Tom Stienstra Blog Posts
In a special half-hour interview Sunday: Tom Stienstra will appear at 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. on KCBS-In Depth, 740 AM-San Francisco and 106.9 FM. Happy Father's Day! "Young Tom" Feel great in the next 24 hours: Hike. Bike. Camp. Fish. Boat. Wildlife watch. For the new edition of California Camping, go to http://74.220.215.219/~tomstien/books/california-camping/
From Sunday, June 10, 2012, San Francisco Chronicle What sets you free? Health professionals at Kaiser believe you should identify the activity that "sets you free," and then take part in it as much as possible. Do that and doctors think you will be far happier and healthier, and will need doctors and medical care a lot less. At Kaiser health clinics, doctors have even put up a small poster in many treatment [...]
The conditions at Bowman Lakes Rec Area right now is testimony to what is happening this year across the Sierra Nevada, Cascades and Shasta-Siskiyou range: An early spring, with summer now imminent. This region is nestled on the west slopes of Tahoe National Forest, a short hop from I-80 and Highway 20, generally north of Yuba Gap near Donner Pass and Truckee. Frozen snowfields can still be found on high [...]
The top walk-in, hike-in, bike-in or boat-in campgrounds in the greater San Francisco Bay Area: 1. Sunset, Big Basin Redwoods: 6-mile hike to campsites located deep in Santa Cruz Mountains, yet short range below to Berry Creek Canyon and its waterfalls. (831) 338-8861, parks.ca.gov. 2. Sky, Point Reyes National Seashore: Sites perched on ridge for amazing lookout across coast and ocean, with Sky Trail providing access to Inverness Ridge and [...]
SIERRA CONDITIONS NOW Because of the low snowpack, this will be a great year to cross the Sierra. Your trip should start by reading the sensational new eBook, Sierra Crossing. Get yours at http://74.220.215.219/~tomstien/books/sierra-crossing/ Spring and early-summer conditions have arrived from Yosemite Valley up to 13,053-foot Mount Dana above Tioga Pass. Last week's temperature tantrum unleashed snowmelt; in turn, waterfalls are peaking and should stay flush well into June. The Four Mile Trail, [...]
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 cars behind, tailgating. For everybody, it’s push, push, push, and after a while, it’s as if they [...]