Michael Lanza posted a great article back in 2007 on the Backpacker Magazine website about hiking the John Muir Trail. I’m thinking about doing this same thing; Hiking the JMT in a week. How hard could it be? I’ve always wanted to see how many blisters I can get on my feet…
From the article:
Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America’s Most Beautiful Trail.
From Wikipedia:
The Ahwahnee is a grand hotel in Yosemite National Park, California, on the floor of Yosemite Valley. It was built by the Yosemite Park and Curry Company and opened for business in 1927. The hotel is constructed of steel, stone, concrete, wood, and glass, and is a premier example of National Park Service rustic architecture. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987.
The Ahwahnee was temporarily renamed the Majestic Yosemite Hotel in 2016 due to a legal dispute between the U.S. government, which owns the property, and the outgoing concessionaire, Delaware North, which claimed rights to the trademarked name. The name was restored in 2019 upon settlement of the dispute.
You can read more HERE.
In case you haven’t checked it out yet, Yosemite’s Ahwahnee Hotel is up over at the Odd Inns and Uncommodations. From the website:
In the early 1920’s, Stephen Mather, the National Park Service Director, realized that the Park needed accommodations to suit the affluent and influential traveler. The concept of a hotel such as The Ahwahnee became the impetus to draw such a visitor. The site for The Ahwahnee, once a village of the native Miwoks, was chosen because of its exposure to the sun and stunning views of Yosemite’s icons – Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point.
On Saturday December 21th, the first bald eagle count of the winter was conducted by local Federal and State biologists and volunteers around several lakes in the southern California.
A grand total of 11 eagles (7 adults and 4 juveniles) were observed at the lake areas during the 1- hour count. Six eagles (2 adults, 4 juveniles) were observed in the Big Bear/Baldwin Lake area; 2 adult eagles at Lake Arrowhead; 2 adult eagles at Silverwood Lake; and 1 adult eagle at Lake Perris. Juvenile eagles are distinguished by a brown head and tail; adults are recognized by the famous white head and tail – it takes 4-5 years to acquire full adult coloration. Juvenile eagles are the same size as the adults.
The holidays have come and gone, and New Year’s Eve is right around the corner! This year forget the noisy, crowded bars and ring in 2014 at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit for an unforgettable New Year’s Eve experience!
At Snow Summit, the annual New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade will begin at 7 p.m. The parade is free and open to all ages for viewing. It begins when over 200 staff and employees descend the mountain on skis and snowboards, each caring a torchlight. This amazing display illuminates the night sky and gives the mountain an astounding glow. After the parade, onlookers are encouraged to join Big Bear Mountain Resorts to help ring in the New Year. Guests will have two parties to choose from this year, one at Snow Summit and one at Bear Mountain.
