well off the beathen path

Sequoia Forest Update

2012-02-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

Update for Sequoia Forest, 2012 Southern Sierra areas include - Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Canyon, Kernville, Tehachapi, Kennedy Meadows, Golden Trout, Domeland, Western Divide, Giant Sequoia National Monument. Further north, there is a small chunk of National Forest land smack dab in between Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, some of the best, free Sequoia car camping anywhere.

Marketing a Hotel

2012-02-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

As independent innkeepers, marketing hotel property online and off line is now equally important. Gone are the days when you could run a small advertisement in the local newspaper and hope travelers see it. Now a full menu of advertising campaigns is necessary to even survive. A professional looking web site about your lodge with great photos, a map and current room rates, is a must in

Benchmark Maps

2012-01-11T21:05:00.000-08:00

Benchmark Maps are the best, full state, full featured, road map for exploring the Western US. DanaMite, founder of Total Escape, has been using hers since 2000, and has always found a place to camp, on any dirt road, even in the wee hours of the night. Imagine waking up the next morning, with stunning scenery all around, cuz you went the distance. since this atlas is such a popular title,

climatechange

2011-10-17T22:05:00.000-07:00

The masses still prefer prime time television and spoon fed news, over the web (www). Many wish to deny reality and create fantasy, and we are in their clutches. Control and greed go hand and hand, along with profits. Corporations have run us ragged for 50 years. THEY have made us dependent fools, consumers for their worldly game. Manipulate, associate, master-bate, educate and spread the

cheap footwear = cancer

2011-10-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

Holy flippin moly. My footwear could give me cancer. Sunday, gorgeous weather, Autumn has arrived, and a laundry kinda afternoon. Not your typical weekend, but who's watching. Chores, yuk. I was hanging my clothes up today and just started thinking about ALL of these plastic hangers I use. Then it dawned on me that half the stuff in my home is plastic, or some processed chemical wood

California Gear

2011-07-18T23:43:00.000-07:00

Camp diva DanaMite is totally re-working the GEAR store on Total Escape this summer, building new products into the map store for ease of shopping and a place for ever expanding inventory. Kayaks to camp stoves, bear canisters to BBQs, we have your outdoor gear covered. totalescape.com/gear/ camp soaps campfire pits outdoor stoves sleeping bags

Snowpack melts in the Sierra

2011-07-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

The rivers and creeks are all flowing extremely well this season, as snow is still melting in the higher elevations. Some folks have lost their lives recently because of the wild water, so be VERY careful around all water sources this summer. Just got back form a week exploring Plumas County back roads in the Northern Sierra Nevada. From Donner Pass to Downieville, Susanville to Lake Almanor,

Baja Atlas - Baja Maps - Baja Almanac

2011-06-04T23:50:00.000-07:00

Called the BAJA ATLAS (6.75"x8.75") @ $19.95, this smaller one has full color ads & road maps. Some major dirt roads, hotels & general tourist info. For those real Baja adventurers wanting greater details on roads & visuals for comparison, I have scanned a page from each of these 2 top selling Baja map books - so you can see the difference. Both images are of the same coastal region just south

Free Lake Campsite

2011-05-24T19:22:00.001-07:00

Brewer Lake Campsite, a photo by totalescape.com on Flickr.If you still need me to spell it out - in every photo, in every forest, at each lake, enticing descriptions - every year, year after year.... just so you can be inspired to go outside and enjoy California, I will do so repeatedly. Or you could just cruise thru the years of archives on this California Back Roads Blog. Some of my suggested

2011 California Wildflowers

2011-04-07T20:35:00.001-07:00

Cottonwood Canyon, a photo by totalescape.com on Flickr.Cottonwood Canyon on Hwy 166, between the Central Coast & the Tejon Ranch Hills. Kern County is getting more rain tonight. Old man winter is still moving thru this Spring in California. Hang loose & hold tight for spectacular wildflowers EVERYWHERE. Share your stories too - on Facebook

Vote for Total Escape

2011-03-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

Would love to expand and offer you more information on all back roads around the entire SouthWest, but technology is expensive. After 14 years online, I can safely says I need to hire some help. Intuit is offering a hiring grant and we need your vote to make it happen.

Poppies and South Fork, Merced River

2011-03-14T00:27:00.001-07:00

hite cove trail poppies and South Fork of the Merced River below a photo by Mrs Rachel on Flickr.Is it happening yet? Have you seen them? Where?Zillions of web sites and pages referencing wildflowers in California. The best imagery can be found on Flickr searches, which landed me on this incredible shot by Rachel.Total Escape cover Wildflowers too.

