April 1st marks the average maximum snowpack date for most years in the Sierra. In other words, if you want to see the most possible snow on the ground in California, early April is probably a good time to head to the mountains. The Peter Grubb hut is one of several old Sierra Club huts around the Tahoe region. It’s a relatively easy hike and in winter, it makes for a great ski or snowshoe trek. Continue reading “Snowshoeing to the Peter Grubb Hut”
It wouldn’t be an East Bay Regional Park if there weren’t cattle grazing alongside the trail. Despite the cows, Las Trampas is a nice park. It offers easy access to a large network of trails in steep terrain. It’s particularly scenic in the winter when the grass is green. Continue reading “Las Trampas Regional Wilderness: Rocky Ridge View Trail”
Camping in the winter? Yes! Death Valley National Park is the hottest and driest place in North America, making winter an ideal time to visit. While Bennett Peak (9980′) can be hiked year round, it is especially impressive on a clear winter day when there is snow on the ground. From the top, one can see the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States. Continue reading “Death Valley: Charcoal Kilns to Bennett Peak”
A good friend of ours is moving back to the East Coast this week. She wanted to spend one of her last few weekends in California seeing some sights. It’s a long drive to Stinson Beach (from almost anywhere), but this hike was a great choice. It has redwoods, waterfalls and ocean views. All very California. Continue reading “Dipsea, Steep Ravine and Matt Davis Trail Loop”
We’re back! And we’re hiking again. After 2600+ miles this year, we’re not sick of it yet. Last weekend we headed out to the coast to check out Tomales Point. Continue reading “Tomales Point Trail”
When our friends booked out the Lost Trail Lodge for a weekend, we jumped at the opportunity to explore some new terrain. Apparently it’s called the Lost Trail because nobody goes there. I can confirm that very few people venture back in Coldstream Canyon, compared to other places in the Tahoe area. The only tracks we followed all day were from snowmobiles. Continue reading “Tinker Knob in the Winter”
Andesite Peak is less crowded and easier to summit than its taller neighbor Castle Peak. It’s a fun hike to the top with good views towards Castle Peak and the surrounding valleys. Continue reading “Snowshoeing Andesite Peak”
For anyone who has hiked in Mount Diablo’s blistering summer heat, it seems almost impossible that there could be even a single waterfall on that mountain, much less an entire trail dedicated to numerous falls. The Falls Trail is a 1.15 mile point-to-point trail located somewhere amongst the maze of paths on Mount Diablo’s north slope. We hiked the Falls Trail as part of a 7-mile loop, beginning and ending at the Mitchell Canyon Visitor Center. Continue reading “Falls Trail Loop at Mount Diablo”
Cataract Falls is a mile long series of small cascades, tumbling through a steep redwood-lined gully in the Mount Tamalpais watershed. The Cataract Trail loop is about 7 miles, beginning at the falls and ending at the falls. This is the kind of trail that’s perfect for a rainy day when you’re itching to get outside. Continue reading “Cataract Trail Loop”
The hike up Castle Peak is a short and steep. We previously snowshoed to the summit, but we headed back out there last week to check out the snow-free trail. Continue reading “Castle Peak”
