MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — Mother Nature is the best form of therapy. The sound of roaring falls and smell of blooming wildflowers. The deafening silence of freshly fallen snow on the ground. Recreate Responsibly (PDF) Not Just Yosemite But ALL Outdoor Lands Although the main attraction is Yosemite National Park, the idea of recreating responsibly shouldn’t be applied only to the ...
Read More »Articles about Hiking
Eat, Drink & Be Merry in Madera County This Winter
MADERA COUNTY — Welcome to Madera County, the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park. A fun-filled region of outdoor adventures, wine tasting, fishing, historic museums, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Bass Lake is a family vacation must, with something to entertain everyone. Discover fishing, hiking, biking trails, wakeboarding, kayaking, paddle boarding, camping, you name it! Whether you’re ...
Read More »Three Search And Rescue Calls Sunday
MADERA COUNTY–The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is reporting three separate search and rescue calls on Sunday, 9.4.2022. Beginning at 8:35am with the first call and the final call coming in at 4:00pm, conditions all day were considered extreme due to excessive heat. Rescue #1 Lost Hiker at Devils Slide At 8:35am on Sunday 9/4/22, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office received ...
Read More »Sierra National Forest to Close Visitor Centers for Season
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — The Sierra National Forest High Sierra Ranger District will be closing Dinkey Creek Visitor Center on September 4th and High Sierra Visitor Center (at Kaiser Pass) on September 19th for the 2022 season. The High Sierra Ranger District Office remains open all year around. The District Office is currently open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to ...
Read More »6 Tips for Enjoying the Great Outdoors This Summer
TRAVEL & RECREATION — To make the most of your summer, you’ll need to take a few steps to enhance the experience and ensure you’re ready for whatever the day may bring. When it’s time to head outside, consider these tips to protect your body (and skin) from the elements this summer. 1. Protect Skin from UV Rays Any time you’ll ...
Read More »SNF Announces Kaiser Pass and Florence Lake Road Repairs
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — The Sierra National Forest has announced that road work will begin on Monday, July 11. Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of July. The work consists of patching potholes, improving turnouts, and restoring drainage functions on Kaiser Pass Road (see map below) and Florence Lake Road. Short delays are expected, and the public is ...
Read More »California Poison Control Offers Tips About Spider Bites
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — California Poison Control System (CPCS) suggests being on the lookout for spiders which are increasingly active when temperatures rise. With more people doing spring cleaning or starting to hike in the hills, the risk of bites is more likely. Spider bites can result in small puncture wounds, pain, redness, itching and swelling that can last a couple ...
Read More »30th Annual National Trails Day Celebration Coming Soon
MOUNTAIN COMMUNITIES — Millions of people from across the country will hit the trail on June 4, 2022, to celebrate the 30th Annual American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day®. This year’s celebration is about coming together to leave the trails and the outdoor communities better than they found them. Hikers, cyclists, horseback riders, paddlers, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, ...
Read More »Hiking Through Hersheimer Gap To Vernal Pools With the Sierra Foothill Conservancy
Kaleidoscopic splashes of yellow here, mounds of orange there and then a little later, oceans of purple, sometimes with some red to liven up the wildflower colors as I hiked up new trails with the Sierra Foothill Conservancy. At the top of the Ruth McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve vernal pools were especially beautiful, ringed with white meadowfoam. Where: Sierra Foothill ...
Read More »Yosemite Your Way – With Expert Guidance
OAKHURST – You gaze, mesmerized, at the scene before you: majestic Half Dome — known as Tis-sa-sak to the first settlers of this valley — crowns Tenaya Canyon leading to the Yosemite high country. El Capitan, sentinel of Yosemite Valley, guards the western edge. The scene is pure majesty, a valley ringed by mountains approaching 10,000 feet in elevation. You ...
Read More »