California Snow Destination

2011-02-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

if (WIDGETBOX) WIDGETBOX.renderWidget('8eba17fd-6d79-48e3-b821-bce44b037603');Get the California Ski & Snow Report widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info)

Waterproof Maps

2010-12-07T19:49:00.000-08:00

Been there, done that. Way into the outdoors. If you know someone on your holiday gift list like this, maybe they need some new local areas to explore. Grab a new waterproof map from Total Escape, NatGeo, Tom Harrison, USDA, we have 'em all. If plastic durability is not a concern, then try the wonderful, accurate, large, overview atlas (book map) for every California road trip. Benchmark

Camp Gift

2010-12-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

Need to get a gift for the outdoor person in your life, well we can show you some great, inexpensive items. Stuff that every hikers or camper could use. Waterproof maps are by far the easy choice, but deciding on a local region might be a bit difficult. Yosemite maps and Sequoia are popular choices, but so is Death Valley. TIP: pick the next place you want to vacation with them. See all CAMP

California Decor

2010-11-16T21:53:00.001-08:00

More Pretty CupcakesOriginally uploaded by lilraindropsGorgeous Cupcakes. More than half of your brain is visually stimulated. California Wilderness is like the icing on the cake. If you live here in the golden state, you most likely love the outdoors, like travel and budget, local weekends too. Total Escape - this goofy California back road web site is here for you to find YOUR California. Tahoe

Camping Gear Rental

2010-11-11T19:28:00.000-08:00

It is bound to happen. You travel to somewhere very cool, far away from home - and you want to camp out at least a few nights. The skies call and the scenery demands it! But you really don't wanna lug all your camp gear around with your luggage w/ the airport hassels. Renting gear locally can be done, depending of course, on where you want to rent. California is an outdoor paradise, simply

Pahaque

2010-10-17T20:39:00.000-07:00

Lifetime warranties on outdoor gear are few and far between. Most supplies subjected to hard weather conditions and wilderness elevations damage quickly, unless they are designed to withstand these kinda harsh conditions. A new, non name brand, dirt cheap tent can last a year or two. There are plenty of used tents and gear on Craigslist.org. Coleman tents usually last an average of 10 years,

North Lake Fall Colors

2010-10-05T12:47:00.001-07:00

North Lake Fall Colors Originally uploaded by Jeff SullivanTime is of the essence, RIGHT NOW. Autumn colors with aspen trees started changing around September - and this fall coloring will last until the first deep freeze or snow fall, usually October. June Lake, Mammoth, Rock Creek & Twin Lakes are all awesome spots. Green Creek, Upper Summer Meadows, Virginia Lakes and Convict Lake are also

Kern Graffiti

2010-10-04T12:14:00.001-07:00

Kern Graffiti Originally uploaded by danamightRiver trash runs rampant in the Kern River Valley. Party animal campers leave their marks well into the next generation for this canyon. Kern is the closest BIG RIVER to SoCal - so the neglect and abuse are starting to really make a big impression. This popular recreation spot is often a rafters first time exploring the sport, a mountain bike haven,

Dardanelle Sonora Pass

2010-06-22T20:43:00.001-07:00

Dardanelle Gas Originally uploaded by Swede1969The alpine Sonora Highway #108 crests the Sierra Nevada mountains at 9000' elevation and usually has the deepest snow in the region. It just opened again- for the short summer season. Dardanelle is a small village in the forests of granite walls - a general store w/ gasoline, showers, RV park, cabin rentals and a National Forest Campground across

OHV Recreation

2010-05-11T13:38:00.000-07:00

Los Padres National Forest spans the coastal ranges from the edges of Monterey Bay down to the mountains of Ojai California. This forest offers nearly 1000 miles of designated ORV routes and back roads. Sadly, there are also hundreds of miles of undocumented trails, most of which are the result of illegal vehicle (quad or bike) use on the Mt. Pinos & Santa Lucia Ranger Districts. Areas

Outside in Kern

2010-04-19T22:32:00.001-07:00

Poppies & Rocks Originally uploaded by Graham F OwenFor those of you who haven't been out to see the wildflowers this Spring, you are missing the best show in decades! Gorman is about to explode very soon. Carrizo & Wind Wolves already peaked. Lower Kern is delightful. Klipstein Canyon off Hwy 166 is blooming alive. Remember the higher the elevation, the later the bloom. 1000' to 4000' (prime

Lupine Hills

2010-03-17T11:16:00.001-07:00

Lupine HillsOriginally uploaded by danamightSpring is finally here and this seasons wildflowers are abundant. Central Coast hills and back roads are blooming with poppies and lupine. The lower elevations in the deserts are also showing well. Basically any terrain under 3000' is sprouting right now. Top places this month to see California Wildflowers:Anza Borrego Desert California Central

Fishing Eastern Sierra

2010-02-21T02:21:00.001-08:00

brown eye Originally uploaded by dipperflyfishingThe brown eye of Mono. A neighbor moved away several years ago, so he could ski Mammoth and work in the Eastern Sierra. A dream perhaps. Now here he is years later, working at the Mobile deli on the far reaches of Yosemite, working 3 jobs.... fly fishing, making your lunch and ski instructing his days away. Way to go buddy! http://