Blogs from Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California, United States, North America

Il a plu une bonne partie de la nuit. Le ciel est très nuageux quand on se réveille et il fait plutôt frais ce matin, environ dix-sept degrés. On range nos affaires et on quitte notre AirBnB. Il était très bien, et ca nous a permis d'avoir une nourriture plus saine. Enfin, des pates au beurre ! Il est dix heure quand on prend la route en direction du parc de Yosemite, en empruntant la Tioga road, un col qui traverse la Sierra Nevada, à plus de trois mille mètre d'altitude, mais qui n'est ouvert que quelques mois de l'année, entre début juin et fin novembre. La route s'étend sur environ cent kilomètres et longe une multitude de lacs de montagne et de prairie alpines. Le point central est Tuolumne Meadows, une gigantesque prairie alpine d'où ... read more

It was a relatively short hop from Monterey but we arrived into San Francisco into a busy Memorial Day bank holiday weekend. We chose well for our accommodation just behind Fisherman’s wharf a busy bustling waterfront with ferries across the bay, many eateries - including popular seafood restaurants, museums and street entertainers to make things lively. To get a flavour of what the city has to offer we jumped on a city sightseeing bus just outside our motel. The bus had live commentary delivered at a 100mph, he hardly drew breath even when we got stuck in traffic. We went past downtown SF, the Italian quarter, Chinatown and other famous parts of the city. One story we were told was the creator of the Golden Gate park who managed to actually create it on sand dunes. ... read more

Last week I was able to spend several days with other students in the Eastern Sierras learning about the local ecology, going on a few hikes and adventures and working on sage grouse related habitat projects. What a beautiful place to be! We camped just outside of Bridgeport, CA which is close to Yosemite, Mammoth Lake, June Lake, Mono Lake, Twin Lakes and so much beauty my brain is filled nearly to capacity with sights of lush green meadows (Tuoloumne), beautiful wooded areas (everywhere) and a green sagebrush steppe as this is on the Western side of the Great Basin (and also thanks to the recent rains). The program was put on by the Bodie Hills Conservation Partnership and I feel lucky to have been able to join them. We pulled invasive weeds, learned about stream ... read more

Another month, another adventure! This time, a little more local- I stayed within the same state! But California is a large state, so it was still a solid 8-hour drive from Carlsbad up to Yosemite National Park. On Friday afternoon, my friend Grant and I loaded up his car with food and gear and set out on a road trip. We made the long haul through all the LA traffic and cruised north until we hit mountains and endless stars. We arrived very late (I guess technically very early the next day), so we parked on the side of the road and created a make shift sleeping space in the trunk. We were up with the sun the next morning, despite only a few hours rest. We cruised into Yosemite National Park and wound our way ... read more

At some point in the aftermath of katabatic winds; green trees lie, snow and glaciers dissolve among jumbled talus, unknown bees land on unknow petals, a moon rises over a knife-ridge of the Kuna Crest, as seagulls call accross an alpine lake. url=https://picasaweb.google.com/107481128541387150669/AtSomePointInTheAftermathOfKatabaticWinds?authuser=0&feat=directlink/ Link to these Pics on Picassa ... read more