Rockefeller Grove, Yosemite – Sugar Pines, Skiing, & Fire Scars
Yosemite is know for having three giant sequoia groves (Mariposa, Merced, & Tuolumne), but did you know about the park’s less visited Sugar Pine Grove, the Rockefeller Grove? I hadn’t either until Curtis had mentioned it as an option for a late season cross country ski trip. He had heard about it as one of the spots fire crews had worked to protect from the rim fire, one of the oldest…
“Mystical Horizons” – The Stonehenge of the Prairie
I recently discovered the SF Gate’s running series Tourist Trapped. The column’s writer travels to the heavily tourist-ed destinations in the San Francisco area and reports back on the highs and lows. I am in love it. I want to take a weekend and go nuts eating Jelly Bellies and taking ghost tours with hundreds of other people in the Bay Area. Tourist Trapped made me realize that a place…
What Beer Are You?
All those buzzfeed quizzes, like “What age are you really?” and “Which Miyazaki Character Are You?”, have apparently permeated my subconscious. At least permeated it enough to have thought at one point: “What does your hiking brew really say about you? should be a buzzfeed quiz.” Only, you know, if buzzfeed was made for nerdy hikers who also drink beer. Which is pretty niche, so I decided to do it myself! What…
Hite Cove: California Wildflowers with a Side of Ruins
Guess what season it is? … California Poppy Season! Last weekend’s arrival of California’s poppies swept aside any previous hiking plans (Sorry Little Nellie Falls, check you latter) and instead filled my head with visions of hiking in sandals through fields tinged with orange. And not just any trail would do – this year I was going to get to Hite Cove, damn it! Hite Cove Distance: 9-ish mile out…
International Peace Garden, ND – Throwback Thursday
The other day my prized “Why Not Minot” shot glass, a funny parody of the North Dakota city sold to me be the Minot Scandinavian center, broke in a tragic cleaning accident. I doubt the shot glass in still available in the Minot Scandinavian center, of which my mind has concocted a story of a witty scandinavian making (in good humor) the shot glass only to be lectured by the Minot chamber…
Where to find California Sea Otters – Moss Landing, CA
I am loath to rank my favorite wild animals, because there are so many cute ones out there (Bunnies, mountain goats, pikas, & quails immediately come to mind), but Sea Otters gave to be somewhere in my top 10. They float around and use tools with their little otter hands, they look so furry and floaty… did I mention they float? ;) AH! Too cute! Sea otters also play an…
Foresta Falls & McCauley Ranch on Yosemite’s West Side
This low snow winter has had me creating some more creative hiking endeavors: Mariposa’s Williams Peak, the”Secret” Sierra Point, and now Yosemite’s more “Elusive” waterfall – Foresta Falls. It is a nice short little hike, but with lots of room to explore around the old McCauley Ranch and enjoy some sunshine. Actually come to think of it – it was pretty much the opposite of Sierra Point. At Foresta we hiked…
Secret Yosemite: Sierra Point
Alright, I will admit Sierra Point is apparently not a secret. We saw a dozen other people while on the “Trail” this Sunday… way more then I ever see hiking to Mt Watkins (one of my favorite off trail hikes in the park). My theory: because of the dry winter people are taking to many valley hikes that when they would otherwise be skiing if there was snow, or hiking…
Winter Camping Tips from Michigan’s Most Remote State Park – Craig Lake
I got off the phone a little while ago with my friend Jacquie – one friend from the group of Michigan Tech friends I do a yearly summer trip with – discussing possible plans & how I could maybe merge running a marathon into a grand summer trip? I am excited and hopeful that everything may yet fall into place, but then again if it doesn’t it wouldn’t be our…
Hello! I am a 30-something outdoors-lady, backpacker, and resident of Groveland, California - 
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