The High Sierra Camps in Yosemite National Park are a much-sought after way to see the park’s mountainous backcountry without the trouble of carrying all your food and gear. An annual lottery is in place for tent cabin accommodations, dinner, breakfast and an optional packed lunch each day for the 7-camp circuit. If you aren’t …
This is my go-to backpacking packing list for three-season trips in the Sierras (spring to fall) and with some minor tweaks works in other settings as well. My end goal is to have my pack be no more than 40 pounds (preferably less) including all food, bear canister and a full hydration reservoir of water. …
When packing for a backpacking trip, the potential weather is a key factor in what to bring. But if you are visiting the backcountry, standard weather web sites aren’t always helpful with their city- or zip-driven forecast searches. The elevation changes in the backcountry can have a lot of influence on the weather, and the …
Wunderlich County Park in San Mateo County is a gem of a local hike spot with history. In addition to numerous hiking trails through redwoods, madrones and open meadows, there are beautifully restored estate buildings from the former Folger family ranch (yes, as in the coffee) which house a museum and active horse stables. This …
For regular readers of this blog, you probably already know the name James Temple (@jtemple). He’s one of my backpacking buddies and a hobbyist documentary filmmaker. His backpack is also his kryptonite. There’s something to be said for having a friend along on your outdoor adventures who can capture the beauty of it in a …
This is potentially our toughest Name that Photo challenge to date. The photo is from a small, lesser known California state park. If you think you know where this photo was taken, let us know. [Click here to view the photo at full size.] Email your best guesses to photo@hikerly.com by Wednesday, August 22 Saturday, …
A year ago I was training for an epic adventure: Backpacking the northernmost approximately 60 miles of the John Muir Trail. It was a 6-day backpack with epic elevation gain (we climbed from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows in a mere 2 days, not to mention hiking over Donahue Pass). And it was an experience …
This quintessential hike on the northwestern shore of the city of San Francisco (Lands End) offers one of my favorite views of the Golden Gate Bridge, a meditation labyrinth on Lands End Point, a rocky beach break, Seacliff mansion gazing, a museum, the ruins of a once majestic bathhouse, the ominous roar of the ocean …
It’s a new month and here’s a new list. Give thanks for state, local and national parks near you by helping to make them better. This is a partial list of park volunteer opportunities in California. If your favorite park isn’t listed, check the park site for volunteer info. Wednesday, Aug. 1 Candlestick Point State …
The disclosure of more than $54 million in surplus money for the California State Parks has led to internal investigations and park supporter outrage. Here’s the latest news on the scandal, which we’ll be updating daily as we learn more. [View the story “California state parks hidden fund scandal and fallout” on Storify] California state …
