Hiking and climbing mountains inspired me into this life philosophy - LIFE IS A MOUNTAIN. Every step you make leads to summit. You may be forced to turn around or change routes for any cause, never know. But, stay focused and look forward. The mountain will be there always. Pace yourself and reach "your" summit, for every step counts. Enjoy the view and feed your soul as it comes along. Life is a journey, not a destination. Life is like climbing a mountain.....
Natural Firefall in Yosemite Valley on February 24, 2016. About two weeks in late February, when the right conditions come together, the sunset light hits El Capitan’s Horsetail Fall at perfect angle. As a result, the waterfall is illuminated glowing like a fire-fall.
2016 February presented a perfect condition for the firefall, with enough snow and water for Horsetail fall, thanks to El Nino, and the weather was favorable for the firefall to occur.
2019 February may bring another great opportunity for Firefall due to the significant amount of the rainfall and snow received this winter.
Alamere Falls is a beautiful waterfall in Point Reyes National Seashore. It consists of upper and lower falls flowing into the ocean. It cascades over steep bluffs at Alamere Creek Beach. Upper falls separately fall along the stream on the ledge of the bluffs. Lower falls cascade down the bluffs directly into the beach. Alamere Falls hike starts with Coastal Trail from Palomarin Trailhead in Bolinas. The hike to the waterfall is about 8.5 miles RT, and there is a slight elevation loss/gain, but not significant. Trail is in good condition overall, except some uneven eroded sections here and there. After passing two lakes (Bass Lake and Pelican Lake), you come to a cairn (arrow sign of rocks) pointing to the route to the waterfall. The path looks like a narrow tunnel covered with vegetation. Be wary of poison oak as you go through the narrow path. If you opt out taking the path to the waterfall at the cairn, there's a route recommended by NPS....continue Coastal Trail north to Wildcat Camp and trek south along the beach at low tide to reach the waterfall. Scrambling down/up the shale bluffs from the path to upper falls and further down to lower falls at the beach can be a bit challenging as it is steep. Make sure of secure handhold and footing as you go. Bring enough water to stay hydrated as half of the trail is exposed and provides no shade. Parking is free and restroom is available. Plan the journey according to tides for viewing the waterfall from the beach.
Big Pine Lakes hike takes you to one of the
most beautiful areas in eastern High Sierra. With jaw-dropping vistas of
pristine glacier lakes and peaks of the Palisades in Sierra Nevada,
this is a two thumbs up hike and popular destination for passionate
Sierra hikers.
The route runs along North Fork of Big Pine
Creek. The trail never gets monotonous as it keeps entertaining with a
variety of terrains and dramatic scenery one after another....bridges,
waterfalls, creek crossings, mountain peaks, forests, Lon Chaney cabin,
alpine lakes, meadows and wildflowers. The trail is well marked and in
good shape, ascending gradually from trailhead/7,800' to a series of
lakes above 10,000'. After Third Lake, the trail comes to a junction
splitting into two trails.....either hike to Fourth Lake or take Glacier
Trail which ends at Sam Mack Meadow/11,100' with an option to head
further up to the Palisade Glacier.
My plan was to hike up to the first three lakes and continue on to Sam Mack Meadow as I started late/1pm after driving 6.5hrs to
get to trailhead. Although I left an option in mind to hike further up to the Palisade
glacier if time allowed, time ran out when I reached Sam Mack after
5pm. And yet, the journey was entirely worth the effort and exceeded my
expectation with absolutely gorgeous views all along even though it was a
strenuous day hike of 8 miles one way/3,300' gain.
My
advice for this amazing hike is to start early or overnight (permit required) so that you'll have
adequate time to explore and enjoy leisurely instead of a grueling
march. Also, bring enough water or filter to stay hydrated as the
trail is exposed after the tree line and the journey can be rather long
depending on how far you want to go.
First, Second and Third Lake
The trail gradually ascends
from trailhead and travels along Big Pine Creek. From the beginning, this hike provides stunning views all along the trail near and far. Take time and enjoy the views as you go. After the first bridge, the trail climbs steeply for a short distance. At the trail sign, take North Fork Big Pine. Crossing the second bridge and through the treeline, the view opens up into Big Pine Basin with Mt. Alice rising majestic. The trail continues to climb in long switchbacks on the hillside and passes by a waterfall. The view from the waterfall down toward the basin is spectacular. Trekking 4.5 miles from trailhead, you come to First Lake/9,960'. Take in the first
view of the stunning color of the glacier lake. As you continue on the trail for
another mile, Second Lake/10,059' comes in sight. It's a wow moment as
you overlook the stunningly beautiful
color of the lake with Temple Crag towering on the other side. It's quite
dramatic and sensational. Feed your soul.
