Camping with my dogs, we wandered where miners knew they would be striking it rich as soon as they hit “The Great Silver Belt.” Back in 1882, a town was started up to accommodate the needs of up to 50,000 miners when that happened. Well, the big strike didn’t take place but the remains of the town named Bennettville and ...
Read More »Adventures with Candace
Hiking From Tuolumne Meadows To Dog Lake
Smoky reflections in a lake named for a sheepdog and her puppies, Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs, fishless lakes, and Tuolumne Meadows Campground’s closure played starring roles in my blog this week. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 5.76 Miles (About 5.2 Miles from the trailhead at the parking lot up to and around the lake)Difficulty: Easy to ModerateElevation Range: 8,583′ – 9,189′Elevation ...
Read More »Hiking to Vogelsang High Sierra Camp
It had been a while since I had hiked to Vogelsang High Sierra Camp but I had fond memories of this beautiful camp nestled against high peaks. Closed for a few years, I needed to pay it another visit. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 15.8 Miles (About 14.2 Miles from the Tuolumne Meadows Campground Trailhead)Difficulty: Moderate to StrenuousElevation Range: 8,588′ – ...
Read More »Hiking From Tuolumne Meadows To Elizabeth Lake
It wasn’t a long hike up to Elizabeth Lake and it shared a million different views with me as I walked around it. Those beautiful granite mountains took that morning sunlight and cast ever changing reflections as the hazy smoke drifted in and out. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 5.5 Miles (About 4.6 Miles from the trailhead up to and not ...
Read More »Hiking Up Ten Lakes Trail to Grant Lakes
Hiking to a pretty lake never gets old, especially when it reflected the surrounding mountains in its crystal clear water and I had the lake to myself. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 12.35 MilesDifficulty: Moderate to StrenuousElevation Range: 7,490′ – 9,635′Elevation Gain: 2,590′Date: September 2, 2021CALTOPO: Grant Lakes HikeDog Hike? NoLeaving the house early, I headed into Yosemite National Park via ...
Read More »Escaping the Heat & Smoke to Marina Dunes Beach
Escaping the heat and smoke, I took a Day Vacay at Marina Dunes Beach. I headed west, over Highway 152, 101, and toward Monterey. It took me about 3 hours to drive over to the Marina Dunes Preserve, just a little east of Monterey. Parking on the road, I grabbed my stuff and headed to the beach. There are many ...
Read More »Hiking From Tioga Road to Parker Pass Lake
Orlando Fuller established the Golden Crown Mine in 1879 and built his cabin hanging over Parker Pass Lake so that a horse could walk over the ice with safety. Now that is plenty of reason for me to visit that location and learn more about him.Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 12.67 MilesDifficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 9,596′ – 11,142′Elevation Gain: 1,765′Date: August ...
Read More »Hiking Yosemite’s Mono Pass Trail to Sardine Lakes
I thought of the people whose footsteps walked before me on the historic trail Mono Pass Trail. Native Americans have been using this trail to travel from the Mono Basin toward Tuolumne Meadows and beyond for eons. Miners with dreams of hitting a big gold strike walked on it. Mules carrying loads of whisky, and apparently sardines, to those miners ...
Read More »Hiking With Pikas & Marmots Up To Mount Dana
Sure wasn’t an easy hike up to the top of 13,061′ Mount Dana with 3,000′ gain in elevation over 2 1/2 miles, full of rocks of every size, shape and slipperiness on switchbacks too many to count. All of my hard work was richly rewarded with many Pikas and Marmots paying visits along the route. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 5.41 ...
Read More »Hiking Up To Fresno Dome
How about a short hike not too far from home with beautiful views of Oakhurst and the surrounding mountains? It was known to the Mono Indians as “wah-me-yelo” (“the greeting place”), much more poetic of a name than Fresno Dome in my opinion. Where: Sierra National ForestDistance: 1.8 miles Difficulty: Easy to moderateElevation Range: 7,184′ – 7,503′Date: August 5, 2021CALTOPO: ...
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