Category Archives: Outdoors

Invitation to Participate: Review and Comment on the Coyote Flat OHV Draft Environmental Assessment from May 18 to June 17

The Inyo National Forest has announced the release of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Coyote Flat Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Recreation Enhancement Project.

A 30-day public comment period is open from May 18 to June 17, 2024. To access the EA, go HERE and navigate to the “Project Documents” Box folder widget. Follow the instructions to access the “EA Comment Period” folder to access the EA document.

The proposed action is a step towards addressing motorized trail management and safety concerns in the Coyote Flat area. It’s a chance to address sustainable recreation opportunities for various user groups and OHV green sticker vehicles. This aligns with the goals and objectives outlined in the Forest’s 2019 Land Management Plan, offering a hopeful future for the area.

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82 Million Americans Still Hunt and Fish – And the Land Depends on Them

Hunting and fishing get treated like relics some years and political footballs in others. What they actually are is one of the oldest working relationships between people and land still standing.

Eighty-two million Americans hunt or fish, according to the Forest Service, and most of them didn’t come to it as a hobby – they came to it as a family tradition, a way to put food on the table, or both. Whatever the reason, hunters and anglers end up paying closer attention to the health of the land and water than almost anyone else, because their success depends on it.

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When the Forests Burn, the Smoke Doesn’t Stay Local

Wildfire smoke doesn’t respect state lines. Smoke from a fire in the Sierra can shut down flights in Seattle.

That happened during recent brutal fire seasons in the West – smoke from blazes stretching from California to British Columbia delayed air traffic hundreds of miles away and triggered health warnings for healthy adults to stay indoors. The fires themselves are only half the story. The people who never see the flames, who live downwind and breathe the aftermath, carry part of the cost too.

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Newly Renovated Pfeiffer Falls Trail in Big Sur Now Open!

California State Parks and Save the Redwoods League work tirelessly to reopen popular trail

On June 21, 2008 a lightning strike ignited the Basin Complex Fire, a wildfire that swept through 162,818 acres near Big Sur, forcing evacuations, and burning most of the Ventana Wilderness area. The fire destroyed much of the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park located the western slope of the Santa Lucia Mountains, and severely damaged the Pfeiffer Falls Trail, an easy 1.5 mile out-and-back trail with views of redwoods and Pfeiffer Falls.

After a 13 year renovation the trail is open again, thanks to the California State Parks and the Save the Redwoods League.

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Camping and Hiking using CampingHiking.net

2020 was a difficult year for travelers, wanderers, adventurers, and explorers here in California. I did get out – sometimes with groups, sometimes furtively by myself – and was rewarded with solitude, silence, and freedom within the great cathedrals of nature that California offers from the deserts to the beaches, to the mountains and deep forests.

As with any exploration, it’s all about knowledge and preparedness. My hardware set is pretty solid – if I can’t get out of a jamb, I can call someone to come and find me – but this year my software set has been a bit lacking. 

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