Why Grass Valley’s Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival Has Been Bringing Families Back for 51 Years
Mountain music, pine forest camping, Gold Rush history, and one of California’s most...
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Author: Charlie Pankey
Entering Yosemite from the East Side | Opening Weekend on Tioga Pass
Why Tioga Pass feels like a completely different way to experience Yosemite National Park. Every...
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The Historic Jesse Ross Cabin Rehabilitation Needs Volunteers
There’s something special about the old cabins hidden throughout the Sierra Nevada. The hand-hewn...
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Opening Weekend on Ebbetts Pass | A Spring Drive Through the Sierra
Snowfields, hidden waterfalls, Pacific Creek, Kinney Lakes, and one of the wildest scenic drives...
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Best Stops on Sonora Pass (West to East Drive Guide)
Most people don’t realize this until after they’ve driven it once: Sonora Pass Highway 108 out of...
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Sonora Pass Is Open: What to Expect Driving the Sierra Right Now
Sonora Pass Is Open: What to Expect Driving the Sierra Right Now Every year in the Sierra, there’s...
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A Sierra Tradition with a Kick: Chili on the Comstock Returns to Virginia City
There’s something about spring in the Sierra that pulls you outside—and sometimes, it pulls you...
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Cushing Crossing Returns to Palisades Tahoe This Weekend
There’s a moment every spring in the Sierra when winter loosens its grip—but refuses to go...
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Backpacking Coffee Done Right: A Better Way to Brew in the Sierra Backcountry
Twelve miles deep in the Emigrant Wilderness, life slows down. Morning light cracks through the...
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Trail-Tested Review: Oboz Katabatic RT Low GTX in the North Cascades
A Sierra Mindset Meets PNW Conditions I’ll be honest—this is my first time wearing anything from...
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Lessons from an Ultra Athlete on Community, Gear, and the Outdoors
There’s a moment on every trail where things shift. Maybe it’s mile three. Maybe it’s mile ten....
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Best Hikes Near Tenaya Lake (From Classic Views to Hidden Loops)
Tenaya Lake sits right in the middle of Yosemite’s high country, which means you’re not just...
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Baffin Introduces Recovery Clog: A New Option for Post-Hike Comfort
After a long day on the trail, there’s a moment every Sierra hiker knows well—the boots come off,...
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Why We Keep Coming Back to National Parks
Yosemite, Travel, and The Landmark Project on This weeks Podcast There’s a moment—and I don’t know...
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Clean Up The Lake Launches Aquatic Invasive Species Video Identification Toolkit
From the shores of Lake Tahoe to Sierra lakes across the region, the work of Clean Up The Lake...
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Do We Really Need All This Gear? A Conversation Worth Having
This week on the Sierra Rec Now Podcast, we step outside our normal trail talk and into something...
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Backpacking Silliman Pass: Twin Lakes to Ranger & Lost Lake Route
Overview: A High Sierra Route Guide for Sequoia National Park That Rewards Those Who Go a Little...
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Spring Gear Guide 2026: Building Your Sierra System for the Season Ahead
Spring in the Sierra isn’t predictable. One weekend you’re hiking dry granite above Hetch Hetchy,...
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Casting Back to Hope Valley
Fishing Tradition, Sierra Adventure, and the Quiet Luxury of Staying Along the Carson River Along...
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Mount Rainier vs Yosemite Permits: Why I Got Denied Twice
What Sierra Backpackers Need to Know About Permits in the West After more than a decade of...
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Artists Capture the Beauty of the Lost Sierra
5th Annual Plein Air Festival – Quincy California Quincy, CA — March 12, 2026 — The 5th...
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7 Best Spring Wilderness Hikes in the Sierras
Navigating the Sierra Nevada Shoulder Season The snow line is retreating, waterfalls are...
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Things to Do in Bass Lake & Oakhurst, CA (2026 Sierra Rec Guide)
Bass lake sunset boats on water The Sierra Nevada foothills hold a secret that Yosemite-bound...
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7 Best Day Hikes in the Desolation Wilderness
Every year I find myself coming back to Desolation Wilderness, studying the map and picking out a...
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Travel Tips for the Western Divide Highway
The Western Divide Highway cuts through some of the most spectacular and least-crowded terrain in...
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Kings Camo Introduces All-New XKG Summit Series Packs Built for Ultimate Versatility and Modular Performance
From steep granite basins to high alpine ridgelines, the Sierra Nevada has a way of testing every...
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Learn Wilderness First Aid This Spring with Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Anyone who spends time exploring the Sierra Nevada knows that the farther you travel from the...
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Rae Lakes Loop Backpacking Guide: Kings Canyon’s Iconic Sierra Trail
Rae Lakes Loop Backpacking Tips: Discovering One of the Sierra Nevada’s Most Iconic Trails One of...
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Podcast: Yosemite Backpacking Permits, New Outdoor Gear & Lessons from OMA
If you’re starting to think about backpacking trips in Yosemite this year, you’re not...
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Yosemite Road Trip Guide: How to Experience Yosemite National Park Beyond the Crowds
A road trip to Yosemite National Park is more than a scenic drive through the Sierra Nevada. For...
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Jetboil Introduces TrailCook: Precision Cooking for the Modern Backcountry
OMA Show 2026 – Denver, Colorado – There are a few booths at Outdoor Media Alliance where...
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Are You Really Trail Ready?
A Story About Preparedness, Perspective, and Why the Little Things Matter on the Trail There are...
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Trail-Tested Review: Crazy Creek AirLounger
A season of Sierra trips with Crazy Creek’s inflatable chair and pad hybrid Last spring, we...
Read MoreVirginia City Goes Green: St. Patrick’s Day Returns with Parade, Oyster Fry, and Saloon Crawl
If you’ve ever spent a spring weekend wandering the wooden boardwalks of Virginia City, you know...
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Trail Tested Gear: Gregory Arrio 22 Plus Size Daypack
A Comfortable, Thoughtful Fit for Bigger Frames on Real Trail Days For the past five months, I’ve...
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