I had seen the peaks of Castle Crags rising out of the Northern California forest one time before, from the summit of 14,170 foot Mt. Shasta back on my climb there in 1996. More than a decade later, on my way up to Ashland last April, I figured it was time to see that sightline in reverse. Castle Crags State Park rises amongst the steep valleys and tight curves of the Sacramento River valley as Highway 5 winds its way up to Dunsmuir. The steepness of the landscape provides only glimpses of the crags themselves through the forest. To see them [View Full Entry]

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January, 2009 I had time for a winter trip. I thought at one point about heading north to Mt. Lassen. But roads in this mountain park are closed throughout the season. And so in the midst of considering other mountain or coastal travels in Northern California, I realized my mistake. It was winter. I needed to head south. I had only been through Death Valley once, a midnight run between a hiking weekend along Highway 395 and a Monday business meeting in Las Vegas. So I had never seen the valley beyond the scope of my headlights. I had felt it [View Full Entry]

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Thursday, May 21, 2009 Point Reyes National Seashore, California If you leave Oakland by 7 am you can have your feet in Drake’s Bay before 9. The traffic has to be in your favor of course. The 880/580 commute, the Richmond Bridge, and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard can throw a monkey wrench into that plan real easy. But today they didn’t, and so there I stood at 9 with wet, sandy pant legs and nobody within view for miles. The experience would be completely my own today. I was the wandering shaman. Point Reyes National Seashore is a chunk of Southern [View Full Entry]

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