Byline: Matt Johanson
Yosemite climbing movies reach new heights
A climber risks his dream to help a friend. Another risks his life for hard-to-fathom reasons. Yosemite big wall climbing comes alive on the big screen like never…
Amazing trail, amazing people
John Muir Trail hikers rave about its extraordinary scenery, but perhaps for once we should rave about its extraordinary hikers. Among this year’s class are U.S. Army Sgt…
Read maps’ fine print to discover diverse history
A map of the Sierra Nevada mountains reads like a fascinating history book. If you study one, you’ll read scores of names from European American men of the 19th…
Sequoias’ namesake park deserves a visit
Grand as they are, it’s easy to overlook giant sequoias, even for those who visit the Sierra Nevada range often. Tahoe skiers and Yosemite climbers don’t…
Eat better on the trail with hiker’s cookbook
If you love backpacking, and love good food, but rarely enjoy them both at the same time (like me), then you’ll benefit from reading “The Hungry Spork: A…
“Fool’s gold” can forge golden memories
We reached the foot of the mountain early, which should have tipped us off; climbing trips never go ahead of schedule. But the summit looked inviting and achievable, so the…
“On the Nose” recounts airy adventures
On his first attempt to climb The Nose of El Capitan, Hans Florine and his partner survived a near-death experience and retreated. But they succeeded on their second push…
Trans-Sierra ski trek: “The Mountains Let Us Through”
Setting out under heavy packs near the gateway town of Lee Vining, we knew the day ahead would test our strength. Sixteen miles separated us from our first destination, the…
Snowy destinations abound in wintry Yosemite
As we gazed over Tuolumne Meadows and countless snowy pinnacles, we saw not a soul and scarcely a sign that people had ever been there. It was hard to believe…