Tom Mangan's Two Heel Drive hiking blog has this great entry on the rock slides at Yosemite National Park. It provides a bunch of links to news sources and other blogs, and also places where you can get pictures and updates.Do the recent rock … [Continue reading]
Hiking Can Be Hazardous–Always Be Prepared!
The October Hike of the Month takes you to Emigrant Lake in the Mokelumne Wilderness. However, remember that this is October, and you must be prepared for winter conditions at such a high elevation. Don't go unless you have the equipment, experience … [Continue reading]
Bart Smith Hikes 16,515 Miles in North America
Bart Smith gets around!What a life. A tip of my wide-brimmed hat to Bart for a life so well lived, and for sharing his stunning photos with the world.Here in the upper reaches of Northern California, folks are very excited about … [Continue reading]
Mount Shasta International Film Festival October 9-12
The fifth annual Mount Shasta International Film Festival runs from Friday, October 10th, through Sunday, October 12th. Festival Founder and Director Jeffrey Winters and a dedicated crew of volunteers (including Jeffrey's lovely wife Danielle) have … [Continue reading]
Northern California Hiking Trails Blog Gets Some Attention
I'm pleased that the Northern California Hiking Trails blog has garnered some online attention recently. Tom Mangan's Bay Area hiking blog Two-Heel Drive gave me a mention: Soares has an excellent hiking blog for the Shasta-Trinity region of … [Continue reading]
Hiking to Emigrant Lake in the Mokelumne Wilderness
Just posted the October hike over on the Northern California Hiking Trails article page: Alright, now it's October. Let's head to the Sierra Nevada one more time before winter buries it in ten feet of snow. This hike to Emigrant Lake in the … [Continue reading]
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center Opens at Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park is having a grand opening for its new Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center this Sunday, October 4, from 9-5 p.m. Park admission is free and there are many activities planned. Here's part of the press release from the … [Continue reading]
Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge Hike
Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge lie above Castle Lake and beyond the turnoff to Heart Lake. They make a great hike, and you may have the trail all to yourself. Little Castle Lake and Mount Bradley Ridge Stephanie and I (and our … [Continue reading]
Visit National Parks Free This Weekend
You can visit National Parks for free this weekend, September 27 and 28. Here's the press release from the National Park Service: All National Park Service sites will offer free visitor admission this weekend. There will be no entrance fees on … [Continue reading]
Hikers Using Cell Phones: Minor Annoyance or Cardinal Sin?
Why not use cell phones when hiking? Because one, it distracts you from the beauty surrounding you; two, it annoys wildlife, including your hiking partners and anybody else within earshot; three, you're in nature - try to leave the technology at … [Continue reading]
Protecting Mount Shasta’s Watersheds
I attended the first of three presentations on Mount Shasta watersheds last night at the Weed Mercantile Mall in Weed. Several representatives from local non-profit agencies, local companies, and government agencies described the groundwater and … [Continue reading]
Bigfoot in British Columbia, and Hiking in Northern California?
Found this article about Bigfoot footprints and sightings in British Columbia. Seems local British Columbia Bigfoot hunter Larry Sommerfield made a cast of a footprint with four toes that's 16 inches long and 10.5 inches wide. He says he's also seen … [Continue reading]
Mountain Lions and Northern California Hikers: What to Do
I've done a lot of hiking on the trails of Northern California, but I've only rarely seen a mountain lion. Hiker interactions with mountain lions are rare. but you need to know what to do.Mountain Lions and Hikers: Northern California I've … [Continue reading]
Walking in Moonlight
Thoughts of all the things that keep me busy these days woke me at 5 A.M. I got up, brewed a quick cup of french roast, and headed outside with my old golden retriever Molly.We walked into the still pre-dawn. No wind, the air soft with the … [Continue reading]
Hiking Mount Shasta’s Old Ski Bowl Trails to Green Butte
The hike up the Old Ski Bowl on Mount Shasta takes you all the way to the cross-country route to Green Butte. You'll get good exercise from the steep climb, and you'll have wide-ranging views.Stephanie and I had another Cascade volcano adventure … [Continue reading]
Hiking Ridge Lakes Trail and Lassen Peak Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park
The Ridge Lakes Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park is a steep climb from Sulphur Works, but the beauty and solitude justify the effort. And Lassen Peak? It's the highest point in the park. It started Saturday afternoon with tomatoes. Two dozen … [Continue reading]
Subscribe to the Northern California Hiking Trails Blog!
Get notified every time I make a post. Look at the upper right portion of the blog for your two options.1. E-mail notification. This is how I subscribe to some blogs. Here's how it works. If I blog on a given day, you will get one e-mail … [Continue reading]
Laurie Bagley globetrots to the top of Africa
My friend Laurie Bagley gets around. In 2006, Laurie became the sixth American woman to summit Mount Everest by the North Col route. Now some may consider that a big deal, but I summited Mount Eddy twice in one week in 2006, and it's only 20,000 feet … [Continue reading]
Hike to Seven Lakes Basin on the Pacific Crest Trail
Ah, September in the high country. A few warm days, many cooler days, the first frost, the first blush of autumn color. Explore these contrasts on an easy six-mile, round-trip hike along the Pacific Crest Trail to Seven Lakes Basin, one of my … [Continue reading]
Rafting the Klamath River and Lower Sacramento River
I took advantage of the recent heat wave to raft the local waters of the Klamath River and the lower Sacramento River. A different way of moving through the wilderness, this time powered by my arms with the gravity assist of the river … [Continue reading]
Photos: McCloud River Waterfalls and Squaw Valley Creek
I've just posted some high-resolution pictures of Lower McCloud Falls and Middle McCloud Falls on the McCloud River to the Northern California Hiking Trails web site. I also posted images of Squaw Valley Creek, a McCloud River tributary.I decided … [Continue reading]
When Hikers and Backpackers Meet Horses on the Trail
Horses and their riders always have the right of way, so step to the side of the path and let them pass. Speak softly to the riders to let the horses know that you are human and no threat. And keep your dogs under firm hand control; this keeps both … [Continue reading]
Mount Shasta’s Stature Keeps Growing
Especially in height. Turns out the illustrious landmark of Siskiyou County is 14,179 feet above mean sea level, not 14,162 feet. Mount Shasta's new elevation measurement comes from the National Geodetic Survey. Shasta's relative ranking didn't … [Continue reading]
More information on where to hike to avoid smoke from wildfires
The National Weather Service office in Medford and the National Weather Service office in Sacramento are now providing maps that show areas with high concentrations of smoke from the wildfires. Use these to help you determine where to hike and … [Continue reading]
Hiking to Middle Deadfall Lake near Mount Eddy west of Mount Shasta
Finally! The smoke from the huge fires in western Siskiyou County and Trinity County shifted away from the Mount Shasta area. My sweetheart Stephanie Hoffman and I took full advantage for an impromptu hike.We chose the Deadfall Lakes (Hike 52 in … [Continue reading]
