From the tippy top of Dana Plateau, we were looking straight down at Mono Lake and the Tioga Road. Beautiful wildflowers lined the trail on the way up and we even saw a pika! Where: Ansel Adams Wilderness Area, Inyo National Forest Distance: 5.69 Miles Difficulty: Strenuous Elevation Range: 9,654′ – 11,651′ Date: August 28, 2017 Maps: Falls Ridge and ...

Where’s Granite Creek? Clover Meadow? Way up past Mammoth Pool Reservoir and almost to the wilderness boundary separating Sierra National Forest from the east side of the Sierra’s Mammoth Mountain. Granite Creek Campground Clover Meadow Campground Accessible from either Beasore Road or Mammoth Pool Road. Beasore Road turns into dirt above Grizzly Road and it takes a bend East. Beasore ...

We headed off trail to check out the country above the Mono Pass Trail. We never know what we will find and that is part of the excitement. The wildflowers were going crazy up there! Those beautiful high lakes were mighty pretty also. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: About 10 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 9,596′ – 11,328′ ...

Six days of camping at beautiful Saddlebag Lake gave Sally and myself plenty of time to wander by the high lakes in the area and get some fishing in! Where: Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National Forest Distance: About 10 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 10,090′ – 10,359′ Date: August 17, 2017 Maps: Falls Ridge and June Lake Topogs Dog Hike? Yes ...

The road up 8,500 foot Relay Ridge in eastern Utah was recommended for 4-wheel drive or rental vehicles only. So, hoping for an outcome more high-minded than high-centered, I dropped the rugged VW Passat, painted seriously technical Candy White, into low gear — and put the pedal to the plastic. It had been 26 years since I had had observed ...

Have you ever been up to Shaver Lake?  I know, Bass Lake is much closer and handier, but Shaver is higher and bigger and less than an hour away. Getting to Shaver Lake involves some tight and twisty roads, so be prepared for slower speeds. The scenery is nice so be sure to take a look around as you go. ...

It is hard to believe that it is the middle of August and the snow up at the higher elevations is really hanging in there. Sally and I wandered our way through that snow in the Twenty Lakes Basin by beautiful lakes in the Hoover Wilderness. Where: Hoover Wilderness Distance: 10 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 10,108′ – 10,342′ Date: ...

Greetings Earthlings. This is to notify you that at noontime on August 21 along a 70 mile wide path extending from Oregon to South Carolina, sunlight will be unavailable for about two-and-a-half minutes. Do not panic, this is a scheduled outage. In fact, it has been scheduled for millions of years. If you are not in the path you will ...

One of the reasons that I love hiking in this country is because of the rich mining history that occurred in these parts and when I am up here, I cannot stop thinking of the characters that braved this tough country to pursue their dreams of finding gold and silver. “The Great Silver Belt,” which runs from Tioga Hill to ...

This is one of the more remote California State Campgrounds, as it’s off the beaten path but fairly close — located near Morgan Hill off the 101 Freeway. To get there, take Highway 41 towards Fresno, turn right on Highway 145 and then north on Highway 99. Then, take Highway 152 all the way to Gilroy, passing the San Luis ...