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I was interviewed on a podcast with Charley Pankey, who covers the Sierra Nevada with care and joy. If you'd like to hear my conversation with Charley---talking about backpacking, volunteering, and generally enjoying the Sierra--the links are here: Spotify Link: Apple Podcast link...

My Friends at CSERC--Central Sierra Environmental Resource Center, have sent out the following. I find their recommendations consistently solid, based on science, and in line with my thinking about our national natural resources: ** ACTION ALERT ** SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS TODAY TO PROTECT THE...

On my last volunteer trip into Desolation Wilderness I not only cleaned up a bunch of trash out of the backcountry, but I also, in my own little way, contributed some. The bright orange trowel that I carefully picked up (carefully, in more ways than one!) and packed along for two days...

Welcome! Where do you like to hike?

Do we need a wildfire thread? A wildfire in Tuolumne County has destroyed Chinese Camp. It's a small, historic mining community that many will have driven past on the way to Yosemite. We always enjoyed its quirky nature and older buildings. Chinese Camp wasn't a "restored town," it was a...

Welcome! I'll be happy to read any reports you post! And since you didn't mention it, I'm retired (still teaching an occasional class at the college in Napa) but I spend most of my free time working as a volunteer in the National Forests in the Sierra Nevada--Desolation Wilderness, Mokelumne...

It's above Sonora, by Twain Harte.

Yep. I think we've all learned, long ago, that trusting common sense just isn't enough. As that ranger in Yosemite once said, the overlap between the smartest bear and the dumbest camper is bigger than you think. Common sense? Every year I remove fire rings, over and over again, in...

The USFS does allow some existing sites to continue to be used, exactly so that others are not created that are even more problematic. In most cases, I am restoring campsites that are not only too close to water, but usually near other sites that are legally located. And no, I can't guarantee...

I spend much of my time as a wilderness volunteer "restoring" campsites. What does that mean? Campsites, in most areas, are required to be on durable srufaces, 100 feet from water, and 100 feet from the trail. There are numerous really good reasons for this, that include keeping water sources...

One more photo--the scene after dinner:

It was time we took a backpacking trip. And with M still concerned a bit about her health, we wanted something easy, but amazing. Little Lakes Valley hit the mark. Day One, from our cabin we drove to Toms Place, stopping for lunch at the Whoa Nellie to share an Ortega Chicken sandwich. We had a...

And about Yosemite---Grrr. For our trip down to Onion Valley, I thought it might be nice to come back to the West side of the Sierra through Yosemite. What the heck, it would be a nice drive, and should be easy to organize. So I went online to Recreation.gov on July 14 and tried to book a...

I promised a few more notes on this trip: On our hike up to Kearsarge Pass, we ran into a woman hiking down from the pass. "You may meet two park staff up there," she said. "One of them isn't feeling well, and they may need some help." We promised to check on them, even after she told us that...

With a cabin above Sonora, California, we have a tendency to explore the central part of the Sierra: Yosemite, Emigrant Wilderness, Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, etc. And I do volunteer work in both Desolation and Mokelumne Wildernesses, so those northern areas also get our attention. But when we...

We met some truly memorable hikers on our visit to Onion Valley this past week. Some with interesting tales, some with confusing stories, and some that just made us shake our heads. We met one fellow in the campground the first night. He was going solo over Kearsarge Pass, and hoped to take in...

One of our favorite areas in the Sierra. We've been to Donkey Lake, and baboon Lakes, too! Nice report. And it looks like you had great weather.

I'm from Napa--farther away than I'd like--but I often volunteer for Desolation Wilderness and Mokelumne Wilderness, both very much in your neck of the woods.

Some people seem to need babysitters just about everywhere. I don't think the wilderness is any different. But I do find the people I meet when I am volunteering in the wilderness are friendly, basically cooperative and appreciative of what I'm doing. That's a good thing.

Or in this case, Zone 39. I spend quite a bit of time in Desolation Wildernessd doing volunteer work. And last year, I "adopted" Zone 39 of the Wilderness. I patrol it, answer questions, clean up after people and generally try to be a "presence" in the back country. And I had 39 all to...