Outdoors

Here Are 3 Easy Ways to Gain Free Access to California State Parks

California State Parks is reminding visitors about three new ways to explore the great outdoors for free. With the California…

Read More »

City of Redding Announces Project to Protect Spawning Fish Species in the Sacramento River

The City of Redding is partnering on a project to construct a new Chinook Salmon and Steelhead Trout spawning habitat…

Read More »

Beloved Tahoe Skier Killed in Avalanche in Japan

Kyle Smaine and his dog Wrigley Professional skier Kyle Smaine, who resided and skied in South Lake Tahoe, was killed…

Read More »

Scientists Stunned When Endangered Animal Makes Rare Appearance Near Yosemite

The Sierra Nevada red fox (SNRF) which historically inhabited the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades in California…

Read More »

California Increasing Water Deliveries Following Recent Winter Storms

Lake Oroville The recent stormy weather in California has brought some positive news for the state’s water supply, as the…

Read More »

Mount Shasta Put on a Stunning Lenticular Cloud Show this Week

As another winter storm began rolling through Northern California, the typical alien clouds also began moving over Mount Shasta. It…

Read More »

VIDEO: Hikers Snowshoe Across Frozen Lake Helen in Lassen Volcanic National Park

In the wintertime in Lassen Volcanic National Park, visitors are met with a closed highway, meaning to visit most destinations…

Read More »

Exploring the Point Reyes Shipwreck of Tomales Bay

Photo by Stephen Leonardi It’s rare to see an accident with such size and historical significance sit in its original location.…

Read More »

There’s a Secret Way to Get a Free Lift Ticket to Heavenly Ski Resort. Here’s How.

Flickr/jcookfisher Skiing can be a pretty expensive endeavor. If you already own your own gear (rentals can be around $100),…

Read More »

Mount Shasta Named One of the ‘Best Secret Ski Towns in North America’ by National Geographic

There are some great ski towns in Northern California that get a ton of national press. Places like Truckee, South…

Read More »

Watch Professional Skiers Summit Mount Shasta and Ride Down to the Bottom

Over the years I’ve seen a lot of videos of people summiting Mount Shasta. This one’s the best. Cody Townsend…

Read More »

Find Hundreds of Northern California Campsites with this Interactive Map

Camping is one of NorCal’s favorite pastimes. Who can deny the appeal of sitting around the campfire surrounded by family…

Read More »

Chico Hiker Completes Coveted 7,500-Mile Triple Crown in One Calendar Year

For avid hikers, the Triple Crown holds a special significance. The Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, and Appalachian trails are the…

Read More »

When Will Klamath Dam Removal Take Place? A Complete Timeline for the Largest Dam Removal Project Ever.

The largest ever dam removal project in the United States will completely change the makeup of multiple Northern California communities.…

Read More »

Watch Maniacs Ski Deep in the Sierra For a Snowy Cliff Jumping Session

Here is our monthly check-in with the Northern California cliff jumping crew, who have turned their beloved sport into a…

Read More »

Yosemite is Hiring for a Bunch of Really Cool Jobs Right Now

Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful destinations on the planet. Imagine seeing its views at work every…

Read More »

Mammoth Mountain Has Already Surpassed Last Year’s Total Snowfall

Mammoth Mountain is experiencing a white winter for the ages, with snowfall numbers beginning to build to near historic numbers.…

Read More »

86 State Parks are Closing Throughout California. Here’s the Full List of What’s Closed.

Due to the ongoing storms that have blanketed Northern California with rain and snow, flooding and wind damage have become…

Read More »

Storms Revive California Snowpack to Highest Measurement in Nearly 40 Years

With early-season storms drenching California over the past month, the Sierra snowpack is off to one of its best starts…

Read More »

Cars Found Abandoned, Buried in Snow in the Middle of the Mt. Rose Highway

The New Year’s Eve storm that buried Tahoe in 4 feet of snowfall was a nightmare for travelers. When the…

Read More »

Dozens of Travelers Needed to Be Rescued on Snowy Tahoe Pass

It was a particularly snowy day on New Years Eve 2022, leaving dozens of drivers stranded in their cars on…

Read More »

A Rockslide Full of Giant Boulders Fell on Highway 50. There’s Only One Explosive Way to Remove It.

