Arriving into Yosemite Valley through HWY 41 can be a whole lot of fun if you have a good handling vehicle and are feeling bit like Mario Andretti. The highway has some of the best curves along the way encouraging an ever faster pace; I’m known to have a lead foot. Vehicle traffic during October is much lighter going into the Valley, so I’m sure I would not have been able to zip along the same way during the summer months.

Upper Pines Campground

Upper Pines campground was the only site available to reserve for the weekend we wanted to camp. Camping in Yosemite Valley can be much like tail-gate camping. Many campers use camping trailers giving the campgrounds that parking lot look and feel to the site. The individual sites are quite close together so you simply have to hope that your neighbors are quiet and friendly, and aren’t serial killers. But in October there are mostly retirees that just quietly hang-out and go to sleep early. Well, it’s not Animal House but it’s good from a naturalist point-of-view. Peace and quiet in the forest is always welcome. Enjoying the evening sounds of nature is always a great thing until your campsite neighbors decide to turn on their generators; now that’s camping! Lucky for us our neighbors were very conscientious about their generator so every night was peaceful.

Yosemite Falls and the Valley

If you are not an aggressive hiker or climber type, Yosemite Valley has many beautiful areas to visit and enjoy. Yosemite Falls is a short walk from the main valley shuttle stop, so most visitors will stop at this site. The shuttle system is handy way to get around the valley, but I found they don’t run exactly on schedule so sometimes you are waiting longer than the 15-20 minutes that the park states.

There are some beautiful meadows in the valley to relax in, have lunch, take a nap, and enjoy views of Yosemite Falls, Half-Dome, and the Merced River that meanders through Yosemite Valley. Since it’s very easy to get around the valley, there will be a lot more people around, but in fall the human traffic is not a problem.

When you come to Yosemite during the summer, you have full rivers and streams with hot dry days, but during the fall you have less water, cooler days, and amazing fall colors to see, so it just depends how you like it.

Yosemite Valley has some beautiful and great features to visit and see, but we always prefer the longer hikes and follow the trails to more distant attractions.

Glacier Point

Glacier Point is a great place to get views of Yosemite Valley, Half-Dome, Nevada Falls, and Vernal Falls. This is where you can start a hike on the Panorama Trail which eventually hooks up with the John Muir Trail. There is a small parking lot at Glacier Point, and there is a shuttle service out of Yosemite Lodge that can take you on a one-way or round trip ride to the point. We paid $25 for a one-way shuttle ride because we were starting our hike along the Panorama Trail and working our way back to the Upper Pines campground. Unfortunately, the first shuttle of the day does not get to Glacier Point until about 10 am, so the early risers will need to have someone drop them off at the parking lot in order to get an earlier start. Even so, the later start still gives you plenty of time complete the hike before it gets dark.

From Glacier Point you get views of the Valley, Half-Dome, Nevada Falls, and Vernal Falls. And from this point you can begin a longer hike along the Panorama Trail and hook up with the John Muir trail and make your way up into Little Yosemite Valley, and further.

Panorama Trail

As you walk the Panorama Trail you will see excellent views of the east side of the valley. Half-Dome dominates the background as you descend 1300 feet down to Illilouette Falls which continues past a small tributary and starts to ascend the 800 feet up the next ridge line that will eventually lead you to Nevada Falls and the John Muir Trail.

We did the 8.3 mile hike starting at Glacier Point and looping back to the valley and the Upper Pines campground. The hike had a couple of strenuous sections, but it wasn’t too difficult, and there were plenty of retirees making the same trek, so I think most people would not have too much trouble with the hike. As usual, take plenty of water and some kind of snack or a lunch because the hike could take 5 to 6 hours. If you are staying in Yosemite Valley and are in reasonable shape, I would highly recommend doing the Panorama Trail.

