winter

A large giant sequoia is surrounded by a wooden fence along a snowy path

Magical winter backpacking in Mariposa Grove

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During every backpacking trip, I question my sanity. This is typical during miles 5 through 7 or on any uphill section. However, on my recent trip to Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park, this questioning came a …

Three snow-covered giant sequoias on a sunny winter day.

7 ideas for winter fun among giant sequoias

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Everyone should have a chance to experience the magic of snow-draped sequoia, and this year, conditions are perfect. There’s plenty of snow and plenty of ways to get out and enjoy it. So if you’re craving a day in the forest, here are some ideas for where to go and what to do when the snow falls.

Video: Skiing at Alder Creek

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Now that there’s snow on the ground in the Sierra, we thought it would be fun to share these clips of when we explored Alder Creek last winter on skis. This is a wild landscape, and skis are perhaps the most efficient way to see it in winter.

Video: Alder Creek in Winter

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With snow in the Sierra, we thought this would be a great time to share this video of Alder Creek covered in white. The massive cinnamon trunks of these ancient sequoia stand out beautifully against the snow.

What Do the Winter Olympics and Redwoods Have in Common?

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Well, they’re both part of a rapidly-changing world. It’s more than a little scary to watch the Winter Olympics this year and see the bare, snowless mountains in the background and the spectators in T-shirts lining the race courses. Scarier …

Favorite Photos of Redwoods in the Snow

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Happy Holidays! I hope you are enjoying time with loved ones. Winter is an incredible time in the redwoods, and nothing embodies the peace and beauty of the holiday season like a redwood forest cloaked in snow. Here are some …

Knowing Nature: The Best Gift Ever

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This is a joyous and peaceful time of year, whatever your belief system. It is a time when the world seems to collectively pause and remember what is truly important, whether family and friends, health and peace, or places of …

Eel River. Photo by Howard King

Brown to Blue: The Eel River’s Dramatic Changes in Hue

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When the South Fork Eel River in Mendocino County turns blue during the winter, it is impossible not to wonder why the river changes color so much over the course of the year. With first fall rains, autumn leaves falling …

Rain drops glisten on a fence post after winter rain.

Bracing for Rain

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For millennia the redwoods have stood tall, facing west as they look out across the vast Pacific Ocean—an ocean that brings fog in the summer and rain in the winter.  Earlier this week the first storm of the season rolled …