A large rockslide fell on Highway 50 near Kyburz on New Years Eve, sending multiple giant boulders onto the road.…

Read More »

Officials Warn of ‘Extreme Hazardous Conditions’ for Outdoor Enthusiasts at Lake Natoma

Lake Natoma California State Parks urges visitors to exercise extreme caution while enjoying Lake Natoma, a subunit of Folsom Lake…

Read More »

NorCal Reservoirs See Major Boost in Water Levels with Winter Storms

Lake Oroville is up 10 feet. Photo by Manny Becerra Northern California is forecast to see a series of atmospheric rivers…

Read More »

National Park Service Announces 5 Fee-Free Days for 2023

Photo by Jordan Pulmano The National Park Service will have 5 entrance fee-free days?in 2023. These ‘free days’ provide free admittance…

Read More »

Sculpting an Icon: The 100 Million Year History of Yosemite’s Half Dome

Half Dome is a iconic granite rock formation located in Yosemite National Park in California. It is known for its…

Read More »

Throwback: Kayakers Paddle Through the Redwoods on a Flooded Avenue of the Giants

With significant flooding drowning the road through Humboldt’s famed Avenue of the Giants, the road became closed to motorists in…

Read More »

How Did Lake Tahoe Get Its Name?

Lake Tahoe is a stunning alpine lake located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California and Nevada. It is…

Read More »

Big Basin Redwoods State Park Reopens 4 Additional Miles of Roads and Trails

California State Parks announced Big Basin Redwoods State Park will reopen an additional four miles of roads and trails effective…

Read More »

The Legend of Snowshoe Thompson: The Founder of California Skiing

In the 1800’s, traveling across the Sierra Nevada in the middle of winter was rarely accomplished. Native Americans were usually…

Read More »

Rare Video: Kayakers Surrounded by Pod of Killers Whales Off the NorCal Coast

Kayakers fishing off the coast of Sonoma County were greeted by a beautiful and somewhat terrifying pod of killer whales…

Read More »

Skiers Beware: Tree Wells are the Most Dangerous Obstacles at NorCal Ski Resorts

Heavenly Mountain Resort If you’ve ever seen any semblance of an avalanche in person, you know why it gets much…

Read More »

You Can Now Visit These 4 National Parks Around Northern California with Just One Pass

Photo by Deanna Lewis Due to overwhelming public support, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, in conjunction with Lava Beds National Monument, Crater…

Read More »

Wildfires Have Destroyed 20 Percent of Giant Sequoias Since 2015. This Coalition is Hoping to Stop that Trend.

Pile burning in Whitaker’s Research Forest within Redwood Mountain Grove. Photo by Rob York, University of California, Berkeley Officials from…

Read More »

What’s the Deal with the Perfectly Symmetrical Tree Plots in the Sierra Nevada?

Google Earth If you were to approach these select plot of trees from the ground, you may not know something…

Read More »

Yosemite Outlines Reservation Program for Popular Firefall in 2023

Yosemite National Park is world-renown for its stunning waterfalls, including the tallest in North America – Yosemite Falls. But for a…

Read More »

Snow Report: 70 Inches of New Snow Pushes NorCal Totals Past 10 Feet for December

Photo: Palisades Tahoe The major winter storm that nuked Northern California with a ton of mountain snow lived up to…

Read More »

California Allocates $100 Million to Protect Salmon from Drought in 2023

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the availability of over $200 million in new funding for…

Read More »

Skier-Triggered Avalanche Hits Mount Shasta’s Gray Butte

Photo: Mount Shasta Avalanche Center Another avalanche was ignited near the Mt. Shasta Ski Park this week, this time on…

Read More »

7 Incredible Winter Adventures Near Redding, California

Brought to you by Choose Redding Lassen Volcanic National Park in the winter It’s officially winter in Northern California, which…

