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As you recall, our mystery hiker seemed all geared up for a good backpacking trip, and yet he had hiked fewer than two miles up the trail, and had followed us back down towards the lodge at Tuolumne Meadows. It was mid-morning, and he seemed to be lost, wandering almost aimlessly either behind...

Mystery #2 On our recent trip up Lyell Canyon in Yosemite, we met four smartly and officially clad rangers on the trail on our hike out. The first two were wildlife management rangers, asking about bears, and reinforcing the messaging that Yosemite has in place for what to do when it comes to...

My suggested solution to the above: Of course, my answer is a guess. I think he stopped moving, bailed on his long, ambitious itinerary, and the loved one(s) tracking him feared the worst. So they notified the rangers. Because the rangers knew he was a "heavy-set" guy, somebody who knew him...

You may remember that I write mystery novels set in the High Sierra. And every once in a while, we see something on one of our trips that sets my mind to thinking... As my wife and I hiked out of Lyell Canyon in Yosemite on Saturday, fleeing morning rainshowers and afternoon thunderstorms, we...

The latest in my Dan Courtwright series of mystery novels set in the High Sierra is now out! Someone may have hidden a fortune in the backcountry of the High Sierra, and it has attracted the attention of all kinds of people, many of whom have no experience in the mountains. But the mystery...

I wish i could help--but I'm lecturing at UC Davis that day. Have you tried posting on High Sierra Topix, or Yosemite News and Discussion boards? Both of them have active communities. There is a bus from Sacramento to Yosemite Valley, and also, I think, from Fresno to Yosemite Valley. And...

After two solo backpacking trips as a volunteer in Desolation Wilderness, I managed to convince my lovely wife to join me in the mountains for a couples trip. It didn't take much. She's a big fan of the Sierra and of backpacking, as long as the latter isn't too strenuous. We've been to lots of...

It is amazing how many people offer to help, in one way or the other, once I explain what I'm doing in the backcountry. Some promise to leave a clean campsite, others offer to pick the trash that they see, and some have even offered to carry out some of the trash I've collected. Everyone, it...

After last weekend's challenges, I was determined to get back into Desolation Wilderness and continue my work there as a volunteer. And so on Wednesday I drove back up there and got started, all over again. It was hot. How hot was it? Hot enough that the freeways had heat advisories on...

Excellent! We did a similar trip in 2011, then went back in 2015 to hike the Cordillera Blanca. And we were there again last year to do more exploring and hiking around Cusco. What a wonderful place to visit: stunning scenery, unbelieveable archeology, lovely people, and amazing cuisine...

I vote in favor! I did the Camino Primitivo de Santiago last summer with my daughter, 17 days, and posted about it here. I only heard nice things in response. Keep posting your trips, and take us along for your adventures!

The New York Times ran an interesting article about the impact of foraging hikers on our national lands. We took a hike a few years ago in a fire-affected part of the Eldorade NF and were amazed by the number of foragers--some carrying a shopping bag full of morels. We managed to hike past them...

Tioga Pass, Highway 120 through Yosemite National Park via Tuolumne Meadows, opens for vehicle traffic tomorrow, June 10. It was open for bicycles only today. Get your gear, it's time to the trail.

I can't answer your question, but we're going in Occtober, so if you can wait that long... Meanwhile, do you really have to choose? Both have amazing things to see,

You might think it was lions, tigers and bears; or even rattlesnakes and scorpions. You might think... But here's the answer, according to the National Park Service: Car accidents Drowning Hiking misadventures Read the whole story here...

From CalTrans Highway information; SR 108 [IN THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA AREA & SIERRA NEVADA] No traffic restrictions are reported for this area. Backpackers, start your planning. Only Tioga Pass in Yosemite remains closed.

There is a nice Spanish expression that came up during my hiking of the Camino Primitivo to Santiago de Compostela. I thought I'd post it here and see what you think: “Si quieres ir Rápido, ve Solo. Si quieres llegar Lejos, ve Acompañado” If you want to go fast, go solo. If you want to go...

Wonderful report and great photos. Thanks for posting this.

Aramark, Deleware North, and Xanterra. There don't seem to be any winners!

2024 Total Bear Incidents: 0 2024 Total Property Damage: $0 Bear Incident Comparisons (year to date—previous years compared to 2024): Last year (2023) - down by 100% Most Incidents (1998) - down by 100% Fewest Incidents (2019) - down by 100% Bear Activity Summary: Four male bears have been...