Zach O'Brien

I always knew rock climbers were a little crazy. “The Dark Wizard” on HBO confirms it, and then some. The…

*Happy April Fool’s Day! This article is part of the Active NorCal April Fool’s Day Extravaganza. Don’t @ us. In…

When I started Active NorCal, I made a commitment to champion conservation. Northern California’s wild places, its rivers, forests, and…

A pilot was killed Sunday evening when a small plane crashed in remote, rugged terrain southwest of Olympic Valley while…

Each March, the Mendocino Coast becomes one of the best places in Northern California to watch gray whales migrate north—and…

Northern California’s mountain community is mourning after the deadliest avalanche in state history claimed nine lives near Castle Peak, just…

After a week of pounding rain and Sierra snow, Northern California’s biggest reservoirs are ticking upward. The back-to-back winter systems…

As a massive Sierra storm continues to hammer the Lake Tahoe region, Sierra-at-Tahoe is forced to remain closed on February…

Visitors heading to Yosemite National Park in 2026 won’t need to secure a timed entry reservation. Park officials announced Wednesday…

Eight people have been confirmed dead and one remains missing following Tuesday’s devastating avalanche near Castle Peak, authorities announced Wednesday.…

It may look like a postcard morning over Donner Summit, but winter driving conditions are still very real. According to…

A sudden equipment failure at the Yuba Water Agency’s New Colgate Powerhouse has left hundreds, and possibly thousands, of young…

As search crews continue working through brutal storm conditions near Castle Peak, the scale of the unfolding tragedy is coming…

Another Sierra resort is pressing pause as this week’s powerful winter storm continues to hammer the mountains. Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort announced…

Rescue crews successfully reached six skiers Tuesday night following the avalanche near Castle Peak in Lake Tahoe, but the search…

As rescue operations continue near Castle Peak outside Truckee, the guiding company involved has issued a public statement regarding the…

Crews are working to contain oil and debris in the Yuba River following a major infrastructure failure at the New…

A massive stretch of U.S. 395 is shut down in the Eastern Sierra as a powerful winter storm creates dangerous…

A backcountry avalanche near Castle Peak outside Truckee has triggered a major rescue response amid one of the most powerful…

If you were hoping to catch Yosemite’s famous Firefall this week, you may be out of luck. Park officials say…

Hunters looking for a unique opportunity on the North Coast now have their shot. The California Department of Fish and…

Photo via Palisades Tahoe If you’ve glanced at a snow stake photo this week, you already know — the Sierra…

As a severe winter storm continues to hammer the Sierra with heavy snow and strong winds, the Sierra Avalanche Center…

The winter storm hammering much of the Sierra has forced Mammoth Mountain to shut down operations Tuesday, Feb. 17. Resort…

A powerful Sierra storm is bringing travel to a standstill Tuesday morning. According to Caltrans, westbound I-80 is closed at…

Good news for Northern California skiers: Mt. Shasta Ski Park is back. Resort operators announced Monday that the mountain will…

A powerful winter system is lining up to slam the Sierra, and Yosemite National Park is squarely in the crosshairs.…

A young gray wolf has pushed into new territory, and possibly into the history books. State wildlife officials say a…

Photo by Leo_Visions For a brief stretch in February, Yosemite National Park turns into one of the most photographed places…

A longtime roadside landmark in the Siskiyou County city of Weed has been knocked down after a late-night crash. Just…

A new statewide ranking has named Folsom the best place to live in California, with several other Sacramento-area cities also…

A Southern California man has died after a skiing accident at Northstar California Resort near Truckee, according to resort and…

Photo via Elizabeth Carmel A major piece of the northern Sierra is returning to Washoe stewardship. The Waší·šiw Land Trust…

After a long stretch of dry skies around Lake Tahoe, winter is finally clocking back in. Forecasters say a series…

California is stepping up efforts to protect its landscapes, waterways, and wildlife, and a major part of that work is…

After weeks of mostly dry and mild conditions, Northern California is finally seeing winter make a comeback. Meteorologists say a…

California wildlife biologists have reached a major milestone in the effort to protect one of North America’s rarest mammals: the…

A skier has died following a serious accident on a steep, expert-only run at Mammoth Mountain, resort officials confirmed. According…

A female gray wolf from Northern California’s Harvey pack has died after being captured by state wildlife officials during an…

Photo via EBMUD More than 10,000 Chinook salmon made the long journey home this year, returning from the Pacific Ocean…

A scary chairlift incident at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area left a young snowboarder injured, but fortunately not seriously hurt, after…

After a promising start to winter, the snow picture around Lake Tahoe has taken a sharp turn and not in…

A gray wolf recently tracked near Truckee did not simply wander into town. It completed an extraordinary journey from Lassen…

Commercial Dungeness crab fishing officially opened in Humboldt County on January 30, marking the final reopening of California’s commercial crab…

Wolf activity was recorded in the Truckee area on Sunday, prompting a community awareness notice from the Truckee Police Department.…

Whale watchers off the California Coast recently witnessed something few people ever see at sea. During a recent trip in…

California’s snowpack has taken a noticeable step backward as the heart of winter slips by with little help from new…

California’s final full month of winter is starting off dry, and there are few signs of a meaningful pattern change…

California’s coastal monarch butterflies are slipping closer to the brink, and the latest numbers offer little comfort. A new annual…

