Category Archives: Public Lands

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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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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National Forests

For the Sierra, Sequoia and Inyo National Forests it is time to comment on Forest Plan revision!

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Background

The Land Management Plan or Forest Plan is the principal document that guides the decision making of Forest Service managers.  Forest Plans provide long–range management direction.  The National Forest Management Act (NFMA) is the primary statute governing the administration of national forests.  The planning rule interprets the NFMA and guides the amendment and revision of all land management plans.

The U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest Region has released the final assessments for the Sierra, Sequoia and Inyo National Forests, the Bio-regional assessment, and a preliminary Need to Change. The public is invited to provide feedback on the Need to Change.

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