When those views of Mono Pass, Parker Pass and Kuna Crest are streaked with snow, they contrast so beautifully with those multi-colored mountains. This is one of those hikes that I love to do soon after Tioga Road reopens for the year and those white puffy clouds always liven up the scenery, even if they threaten a bit of the ...

MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — June 2020 turned out to be a surprisingly good month for mountain area home sales, says local Realtor Ed Bailey. “We expected a slowdown because of the pandemic, but we actually had 51 homes sold through the California Regional Multiple Listing Service,” which was an increase of 13 percent from 47 sales last year during the same ...

OAKHURST — Zander Wood, the 5-year-old Oakhurst boy severely injured in late May after being accidentally electrocuted, continues his recovery. Now being treated at Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, Zander’s courageous story was recently profiled on ABC30 News. In case you missed it, here’s a link to the video — and ABC30 Reporter Gilbert Magallon’s uplifting update.

MOUNTAIN AREA — Sierra National Forest (SNF) together with California Land Management (CLM) and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) officials announced Thursday the reopening of more developed recreation day use and picnic sites. SNF, CLM and PG&E officials have been working together closely and consulting with state and local public health officials for direction in a phased approach to safely ...

OAKHURST – The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the National Park Service to make adjustments to how park visitors access Yosemite this summer. But there’s a silver lining: Park visitors are reporting more intimate, leisurely –and safe — experiences. Each day 1,700 day-use park passes are available via online reservation. While the situation is not ideal when passes sell out, local ...

Long before YARTS existed, daily automobile shuttles ran from Madera to Wawona on the road we call Miami Mountain Road today. Before that, it was an old stage route and I had been walking up parts of it the past few months. This time I visited the locations where some of the people that I had written about died and ...

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK — Park officials are reversing course two weeks after reopening and now say they will hold off on allowing visitor use of half a dozen popular park campgrounds until at least August 1.The decision comes after a spike in new coronavirus cases across the state since the Memorial Day weekend. Late Tuesday evening, park officials issued this ...

COARSEGOLD — Local CAL FIRE crews mobilized Monday afternoon to fight a vegetation fire that sparked in the hills just off Highway 41 at Morava Road.An air tanker and helicopter were also used to extinguish the brush fire before it could threaten any structures. Madera County Fire Chief Matt Watson estimated Monday’s blaze at about 10 acres. “We’ve got the ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — The Sierra National Forest (SNF) is increasing forest access for the public by opening additional developed recreational opportunities across the forest, including twenty-three campgrounds that will open today (June 18). “Visitors are encouraged to check the Forest website and social media pages for the most up-to-date information on what is open so that you can plan your ...

APTOS — On Wednesday, a contingent of deputies from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office traveled to Santa Cruz County to honor the memory of Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller — and support his grieving widow and law enforcement family in uniform. Sgt. Gutzwiller, 38, was shot and killed June 6 as he and other deputies investigated reports of a suspicious vehicle. A ...