Story and Photos by Thomas Atkins

The remains of the Bourland Trestle hidden deep within the Stanislaus Forest.
With most of the forest service roads at the lower and mid elevations open for the season, visitors to Stanislaus National Forest now have access to some of its best kept secrets. Scattered throughout the forest’s diverse and beautiful […]

Story and Photos by Greg Kristapovich

Goldpanners Bernie Wick (right) works the flume, hoping to find a nugget, while his partner, Steve Lyons, a.k.a. Mr. Anderson shows a young ‘un how to pan. Meanwhile, a young Ben Wright makes sure everyone gets enough water.

Story and Photos by Thomas Atkins

Dogwood blossoms at the Merced Grove of Big Trees.
From the valleys and the meadows to the forests and the mountains, one cannot help but notice the beautiful transformations taking place during the spring and summer seasons in the Sierra. Valleys echo with raging rivers and thundering waterfalls, wildflowers color the […]

Local fly expert, Doug Olmstead, holding a 30” striper caught on the lower Stanislaus. Picture by O.J. Abrille.
The lower Tuolumne, Merced and Stanislaus rivers host an annual spawning eagerly awaited by local fishermen. Striped bass surge up rivers from the Pacific to find the place of their adolescence and deposit the next generation. Our lower […]

Opinion by Dave Maloney
I recently attended the Sonora Green Conference at the Sonora Opera Hall to listen to various county and state agencies and officials discuss green living efforts, programs and initiatives. As a writer and a somewhat radical left-of-center environmentalist, I nonetheless forced myself to listen to each speaker expound their views on various […]