Food and Showers

When camping I like cooking over the fire-pit and enjoying the campsite atmosphere. The large bear boxes allow plenty of room for food and coolers, so food storage is not a problem. However, I know some prefer not to deal with cooking and the clean-up afterwards, so there are a couple places to get prepared meals. Yosemite Lodge has a cafeteria like eating area that has decent food at a reasonable price (considering we are in a National Park). It was nice to see the park was not gouging visitors with highly inflated prices. Curry Village will have a more limited menu, and the Yosemite General Store will have groceries and some packaged sandwiches. For me, I think part of the camping experience is the enjoyment that comes from cooking around the campfire with your friends, and just being in the outdoors. Also, there is nothing like the taste of a burger or steak grilled over an open wood fire.

If you feel a bit dirty after your day in Yosemite Valley, there are some showers available in Curry Village. We found that the showers are free unless you need to rent a towel then they will charge you $8 for the towel. We could not find any specific information regarding these showers and after asking around we learned that many people were not aware of the showers, so they were not busy at all.

In the end

This was the first time I have visited Yosemite Valley in the fall. I’m glad I did visit during this time of year because the fall colors are simply beautiful, and of course, the smaller crowds make it all much more pleasant. I’m not big on campgrounds that have that “parking lot” feel, but the hikes and views around the valley are well worth it. At this time of year the weather can get a bit unpredictable, but I think we were lucky. The temperatures were in the mid 70’s during the day, and got down to the low 40’s in the evening. So I recommend if you get cold easily, than make sure you have warm clothing and sleeping bag for the night chill, and build a good fire.

Castel Del Monte is a wonderful example of well-maintained medieval fortress-castle at the crossroad of Byzantine, Arab and Western influences.  It was built in 1240 and the castle is one of the most impressive buildings of its kind in Italy. The castle is located on top of a 540 m high hill whence its name of Castle Hill.

The castle was built by the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick II. He used the castle for his vacation as villa, but the great position of the castle requested an upgrade. Later the castle was a prison and hospital. We all can see this beautiful building thanks to the efforts of the Emperor, who proved to have great vision about the future and perfect knowledge of medieval astronomy, mathematics and philosophy.

The architecture of Castel Del Monte is fantastic. It is octagonal prism. There are 8 amazing towers ready to guard the castle from the enemies of the empire. When the castle was built it was really beautiful because the walls were covered with marble. The floors were also decorated with beautiful looking mosaic. There are also many bathrooms in the castle because of the Arab influence. Many beautiful parts of the castle will free your imagination about ancient knights and beautiful princesses.

The castle is really huge. The walls are more than 20 meters tall and the diameter of the building is more than 50 meters. Nowadays, it is still great symbol between the different religions, but as you will see if you visit Castel Del Monte, the cultural heritage of the castle is simply enormous.

If you have a time to visit Italy, the country rich in many great historical evidences, make sure to visit and the beautiful castle. You will like the trip, because you will be able to see a lot more beautiful landscapes and buildings. Italy is great vacation destination in Europe. The country is beautiful and you will definitely remember your vacation there.

Guam island beach view

The territory of Guam Island is located in the western Pacific Ocean, in the region called Micronesia. The island is an organized, unincorporated part of United States and so the inhabitants of the island do not have the right to vote in national elections. Actually, the population of the island is really small. About 170,000 people live on the island, which is the largest island of the Mariana Archipelago. The island was first discovered by Magellan, ruled by the Spaniards, and today, it is important military base of USA.

Interesting fact about the island is that the southern part of the island has volcanic origins and the north part of the island was formed out of coral. Not far from the island is located the deepest ocean trench- Mariana Trench which is 11,022 m. deep. This is one of the main attractions for many explorers and adventure lovers during your visit in Guam Island.

Scuba diving around Guam island

The island is really great travel destination, where thousand of tourists have fun on the beach; enjoy the beautiful nature and all the summer entertainments which can be found on the island. Most of the tourists are from United States and Asia. The beautiful waterfalls and the sandy beaches can really make your vacation memorable and pleasant. Some of the most visited places on the island are the popular waterfall Talofoto and the beautiful and the amazing beach with many palm trees called Ritidian. Diving is one of the most preferred attractions on the island. The underwater world is fantastic and you will definitely be astonished by the beauty of all the fishes and corals.