Read More »

Palisades Tahoe Closed for the Day Due to Winds, Avalanche Danger

The major winter storm currently nuking the Sierra is making it difficult for ski resorts to open their lifts to…

Read More »

Mammoth Island: Highway 395 Closed with No Way In or Out of Mammoth Lakes

Photo: CalTrans The winter storm peaked Sunday morning and it’s making mountain travel throughout the state nearly impossible. One of…

Read More »

Avalanche Reported Just Outside of Mt. Shasta Ski Park

Photo: Mount Shasta Avalanche Center With the snow dumping on the Northern California mountains on Saturday, the Mt. Shasta Ski…

Read More »

Interstate 80 Closed Over Donner Summit with Blizzard Conditions

Surprise, surprise… We have our first closure of Interstate 80 over Donner Summit during this winter storm, and if it…

Read More »

Search and Rescue Officials Make Unlikely Rescue of Lost Skier Overnight Near Alpine Meadows

Photo: Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team A group from the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team made an astounding…

Read More »

Dungeness Crab Fishing Delayed Even Further in Parts of NorCal Due to Humpback Whales

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is continuing the temporary recreational crab trap restriction in Fishing Zones 3,…

Read More »

Another Major Winter Storm Could Drop 5+ Feet of Snow on NorCal Mountains this Weekend

Photo of Donner Summit in December 2021 In December 2021, the Sierra Nevada mountain range was pummeled with a historic…

Read More »

Watch: Skier Lands Insane Backflip Over 150-Foot Road Gap in Sierra Nevada Mountains

When the snow falls in bunches during the winter in Tahoe, extreme athletes are known to push the limits in…

Read More »

Mt. Shasta Ski Park Announces Opening Day in the Midst of Heavy Snowfall

The early December snowfall at the Mt. Shasta Ski Park is allowing management to open earlier than expected. After multiple…

Read More »

Mammoth Lakes Voted Best Ski Town in North America

Photo by Robson Hatsukami Morgan We all know that Mammoth Lakes in California’s Eastern Sierra is an outdoor utopia unlike anywhere…

Read More »

Phantom of the Falls: A Great Winter Spectacle

A flowing phantom haunts Table Mountain near Oroville. It disappears during the summer, and remains well hidden in remote Coal Canyon…

Read More »

This Might be the Most Beautiful Tahoe Backcountry Skiing Video Ever Produced

It’s certainly been a December to remember in the mountains of Northern California. The early-season conditions in the Sierra Nevada…

Read More »

Avalanche Warning: ‘Very Dangerous’ Conditions in the Sierra Nevada

Photo: Sierra Avalanche Center Following the recent storm that dumped multiple feet of snow on the Sierra Nevada mountains, the…

Read More »

Storm Totals: Multiple Feet of Snow Falls on the NorCal Mountains with More on the Way

Mt. Shasta’s Old Ski Bowl. Photo by Mount Shasta Avalanche Center. The first of two storms passed through Northern California…

Read More »

Lassen Volcanic National Park is a Breathtaking Winter Wonderland Right Now

When the first storm of the week left Northern California on Friday morning, many mountain areas saw a beautiful bluebird…

Read More »

Mount Shasta is Looking Mighty Fine with a Fresh Coat of Snow

As the storm rolled into Northern California Wednesday night, the first mountain to see snowfall was Mount Shasta. After a…

Read More »

Palisades Tahoe to Debut Transformative Base-to-Base Gondola with Grand Opening Celebration

The highly-anticipated gondola that will connect Palisades Tahoe and Alpine Meadows is set to open in mid-December and the resort…

Read More »

Winter Storm Watch: Up to 7 Feet of Snow Forecast to Fall on NorCal Mountains

On November 1st, an early-season snowstorm blanketed the Northern California mountains with 4 feet of snow. Exactly a month later,…

Read More »

Throwback: See Photos of the Incredible Winter of 2019 in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest

The winter of 2019 in Northern California was historic on many fronts. Many ski resorts, including Squaw Valley and Mammoth…

Read More »

