California State Parks: New Law Allows Nonprofits to Help Keep Them Open

October 5, 2011

Great news: Governor Brown signed AB42, which helps nonprofits keep California’s state parks open for hikers and other visitors.  Here’s the press release from the California State Parks Foundation: Key Bill AB 42 Provides New Authority for Nonprofits to Help Operate Parks SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Brown signed Assembly Bill (AB) 42 (Huffman), the bill [...]

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Environmental Benefits of Wood as a Green Building Material

September 30, 2011

As hikers in the forests of northern California and elsewhere, we often walk through national forests and we see the areas that have been logged. Yes, they are unsightly. And yes, often they are clear cuts. But timber can be harvested sustainably, and it can be done in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts. Timber [...]

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Clear Creek in Siskiyou County Via Gambolin’ Man

September 27, 2011

Clear Creek, which flows into the Klamath River in Siskiyou County, is remote by most standards. But Gambolin’ Man gets around, and he recently made it up here and did a great job writing a beautiful essay and pairing his words with some beautiful photos. From his Clear Creek post: Now, though, covered in sweat [...]

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Hiking Guide Writer Jerry Schad Dies

September 27, 2011

Fellow hiking blogger Ray Anderson just let me know that San Diego hiking guide writer Jerry Schad recently passed away. There’s a beautiful obituary here: Mr. Schad, a former East County resident, was the author of 16 books, including “Afoot & Afield in San Diego County,” widely considered the bible of local hiking. He also [...]

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Hiking the Trail to West Parks Lakes – Lower, Middle, Upper

September 20, 2011

Lower, Middle, and Upper West Park Lakes lie just a few miles from Mount Eddy and the Deadfall Lakes, yet few people hike the trails to these gems, even though they are fairly easy to reach. I did the West Parks Lakes as a day-hike in late August, the day after I explored the nearby [...]

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Gateway Trail Project Manager Position in Mount Shasta

September 13, 2011

As some of you know, I’m on the board of directors of the Mount Shasta Trail Association. We recently won a grant to build and enhance the Gateway Trail system just outside the Mount Shasta city limits, and now we’re hiring a project manager. Here’s the announcement… Gateway Trail Project Manager Position The Mt. Shasta [...]

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Hiking the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River with Gambolin’ Man

September 5, 2011

Hiking the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River country is often not easy. Yes there are trails, but many of the best canyon sections and swimming holes aren’t accessible to the casual hiker. Enter Gambolin’ Man. His latest post takes you to many of out-of-the-way destinations, and he has the pictures [...]

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Hiking to Lower, Middle, and Upper Caldwell Lakes along Parks Creek

September 2, 2011

Here’s all the info you need to hike or backpack the trails to Lower Caldwell Lake, Middle Caldwell Lake, and Upper Caldwell Lake in the Parks Creek drainage in the Eddy Range west of Mount Shasta. I just did the hike last weekend, along with hiking to the nearby West Parks Lakes. (This is just [...]

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Hike the Lassen Peak Trail over the Labor Day Weekend

August 31, 2011

The Lassen Peak Trail has been undergoing some major changes this summer, so access to the summit has been restricted to just a few days, although visitors are allowed to hike in 1.3 miles to the Grandview area on any day Lassen Volcanic National Park is open. Hiking the Lassen Peak Trail,  Labor Day Weekend [...]

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Yes, I Did Go Skinny-Dipping with 12 Naked Women in the Trinity Alps…

August 29, 2011

Mount Shasta area writer Tim Holt just wrote a really good piece in the Redding Record Searchlight called “Naked sunbathers, Mt. Shasta oddities: In the great outdoors, expect the unexpected.” I’m one of the hikers he featured, and he discusses a very pleasant and memorable experience I had while backpacking in the Trinity Alps in [...]

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Hiking Manzanita Creek Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park

August 24, 2011

Stephanie and I just hiked the Manzanita Creek Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Wow! Meadows, flowers, Loomis Peak, Lassen Peak… It had been many years since I hiked this trail for my two hiking guidebooks and we picked the best time to return: flowers everywhere in the meadow and all the snow is gone. [...]

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When Deer Run from Bears and Mountain Lions…

August 18, 2011

When I see deer running fast, I wonder if they have a good reason. I wrote recently about my writer’s camping retreat in the Trinity Divide mountains west of Mount Shasta, which ended yesterday afternoon with Thai food in Mount Shasta. Bears On My Hike to Chipmunk Lake near the Pacific Crest Trail On Tuesday [...]

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How I Mix Camping, Writing, and Hiking…

August 15, 2011

I’m leaving in a few hours to camp for three days in the Trinity Divide Mountains west of Mount Shasta. I’ll primarily be working a freelance writing project for a college textbook publisher (Friday deadline), but I’ll also find time to do some hiking. I just wrote a post about how much writing I can [...]

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Backpacking and Hiking Class at College of the Siskiyous This Fall

August 3, 2011

For you folks that live in the far north state, this is a great class. It’s taught by my friend Charlie Unkefer, and it begins at College of the Siskiyous on August 24th, 2011. Here’s the press release: Take the next step outdoors with College of the Siskiyous new Backpacking and Hiking class starting this [...]

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