Guam island bay view

The beautiful beaches with its clear turquoise water are the best place where you can run away from the daily stress of your life.  You can go fishing, surfing, playing golf, scuba diving or just take a walk among the beautiful palms. The wonderful nature and the friendly people will make your vacation pleasant for sure.

One of the most popular and attractive tourist centers in Guam Island is the brilliant Tumolo Gulf. There you can find many great hotels, restaurants and bars. The beautiful Beach Park is located in the southwest part of the gulf, while at the other end you can visit the Cannon beach. It is named this because of the hidden Japanese weapons in the jungle during the World War 2.

Guam island sunset view

Agana is really beautiful city and is among the most visited on the island. There you can see many beautiful historical buildings and parks. You can see many ancient ruins of the Chamorro people – the regions great ancient civilization. Another place which you can visit is Inarajan. It is an ancient settlement of the Chamorro people. The complex preserved the unique culture of the local people and is represented by a bamboo homes.

All the lovers of scuba diving can visit the nearby Cocoas Island. It is just 3 km. away from Guam Island. The barrier reef, the beautiful beaches and lagoons will make you feel like you are in heaven. And actually, you are in Heaven. Plan your vacation to Guam Island and you will surely have a great time.

Moroccan Desert

Morocco is very multicultural, multilingual and multi-religious country. That is because of the rich ancient history of the country, dotted with many major events and significant changes. There are many ancient monuments and attractions which are great evidence for the glorious past and bright future of the country.

The first signs of civilization in the recent Morocco dated more than 10 000 years ago. First, the territory was inhibited by the people of the Capsian culture. Then the Phoenicians settled there. They built many towns, ports and trading centers. After that the Berbers and the Romans left significant traces of their culture, language and religion.

Several centuries later, North Africa and Morocco were subjected to attacks of the West Goths, Vandals and Byzantines. They also left pieces of their culture and traditions. That’s why Morocco is so colorful and interesting for the rest of the world. All the civilizations that ruled over the territory of Morocco enrich in their own way the great history and culture of the country. Today, many examples of the glorious past of the country can be seen everywhere in every part of Morocco.

The Arabs played the main role in the history of Morocco and the development of the country. They conquered the territory in the 7^th century A.C. and their religion, customs and traditions still can be observed in Morocco. The main religion of the country is Islam.

Nowadays, Morocco is really beautiful country with its desert winds, fascinating oases, royal palaces, and friendly people who speak many different languages; all will make your vacation pleasant and unforgettable. The unique colorful buildings, the delicious cuisine and the ancient monuments will definitely make you stay in Morocco as long as you can.

Colorful Moroccan Doorway

There are many beautiful cities rich in history and emotions which you can visit in the country. Some of the most visited cities are Marrakech – The Pink City and Casablanca. Marrakech will be your last stop before the endless sands. The city is divided into two parts; desert and mountain, old and new, traditional and modern. Casablanca is the biggest port of Morocco. The city is very beautiful, with great beaches and many options for entertainment.

In Tangier – the White City you will see the living Berber, Roman and Greek culture. The beautiful white houses and the hot bright sun will easily make you a part of this wonderful city. There are many stories and legends which will keep your attention for hours. Rabat- the capital of Morocco is also very amazing city. The city looks like a “labyrinth” with all the narrow and confusing streets. Most of the houses are in white and blue color, bathed in light reflected from the Atlantic Ocean.

Morocco has become a more and more desirable travel destination for many tourists. The rich history and culture combined with modern attractions will really make your vacation in the country one of the best trips you will ever have in your life.

La Rambla - Barcelona

From our hostal we were walking distance to Spain’s famous street La Rambla. Down the middle of this street is a pedestrian walkway and flanked by narrow roads. Spotted up and down this street are restaurants, cafes, street vendors, street performers, newsstands, and kiosks, which became livelier in the evening. It was interesting to walk along this street but it felt more oriented toward the everyday tourist.

