There are a number of trails to explore when you park at the Rattlesnake Bar area of Folsom Lake SRA, but the trip out to Avery’s Pond is one of the most popular. The best time to hike the trail is in the springtime, when wildflowers are abundant and there are few if any annoying dry weeds. Of course, poison […]
The first time I took my camera with me on the trek out to Avery’s Pond and Mormon Ravine at Rattlesnake Bar (Folsom Lake) was April 1, 2016. I had been there a few times back in the 1980s, but alas, I apparently never took pictures then and I can’t remember much details about those visits! I also regret that […]
I first climbed Mt. Konocti in March 2020. My lofty plans on that occasion fell short thanks to problems with my knee which made every step up the mountain painful. I failed to reach any of the three peaks, but I did manage to explore Mary Downen’s cabin. So in the back of my mind ever since I’ve had the […]
Whenever we’re looking for a place to stay on our coastal trips, we try to find locations where it’s easy to get outside and walk. Not all of the houses we’ve rented fit that criteria, but it’s a definite plus in my book. The shoulders along Highway 1 can be small to nonexistent, and the road itself consists of innumerable […]
I don’t get outside and go hiking nearly as much as I should these days, but the good thing is that when I do go, I make sure to soak up every minute of the experience as much as possible. When I sit down at home and go through my photos, I can relive nearly every step of my path […]
I was originally going to call this post “One last look.” Then I started browsing through my collection of photos from the hike at Jug Handle Preserve last October and realized I’ve barely even scratched the surface! So instead, these images are the last batch that I shot with my phone camera, and I’ll save the rest for some later […]
First of all, I should say that I didn’t actually hike Fern Canyon on this coastal trip. Secondly, there are a surprising number of places in California called Fern Canyon; Huell Howser visited one such trail in Humboldt County’s Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and there are two that I know of in Mendocino County. The name itself sounds so […]
The loop trail through the Pygmy Forest forms a huge contrast from previous sections of the Ecological Staircase at Jug Handle State Reserve. Leaving behind the deeply shaded coastal redwood path and soft forest floor, I found myself on a narrow boardwalk in full sunlight lying above highly acidic, poorly draining soil. I was surrounded by a profusion of trees […]