Category Archives: California

Interesting Places, National Parks

Ahwahnee Hotel on Odd Inns and Uncommodations

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

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.

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Wildlife

Bald Eagles Seen in Southern California – next count coming up!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

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.

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Big Bear Lake

Ring in 2014 at Big Bear with Torchlight Parade

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

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.

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Adventures, News, Offroading - General

Johnson Valley Access Preserved!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Press Release:

Hammerking Productions, the founders of The Griffin King of The Hammers Presented by Nitto Tire, are pleased to announce that the week-long off road festival held annually in Johnson Valley, CA will be able to continue in its current location for the foreseeable future. After six years of negotiations between the United States Marine Corps, the federal government and the Off Highway Vehicle(OHV) Community, a deal has been reached to preserve the majority of the land in Johnson Valley for OHV use.

Congressman Paul Cook spearheaded the deal which allows nearly 100,000 acres of land to remain open to the public and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Marines will have access to approximately 55,000 acres of shared use land for 60 days a year to meet their training objectives, but will not retain ownership of the land the remaining 305 days a year.  The proposed legislation is expected to pass  the House later this week and the Senate next week before the holiday recess.

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National Forests, News

2 men plead guilty to cultivating pot in Sequoia forest

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

I firmly believe that cannabis has been unfairly demonized by those who seek to control it.  I also believe that the plant should be legalized and regulated, and that this is just an other example of what happens when criminals – rather than farmers – grow this crop.  our national forests get destroyed.

Cannabis is legal in California.  It should be grown legally.  One of the shining examples of how to grow and regulate the crop was Mendocino County’s zip-tie program.  No forest lands were destroyed or poisoned when that plan was implemented.

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