Today is the final Adventures With Candace Blog. It was back on September 22, 2012 when the first one was published on Sierra News Online and in case you are wondering, it was about a hike up to Dana Plateau. The blog has come a long way since then with improved photography and mapping tools. Somewhere along the line, I ...

We headed off trail to check out the country above the Mono Pass Trail. We never know what we will find and that is part of the excitement. The wildflowers were going crazy up there! Those beautiful high lakes were mighty pretty also. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: About 10 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 9,596′ – 11,328′ ...

One of the reasons that I love hiking in this country is because of the rich mining history that occurred in these parts and when I am up here, I cannot stop thinking of the characters that braved this tough country to pursue their dreams of finding gold and silver. “The Great Silver Belt,” which runs from Tioga Hill to ...

We headed cross country up to beautiful little lake, still partially covered with snow and ice, named Burro Lake. Along the way, our route took us by a creek with wildflowers of every color and incredible reflections in high lakes bordered by granite mountains. Where: Sierra National Forest, Ansel Adams Wilderness Distance: 9.57 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: ...

Snowshoeing in the Tioga Pass area in July? Yes indeed! How else could we travel across the solid snowfields full of suncups to some beautiful lakes and the old mining town of Dana City? Where: Yosemite National Park, Inyo National Forest Distance: 5.3 Miles Difficulty: Moderate Elevation Range: 9,945′ – 11,025′ Date: July 5, 2017 Map: Falls Ridge Quad Dog Hike? ...

The trail was tricky. Much of it was covered with snow up to 5 foot drifts and we sloshed through stretches that were covered in water. The creeks were high but our persistence rewarded us with a lake that was still partially iced over and bordered by snowy mountains. Where: Sierra National Forest, Ansel Adams Wilderness, Yosemite National Park Distance: ...

When Yosemite National Park announced that Tioga Road (continuation of Highway 120 through the park) was to open on Thursday, June 29, at 8 am, you know I had to be there. We were at the spot on Tioga Road where the gate had been closed for the winter by 0741 and it was already opened! There were several signs ...

Picture escaping the heat to icy Ostrander Lake, bordered by a snowy, rocky ledge. That is exactly what we did in the middle of June, watching the last of the winter ice melt away, creating beautiful reflections. Where: Yosemite National Park Distance: 12.56 Miles Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous Elevation Range: 6,998′ – 8,613′ Date: June 20, 2017 Maps: El Capitan, ...

Last year we had visited Death Valley at this same time and were wowed by the “Superbloom.” We discovered zero wildflowers this year but there are always incredibly beautiful areas to explore in Death Valley and one of those are the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. They are a beautiful place to visit in the morning when we could see the ...