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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National Forests

“Youth in Yosemite” Short Film Contest

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Yosemite National Park is conducting a “Youth in Yosemite” Short Film Contest.  This contest is open to anyone 25 years of age or younger who is motivated to create a video about their connection to Yosemite National Park.  The deadline to submit the short films is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 10, 2014.

Film themes should be focused on Celebrating Nature or What Yosemite Means to Me and be no more than 15 minutes in length.  Each theme is designed to celebrate art, beauty, inspiration, the nature of Yosemite, and a personal connection to the park.  Contest winners will be notified by phone after the deadline whether their film was selected.

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National Forests

Lake Gregory to get makeover by contractor

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Cassie MacDuff has posted in the Press Enterprise about Lake Gregory.  To be honest, I have never been there; it’s a sign with an arrow on it on my way up to Big Bear or down to the flatlands.

Over the past 20 years, Lake Gregory in the San Bernardino Mountains has languished in the shadows of its bigger, glitzier cousins, Lake Arrowhead and Big Bear Lake.

Visitors bypassed the forested lake and continued to the bigger, better-tended resorts up the hill.

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National Parks

Yosemite Spyglass for Oculus Rift & iPad

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

xRez Studio has put up an AMAZING app for the iPad and Oculus Rift “Yosemite Spyglass.”

From their website:

We love Yosemite and have found a few new ways to experience it in gigapixel on the iPad and Oculus Rift!

The Oculus Rift version of Yosemite Spyglass is available for the Mac and PC.  The Yosemite Spyglass for the iPad is available in the Apple App Store. Yosemite Spyglass is a free download for either platform!

Yosemite Spyglass Tech Demo is a collaboration between Art + Science Labs and xRez Studio  and powered by GigaEngine, a spherical gigapixel viewer for the Oculus and iOS. If you would like to add gigapixel viewing to your App email info@gigaengine.com

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