Backpacker Magazine put up an EXCELLENT appetite whetting hiking guide to one of the most scenic parts of the Pacific Crest Trail.
For those who don’t know, the Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail that follows some of the highest pats of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges from Mexico to Canada, crossing Califoria, Oregon and Washington. It is 2,663 miles long, passes through 25 national forest and 7 national parks. The trail became a National Scenic Trail in 1968.
From Backpacker Magazine:
The Hike
The best section of the most scenic long trail in the country is the 203.7-mile stretch in the central Sierra from Kennedy Meadows Campground to Red’s Meadow Campground. In that span, the PCT crosses Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and the John Muir Wilderness–and never meets a single road. It’s the longest roadless span on any National Scenic Trail in the country. On the way, you’ll have a chance to summit Mt. Whitney (the Lower 48’s highest point at 14,497 feet) and experience the legendarily gentle weather of California’s central Sierra. Plan for 10 to 15 days to cross this roller coaster of subalpine and glaciated terrain.
Leading Adventure Company in Yosemite National Park honors veterans by sharing outdoor adventures during holiday weekend.
The U.S. Forest Service is waiving fees at most of its day-use recreation sites over the Veterans Day holiday weekend, Nov. 9-11. The fee waivers – the fourth this year – are offered in cooperation with other federal agencies under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. Day-use fees will be waived at all standard amenity fee sites operated by the U.S. Forest Service. Concessionaire operated day-use sites may be included in the waiver if the permit holder wishes to participate.
Nathan Roberson recently wrote about the incredible number and diversity of wildflowers in Yosemite. From the article:
I love to hike. I love the outdoors. One thing that disrupts the flow on our hiking trails is the insurgence of mountain bikes ridden in an unsafe manner on trails where mountain bikes aren’t allowed to be that puts hikers and the mountain bikers at risk.