With my cousin Beverly from Dodge City, Kansas visiting, we wanted her to experience how great our high country is so we decided to take her on a day trip up into the mountains to see Wishon and Courtright Reservoirs. We loaded up the trusty Chevrolet Colorado with a picnic lunch and drinks, including a water dish for our traveling ...

The Mariposa Indian War, Campaign from 13 April to 2 May, 1851. The question is to more accurately locate where this particular skirmish took place. The map indicates that it took place along the banks of Fine Gold Creek, somewhere close to Fine Gold Gulch. The text of the report indicates that it was on the Little San Joaquin River. ...

YOSEMITE – Wildfire is part of life in the Central Sierra, and the sight of billowing smoke engenders fear in those who live in the Wildland Urban Interface. But it is also an important part of the ecology, as is evidenced by the decades of study in Yosemite National Park. Officials are eager to witness the rebirth and renewal in ...

Have you ever been up to Shaver Lake?  I know, Bass Lake is much closer and handier, but Shaver is higher and bigger and less than an hour away. Getting to Shaver Lake involves some tight and twisty roads, so be prepared for slower speeds. The scenery is nice so be sure to take a look around as you go. ...

One of our favorite places to camp is on the Kings River, east of Pine Flat Lake. Near where Sue and I like to camp is USFS Kirch Flat Campground off of Trimmer Springs Road, but we prefer to disperse camp along the Kings River. First spot is right after you cross the first bridge, turn right on the dirt ...

OAKHURST — After attending a recent Kiwanis meeting, we want to share some of the great news coming out of this organization of dedicated volunteers. There’s a very special relationship between service clubs and our mountain area schools, and it’s vital that we support the organization’s events the way they support our students. For the third year in a row ...

The Army in Yosemite dates back to October 1, 1890 when Yosemite National Park was established. The Secretary of the Interior asked that Army troops be made available, (as they had been in Yel­lowstone), and begin patrols protecting the park. Cavalry scouting parties were to be sent out to “prevent timber cutting, sheep herding, trespassing or spoliation in particular.” On ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — With summer nearly over and many of the crowds dwindling, it’s nice to know that local people are out cleaning up our environment on the weekends. In two separate though not random acts of kindness, a pair of groups stayed busy on Friday, Saturday and Sunday picking up trash: the Girl Scouts of Troop 132 and volunteers with Keep Our Mountains Beautiful (KOMB). ...

NORTH FORK — Law enforcement officials have just completed three days of marijuana eradication operations in the North Fork area, destroying over 73,000 plants being grown, for the most part, on public lands. A joint effort between the Madera County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife, BLM and the California National Guard started on Monday, wrapping up ...

Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: About 15 miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevational Range: 7,868′ – 10,000′ Date: July 26, 2015 Highlights: Riding horses in Yosemite’s beautiful high country is always a special treat. Taking them up to the 10,000′ elevation where we had the towering, jagged high points of Vogelsang, Fletcher and Rafferty Peaks along our side as we mosied up the trail to Boothe Lake was extra ...