We hiked up to lakes that were smooth as glass and full of reflections. A really nice, big, flat rock made a dandy place for lunch and a siesta. Where: Sierra National Forest Distance: 9.19 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 9,130′ – 8,434′ Date: September 1, 2016 Maps: Merced Peak Topographic Quads Dog Hike? Maybe We drove up Beasore Road ...

About 15 years ago, I ruptured a disc in my back (L5/S1 for those who like details). My doc was sure that surgery was in my future but I had other ideas. After the physical therapist had done all she could for me, I moved on to Pilates to complete my rehabilitation. I’ve written about this period of my life, ...

Written by Dave Hubbard — The Yosemite Granite Icon represents such a dominating presence within Yosemite Valley that it is likely that the first adventurous human being to set eyes on it thought about climbing it… But no one succeeded until 1875, over 25 years after the first white man entered the valley.   Climb Half Dome…It was in the ...

We like to hike with our dogs, so where are those great dog hikes in our area? You have seen my dog Sally tagging along with me on some of our hikes. Now is your turn to share your favorite dog hikes for inclusion in dog hikes in our area. I envision a living document that we can add more ...

Climbing up a loose and rocky chute, hopping boulder to boulder, sometimes with a surprise of a wobbly rock, pushing our way through knarly willows, and pulling ourselves up and over boulders the size of a small house were the tougher parts on this hike. The easy part was admiring the wonderful view of some of the high lakes in ...

Written by Virginia Eaton —  I had the most wonderful vacation a few weeks ago. We drove up to Mendocino to get my ocean fix and, once we added in the stops for wine tasting and rock shopping, the drive was an all day affair. We played golf the next day, or at least I attempted to play but the ...

Sally led the way as we hiked up to 6 beautiful lakes in the Hoover Wilderness. Some had beautiful reflections, 1 had lots of polliwogs and 1 served as our lunch spot underneath Mount Conness. Where: Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National Forest Distance: 7.13 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 9,533′ – 10,375′ Date: August 18, 2016 Maps: Falls Ridge ...

Written by Virginia Eaton — The happy dance in which so many parents partake as their school age darlings head back to class might be somewhat diminished for those who have to refill their EpiPen prescription. EpiPens provide lifesaving doses of epinephrine to those who suffer from serious allergic reactions. But be prepared, given recent price increases you may need to ...

Written by Wendy Fisher — As a lifelong wilderness enthusiast at heart, I have been exploring the Sierra on foot for well over 20 years. When I am not out exploring, gardening, or parenting my lovely twin girls, I am proud of my day job working as a plant/wetland ecologist with Live Oak Associates. Live Oak is an Oakhurst based ecological ...

We headed over to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park for a hike on a trail that had been blasted into granite slab with a sheer dropoff and amazing views. As we hiked up to 4 lakes, we were happy to see colorful wildflowers along the trail. Where: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Distance: 12.94 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to ...