Natural History and Ecology of Mount Shasta to be Featured as One of Seven Significant Areas of Focus OMCA Celebrates Multilayered Story of Californias Natural World, Giving Voice to Range of Perspectives and Fostering Dialogue and Discovery Opening May 31, 2013, OMCAs Reinstalled Gallery of California Natural Sciences Showcases California As One of the Worlds Top Biodiversity Hotspots (Oakland, CA)The Oakland Museum of … [Read more...]
Yosemite National Park – February 2011
Yosemite National Park is located in central part of California and is one of the most visited locations within the state. It is the third most visited National Park in the United States. Massive granite formations dominate above the valley floor including the incredible El Capitan and Half Dome formations. Hiking opportunities abound and you can escape the crowds as 95% of visitor's to the National Park only spend their time on the valley floor. … [Read more...]
Curry Village Ice Rink at Yosemite National Park to Open Thanksgiving Day
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif., November 26, 2010 - The Curry Village Ice Rink at Yosemite National Park will open on Thursday, November 25 ushering in the 2010-11 winter season. The Curry Village Ice Rink was established in 1928 when the Yosemite Winter Club flooded an unused parking lot. Now a permanent fixture, the rink is located in the western part of Curry Village, nestled below Glacier Point with views of snow-capped Yosemite icons such … [Read more...]
Yosemite, Sequoia & King’s Canyon
Yosemite, Sequoia & King's Canyon by Lonely Planet Three extremely popular California located National Parks are covered in one book. Yosemite has all the name recognition but Sequoia & Kings Canyon also have superb outdoor beauty. The focus of the National park series is outdoor activities and Lonely Planet does not disappoint with their detailed itineraries, hiking options, adventure options, and family friendly trips. … [Read more...]
Yosemite
The shoulder seasons (early spring, mid to late fall) are excellent times for visiting Yosemite National Park. The weather is a bit cooler than the heat of the summer (nights are chilly but days warm up nicely) and you are sure to miss the masses of crowds that converge on the valley floor during the mid summer. Not to be outdone is the winter season - Badger Pass Ski Area with its set of lifts, runs and an excellent ski school is found within … [Read more...]
Yosemite – Weather
The foothills in Mariposa County are generally above the incessant wintertime fog that sits in the valley floor, are slightly cooler than the sizzling hot temperatures in the valley in the summer and there is typically plenty of sunshine most of the year. Yosemite Valley sees some snow during the winter at times (elevation is about 4000 feet) but certainly doesn't have the depth of snow that the higher elevations receive at times (above 5500 … [Read more...]
Yosemite – Valley Floor
We heard someone once say that living in Mariposa County will turn you into a photographer. Perhaps just visiting Yosemite will do the trick. Picturesque locations await you from massive granite formations to amazing waterfalls, to sweeping mountain vistas to alpine lakes. 95% of the visitors to Yosemite National Park visit 5% of its total landmass - this 5% being the valley floor. As a result it is fairly easy to become immersed in Yosemite's … [Read more...]
Yosemite – Attractions & Activities
Mariposa Sequoia Grove is the largest grove in the area and is located just 2 miles from the southern park entrance along Highway 41. Note that the Mariposa Grove Road is closed during the winter so you have to park at the park's south entrance and walk 4 miles roundtrip to the grove. This grove is also home to the Grizzly Giant, one of the largest Sequoia trees in the world. Another place to visit these giant trees is at the smaller Tuolumne … [Read more...]
Yosemite – Wineries
Mariposa County is the southern most county in the Sierra Foothills wine growing region. There are merely 4 bonded wineries in the entire county! We are used to visiting the heart of California's wine region, Sonoma and Napa counties and seeing literally hundreds of wineries in each county. As a result, visiting Mariposa County for wine tasting is relatively easy as far as making choices of who to visit is concerned. Why not visit them all in a … [Read more...]
Yosemite – Mariposa
Mariposa was originally founded as a mining town and during the height of the gold rush had a much larger population than today which is currently under 2000 people. The town boasts a number of small family owned shops, galleries and restaurants as well as many items of historical significance. Mariposa County has one fast food restaurant and no stop lights. The one fast food restaurant is in the town of Mariposa and opened before a loophole … [Read more...]