May 15, 2012: Welcome to the official web site of Tom Stienstra, award winning columnist and two-time National Outdoor Writer of the Year.

The epic trek you can do in a week - E-book, all formats BRAND NEW

Guide to More Than 1,400 Tent and RV Campgrounds -- 2012 best-seller

1,000 hikes from every region of CA, the only complete hiking guide BRAND NEW

The Complete Guide to Fishing on Lakes, Streams, Rivers, and the Coast

Sunday Drive Getaways - Kindle edition

Pacific Northwest Camping

Yosemite and Mammoth Lakes Camping and Hiking

Tahoe Camping and Hiking

Shasta and Lassen Camping and Hiking

Sequoia and Kings Canyon Camping and Hiking

California Deserts Camping and Hiking

Northern California Camping

Defy “The Tunnel Syndrome”

by May 15, 2012

Many lose sight of the vast scope of the outdoors because of what I call “The Tunnel Syndrome.” It occurs when heavy traffic becomes a daily routine. On Bay Area roads, I’ve seen people get fixated on the traffic to the point that their world consists of the cars ahead, blocking the way, and the [...]

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Waterfall mystery: Ever seen these? (video)

by April 24, 2012

Above is a video I shot Tuesday afternoon of a mystery set of waterfalls. Where is this? How difficult are they to reach? Can anybody get there? Yes, about anybody can get there. I’ll answer 10 questions below my family has asked me about them. By the end, you’ll know the spot; that is, if you [...]

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Five best outdoor gear bargains

by April 4, 2012

1. $60 “Sensei Stix” premium saltwater fishing rod This is the best $60 saltwater rod I’ve ever seen. It is designed for halibut and works for rockfish, lingcod, sturgeon, albacore and salmon trolling. It’s a one-piece, six-foot rod, composite graphite/fiberglass, with top-quality guides, gimbal for fighting belt (for those with back problems), triangular and hand-shaped fore [...]

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Crystal Spring’s first bald eagle nest in century

by March 27, 2012

The first active bald eagle nest in a century at Crystal Springs Watershed on the Peninsula gives hope that chicks could be born by mid-April. To help visitors see the phenomenon, the Sequoia Chapter of the Audubon Society said it would post volunteers with spotting scopes on weekends during the nesting season. Several Chronicle field [...]

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Video: Bay Area’s No. 1 hike destination

by February 27, 2012

The first glimpse of Berry Creek Falls is framed by redwoods in deep forest. Courtesy Ryan Commons / Walkifornia.com. For short video of Berry Creek Falls, click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmAbr_u32ss Berry Creek Falls is the No. 1 hiking destination of any park in the greater Bay Area’s nine counties. It’s one of my favorite spots in the world. [...]

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Yosemite like you’ve never seen it: “Lava flow”

by February 21, 2012

All factors aligned last week to create a phenomenon where refracted light in frozen ice falls at Yosemite Valley made it appear that “lava” was pouring over the brink of the canyon. The effect only lasts for a minute or two. For comparison, one photo is of the “fire falls” of the 1960s. To enlarge, [...]

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