Stories

The Largest Corn Maze in the World Sits Right Here in Northern California

In Dixon, California sits a 63-acre fall utopia with a pumpkin patch, hay rides and the largest corn maze in…

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A Piece of NorCal History: Redding’s Diestelhorst Bridge

Considering its place adjacent to the recently added Lake Redding Bridge, you might overlook Redding’s storied Diestelhorst Bridge. Without scanning…

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This NorCal Park is One of the Longest Continually Occupied Areas in North America. Its History is Beautiful and Bloody.

We visited the desolate and beautiful Lava Beds National Monument to try to escape the heat by seeking refuge in…

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Why Are There License Plates Sticking Out of Trees in Yosemite National Park?

Photo: National Park Service If you’re on a summer hike in Yosemite National Park, you may come across one of…

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Lake Tahoe a National Park? How Years of Decisions Shaped California’s Most Famous Lake.

Photo by Gordon Mak In 1861, Mark Twain camped on the shores of Lake Tahoe, captivated by its beauty. Unfortunately, he…

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Outside Magazine Lists the Best Hikes in Northern California National Parks. Here’s Our Take.

Photo by Saketh Garuda A list of the best hikes in every National Park in America was compiled by Outside Magazine,…

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This Waterfall Was Once the Hideout of NorCal’s Most Notorious Stagecoach Robber

Every bandit needs a hideout, and it just so happens that one of the most prominent waterfalls in Northern California…

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The Yosemite Camping Trip that Changed America

I call it a successful camping trip if I don’t forget the mosquito repellant and a roll of TP. But…

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The 5 Best Places to Go Stargazing Around Redding, California

Stars over Chaos Crags When summer arrives in Northern California, the night sky comes alive with the best viewing opportunities…

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The Mysterious Case of the UFO that Flew Over Northern California

The incident began at about 4:30 pm on a seemingly normal day in 2017 when the air traffic controller from…

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Remembering the Time it Rained 6,000 Pounds of Marijuana on Yosemite

Photo: Rick Schloss In 1977, Yosemite National Park was a much different place. Rock climbers traveled the world over to…

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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…

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The Naked Truth: Stories of Skinny-Dippers and Fly Fishing in Northern California

I have nothing against naked people, and particularly respect their ability to garner interest at the beginning of a story.…

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The Zodiac Signs as Northern California Destinations

Just like human beings around the world, the destinations of Northern California have distinct characteristics that can bring out thoughts…

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This Northern California Town is Responsible for America’s First Bike Lane

The ever-popular bike lanes you see all around the country are a pretty new phenomenon. San Francisco received its first…

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Two Bridges with the Same Name Tell a Fascinating Story of Northern California’s History

In July 1848, John Bidwell discovered gold in a canyon of the Feather River, leading to the establishment of Bidwell’s…

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Here’s the Secret to Snagging Northern California’s Most Popular Campsites

Camping in Northern California can be a challenging task as the high demand for state park campsites often results in…

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This Northern California Town is the Closest to ‘Shangri-La’ According to the Author Who Coined the Term

Photo: California Outdoor Propoerties Shangri-la is a fictional place featured in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon written by British author…

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How Mammoth Mountain Uses World War II Howitzers to Battle Potentially Deadly Avalanches

Mammoth Mountain is known to receive a lot of snow. With massive snowfall each winter, ski patrol is forced to…

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Short Film Celebrates the World’s Highest Elevation Composting Toilet Atop Mount Shasta

Way to Go! from K-Rose Productions on Vimeo. With the many people visiting the high-elevation areas of Mount Shasta each…

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How Skiing Down Volcanoes Became a Time-Honored Tradition in Northern California

Volcanoes are the kind of geological formations that tend to inspire awe. Towering above everything else, they seem like a…

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The Dumbest Things I’ve Done in NorCal: Swimming Across the Sacramento River

Photo by Tony Webster Don’t try it. Redding in the summertime is a study in contrasts, contrasts that can be…

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What is ‘Ski Week’ in Lake Tahoe?