Casa Batllo by Antoni Gaudi

The Passeig de Gracia was only a half block away from our hostal. This large busy street had many businesses, restaurants, retailers, and cafes. It was a nice walk along this street observing the Spaniards carrying on with their daily lives. Along this street can be found a couple of Antoni Gaudi’s famous architectural works: Casa Batllo and La Pedrera (Casa Mila). You really must see these structures. We were unable to enter the Casa Batllo at the time of our visit because there were some special preparations going on inside for an event that evening. However, La Pedrera was readily open for visits allowing us to see one of Gaudi’s custom apartments and go up to the roof of the building to see some creatively designed chimneys, windows, and walkway structures. From the roof of the building you are also able to get a wonderful view of the city and see the La Sagrada Familia Temple in the distance.

La Sagrada Familia Temple is one place you cannot miss. The awe-inspiring spires of the temple reaching high to the sky are an amazing sight. The temple is still under construction and will continue to be so for many years more, but you are allowed freely to walk around the completed sections. The whimsical and futuristic look of this temple demonstrates how Antoni Gaudi, considered part of the Modernist style (Art Nouveau), was so far ahead of his time. North of Gracia is Parc Guell where Gaudi designed a park with many structures incorporating his signature artistic designs, such as the Hansel and Gretel-style gatehouses. To get to Parc Guell take the metro to Lesseps and from there it is about a 15-minute walk to the park. Another Gaudi site worth a visit is Palau Guell, which is just a couple of buildings east of La Rambla. This building is the only Gaudi house that is completely open to the public. If you enjoy the art of Picasso then you must visit the Picasso museum. It is well laid out and has many of his most famous works on display. The museum is inside a group of medieval stone buildings, surrounded by small art shops selling Picasso reproductions. The museum is closed on Mondays and free on the first Sunday of the month. When you are finished with the museum, walk over to El Xampanyet on Carrer de Montcada south of the museum, for some delicious tapas and cava (champagne). It is a small place with tiled walls, a friendly staff, and reasonable prices.

La Sagrada Familia - Barcelona

Many of our lunches and dinners were at tapa bars. This turned out to be one of the better ways to save money on food. The tapas varied from place to place, but no matter where you were the tapas disappeared fast, so if you were hungry you had to be quick. Some of the tapa bars were on the honor system to determine how much to charge you. One place I visited counted the number of toothpicks you had left over on your plate in order to calculate your bill.

The nightlife in Barcelona is varied so there is something for all tastes. I am not the night clubbing type so I cannot advise you on that, however if you enjoy having a drink and listening to live music, I can recommend a visit to the Jamboree in Placa Reial. This club has Jazz and Funk groups, and I was fortunate to see Marc Miralta and his Flamenco jazz group perform. The Marc Miralta group combines traditional Jazz pieces, and on this night mainly Thelonious Monk compositions arranged to the rhythms of Flamenco and Latin Jazz.  The club is small and cave-like with a good sound system, but was not too loud. Beware smoking is legal inside so be prepared to breathe it all in, remember this is Europe.

One day I went up to Montjuic, the hill overlooking Barcelona from the southwest giving you a great view of the Barcelona bay. In this area is the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya and Fundacio Joan Miro. Some of the surrealist works of Joan Miro are on display in the museum and are worth a look by anyone who considers themselves an art connoisseur. I found these museums enjoyable and informative, especially the art of Joan Miro. I took the bus to get to Montjuic, but there is a funicular that goes up and down the hill, or the teleferic (cable car), which I rode down from Montjuic and saw the city from a different angle.

Since I was only in Barcelona for a few days, there was many other places I wanted to see, but you know how that goes…so much to see and so little time, well maybe on the next visit.

View of Chaweng beach from the southern tip.

Upon arrival at the Na Thon dock in Koh Samui, I went straight to a motorcycle rental shop. The island is not very large, 247 sq. km., and one paved road encircles the whole island with a few side roads that lead into the interior, so I figured a motorcycle would be an excellent way to get around. I was using an internal frame backpack, so my luggage was not a burden while riding, just strap it on, drop the bike first gear, and I was off.

The motorcycle was a small 100cc bike, which is sufficient for the small island, and I was able to get a good rate for three days. With a motorcycle I was able drive around the island at my leisure stopping wherever I wanted to explore. It was handy to make multiple stops when I was first trying to find a room. Renting in Na Thon is cheaper and convenient since I would be catching another boat from the same pier in few days.

