Northern California Hiking Trails Blog

Free Entrance to National Parks on Veterans’ Day this Wednesday

John Soares — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:09:54 +0000

National Parks and most federally managed lands are letting everyone in for free on Wednesday, November 11. Here’s the press release from Lassen Volcanic National Park: To honor America’s service men and women, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that areas managed by the department will not charge entrance fees on Wednesday, November 11, 2009. Visitors [...]

Wilderness Land Trust Protects 320 Acres in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest

John Soares — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:54:28 +0000

The Wilderness Land Trust just reported two important land acquisitions in two of my favorite California wilderness areas: the Trinity Alps Wilderness and the Mount Shasta Wilderness, which both have a lot of hiking trails. The Wilderness Land Trust, and similar organizations such as the Siskiyou Land Trust, purchase property and help protect wild lands and [...]

How to Survive a Bear Attack

John Soares — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:31:38 +0000

Northern California outdoors photographer Ken DeCamp pointed me to this hilarious video about how to survive a bear attack. Enjoy!

Pacific Crest Trail Maintenance in Castle Crags State Park This Saturday

John Soares — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:54:41 +0000

The Pacific Crest Trail Association and the Mount Shasta Trail Association (I’m on the board of directors) are co-sponsoring trail maintenance work on the Pacific Crest Trail section in Castle Crags State Park this Saturday, October 24th. Here’s what Mount Shasta Trail Association president Joe Wirth says: We need a trail crew of ten people to work [...]

Campfire Restrictions Removed on Many National Forests in California

John Soares — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:11:22 +0000

If you’re still willing to camp during these cold and long autumn nights, then I have some welcome news for you: fire restrictions are being lifted on the national forests in many parts of the state, so you can enjoy a cozy and warming campfire after a brisk hike. I know for sure that the [...]

Prescribed Burn Time in Northern California Forests

John Soares — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:25:02 +0000

It’s that time of year when the Forest Service begins its prescribed burns. Expect to see periodic smoke over the mountains of Northern California through spring, although it seems most common in fall. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service I’ve already seen pronouncements of prescribed burns for Klamath National Forest, and the Shasta-Trinity National [...]

October Hike of the Month: Black Butte Trail Near Mount Shasta

John Soares — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 22:37:45 +0000

Black Butte is practically in my backyard. I live maybe 10 crow miles from it and I see its steep volcanic flanks frequently. I also love to climb it. It’s one of the first real hikes Stephanie and I do in May as soon as the snow melts off the north side. (And, according to [...]

Siskiyou Wanderers October Hiking Schedule: Fall Foliage!

John Soares — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:49 +0000

The Siskiyou Wanderers, an intrepid hiking group in Siskiyou County, will revel in spectacular fall color on this month’s hikes. Feel free to join them! October 1: Tangle Blue Lake: As summer fades into fall and you are feeling a little blue, visit Tangle Blue Lake, a popular lake near Scott Mountain Summit, and I am sure [...]

The Latest Information on Threats to the Shasta River

John Soares — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:43:06 +0000

I’ve written several times about the fate of the Shasta River, the stream that flows very near my house in Lake Shastina. It currently faces a severe threat from recent water withdrawals and high temperatures, so much so that the next salmon run is gravely threatened. Tom Chandler at Trout Underground has an excellent post with [...]

California State Parks Saved from Closures? Really?

John Soares — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 14:36:02 +0000

I’ve been following the sad saga of California’s State Parks and the threats they’ve faced from the governor. Well, Governor Schwarzenegger has proposed a plan that will keep parks open. Here’s the relevant portion of the press release: After several weeks of analyzing Parks’ initial proposal to achieve savings in the 2009-10 budget, an alternative solution has [...]

Three American Hikers Detained by Iran: Sign an Online Petition Requesting Their Release

John Soares — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:31:44 +0000

Here is the situation on the three detained American hikers in a nutshell: Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd have been detained in Iran since July 31, 2009, when news reports say they accidentally crossed an unmarked border during a hiking trip in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. They were in a peaceful region of [...]

California Coastal Clean-Up Day: Help Keep Your Favorite California Hiking Beaches Trash-Free

John Soares — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:51:34 +0000

California Coastal Clean-Up Day is this Saturday, September 19. If you’re like me, you love hiking on beaches and coastal trails. When I lived in Crescent City, I walked Pebble Beach twice every day. (My golden retrievers insisted on it.) Here’s what sponsor California Coastal Commission says: California Coastal Cleanup Day is the premier volunteer event [...]