CURRENT CONDITIONS UPDATE: March and April resulted in almost no snow in the Sierras. Snow Pack has dropped from about 100% of normal to 88% for Northern California and 60% for the rest of the Sierras. This could mean that decent backpacking could start by mid to late June. Water Rationing is being discussed for many areas of California. Glacier Point Road is now open. Tioga Pass Road could open by Memorial Day weekend, but most likely by early June. Waterfalls should be running good now till mid June and peaking near the Memorial Day weekend. I've just learned that the reason Bridalveil Falls keeps running longer than Yosemite Falls (which has a small basin to draw its water from) is that its basin in composed of Sedimentary Rock. The water soaks into the rock and is released gradually into the creek during the summer. Yosemite Falls is often down to a trickle by August. And I mean a trickle. At least you can go swimming in the pools above the top of the falls without having to worry about getting sweapt away. Bears have been active in Yosemite Valley, but haven't been seen yet in Tuolumne Meadows. That will change soon.

GIARDIA! Worried about getting it in the Sierras? Maybe you should read this article from the Yosemite Associations webpage! You should be more worried about personal hygiene!

I've added a new section on Ultralight Backpacking below, complete with plenty of links.

The above picture is from my latest hike to Pictured Rocks National Seashore on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

ITASCA STATE PARK

JAY COOKE STATE PARK

THE BOUNDARY WATERS IN MINNESOTA

PICTURED ROCKS NATIONAL SEASHORE

PORCUPINE MOUNTAINS

 CARSON ICEBERG WILDERNESS

DESOLATION WILDERNESS, INCLUDING THE UPPER TRUCKEE

EMIGRANT WILDERNESS

JOHN MUIR TRAIL

KINGS CANYON-HELL FOR SURE PASS LOOP

LASSEN NATIONAL PARK

THE LOST COAST

MARBLE MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS

MT SHASTA 

TAHOE YOSEMITE TRAIL

YOLLA BOLLY WILDERNESS

YOSEMITE

BLACK DIAMOND MINES

BRIONES

HENRY COE STATE PARK

MT. DIABLO STATE PARK

MORGAN TERRITORY

PT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE

REDWOOD REGIONAL PARK

SIBLEY VOLCANIC REGIONAL PRESERVE

SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS

SUNSETS

BEARS

ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

HALF DOME TRAILWORK

RATTLESNAKES

Amy and Scott now have their own web page up with their pictures from their two month hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. I highly recommend them as they offer a different outlook of life on the trail. There is plenty of humor in their writings, but they also show the difficulties of hiking with another person on a long trip. When you're with someone for 24 hours a day under stressful circumstances, you'll find out a lot about yourself, and your relationship. I worked with Amy at the Dept of Boating & Waterways, where she was able to take two months off to hike a section of the Pacific Crest Trail starting at the Mexican border. Click here

TERRA GALLERIA PHOTOGRAPHY - This site has some really nice pictures of parks all over the world including some from some mountain climbing trips.

Brian Ernst's John Muir Trail Hike- These are some of the best backpacking pictures I've ever seen. I regret that I didn't hike the JMT at the same time he did. It rained a lot during his hike, and it shows in the pictures.

VIRTUAL PARKS - a great collections of 360 degree panoramas from the backcountry in places like the high Sierras, Canada & other states in the west. I'll start adding some of these soon.

GORDIES RAMBLINGS IN THE HIGH SIERRA - The best set of links to places concerning the Sierras, He's moved his site and this is the new URL.

Bay Area Hiker - A good site on hiking in the bay area. It also includes complete set of links for the area. One of my favorites was under "Rants and Raves" and had a listing of trails if you wanted to avoid bicycles and horses.

randomSPACE - Some great pictures from the various places in the US and Canada.