chilnualna Falls and a Smidge Beyond
We hadn’t received much rain or snow but I was still curious what the water flow was like over Chilnualna Falls and if ice would be creating artistic patterns along the creek. The only way to find out for sure was to head up there and check it out myself. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 9.44 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation ...
Read More »Hiking from Bass Lake to Goat Mountain
Our hiking adventure required some specific ingredients. It needed to be somewhere close by. We wanted to get a workout in . . . and be back in town by mid afternoon. We found it on the Spring Cove Trail at Bass Lake! Not only did we get some elevational gain, we got some bonus exercise in as we climbed ...
Read More »Hiking up the 4 Mile Trail to Glacier Point & Sentinel Dome
The 4 Mile Trail led me from the Yosemite Valley floor where the old Leidig Hotel stood in 1870 up to Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome, full of wonderful views of Yosemite Falls and the snowy high country. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 12.8 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 3,979′ – 8,107′ Date: November 29, 2017 Maps: El ...
Read More »Hiking From Tioga Road to North Dome and Indian Arch
If I could sneak one more day of hiking in before Tioga Road closed, where would it be? A hike to North Dome with a side trip to Indian Arch sounded like the perfect plan. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 9.76 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 7,397′ – 8,366′ Date: November 14, 2017 Maps: Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Topographic ...
Read More »Hiking to Tuolumne Grove on the Old Big Oak Flat Road
Tuolumne Grove was one of the big stops that early travelers to Yosemite made. Imagine leaving Hodgdon’s Stage Station in the 1870s, then heading up through these huge trees. What a sight that must have been! And what a bumpy, dusty, dirty trip it was to get there as we learn from the words of those that made that trip ...
Read More »Hiking To Merced Grove and Beyond On The Old Coulterville Road
Three Giant Sequoia Groves are located in Yosemite National Park and we also have Nelder Grove nearby. They say that Merced Grove is the least visited and since I had never been to this one, I had to go check it out. It was a very nice hike down the historic Old Coulterville Road to check out the 20 or ...
Read More »Horseback at the San Rafael Swell in Utah: Riding through Merry-Go-Round and Poor Canyon
I felt like a cowboy from the old west as I rode through the San Rafael Swell, following creek bottoms through brightly colored mesas and cliffs, exploring areas where old mines were booming long ago and viewing wild horses. Be sure to check out the Doarama under Maps and Profile for an amazing 3D timed view of this ride. It ...
Read More »Horseback at the San Rafael Swell in Utah: Fall Colors & Wild Horses
There is so much beautiful country to explore in Utah, it is hard to decide where to start! I signed up for a horseback adventure to cover an area that I hadn’t been before–the San Rafael Swell in south central Utah. It is next door to Escalante Grand Staircase, Capitol Reef and nearby Bryce and Zion National Parks. The San ...
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