Photo via Friends of the Eel River Chinook salmon are showing encouraging signs of life in the Eel River, and…

Photo via Oregon State University The Pacific Northwest has no shortage of charismatic wildlife, but one of its cutest residents…

Private Yurts in Nevada City ranked 2nd nationally in Hipcamp’s rankings. Photo via Hipcamp. Northern California is officially winning Valentine’s…

After more than a month of speculation, the mystery buyer behind one of Lake Tahoe’s most infamous lakefront listings has…

A coyote that stunned visitors by swimming across San Francisco Bay to Alcatraz Island earlier this month appears to be…

Yosemite National Park has reopened a beloved piece of its winter backcountry history just in time for snow season. The…

Photo via Ando Arakelyan Visitors to Yosemite National Park are once again calling out vandalism after graffiti appeared near one…

One of Sonoma County’s most remarkable redwood forests could soon get significantly bigger. Save the Redwoods League announced it has…

A federal courtroom in San Francisco is becoming the latest battleground over the future of West Coast salmon. On Jan.…

In February 1959, Mount Shasta became the center of one of the most extreme winter storms ever recorded in North…

The California Department of Public Health has lifted a shellfish safety warning for one stretch of the Northern California coast,…

Health officials are sounding the alarm after a Sacramento County family of four was hospitalized for mushroom poisoning, adding a…

Photo of Bryce Bennett via Palisades Tahoe A strong contingent of Tahoe athletes is bound for the world’s biggest winter…

Behind the postcard views of Yosemite National Park, a growing controversy is unfolding that has nothing to do with crowds…

Northern California’s own Alex Honnold just added another jaw-dropping line to an already unmatched résumé, completing the largest urban free…

A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit filed by agricultural workers seeking to halt a settlement that will largely…

Authorities in Northern California say ongoing wolf attacks on livestock in the Sierra Valley have escalated beyond an agricultural dispute…

After four years of testing, tweaking, and collaboration, a pioneering effort near Shasta Reservoir is offering new hope for one…

A past incident in Yosemite National Park is serving as a stark reminder that wildlife viewing is not a hands-on…

A long-planned water storage project in Northern California has reached a major federal milestone. The U.S. Department of the Interior…

Nearly one million young Chinook salmon are getting an unusual head start on life this week by growing up in…

You don’t need months off work or a resupply strategy to experience the magic of the Pacific Crest Trail. One…

If you have wandered through Yosemite National Park, you may have noticed small bowl-shaped holes carved into large granite rocks.…

California may be using far less water than planners once feared and that could reshape how the state prepares for…

If “forest bathing” is calling your name, Northern California has no shortage of places to unplug—but few feel as quietly…

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest has closed the Trout Creek Bridge near the Trout Creek Campground after discovering significant structural damage…

Every winter, a stretch of sand at Drakes Beach turns into one of Northern California’s most unforgettable wildlife spectacles. That’s…

Northern Californians were treated to a rare celestial surprise Monday night as the Northern Lights briefly danced across the sky,…

A winter ride on one of Northern California’s most iconic mountain bike routes ended with a helicopter rescue over the…

Water is slowing down at one of California’s most important reservoirs. State officials say outflows from Lake Oroville have been…

California is putting more money behind its promise to bring salmon back. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has…

If you judge a ski day by the quality of your cocoa breaks, a new ranking has some good news…

Nearly half a million young Chinook salmon are now on the move in the upper Sacramento River. Last Friday, Coleman…

Emergency repairs are getting underway this week on Interstate 5 just south of Dunsmuir, bringing lane closures and detours for…

Visitors expect sweeping bay views and historic cellblocks when they step onto Alcatraz Island — not a swimming coyote. But…

Northern California skywatchers may want to keep an eye on the northern horizon tonight. A rare and powerful solar storm…

Scientists are using earthquakes so small humans can’t feel them to uncover a far more complex seismic threat beneath Northern…

A Northern California surfer is recovering after a shark encounter off the coast of Gualala this week, marking the state’s…

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest has announced a seasonal area and road closure in the Mount Shasta and McCloud Ranger Districts,…

Winter skies over Lake Tahoe were noticeably busier last week as volunteers spotted 23 bald eagles during the basin’s annual…

The debate over wolves and livestock in Northern California is once again heating up as ranching groups push for expanded…

A jaw-dropping ski BASE jump off Lover’s Leap near Lake Tahoe is making the rounds online after a professional jumper…

Wildlife officials have scaled back efforts to capture two remaining juvenile gray wolves linked to a surge of livestock deaths…

Beachgoers along Northern California’s coast are being urged to use extra caution as an elevated risk of sneaker waves develops…

The National Park Service has announced multiple fee-free days in 2026, allowing U.S. citizens and residents to enter national parks…

Operators of the Skunk Train scored a major legal win this month that could significantly reshape the future of rail…

Prescribed fire operations are set to resume this week in the Lake Tahoe Basin as land managers continue efforts to…

The parent company of Pacific Gas and Electric has agreed to pay $100 million to settle a lawsuit brought by…

Tucked into the cliffs of the Marin County coastline, ther is a destination that offers one of Northern California’s most…

When the ground shook near Susanville in late December, the most important movement happened before many people even felt it—on…

A 19-year-old hiker was rescued early Friday morning, Jan. 3, after becoming stranded in severe storm conditions in the Northern…