Big Basin Memory Chasing

Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. 

-Buddha 

Courtesy California State Parks, 2015 

So there it was—April’s spring break seems to come around so fast every year. An epic trip, which involved myself, my dad, my brother and my two beautiful children, was about to begin in Big Basin Redwoods State Park. We went for a two-night camping trip in a tent cabin. We had a pretty low expectation of the tent cabin and, hence, packed sleeping pads and enough warm clothes to keep us snug and dry from the rain and cold weather that was in the forecast. Luckily, our tent cabin looked like a luxury cabin with beds, mattress pads, our own dining table and a cozy fireplace for us all to huddle around and enjoy during our time together.

This was an encapture of tranquility at its best. There were no distractions or outside influences—just quality family time. The redwood trees were breathtaking in their vastness and added to the secluded feeling that I always look for on my missions. The first day took us hiking out to Silver Falls, which was only 1.5 miles from basecamp. This was good and not too strenuous for my kids. We hiked through seemingly damp and mossy terrain among tall redwood trees.

Silver Falls was relaxing and the sound of running water was soothing. It entertained the kids for a while before heading back to the campsite and starting the campfire. The only real challenge was trying to keep the campfire going.

As is typical for cookout plans, the weather decided to pour down with rain. My dad and brother had to use a makeshift cover from a plastic tablecloth, and it actually worked! My father is a great believer of old school methods and taught us how to make a fire and how to keep it going. My children loved this and felt confident enough to make the next night’s campfire.

The next day we attempted a 10-mile, 2400-foot elevation gain hike to Berry Creek Loop on a quest to find more waterfalls. The hike can be done any time of year. A winter visit, with the proper rain gear, allows you to see the falls in all their hydraulic glory. We saw many of the park’s most famous inhabitants—the Banana Slug! Though, we ended up getting tired along the way, we still managed about 7 miles of it—not bad for two children! Even though we did not get to see the falls, there was still plenty to see, including the tall redwood trees and banana slugs along the way. 

Photo by Allie Caulfield

It was really cool seeing my children get to know the great outdoors and get closer to nature. I am glad I can share my passions with them and the rest of my family. My son learned how to do dishes with no sink in the outdoors, so now he has no excuses to not help out with them at home! My daughter was already accustomed to some of these basics as she is in the Girl Scouts.

No outdoor trip would be complete without your bicycle, so thankfully we brought ours along with us. My children were biking across the gently steep terrains every chance they got. Seeing my family get emotional and happy was also a welcome occurrence also. I really hope we can all do it again very soon.

To top off the trip, I got back in touch with my own inner child. We all played hide and seek on our last day. The terrain and many gigantic redwood trees made this a fun game with endless hiding places. Only the snapping of twigs when we walked would give us away. I would recommend a trip to Big Basin to anybody. They have a cool visitor center, a convenience store, and a gift shop. Book in advance if you plan a summer trip to avoid disappointment and remember to take lots of photos.

 

Bouldering and Climbing in Joshua Tree National Park

"The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle."

-Jack Kornfield

Photographer: Brad Sutton

In my recent years, hiking and traveling have become more than a passion to me, they became a way of life and building strength after a series of event in my life that made me reconsider things. Outdoor traveling has helped me find myself again whilst tuning into the simplistic nature and beauty that surrounds us in California.

One found that venturing out into the wilderness took me away from modern distractions and gave me the time I needed to explore my inner peace. One of the next places I would love to encounter is an adventure to go bouldering in the Joshua Tree National Park and camp out there. Joshua Tree National Park is located in Southern California's Mojave/Colorado deserts and is about two to three hours from Los Angeles, San Diego or Las Vegas and is only one hour from the Palm Springs area.

Joshua Tree is known for its stable weather, unique beauty, easy access and vast amounts of bouldering and rock climbing. I like to push my limits and bouldering is a type of rock climbing that does not use ropes or harnesses. The daredevil inside of me would love to give it a try to witness the breath taking views and sense of achievement.

Photographer: Robb Hannawacker

Joshua Tree National Park covers 900,000 acres so I would be spoiled for choice when I go, just as you keen backpackers and mountaineers’ would too. The unique and vast terrain would offer a great choice of boulders to scale, from small to large and gives one a good chance to practice before committing to riskier heights.