Interesting rock formations on Koh Samui.

Koh Samui is a popular destination especially along the Chaweng beach area (northeast side of the island), which is were I planned to stay. After many inquiries I finally found a good place on the southern tip of Chaweng. This place had palm-thatched bungalows, roomy, with views of the Chaweng beach coastline. I had a mere 40-foot walk from my room and I was swimming. The room was simple with my own shower and a porch to lounge about. The beach area was picture postcard perfect, with an inviting blue-green ocean to enjoy. Being away from the main commercial strip in Chaweng was a good idea because it is noisy until all hours of the night in the restaurant and bars. Unless of course that is your taste, then that is the place to be. I however like to enjoy all the tranquility the beach and ocean have to offer, and be able to sleep when I want without blaring music and loud voices of inebriated tourists.

Popular rock formations on Koh Samui.

One day I rode out to see the Grand Mother Rock and Grand Father Rock (Hin Yai and Hin Ta). These are about 5 miles south of Chaweng along the coast. Some maps will label them as Wonderful Rock. These are natural rock formations that simulate the male and female genitalia. Believe it or not, these rocks are real and are very close to each other, coincidence…hmm. Well, they do appear natural and they do attract many curious visitors (See the photos and guess which is the father and mother…I think you will figure it out). I thought it is worth the visit and the surrounding beach is beautiful. There are the usual souvenir shops and a few restaurants nearby. After about an hour here it was time to jump on the motorcycle explore more of the island.

Since I was using a motorcycle I was able to follow some of the dirt trails to the top of the mountain of Koh Samui. From the top you get a panoramic view of the island. When walking up in this area keep your eyes open because there are scorpions around. This viewpoint was inaccessible by car or bus; only a motorcycle or walking would get you there.

View from above Koh Samui.

Koh Samui is the place for swimming, diving or beach lounging. If you enjoy the beach communities this island is recommended. There are numerous beaches in all price ranges. If you just want to party or find a quiet beach bungalow, you will find it here.

Back to the dock to catch a boat to Koh Pha Ngan.

View more photos of my Thailand trip.

After a 14 hour flight, the boat ride was relaxing. Venice harbor with a beautiful sunset as a backdrop can mesmerize and excite you at the same time. Boat traffic was light except for a monstrous cruise ship heading out to sea which looked out of place near this old city. The setting sun highlighted the lagoons natural beauty and made the water taxi ride into Venice much more memorable. It was dark by the time we arrived at San Marcos and started looking for our hotel.

Sunset in Venice harbor

The adventure begins.

All of the travel books are accurate in saying it can be confusing walking around Venice for the first time. Most streets are not marked and once you start winding through the streets it can be challenging to keep your bearings. Markings on building are hundreds of years old and many are illegible. The canals are the streets, so addresses and signs are posted for that type of usage. But this is why we love to visit Venice, to wander its maze of tiny streets and canals.

It’s all part of the adventure.

Arriving at San Marcos Plaza as a starting point to get to our hotel was a mistake. I learned later, that we should have got off the vaporettos at the Rialto stop which is much closer to the hotel. We ended up walking around more than we needed.

Finding the hotel became more time consuming then expected. The street our hotel was on actually was a small alleyway. We walked right past the small walking street which led to Hotel Centauro. If I had taken a step into the alley, I would have seen the hotel sign at the end of the alley. So close, yet so far. Sometimes, when you’re tired you miss details or clues that could have helped. No panic, more adventure, somehow it all works out, and it did. As we stood in Campo Manin wondering were we made a wrong turn, some people nearby recognized our confused faces and knew we were looking for the Hotel Centauro; the same hotel they had trouble finding the day before. It was a refief to find I wasn’t the only one that had difficulty finding this hotel.

And how about this, the very next day, we were able to return the favor to a couple of other arriving travelers, who had the same lost expressions looking for the elusive hotel.