Growing up in the Redding area, the concept of “Ski Week” is foreign to me. When I was a kid,…

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This Tree in Sequoia National Park is the World’s Largest Living Organism by Volume

In the heart of California’s Sequoia National Park stands the General Sherman Tree, the largest living organism by volume on…

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Rules of NorCal: Don’t Drive to Tahoe on Friday

When planning a trip to Lake Tahoe, traffic delays are almost guaranteed if traveling on either Interstate 80 or Highway…

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Remembering the Historic Valentine Avalanche that Created a 30-Foot Wall of Snow on Mt. Shasta

On February 13, 2019, a giant avalanche slammed Mount Shasta, which has come to be known as the Valentine Avalanche.…

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The Oldest Person in America Lives in Northern California – and She Turns 116 this Week

Edie Ceccareli seen here on her 114th birthday celebration with Assem. Jim Wood (D) in 2022. Photo: Assemblymember Jim Wood This…

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The Mystery Behind Rattlesnake Dick’s Lost Treasure in the Trinity Mountains

Richard Barter AKA “Rattlesnake Dick” Richard Barter lived a life of crime in the Gold Rush era of the 1800s…

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This Man is the Namesake of Lassen Volcanic National Park. His Murder Remains a Mystery.

You’ve surely seen the name Lassen plastered throughout Northern California, but behind the name sits a wild west murder mystery.…

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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…

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NorCal Nerds: What Did Northern California Look Like Millions of Years Ago?

One of Active NorCal’s priorities is inspiring people to get out there and get active, to get off the couch…

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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…

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The Most Ridiculous Action Sequence from Indiana Jones was Filmed in Northern California

You’ll find no arguments against Indian Jones in this article. It’s truly one of the great film franchises ever. But…

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A Guide to Cutting Down Your Own Christmas Tree in the Northern California Wilderness

It’s that time of year again. With the holiday season upon us in Northern California, it’s time to knock the…

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Find America’s Oldest Juniper Tree in the Northern California Mountains

Photo: Save the Redwoods League Sitting about 160-miles southeast of Sacramento in the Sierra Nevada mountains is a tree so…

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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…

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These Brothers Were Hanged in Redding in 1892. Their Hidden Treasure was Never Found.

On July 24th, 1892, a group of masked men stormed the Redding, California jail and dragged out two men accused…

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20 Horror Movies That Take Place in Northern California

Laurie Strode had a Northern California family reunion with her psychopathic brother Michael Myers in Halloween H2O Northern California is…

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50 Years Later, this Bigfoot Footage Filmed in Northern California Keeps the Legend Alive

Bigfoot remains one of the most popular legends and mysteries in the United States. Thousands of sightings and the never…

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Take a Walk Through History in this Ghost Town just Outside Redding, California

Shasta State Historic Park. Photo: Visit Redding In the mid-1800’s, the town of Shasta sitting just 6 miles west of…

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Remembering President JFK’s Trip to Northern California Just Weeks Before His Assassination

On November 22, 1963, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade drove through Dallas, Texas. Less than two…

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Is the Next Big Earthquake Destined for Northern California?

Fires erupt all over San Francisco in the earthquake of 1906 On January 27, 1700, a six-hundred-mile-long wave struck the…

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Mark Twain’s Hilarious Account of the Naming of Yreka, California

The small town of Yreka, California, sitting just to the north of the mighty Mount Shasta, has a prominent history…

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Meet the Mount Shasta Lizard: The Largest Known Marine Reptile to Ever Live on Earth

Illustration of what the Shastasaurus could look like In 1893, Stanford University’s James Perrin Smith went of a fossil-collecting expedition…

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The History Behind Northern California’s National Parks

Northern California is a treasure trove of natural wonders, boasting an array of national parks that stand as testament to…

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How the Grizzly Bear Became the Symbol of California

The California Bear Flag (the official state flag of California) hardly gets any love despite flying over virtually every government…

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Among Giants: The Story of the Activists Trying to Save Northern California’s Redwood Forest

How far would you go to stand up for what you believe in? For a group of activists in the…

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How to Hike Like a Local in California’s Far North

Brought to you by Discover Siskiyou Photo by Stephen Leonardi If you ask any local in Siskiyou County, there’s no better…

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Wandering Off the Trail is Strictly Prohibited in These California National Parks

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks implement a seemingly peculiar rule – don’t take any shortcuts on the trails. It…

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The Oldest Lake in North America Sits Right Here in Northern California

We have plenty of beautiful and unique lakes throughout Northern California. From man-made lakes like Shasta and Oroville, to natural…

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The Magical Candelabra Trees of Northern California’s Lost Coast

Photo by Stephen Leonardi One of the most beautiful places on the planet sits in Northern California and you’ve probably never…

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Did the Real-Life Tarzan Dive Off Burney Falls?

The story was well known to me, but we at Active NorCal always check our sources. If you Google “Tarzan,…

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What Will the Klamath River Look Like Without Dams? Here’s a Lesson from the Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History.

