Five days of camping in the Tioga Pass area gave Sally and myself plenty of time to wander and fish some of the high lakes and creeks in the area. We had some bites. Some were from mosquitoes and some were from the fish! Where: Hoover Wilderness, Inyo National Forest Elevation Range: 9,552′ – 10,286′ Date: July 15 – 19, ...

I try my best to hike up to Helen Lake while there is a smidge of ice still on it. There is something special about how a bit of white snow sets off the red colors of the surrounding mountains and it is a lovely hike up a historic Native American trail and mining route. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: ...

First day that Tioga Road was fully open and we headed to lakes that we hoped would still be iced over, even in July. Lots of history in this area and I can’t help thinking of the people who made that history. As we know, most miners did not strike it rich and some do not have happy endings. I ...

NORTH FORK — Nate Hodges has wanted to be a lumberjack since he was four or five years old. “I was a little mountain boy. When I was a kid, you couldn’t get me inside,” says the North Fork native. “My grandpa bought me my first axe when I was four and I was always out in the woods chopping ...

CALIFORNIA — Mark your calendars for the first of two 2019 Free Fishing Days in California, when anyone can try their hand at angling – no fishing license required. If you would like to fish the rest of the year, you can purchase a license online through CDFW’s website. “Free Fishing Day is a great opportunity for seasoned anglers to ...

Wild azaleas were showing off their white flowers and we caught a whiff of their scent before we saw them. This was the perfect time to see them blooming between Fish Camp and the Mariposa Grove plus got a nice workout as we wandered through Mariposa Grove to Wawona Point. Where: Sierra National Forest, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa Grove of ...

Our destination was icy Ostrander Lake, full of beautiful reflections and bordered by a snowy, rocky ledge. But we had to work for it, hiking through burned areas and up the trail through open granite in the heat. It was so worth it! Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 12.83 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 6,998′ – 8,612′ Date: ...

We heard a rumor that some very pretty flowers were showing off on the Wawona Meadow Loop Trail, so you know where we headed. It was a short hike in cooler country and that rumor was true! Many beautiful wildflowers along the way and this one is also a good dog hike. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 4.21 miles Difficulty: ...

Tioga Road wasn’t open yet but those high lakes were calling me and it was well worth it to me to take the long way around to get there. Tioga Road through Yosemite National Park will soon be open but here is a sneak peek from my adventure over there June 5 and 6 this past week. So I drove ...

Stevenson Creek Falls had really been coming down the week before but would it still be roaring when I was able to see it a week later? You betcha! Where: Sierra National Forest Distance: 7.25 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 1,182′ to 1,914′ Date: May 29, 2019 Maps: Auberry Topographic Quad, Sierra National Forest Dog Hike? Maybe We headed out ...