Canal view from our hotel room

The Hotel Centauro lacked an elevator and we were on the third floor; however that small negative did not prevent us from enjoying our stay. The hotel turned out to be a very good choice. The Centauro Hotel is tucked away down a very narrow alley near Campo Manin in the San Marcos district, not far from the Grand Canal and the Rialto Bridge. We found the hotel to be an excellent location, and most attractions around Venice are within walking distance. A smaller canal is adjacent to the hotel and our room was above it on the third floor. Being near the canal gave us music and singing from the passing gondolas down below. I really liked this feature, the music added more cultural ambience to our hotel room.  Fortunately, the boat traffic in the canal was moderate and settled down at a reasonable hour, so it didn’t interfere with our sleep or comfort in our room.

The rooms were small and snug, which is typical for Venice, and all was neat and clean. Every morning there was a well presented continental breakfast with breads, pastries, fruit, cereals, some meats, juices, teas and very good coffee. There is an attendant present to restock the food and make cappuccinos for the guests. All tables in the breakfast area were prepared with clean linens giving the room an elegant look and feel. The staff spoke mainly Italian and very little English, but communication wasn’t much of a problem.

Getting situated in our hotel was a relief.  The beds were comfortable, and the jet-lag was catching up. We decided to get some sleep, get an early start in the morning, and start exploring Venice.

Bearpaw Meadows Camp - Sequoia National Park

Bearpaw Meadows Camp is a 11.3-mile hike one-way along the High Sierra Trail heading out of the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park. The trail head starts in Crescent Meadows, which is approximately 10 miles south of Wuksachi Lodge. There is a parking lot there to leave you car while you are hiking into the wilderness. Don’t forget to get a wilderness pass at the ranger station before you head out. The Lodgepole visitor center has a ranger’s office that will sell the pass.

We arrived in the Giant Forest area in the afternoon, so we arranged to stay a night in Wuksachi Lodge. We wanted to leave early the next morning to make the 11-mile hike along the High Sierra Trail to Bearpaw, so Wuksachi worked out perfect. The overnight stay helps get acclimated to the elevation before we started the long hike. We got up early the next morning, had breakfast in the lodge, and drove down to Crescent Meadows to start our hike.

The Bearpaw Meadows staff informed us the hike can take from 6 to 11 hours to complete, but most make it in about 7 hours. Of course, the more able bodied can make the hike in less time. In fact, one staff member told us he made the hike in 3 hours, which sounded amazing to us, but we had to keep in mind that they hike the trail very often and they do not need to carry any significant weight. However, you do not need to carry very much, since the camp will supply food and lodging.

Steve and Mike in our tent cabin

The camp will have tent cabins with two small cots and basic linens, but an additional person can be added, sleeping on the floor for an additional fee. There were only 3 of us making the trip so we squeezed into one cabin comfortably.The third person has to bring their own sleeping bag or beddings, though the staff was very accommodating and gave us an additional sleeping bag to pad the floor a bit.

Since the hike is 11.3 miles, make sure you have plenty of water and some food for lunch or a snack. I carried several liters of water with me, but I like to drink lots of water along the way. Just keep in mind there will not be any place along the way to replenish your water supply until you get to the camp. There are a few creeks you will pass along the way which were very inviting to splash your face to cool off. If the sun is out, it will be hot, but there are some shaded areas along the way to make a rest stop. Take a good camera because the views along the trail of the Great Western Divide are spectacular.

The hike is not technically difficult, but the distance of the hike can still be very tiring. Good hiking shoes or boots are a must. The trail is well established and easy to follow and does not change in elevation much, only about a 1,000 foot overall increase ranging from 6,800 to 7,800 feet, so there aren’t very many switchbacks to contend with. However, the last mile or so there will be a steep elevation climb, saving the “best” for last, when you are nice and tired.