While the removal of four hydroelectric dams along the Klamath River is currently underway, the actual restoration of the river…

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The Best Places to See the Perseid Meteor Shower in Northern California

On the nights of August 11th, 12th, and 13th, the Swift-Tuttle comet will put on an extraordinary show. When the…

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Road Trippin’ Northern California’s Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway

Brought to you by Discover Siskiyou Mount Shasta overlooks much of the North State and provides a certain familiar presence.…

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Remembering Babe Ruth’s 1924 Exhibition Game in Dunsmuir, California

Photo by Paul J. Standar The Babe. The Sultan of Swat. The Great Bambino. The legend of Babe Ruth has…

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15 Times Calvin and Hobbes Reminded Us Why We Love the Outdoors

During my entire life, I’ve had a steady stream of outdoor adventures and Calvin and Hobbes. And as I become…

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The History of the McCloud River and its World-Famous Fish

Photo: California Trout It’s the strangest feeling. I can be standing for hours in a rushing trout stream totally absorbed…

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Reflecting on Past Wildfires to Predict the 2023 Fire Season in Northern California

It appears we’re finally moving beyond the honeymoon phase of the historic winter in NorCal (although people are still skiing)…

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Experience the Magical Sunflower Fields of Northern California

During the summertime in Northern California, you may have found yourself lucky to drive through Woodland, Davis or Dixon, where…

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Short Film Documents Off-The-Grid Oasis in the Northern California Redwoods

In 1968, Charles Bello and his wife Vanna Rae bought 400 acres of redwood forested land in Mendocino County and…

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Remembering the Deadly 1996 Rockfall that Sent 90,000 Tons of Rock into Yosemite Valley

July 19, 2021 marked the 25th anniversary of the 1996 Happy Isles rockfall in Yosemite National Park. The deadly incident…

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The Water Flowing Through the Sacramento River Fell on Mount Shasta More Than 50 Years Ago

Mount Shasta Mount Shasta holds a mesmerizing secret: the snow that blankets its slopes takes an astounding 50 years to…

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Lake Monsters: Here’s Why Sturgeon Grow to Be So Big in Shasta Lake

Massive sturgeon caught on Shasta Lake in 2018. Photo: Sou Saephan For anyone who’s been lucky enough to take a…

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An Overnight Trip to Tangle Blue Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness

Photo: Elizabeth Strube/All Trails We had it in our mind that the hike to Tangle Blue Lake was going to…

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I Spent a Day Snorkeling Down Clear Creek in Redding. Am I Weird?

When you combine a pithy streak of spontaneity with a penchant for living life on the edge, bad things might…

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This Northern California River Inspired the Creedence Clearwater Revival Song ‘Green River’

In August of 1969, Creedence Clearwater Revival released its third album “Green River,” which consisted of two of their biggest…

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Why Does Apple Name its iOS Systems After California Destinations?

A trip down memory lane of Apple’s iOS releases feels like a grand tour across California. From Yosemite to Catalina,…

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Beauty Meets History – Hiking Tahoe’s Rubicon Trail

Tahoe’s Rubicon Trail might sound familiar to you as it’s become a very popular destination for hikers throughout Northern California,…

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Northern California is Experiencing a Modern-Day Gold Rush. Here’s Where You Should Pan for Gold.

Northern California has recently been subjected to a harsh winter, with the Sierra Nevada bearing the brunt of severe storms.…

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Unveiled FBI Documents Reveal Plot to Kill Queen Elizabeth on Her Trip to Northern California

In 1983, Queen Elizabeth II undertook a tour of California, marking her only visit to the state during her lifetime.…

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This Fascinating Northern California Lake Sits at 125 Degrees Year-Round

Boiling Springs Lake in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo: National Park Service The outdoor destinations in Lassen Volcanic National Park…

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The ‘Triathlon of the Art World’ Returns to Humboldt County

Photo: Kinetic Grand Championship The Kinetic Grand Championship, often referred to as the “Triathlon of the Art World,” is an…

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Proposed American River Reservoir Could Bring Significant Water Storage to Northern California

Folsom Lake In response to ongoing calls for greater water storage capacity, a study of the American River Basin has…

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How the Lake Almanor Earthquakes are Related to Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen Peak looks over Lake Almanor. Photo by Ryan C. Two magnitude 5 earthquakes hit the Lake Almanor area over a…

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Remembering the Serial Killer Who Terrorized Northern California Hikers in the 1980’s

A trail in Point Reyes National Seashore. Photo by Alexis Marts. In the wake of the arrest of the notorious Trailside…

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Trash to Treasure: Exploring Nature’s Art at Fort Bragg’s Glass Beach

Photo by Joshua Sortino It was common practice in the early 1900’s to just throw your trash in the ocean. Today,…

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The Unexplained Mysteries of Lake Tahoe

It’s said that French Explorer Jacques Cousteau did a deepwater dive into Lake Tahoe in the 1970’s, only to emerge…

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Did You Know There’s More Than One Volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park?