Poachers Leave Dangerous Elk Carcasses Near Condor Habitat in Northern California

Photo by Will Goldenberg On Saturday, November 12, the Northern California Condor Restoration Program performed x-rays on two elk that…

Read More »

Meet the Life-Saving Ski Patrol Dogs of Northern California

We all know that dogs are man’s best friend. Well, now dogs can be a skier’s best friend, and they…

Read More »

A Breathtaking Winter Expedition to Mount Shasta’s Heart Lake

Covered in a thick blanket of snow, Heart Lake virtually disappears in the winter. Familiar summer landmarks are transformed into…

Read More »

How to Go Ice Fishing on Mount Shasta’s Castle Lake

Now here’s something you don’t see everyday in Northern California. In the wintertime in Mount Shasta, visitors to Castle Lake…

Read More »

From the Ashes: Sierra-at-Tahoe Announces Opening Day Following Caldor Fire Restoration

Just a year after the Caldor Fire swept through Sierra-at-Tahoe, the ski resort has announced its opening day for the…

Read More »

Last Major Hurdle Cleared for Removal of the Klamath River Dams

Copco Dam on the Klamath River. Photo: California Trout The last major milestone has been cleared in the journey to…

Read More »

Lassen Volcanic National Park Closes Highway for Winter Season

The winter season is upon us, meaning outdoor destinations are altering their operations to deal with snow accumulation in the…

Read More »

Lassen’s Subway Cave Closes for the Winter Season

On November 15, the Subway Cave in Lassen National Forest closed for the winter season. It’s expected to reopen for…

Read More »

Yosemite to Eliminate Reservation System for Summer 2023

Photo by Jeremy Lwanga Yosemite National Park officials made a major announcement that they will no longer require reservations for vehicle…

Read More »

Why Does Mammoth Get So Much Snow? Here’s the Science Behind It.

Mammoth Mountain made headlines in recent winters for producing some epic snowfall. In February, 2019 they broke a 30-year-old snowfall record and…

Read More »

Northern California’s Most Beautiful Outdoor Ice Rink Prepares for Winter Opening

As a Northern California resident, skating on a beautiful outdoor ice rink might seem foreign. When you add the stunning…

Read More »

NorCal Ski Resorts Open in Droves Following Giant Early-Season Snowstorm

Photo by Ethan Walsweer It’s time to knock the dust off your winter gear – ski season has arrived in Northern…

Read More »

Take an Exhilarating Winter Ride Down Heavenly Resort’s Mountain Coaster

You may not be a fan of skiing or snowboarding, but there are plenty of reasons to head up to…

Read More »

Icicles Galore: A Winter Exploration of Lassen’s Subway Cave

It is one of the locations that is close enough to make a day trip, and one I have done…

Read More »

Celebrate Veteran’s Day at Living Memorial Sculpture Garden Near Mount Shasta

Photo: Discover Siskiyou Every year, Veteran’s Day sits as a reminder to all Americans about the sacrifice made by the…

Read More »

Entrance to National Parks is Free on Veterans Day. Here’s Where to Go in Northern California.

Photo by Mick Haupt The National Park Service allows free entrance into all National Parks for five days every year. This…

Read More »

Save the Redwoods League Donates the World’s Oldest Juniper Tree to Mother Lode Land Trust

Photo: Save the Redwoods League The Bennett Juniper in the Stanislaus National Forest in Tuolumne County is thought to be the…

Read More »

Win a Northern California Staycation with the Discover Siskiyou 10K Giveaway

The outdoor destinations of Siskiyou County are some of the most spectacular in all of California, and now you can…

Read More »

Photographers Capture Spectacular ‘Snowliage’ in Yosemite National Park

The seasons are changing in Northern California, with autumn colors seeing snowfall in the most beautiful way imagninable. The best…

Read More »

Shasta Trinity National Forest Prepares to Initiate Winter Prescribed Burns

Photo by Robert Ritchie The Shasta-Trinity National Forest plans to initiate prescribed fire operations this fall and over the winter, as…

Read More »

Mt. Shasta’s Brand-New Gray Butte Lift is Finished. Here’s How it Will Completely Transform the Mountain.