Lon Chaney Cabin
Lon Chaney was one of the famous actors of early Hollywood. He starred in The Hunchback of Norte Dame and
The Phantom of the Opera. He was also known as "The Man of a Thousand
Faces" for his extraordinary talent of makeup techniques. Interestingly, Lon
Chaney had a cabin built in the pristine wilderness in High Sierra which still exists today. The cabin is located right by the trail
in 3.5 miles from trailhead.
Glacier trail to Sam Mack Meadow
After Third Lake, the trail splits into two
ways; one continues on to Fourth Lake and the other is Glacier Trail.
Glacier trail travels through a lush alpine meadow with a creek and
wildflowers. After the meadow, the trail climbs steeply in switchbacks,
partially rocky, and then into Sam Mack Meadow above 11,000'. Sam Mack
Meadow is beautiful with a wide stream running through it and
wildflowers are blooming. The meadow is surrounded by walls of mountain
ridges. From the meadow, the tips of the Palisade peaks are
visible. Sam Mack Meadow reminds me of "Shangri-La" in James Hilton's
LOST HORIZON....a paradise valley hidden deep within the high mountains
of the Himalayas.
Hiking
up Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout is an epic journey with amazing views from the
top as you climb the steep stairs to reach the lookout. The Fire Lookout stands
on top of one of the craggy buttes at 8,587 feet. Sweeping vistas in all
directions are no doubt WOW! Sardine Lakes, peaks of Tahoe/Desolation
Wilderness and as far as Mt. Lassen (100 miles away!) are seen along with
nearby mountains like Haskell Peak.
The hike is 2.5 miles/1,800' gain one way via PCT while there are other longer
routes to the lookout via Tamarack Lakes and Sierra City. As of July 7, 2017,
there are some snow fields on trail, but they are short, not difficult to cross
and probably will melt away in a week or two. Stay on track as the trail
disappears here and there under the snow. Wildflowers are blooming and
beautiful, but may not last that long as the summer's heat continues.
The lookout was built in 1915, one of many in the greater Tahoe region.
The stairs to the lookout was constructed by five Tahoe National Forest
employees in the summer of 1964 to make it possible for visitors to climb to
the lookout with ease and safety.
For a side trip, you can drive to Sardine Lake Resort at Lower Sardine Lake for
a breathtaking view of Sierra Buttes rising above the lake. Also, another
option would be to drive a short distance to Frazier Falls near Gold Lake. A
paved trail (1/2 mile one way) takes you to the beautiful waterfalls.
This
is a great urban hike through Golden Gate Park from Haight Ashbury to Ocean
Beach. It's about 4 miles one way starting from Haight Ashbury. GGP is one of
the largest and most visited parks in US. The park is about 3 miles long, 1/2
mile wide. Shuttle service is available in the park if you want to trek one way
or partially.
I used to come to GGP for events and occasions, but, wow, you realize how big
the park is if you walk through it end to end! And there are many wonderful
things you probably never knew that have existed in the park. Surprise!
Wildflowers galore! This is a beautiful pastoral hike with wildflowers,
streams and waterfalls everywhere. Beautiful landscape and terrains are
easy to navigate so that kids and families can enjoy.
This is an
elevated basalt mesa, relatively flat and broad, with canyons dropping
straight in sheer cliffs. The ancient lava flows have created a harsh
environment that many different wildflowers take advantage of. Vernal
pools form because the rain can’t easily penetrate the hard surface.
Cattle graze on the Reserve, which helps the native plants by keeping
out invasive grasses and nurtures soils. This is where the land and
nature are ecologically balanced....and then there are those cattle.
Follow
the trails and wander off, enjoying flowers and streams. There's a
large oak tree by the parking lot. It's the landmark for your return.
You find Ravine Falls and Phantom Falls by hiking towards the northwest
from the parking lot in about 1.5 - 2 miles. There are other waterfalls
you come across as you wander.
Do
you know there's a little Yosemite not so far from the cities in the Bay Area?
You don't have to drive all the way to Yosemite National Park!
Sunol Regional Wilderness is just several miles from I-680 Freeway. The vast
open space and forests situated in the East Bay hills north of Silicon Valley
include rolling hills, hiking trails, rocks/boulder formations, rivers,
waterfalls and wildlife.
Whoever named it, Little Yosemite in Sunol offers a series of waterfalls, river
and impressive canyon views with big rocks and boulders. Although there's no
monolith like El Capitan or Half Dome, the journey to Little Yosemite offers a
pleasant hike that kids and family can enjoy.
Canyon View Trail is a good workout hike with some steep grade and it gets your
heart rate going no doubt. If you prefer easygoing hike, the wide dirt road
from the parking area is a good choice to hike to Little Yosemite.
