SACRAMENTO – Nine CAL FIRE firefighters recently received the prestigious State of California Governor’s Medal of Valor award for acts of heroism extending above and beyond the normal call of duty, and one of the honored recipients is a local firefighter with the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit.

O’NEALS – “Bandits! Bandits! Bandits robbed the stage to Hildreth! Get a posse! They got the gold!” So began the story as another piece of local history was preserved and commemorated by the hard-working members of the Grub Gulch Chapter 41-49 of E Clampus Vitus. Their latest monument was dedicated on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Ryan Ranch in O’Neals, ...

We walked in the footsteps of the miners who had occupied this land back in the 1870’s and 1880’s on this hike, with misty clouds drifting in and out along the trail and views. Hiking up to the Ghost Town of Dana City located in the Tioga Pass is a whole different hike in different seasons and weather. I had ...

We have a very special grove of Giant Sequoias close to Oakhurst called Nelder Grove, and a new and much improved website is now up and running. You can access the website at http://www.neldergrove.org. You can also download the interpretive guide with an easy click of the mouse, along with maps, trails, and other interesting wildlife, plant and historical information ...

WAWONA – We surprised ourselves this morning by getting up and out of the house by 8:10 a.m., only ten minutes later than we’d expected, which isn’t bad considering today’s mix was two parents, two teens, and a 90 lb. chocolate lab. Setting off from Coarsegold we took a leisurely drive north on Highway 41 up to Yosemite National Park, ...

YOSEMITE – Gazing up into the towering stand of Giant Sequoias touching deep blue skies, it’s hard to imagine anything has changed in 150 years. Birds sang and chirped as wind rustled through the trees tops, just as it did in 1864, when President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, enacting the legislation that preserved Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove.

Written by Dave Hubbard — As the sun rose higher in the sky and the days warmed after the long winter freeze, a transformation took place in Yosemite Valley. Meadows began to “green” and the newest batches of animal babies started to appear. Mother bears with their cubs and the raccoons with their little ones were soon looking for an ...

Frozen high lakes in the Tioga Pass area and snow covered mountains with building clouds were the backdrop for our latest adventure.

COARSEGOLD – With a storm set to roll into the foothills tonight, and clouds already pulling together in the darkening day, my friend and I set out in search of our elusive winter and instead found only signs of spring. Mudge Ranch is a glorious place for a walk, at the top of Road 420 south of Deadwood. The streets ...

Symphonic Yosemite?What’s the orchestral sound of Yosemite? That was the dilemma facing Les Marsden, Founder and Conductor of the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra. But to him, the answer was as obvious as looking at the iconic Tunnel View profile of Yosemite Valley.