Hiking in the Tioga Pass through history on the Great Sierra Wagon Road, walking in the footprints of the miners who lived in this rugged country dreaming of hitting “The Great Silver Belt” and striking it rich. Sure makes me wonder about the lives of the women and men who were associated with these dreams. Although they must have had ...

This month’s History Mystery is submitted by George Raymond, Historian, E Clampus Vitus Chapter 41-49 Subject: Southern Pacific Railroad – Berenda Branch Question: Do any of the readers have or know how to obtain a map showing the route of the Berenda Branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad? It ran from Berenda to Daulton to Raymond. Over time this stretch ...

I had peeped on the eastern side of the Sierra and I had peeped in Yosemite Valley. It was now time to do a little peeping closer to home at Nelder Grove and mom was up for the adventure. But adventures do not always go as planned. Where: Sierra National Forest, Nelder Grove Distance: About 1.5 miles, but you can ...

After chasing fall colors at higher elevations on the eastern side of the Sierra, I was curious how those fall colors were shaping up in Yosemite Valley. So, I hopped in the car and took a little drive. Where: Yosemite National Park Difficulty: Easy Elevation Range: 3,996′ – 4,184′ Date: October 30, 2018 Maps: El Capitan and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir ...

By Jeannie Harsha — FISH CAMP — “What an inspiring two days!” “ I feel so energized!” “I feel hopeful again!” “This makes me want to not just talk about doing good things, but really get out and take action toward the common good.” “So many people are doing so much good in the world. I just want to join ...

By Brian Moore — MOUNTAIN AREA — Hugelkultur builds garden mounds using tree trunks, limbs, branches, leaves, decaying organic matter (compost) and soil as a planting base. Hugelkultur mimics a forest floor’s process of decomposition and regeneration. Hugelkultur can improve soil vibrancy, water holding ability and soil heating. But what is with the name? In the late 1970’s two German ...

We were on the hunt for fall colors on the eastern side of the Sierra. We discovered gold, yellow and a few reds along the way but white puffy clouds and reflective lakes kind of stole the show. I was ok with that! The fall color show on the eastern side of the Sierra was winding down and I wanted ...

HORNITOS – At once exciting and nearly ethereal, a candle-lighting and procession in the old Mexican town of Hornitos winds its way from plaza to cemetery each year on November 2, to celebrate All Souls Day, and Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. Hornitos in Spanish means “little ovens,” as the town in Mariposa County is said ...

OAKHURST — This week we are focusing on one of our 6th grade teachers, Ms. Amy Smith. She has been teaching for thirteen years in total, but has only taught for five years in Oakhurst, and loves it! When Ms. Smith graduated from high school she went to college to become a biologist. After completing two years toward her biology ...

I set the world record in gold panning – women’s division in 1978, and because of that, I’m in the 1979 Guinness Book of World Records. It was a competition that started in the fifties and went until the eighties. In the late sixties my husband and I decided we wanted to start gold panning, so we had been doing ...