Photographer: Robb Hannawacker

The top months for climbing in the area are January, February and March with various recognized land marks to encounter. For a full list of weather and terrain information on Joshua Tree National Park please check out here.

The whole area has 400 different climbing formations and 8000 different routes! Of course, there is much to learn if one is serious about a bouldering adventure and there is plenty of resources online for you to check out, but the only real way to witness this is to go and do it for real!

Above is an example of what bouldering in Joshua Tree National Park looks like.

If you are new to rock climbing and bouldering, you may wish to purchase a climbing guide or hiking map if you are unfamiliar with the park. Vertical Adventures rock climbing school, which has been ranked as the top rock climbing school in America, provides year-round private and group classes. The school's director Bob Gaines' latest guidebook is Best Climbs Joshua Tree National Park, featuring 252 of the finest routes in Joshua Tree National Park.

Two popular camp grounds with great reviews in Joshua Tree include the Indian Cove and the Jumbo Rocks Campground- both have great reviews and set in fantastic locations. They offer great opportunities for scrambling around the boulders Joshua Tree Park is known for.

Jumbo Rocks Camp Site

And, for hikers and backpackers, the park offers an extensive network of trails of varying length and difficulty. From short nature trails to long, strenuous hikes, you're sure to find a trail to your liking. The 1.7-mile Skull Rock Nature Trail loops near the Jumbo Rocks Campground, leading visitors among the rock features and native plants of the area.

Photo by Robb Hannawacker

Whenever I go on a new trip, I love to soak up the sunset and sunrise every day, so be sure to take a camera with you every time to avoid missing out on fantastic moments.

Photo by Brad Sutton

Such a vast area will surely have so many beauty spots it will be impossible to see them all. The only limitations are your drive and imagination for how many adventures you can have in Joshua Tree! Watch the video clip below about the park and more inspiration. Check back with me soon for more on traveling to great destinations in California.

Here's to an Inspired Mom

"A mother is always the beggining. She is how things begin."

- Amy Tan

What do most moms really want for Motherís Day? Not greeting cards (unless they're homemade by the kiddos) Not chocolates or even flowers. While mom's love spending time with family, all of us crave spending some time unplugged from our day in day out routines, taking a break from being the constant caregiver for the family. I'm not saying we don't love spending quality time with our precious children but sometimes you just need some time to focus on yourself, taking time out to empower your inner spirit.

And, it’s no accident that Mother’s Day falls in early May, when Mother Nature is at her finest. So treat yourself to a day outside, and make sure you don't have to do any heavy planning. Sometimes the best outdoor adventures are serendipitous, unplanned and unexpected. Be sure to take a moment for old school outdoor pleasures too. Skip the perfect stone on the lake, fly a kite, and lay on your back in a field of wild flowers. Take a minute to feel the peace of the moment. I can tell you from experience that there's no better way to distress.

Following some major life changes, there was a period of adjustment for myself and my little ones and one of the main things that got us through it was taking on the outdoor world. I've taken countless trips with my children and several solo excursions and rejuvenated outdoor adventures with friends. Each wonderful experience has helped me become the happy, powerful woman I am today and a fantastic mother as well if I don't say to myself :-)

I can tell you from experience that solo traveling is a great way to not only get reacquainted, but to discover things about yourself you never knew. I can tell you just how empowering it is to enjoy the intense beauty of Mother Nature on your own. One of my favorite “solo” treks was Europe's Tour De Mont Blanc, one of the continent's most popular long distance walks that actually passes through parts of France, Italy and Switzerland. This particular trek left me feeling renewed and inspired and empowered because it was one of the most challenging ones ever taken on. I also backpacked "solo" into the Grand Canyon and reveled at the deserts hidden wonders. Both were challenging experiences that I feel have made me a stronger mom in all aspects of life.

My kids love to get outdoors and we've camped and hiked to many places in Northern California, including Big Basin, Point Reyes, Yosemite and Big Sur. Our favorite outing is our simple but fun weekend biking trips, stopping here and there along the way to do a little window shopping, check out local bookstores, treat ourselves with a yummy cupcake or some ice cream. We embrace these trips as they give us opportunity to talk and listen to each other and be ‘present’ in each other’s lives.