Photo by Austin Schmid Did you know that Lassen Peak is not the only volcano in Lassen Volcanic National Park? While…

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Missed the Northern Lights? Here’s How to See Them in Northern California.

We’re often asked how people can see the Aurora Borealis in Northern California. It’s not easy to see, but there…

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How Star Wars Transformed the Northern California Redwoods into Endor for ‘Return of the Jedi’

In the early 1980’s, the third installment of the wildly popular Star Wars franchise was in production, and creator George…

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Mysterious Disappearance of Young Boy at McCloud Falls Adds to the Aura of Mt. Shasta

Mount Shasta is known for its natural beauty, along with its spooky reputation of paranormal activity. Many visitors have shared…

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Where is Northern California? The Answer Depends on Who You Ask.

There’s a long-standing question of where exactly Northern California is located. According to one study, it’s a matter of perception.…

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The Snowiest Winters in Tahoe History: The Endless Winter of 1938 Remains the Snowiest on Record

With a historical winter currently blanketing the Lake Tahoe region, we decided to dive deep into the history of epic…

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The Short and Spectacular History of the Lassen Peak Fire Lookout

The newly-built Lassen Peak fire lookout in 1913. Photo by Olan Hampton via NPS. In 1913, the Forest Service built…

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Meet the Man Who Built an Off-the-Grid Watertopia Along the Trinity River

There are plenty of people who have built great properties in Northern California. While some people may point to the…

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This Man Gave Up His Japanese Citizenship to Become a Park Ranger at Muir Woods

Paul Myers / Parks Conservancy It’s not everyday someone gives up their citizenship to pursue a career, but that’s exactly…

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The Story of Lassen’s Ishi – The Last ‘Wild’ Native American

It was August 19, 1911, when an unknown, “wild’ man emerged from the wilderness near Lassen Peak and into the…

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Man Has Lived Off-the-Grid in the NorCal Redwoods for 50 Years. Now the Compound is Worth $6 Million.

In 1968, Charles Bello and his wife Vanna Rae bought 400 acres of redwood forested land in Mendocino County and…

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The Easter Lily Capital of the World Sits Right Here in Northern California

The Easter Lily make a great centerpiece to any Easter dinner surrounded by family and friends. And it’s very likely…

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The Snowiest Winters in Tahoe History: 812 Inches of Snow Buries the Railroad in 1952

The winter of 1952 in Tahoe is remembered for its record-breaking snowstorms, which caused avalanches, trapped trains, closed roads, and…

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Famous Film of Bigfoot Walking Through Northern California Has Been Enhanced by AI

Bigfoot continues to be a prominent legend and enigma in the United States. The countless sightings and ongoing stream of…

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The Snowiest Winters in Tahoe History: The Great April Storm of 1880 Pushed Donner to the Brink

In 1879, a severe storm originating from the Gulf of Alaska hit the Northern Sierra just before Christmas Day. The…

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Remembering the Massive Avalanche at Alpine Meadows that Killed 7 and Changed the Tahoe Community Forever

In the 70’s and 80’s, ski resorts were rated for their avalanche danger with a scale of A through F…

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‘Space Junk’ May Have Crashed in Yosemite After Streaking Across California’s Night Sky

Photo by Kevin Chen Streaks of bright lights spotted across the sky in California on St. Patrick’s Day left many people…

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The Snowiest Winters in Tahoe History: The Great Snow Blockade of 1890

With a historical winter currently blanketing the Lake Tahoe region, we decided to dive deep into the history of epic…

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This Popular Northern California Lake Was Once a National Park

Northern California is home to some of the most popular National Parks in America, with Yosemite National Park ranking high…

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The Mysterious Wild Chickens that Roam Yuba City with Impunity

Photo via chickensofyubacity If you’ve ever driven through the town of Yuba City along Highway 99 in Northern California, you…

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The Snowiest Winters in Tahoe History: The Two-Month Blizzard of 1895

With a historical winter currently blanketing the Lake Tahoe region, we decided to dive deep into the history of epic…

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How Two Tahoe Skiers Invented the Term ‘Shred the Gnar’

The term “shred the gnar” is a heavily used saying in extreme sports. The terms’s popularity had grown so much…

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