Author Archives: Shawn E. Bell

California, National Parks, Outdoors

Veterans Day 2026: Free Admission to California’s National Parks

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

The U.S. Army was protecting California’s national parks long before there was a National Park Service. This Veterans Day, those parks are opening their gates for free.

Wednesday, November 11, is Veterans Day, and the National Park Service is waiving entrance fees at participating national parks and other National Park Service sites across the country. Here in California, that includes Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, and the other parks that normally charge admission. It’s the final scheduled fee-free day of 2026, and a good excuse to spend the holiday outdoors.

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California, National Parks, Outdoors

California’s National Parks Offer Free Admission Tuesday, October 27

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to visit one of California’s national parks, Tuesday might be the day.

The National Park Service is waiving entrance fees on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, in celebration of Theodore Roosevelt’s birthday. The fee-free day applies to national parks and other National Park Service sites that normally charge admission throughout California and across the United States.

There’s one change this year. Free admission is limited to U.S. citizens and residents. International visitors must pay regular entrance fees and any applicable nonresident charges. Continue reading →

Big Bear Lake, California, Outdoors

Before the Storm: A Southern California Mountain Winter Preparedness Guide

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell
Heavy rain, mountain snow, and closed roads can turn an ordinary winter storm into a serious problem. Here’s what mountain residents should take care of before the weather arrives.
 
Winter is coming to Southern California’s mountains, and the developing El Niño has given mountain residents another reason to prepare.
A wet winter can bring welcome snowpack and much-needed water to our forests. It can also bring flooded roads, debris flows, extended power outages, and enough snow to isolate entire neighborhoods.
Residents of Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Wrightwood, Idyllwild, and other mountain communities already know how quickly conditions can change. Those living below burned slopes or along steep canyon roads face additional hazards when heavy rain arrives.
The time to prepare is before the first major storm appears in the forecast.

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Big Bear Lake, California, News, Outdoors

A Powerful El Niño Is Building. What Does That Mean for Southern California’s Mountains?

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell
NOAA sees an increasing chance of a historic El Niño this winter. Here’s what that could mean for our national forests, mountain communities, and backcountry.
 
El Niño is getting stronger, and Southern California could be in for an unusually wet winter.
 
On October 8, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific continued to climb through September. The Niño-3.4 region reached 3.8°F above average, while portions of the eastern Pacific exceeded 7.2°F above normal.
 

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California, California Historical Landmark, History, News

Missing for Decades, Claude Chana Statue Returns to Placer County

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Missing for Decades, Claude Chana Statue Returns to Placer County

The long-lost sculpture, which served as the model for Auburn’s famous 45-ton gold miner, has returned to the historic Colfax Hotel.
A statue of California Gold Rush pioneer Claude Chana has returned to Placer County after disappearing decades ago. The sculpture, created by Auburn dentist and artist Dr. Kenneth Fox during the 1960s, once stood outside the historic Colfax Hotel. Now it’s back, thanks to an unexpected discovery on Facebook.

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