And, I’m truly blessed with having amazing friends who enjoy exploring the outdoors as much as I do. We’ve taken many outdoor trips to places like Yosemite and Kauai but our favorite way of ‘hanging out’ is our brief outdoor excursions during the week to catch up and get some exercise at the same time.

If you don’t have a lot of time, something as simple as making time to go hiking or biking with family and/or friends for the day can be all you need to get centered after a difficult week. You'd be surprised how many great places there are in your own neighborhood to get out and enjoy yourself as well. Just take a few minutes to browse online for local parks/national parks in your area. 

Generously giving of themselves is something that runs in a mother's veins. We're naturally strong, brave, selfless and loving and loved. What we all must remember is to give ourselves with same love and attention we give others - it's very empowering.

May your Mother's Day be empowering and filled with inspired acts of life and love.

North Lake Tahoe Fun; Hiking, Biking and Ice Cream Oh My!

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” -
John Burroughs - See more at: http://adventured.com/99-outdoor-nature-quotes/#sthash.khnxcdWX.dpuf

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." -John Burroughs

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” -
John Burroughs - See more at: http://adventured.com/99-outdoor-nature-quotes/#sthash.khnxcdWX.dpuf

California is home to some of the world's most iconic national parks, covering a range of landscapes from the desert to the sierras and the majestic redwoods. The camping is varied, ranging from campsites with all the amenities to primitive camping for those that like to get back to the basics when it comes to their outdoor adventures.

A great place to start exploring the great outdoors of Northern California is to visit Lake Tahoe and the Tahoe National Forest. Whether you love to hike, swim, mountain climb, ski, fish or simply chill out on its shores, you'll be blown away by Lake Tahoe's overwhelming beauty. Following the Nevada/California state line, the pristine, stunning, crystal blue lake, bordering, majestic snowcapped peaks and protected forests overflow with incredible recreational opportunities. During the summer months, the forest attracts picnickers, campers and hikers, while the winter months attract skiers, sledders and those who just want to have fun playing in the snow.

One of My Favorite Lake Tahoe Hikes - Squaw Valley to Shirley Lake This is a great hike that starts out from the Squaw Valley ski resort. I took this hike with my kids in June, starting from Squaw Valley Village, hiking the 2.9 miles up to Shirley Lake. The hiking trails follow a path that takes you through a forest valley along Squaw Creek where we came across beautiful ponds where you can swim. There's also massive slopes of impressive slabs of granite that you can walk up.

 

 

Once you come to an area of broken granite and rock you'll come upon Shirley Lake.

From Shirley Lake you can either hike back down the way you came, or you continue up to High Camp (about a mile up). We were having some much fun that we decided to hike another mile up to High camp, which ended up being well worth the effort. We were thrilled to find that there was actually still snow on the ground in High Camp - in June! It was a strenuous hike, partially due to some of the rock climbing which was challenging but fun. We were rewarded with the ever changing powers of Mother Nature along the way.

What's not to love about hiking by the river, scrambling over rocks, hiking through snow, then enjoying lunch by a beautiful lake? When was the last time you spent the day that way? It was beautiful. At the end of our remarkable adventure, we took the gondolas back down to the village and topped off what turned out to be the perfect day with some ice cream.

 

 Lake Tahoe has lots of special places just waiting to be explored, including Sand Harbor State Park, one of the most beautiful places in Lake Tahoe. Then there's Truckee, a historical treasure with fun shops, restaurants and bars; you'll also want to take a historic walking tour of this charming town. It would be impossible to list all the amazing things to see and do in the Lake Tahoe area, but a great way to get started is to take one of the many guided outdoor tours. A good example would be the Tahoe Adventure Company (http://tahoeadventurecompany.com/) who will take you on a number of guided adventures including kayaking and rock climbing, mountain biking and more.

 

“It is not the language of painters but the language of nature which one should listen to…The feeling for the things themselves, for reality, is more important than the feeling for pictures.” 

– Vincent van Gogh