View of the Mt. Shasta Ski Park from the brand-new Gray Butte lift. Photo by Mt. Shasta Ski Park. The…

Read More »

NovemBURIED Continues! Incoming Storm Could Bring Another 4 Feet of Snow to NorCal Mountains

Snowy Emigrant Gap. Photo by Wil Stewart. It was a stunning sight to see snow begin to fall in Northern California…

Read More »

Mammoth Mountain Opening this Weekend Following Early-Season Snowstorm

After a hefty early-season storm that blanketed the mountains of Northern California with snow, we have our first ski resort…

Read More »

Celebrating 50 Years of ‘Wild Trout Waters’ in California

Hat Creek in Shasta County is forever linked with CDFW’s Heritage and Wild Trout Program as one of the first…

Read More »

Expect Heightened Activity from Lake Tahoe Bears as They Seek Food for the Winter

Fall is underway in the Tahoe Basin and Lake Tahoe bears are hungry! Autumn is the time of year when…

Read More »

Was the 8-Year-Old’s Climb of El Capitan a Hoax? Youngster’s Achievement Comes Under Scrutiny.

Photo by Patrick T’Kindt It was an achievement celebrated the world over last week when 8-year-old Sam Baker became the youngest…

Read More »

Dungeness Crab Season Delayed for Fourth Year in a Row in California

The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps will be temporarily restricted in California when the season opens on…

Read More »

BREAKING: Snowstorm Has Arrived in Mount Shasta and it’s Coming Down HARD

Remember, remember the first of November. Those will hopefully be our words in a few months when we see a…

Read More »

VIDEO: Lassen Pack Seen Running Through Field Full of Cattle in Northern California

California’s first wolf pack to return to the state in over a century, the Lassen Pack, continues to grow in…

Read More »

NovemBURIED? A Foot of Snow Forecast for NorCal Mountains this Week

Despite another year of drought in Northern California, the fall months have already brought plenty of precipitation. September saw 1000%…

Read More »

8-Year-Old Rock Climber Becomes the Youngest to Ascend El Capitan

8-year-old Sam Baker climbing El Capitan. Photo via @samueladventure/IG A brand-new rock climbing record has been set in Yosemite National…

Read More »

5 Survival Lessons From the Northern California Man Lost in Yosemite For Nearly a Week

Photo by Jason Strull When Alan Chow solo-hiked into the Yosemite National Park wilderness in the spring of 2018, he had…

Read More »

How NorCal’s Outdoor Opportunities Stack Up Against Yellowstone National Park

Photo by Steven Cordes I gotta admit, I’m torn on this one. I’ve recently returned from a fishing trip to Yellowstone…

Read More »

Save the Redwoods League Secures Opportunity to Protect 3,862-Acre Weger Ranch in Mendocino County

Save the Redwoods League today announced that it has secured an opportunity to purchase a conservation easement on the 3,862-acre…

Read More »

What the Heck Happened to this Trout Caught on the Sacramento River?

When you’re a fishing guide in Northern California, there are plenty of odd things you might see on the water.…

Read More »

How Do Northern California Wildfires Impact Wildlife and Forests?

Written by Meghan Snow Seeing a forest recently burned in a wildfire can be jarring. Green is replaced by shades…

Read More »

Caught-on-Camera: Bear Sings in a Tree in Yosemite National Park

Wildlife encounters can be frequent for any visitor to Yosemite National Park, especially during a pandemic that has forced officials…

Read More »

Sierra Notes: Four Characteristics of a Thriving Forest and How You Can Help Keep Them Healthy

Written By Cal Robinson When you close your eyes and think of a healthy forest, you may picture one that’s…

Read More »

Team Behind the Historic Clean Up of Lake Tahoe Sets Their Sights on the Eastern Sierra

June Lake. Photo by Levan Badzgaradze. The Clean Up The Lake (CUTL) dive team that completed the 72 mile SCUBA cleanup of Lake…

Read More »