Activities

MOUNTAIN BIKING: Big Bear trail foreshadows Idyllwild changes

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Bob Pratte wrote an article that appears today on the PE Bloggers website about the changes taking place in Big Bear, where the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation working in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service and the International Mountain Biking Association have been building out the Skyline Trail.

The Skyline Trail will be 15 miles running along the south ridge of Big Bear Valley.

From the article:

Recently in Big Bear, I saw the positive result of the Forest Service approach when I sampled the first five miles of the new Skyline Trail. When finished, it will run 15 miles along the south ridge of Big Bear Valley, the Snow Summit side of the lake. More of the trail since was opened.

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National Parks

CNN Highlights Yosemite – “A crown jewel of the national parks”

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Katia Hetter posted an article in the Summer In The Park series on the CNN.com website.

From the article:

(CNN) — Yosemite National Park has almost everything a nature lover could desire: Glorious waterfalls, spectacular meadows and valleys, groves of ancient sequoias and the wildlife that call the park home.

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National Forests, National Parks

NPS Introduces Healthy Food Policy For National Parks

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Vacation. The time to let go, relax, and enjoy the scenery. Go where you want, eat what you want … no, wait, can’t to that anymore.

The National Park Service has announce a new ‘healthy food policy’ as part of the “Healthy Parks, Healthy People” initiative. New food standards and ‘sustainable’ food guidelines will now change what you can eat at our national parks.

What is the “Healthy Parks, Healthy People” initiative? Another nonsensical government program … brought to you by the same people who think taking trash cans out of national parks will ‘encourage people to take their trash with them.’

According to the NPS website, “Healthy Parks Healthy People” is a holistic approach to promoting the health and well-being of people and the sustainability of the planet.

Healthy Parks, Healthy People US  is a National Park Service initiative working to reintegrate human, environmental and ecological health into the mission of public parks and public lands.

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Activities, Hiking - General, National Parks

Pure hiking bliss in Yosemite

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Marek Warszawski wrote in the Fresno Bee about two great hikes in Yosemite: Four-Mile and Panorama Trail.

From the article:

“…If I’m going to visit Yosemite Valley in late spring or summer (and have to deal with all the traffic and hordes of tourists), it’s going to be for a hike you can’t do anywhere else. One with more knock-your-socks-off views per footstep than any in the park, if not the world.

This hike is so good, it can’t be contained by one trail. Combine the Four Mile Trail from the Valley to Glacier Point and the Panorama Trail from Glacier Point back to the Valley, and you get 13.8 miles of pure hiking bliss.

Of course, you don’t have to hike both trails. Either is worthwhile by itself. But by combining them, you get the full experience without having to retrace your steps or arrange a shuttle…”

You can read the whole article HERE.

News, State Parks

California State Parks launches Parks Forward Commission

Posted on by Shawn E. Bell

Press release from the California State Parks:

California Natural Resources Agency, California State Park Officials Announce Sweeping New “Parks Forward” Initiative

New Commission Created to Transform California’s State Parks System 

SACRAMENTO , CA (Mon. June 3, 2013).–California Secretary of Natural Resources John Laird and California State Parks Director Major General Anthony L. Jackson, USMC (Ret.), today unveiled “Parks Forward,” a collaborative initiative to undertake a top-to-bottom evaluation to improve and sustain California’s underfunded State Parks System. A distinguished volunteer panel, known as the Parks Forward Commission, will lead the new Parks Forward initiative, designed to implement the directives of the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012 and to revive and improve California’s State Parks.

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