We arrived in the camp about an hour before dinner; so we had time clean up and rest a bit before we sat down to eat. The food was excellent here. The staff really takes pride in their cooking and you can really taste it. Three meals a day were prepared, but if you were going out hiking during the day, you could ask the cook to prepare a sack lunch for you. Not having to worry about cooking and clean up was a very nice feature. The camp will have shared shower facilities, and an outhouse. There is a sitting area attached to the kitchen where meals are eaten, with a beautiful view of River Valley and Redwood Meadow Grove in the distance below. They have a book exchange and some board games handy to help pass the time if you desire. Also, they had a few supplies such as batteries, film, suntan lotion and other small needs for sale, but I’m sure what they have available at anytime will vary so plan wisely. Everything was on the honor system and you settled your bill when your stay was over. We stayed 2 nights, but you can book as many as you wish.

Mike and I along the Hamilton Lake trail

Our first full day in Bearpaw, we decided to take a hike up to Hamilton Lake.The trail gains about 1,000 feet and there are some switchbacks to follow. We were able to get to the lake in about 2 hours. The area up there was gorgeous and jumping into the lake was a real treat. It is an alpine lake so the water is very cold, but after a heated hike, the water was too inviting to ignore. We spent the next couple of hours sunning ourselves on the rocks beside the lake and eating our lunch before following the trail back to the Bearpaw camp.

After breakfast the next morning, we had to do the 11-mile hike back to Crescent Meadows. This time our hike was much faster, we were able to get back to the trail head parking area in 6 hours. However, it seemed to be a more tiring hike, and my feet were really barking when we made it back to the car. I think we could have paced ourselves a little slower on our hike back, and still be able to return at a reasonable hour. On the way out, we stopped at the Lodgepole visitor center and used the showers to freshen up, and boy, did that feel good.

I would definitely like to go back to Bearpaw Meadows Camp. It was a long hike in and out, but once you are there, it’s just so amazingly beautiful. I think I would stay an extra night or two, as well. There were many other trails to explore, so one could stay there probably a week and see something new everyday. The place was so isolated and comfortable; you deserve to really enjoy it leisurely, you earned it.

Mt. Waterman - going up Chair 1

Mount Waterman has the same three, no-frills lifts, and still has the lowest lift ticket prices in Southern California at $45.00 for an all-day pass; half-day passes are $10.00 less and start at 12 noon. The ski area has much less acreage than most other ski areas in the San Bernardino Mountains, but the runs are far superior, the crowds are virtually non-existent, and you can’t beat the convenience to Los Angeles.

Not many people know about Mt. Waterman which is in the San Gabriel Mountains and part of the Angeles National Forest along the Angeles Crest Highway. It’s just 55 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, 34 miles north of the 210 freeway, making it a convenient ski area for Los Angeles skiers.

Lodge on top of Mt. Waterman

Mount Waterman does not have snow-making equipment so it relies on natural snow. When Mother Nature delivers some decent snow, this mountain can have some the best skiing in Southern California. Most of the ski runs are for intermediate and advanced skiers, but there is a beginner area in one of the bowls at the top. It is a low frills type of ski area with a small lodge at the top that will serve burgers, chili, and beer, so don’t expect the piped in music and other entertainment like other popular ski resort areas; less is better at this place. Mount Waterman comes off more as a skier’s venue where it’s all about skiing or snowboarding, without all the extra fluff and expense.

Going up Chair 3 Mt. Baldy

The recent Southern California storm system brought in a couple of feet of fresh snow to the local mountains. The Mt. Baldy ski area now has a 3-5 foot base and it has been staying cool up there to preserve it.

The Mt. Baldy ski area has only 4 chair lifts but the terrain is varied and about half the runs are single and double black diamonds, so advanced skiers can have a lot of fun and get a good workout. I enjoy the runs around Chair 3 which is for advanced skiers so the terrain is varied and challenging. Another advanced area is around Chair 1 which is the first lift out of the parking lot. Sometimes the runs around Chair 1 can be icy and you have to stay alert watching for obstacles.

Run near Chair 3 Mt. Baldy

I prefer these smaller ski areas because it’s easier to avoid the crowds that would be at the larger ski resorts. Mt. Waterman is another great ski area in Southern California that is not too crowded with some excellent skiing.

Another storm is on its way this weekend, so skiing in Southern California is going out with a bang this year. We are finally going to have a ski season in our local mountains.