I love hiking Yosemite’s Mono Pass Trail, a historic Native American trail and there are also many lakes along and off this trail. Some lakes have names such as Sardine, Spillway, Helen, Kuna, Bingaman and Parker Pass Lakes and many aren’t named. I brought my fishing pole with me. . .  just in case. Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: About 9 ...

I hiked alone but I wasn’t by myself. I walked in the footprints of miners dreaming of hitting a huge ledge of silver, building a town in the Tioga Pass area at 10,760′ elevation to support their mining operations but that town was only there for about 4 years. Oh, and that part about not being by myself? Besides the ...

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 ...

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 ...

I loaded up my dogs, Sally and Fannie, and drove across Tioga Road the very minute it reopened this year. Like visiting old friends, I made several stops along the way to admire the views, then we all were rewarded with a hike from Saddlebag Lake to Greenstone Lake with incredible views of snow streaked high mountains surrounding the lakes. ...

It was the first day that Yosemite National Park had reopened after the COVID-19 shutdown, a new Day Use Entry system was in place and I was determined to cross through the gate as soon as I could to check out the waterfalls. My adventures always have a surprise or two and this one delivered some.Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 10.92 ...

By Bob Labozetta, UC Master Gardener, Mariposa While we shelter-in-place, gardening can be the perfect pick-me-up. The UCCE Master Gardeners of Mariposa County are available to help answer your gardening questions. Directly access the UCCE Master Gardeners of Mariposa County website at http://cemariposa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardener to obtain information. You can see what we are doing, access our radio show, send a question ...

MADERA — AXIS Coffee Bar + Eatery, located in the new, award-winning and master-planned community of Tesoro Viejo, announced today that they are partnering with Peet’s Coffee. AXIS is located in the heart of Tesoro Viejo’s Town Center at 4150 Town Center Boulevard in Madera. “We are beyond excited to partner up with Axis Coffee Bar + Eatery. We know ...

I told my puppy Fannie the Corgi all about a special place called Nelder Grove and how it wouldn’t be a long drive or hike. I tried to explain to her just how huge the Giant Sequoias were. I don’t think she totally grasped the concept but she said let’s do it!Where: Sierra National Forest, Nelder GroveDistance: 2.31 miles, but ...

Walking up historic wagon roads near my house on a cool day after a rain was a party for my senses, full of fresh smells of the forest and flowers. Dogwoods were blooming like crazy and those animal tracks were easy to spot while the gnats and skeeters slept in. Distance: 10.62 Miles (but you can go shorter or longer)Difficulty: ...