California

This past week, Starbucks opened a Yosemite Valley location, much to the dismay of the 25,000 people who signed a petition protesting it. It's located at what is now the remodeled Base Camp Eatery at Yosemite Lodge. The location is LEED certified (the first retail location in Yosemite to achieve ...

If you live in the Bay Area, you’ve probably seen Mt. Diablo looming over from the far stretches of Contra Costa County. As isolated as it is impressive, Mt. Diablo boasts one of the widest reaching views in California. From its summit you can see the Sierra Nevadas to the east and even Mt. Shast...

In two weeks I’ll be heading to the great Pacific Northwest to backpack the legendary Wonderland Trail—a 9 day, 93 mile jaunt around Mt. Rainier with tons (and tons) of elevation change.  Naturally, it wasn’t until about a week ago I started thinking, “huh... maybe I should start preparing for th...

From Fort Point under the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to the virtually unparalleled Rincon Point in Ventura, from "Leo Carillo to La Joya and up to Pismo", the thousand surf spots of the California Coast are as much a part of its culture as the redwoods and Hollywood. And now thanks to Governor Jer...

Meet Braden. Climber, barista, beer enthusiast and all around good dude. Since it's very hard to take photos of myself climbing in the Black Diamond Men's Momentum Shoes, I had Braden put them on and give them a go for a while. The first thing we noticed, the sizes run small. I wear a 10 in regu...

Everyone needs an occasional break from the rat race and traffic that comes with living in Los Angeles and we have just the escape you need. Celebrate the coming of spring with these short but rewarding hikes, all within an hour of downtown. From exploring hidden caves on the beach, to strolling ...

Sitting no more than 30 miles north of the bustling city of San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore holds some of the greatest array of wildlife in California. Point Reyes looks like a strange growth off the Californian coast as it is geologically separated by the San Andreas Fault. Among it...

A few weeks ago, I went one a one-night camping trip to Big Bear with some new friends. We decided we wanted to see what Southern California has to offer, and were astonished that such a beautiful place was only a few hours outside of LA. The 5 of us slept in a 4 person tent and were perpetually ...

Every person will experience Big Sur differently in every single trip. It's never the same driving along the coast due to the dramatic effects permitted by the coast's ever-changing weather. The Pacific's fog bank veils the historical Bixby Bridge and gives a hint of the far off location where la...

If you have ever been to Mammoth Mountain before and looked out NE, it's impossible to miss the Ritter Range standing tall in the distance. It's stapled as a super popular range due to it being so close to Mammoth, but not many venture to the top. Mt. Ritter is the tallest peak within the range ...

I consider Yosemite National Park a formidable backdrop to my personal growth. I’ve conquered many fears within its 1,169 square miles, from climbing Half Dome by myself to comfortably skinny dipping with friends for the first time in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne to hiking more miles in a day...

On August 18th and 19th, 125 Bay Area CEOs, civic leaders, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, athletes, and everyday heroes from all walks of life rappelling from the roof of the Hilton San Francisco Union Square. Guests and rappellers will be hosted in the spectacular Cityscape Bar and Lounge on t...

To make the most of a trip to Monterey, you don't need to go overboard on the gear. With beautiful weather, easily-accessible adventures, and so much good food to eat (see what I'm talking about here), you really just need a few go-to's to take advantage of all this area has to offer. Here are fi...

Backcountry skiing is known for fresh tracks, the whole earn-your-turns-thing, and disconnecting from your usual routine to immerse yourself in the wilderness. With that in mind, we decided to rally our crew and spend a few nights in a backcountry hut in Lake Tahoe, California. Our guide (or “ad...

If you’ve ever explored San Francisco, one thing you might have noticed are all those brutally steep hills. When you’re just trying to get to a friend’s place or grab a bite, they sure are an unwanted pain in the calves. But if you’re looking to get a workout in, the hills all over the Bay Area a...

Way back in February of 2016, me and a couple of close friends had elaborately planned a week-long backpacking trip to the Canadian Rockies for late September. The two big adventures we had planned for our trip included overnight stays at Mount Assiniboine and Floe Lake. In late September of 2015...