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Try Tuolumne for crowd-beating Yosemite day hikes
Those who hike in Tuolumne Meadows may earn a view of Yosemite’s highest peaks including Mount Lyell. Image: courtesy of Matt Johanson Yosemite Valley visitors know that the park has a popularity...
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High pass openings deliver rewarding opportunities
Kinney Lake: Travelers on Highway 4 can enjoy visiting the Kinney Lakes near Ebbetts Pass.Image: Matt Johanson As summer begins, crowds gather in popular Sierra destinations like Yosemite and Lake...
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Rafting the Tuolumne
photo by All-Outdoors California Whitewater Rafting As we headed towards a raging Clavey Falls, I took a deep breath and gripped my paddle with white knuckles. During the biggest runoff in a decade on...
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Mammoth Mountain makes magic memories
A popular skiers’ destination in winter, Mammoth Mountain invites hikers and cyclists in summer and fall. Image: Matt Johanson. This hike is four miles one way with gondola descent, taking three...
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Finding climbing partners is kinda like internet dating
Image courtesy of Matt Johanson. Internet dating never appealed to me, but like so many others in our lonely world, I sometimes need help finding someone special. So I decided to look online for a...
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Lost Arrow Spire, “Tyrolean Traverse” Challenge Yosemite Climbers
A daredevil walks a highline between Lost Arrow Spire and the valley rim. Image courtesy of Matt Johanson Lost Arrow Spire’s unique attraction is the maneuver climbers use to depart from the pointy...
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Wildlife and conservation highlight 2024 outdoor news
Wolves have multiplied rapidly in California since 2011. Image courtesy of Matt Johanson. A loud howl pierced a dark night in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. For most of my life, wolves were...
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Resolve to get outdoors in 2025
Mojave Desert supports the world’s highest concentration of Joshua trees. Image courtesy of Matt Johanson. January makes a great time to visit Joshua Tree National Park. Visitors comfortably hike...
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Utah: Desert, sandstone, canyoneering and polygamy (sort of)
Zion National Park boasts awesome scenery, like Yosemite Valley painted cherry red. But for climbers, sandstone doesn’t compare to Sierra Nevada granite, and the desert sun burns hot enough to melt...
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Hard but essential to find joy in 2025
Early risers get to view Joshua trees and a colorful sky. Joshua Tree National Park never disappoints. Recently I was lucky to spend a week with friends and family there. Greeting us were countless...
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