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Butte
Steal My Northern California Summer Bucket List
The sun has inspired me to start thinking more about summer. In case you missed it, one of the activities…
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Destinations
Whiskeytown NRA Celebrates the Reopening of Brandy Creek
Following a 10-month closure at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area due to the Carr Fire, park officials today reopened the lake’s popular…
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Destinations
The 8 Best Places to Catch BIG Fish Near Mt. Shasta
Photo: Wild Waters Fly Fishing When it comes to fishing, there aren’t many areas in the world like Northern California.…
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Destinations
The 5 Best Northern California Swim Holes to Beat the Heat
The excessive heat is about to hit Northern California for the duration of the summer and I’ll be spending a…
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Destinations
5 Places to Find Blooming Wildflowers in Siskiyou County
As the long winter of 2019 finally comes to a close, the wildflowers of Northern California will be coming later…
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Destinations
Mt. Shasta’s Underground Adventure – Going Deep in Pluto’s Cave
After exploring Lassen’s Subway Cave, my spelunking desire wasn’t quite satiated. Subway Cave in Lassen was wild, eerie, and strangely…
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Destinations
The Ultimate Northern California Summer Bucket List
It’s time to prepare for summer in Northern California, meaning we put away our rain coats and boots and switch…
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Destinations
The Stunning Drive Through Northern California’s Avenue of the Giants
Sitting in in the middle of the Humboldt Redwoods State Park is the Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile two…
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Destinations
NorCal Mountain Biking Trail Rated One of the Most Popular in the U.S.
Photo: Yuba Expeditions Singletracks, a popular mountain biking website, recently named the most popular mountain biking trails in the U.S.…
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Destinations
We Stayed in a Railroad Caboose in Northern California
We were in Dunsmuir, California and decided to stay at the Railroad Park Resort nestled right under the majestic Castle…
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Sports
Gold Fever: Catching Big Fish on the Remote American River Middle Fork
“To find the goods, you have to be willing to go to places where no one else is willing to…
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Destinations
17 Breathtaking Waterfalls Just Outside of Redding, California
Photo by Matthias Rossini It’s springtime in California, which means it’s waterfall chasing season for any outdoor adventurer. Finding great…
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Destinations
A Day at The Eighth Wonder of the World – Burney Falls
Brought to you by Visit Redding We drove an hour northeast of Redding, California to see what President Theodore Roosevelt…
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Destinations
The 12 Most Instagrammable Destinations in Northern California
There are just so many beautiful destinations in Northern California that everyone should see once in their lifetime, and what…
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Destinations
A Weekend in Redding, California – The Gateway to Northern California’s Outdoor Mecca
The Sundial Bridge, Burney Falls, Shasta Dam and Lassen Peak are all located within a short drive from Redding, California…
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Destinations
To Glamp or Not to Glamp? Luxury Airstream Campsite Opens in Yosemite
Camping is great but if you prefer the comfort of glamping, you can stay in an iconic silver bullet Airstream…
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Destinations
Hiking Lassen’s Cinder Cone is Hard but the Views are Incredible
My first attempt to hike Cinder Cone this summer did not go as planned, as I ended up getting stuck…
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Butte
Where the Wildflowers Are: See NorCal’s Super Bloom at Table Mountain
Flickr/Sathish J Spring has arrived and that means wildflowers have begun to embellish many of our favorite trails. Strolling through…
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Destinations
Hiking to the Isolated Toad and Porcupine Lakes
“The trail has got to be around here somewhere….” was our refrain for the day. After the long, windy, and…
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Destinations
Explore the Diverse Wildlife of Tule Lake in the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge
Tule Lake Refuge, established in 1928, rests in the fertile and intensely farmed Tule Lake Basin in Modoc County. The almost 40-thousand-acre refuge…
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Destinations
10 Destinations To Mark Off Your Shasta Cascade Bucket List
The Shasta Cascade region is one of a kind. The collection of waterfalls, trails, mountains, caves, rivers, museums and other…
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Destinations
Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove to Reopen Soon with Winter Conditions
Photo: National Park Service The Mariposa Grove Road will reopen to automobiles on Friday, Apr. 12, officials in Yosemite National…
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Destinations
Find a Biking Utopia in Siskiyou County
Northern California’s Siskiyou County is one of the most popular biking destinations in the world. From relaxed rides with stellar…
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Destinations
Finding Mossbrae Falls – Northern California’s Forbidden Waterfall
Flickr/Michael Moore By Zach O’Brien Northern California is full of incredible waterfalls, many of which sit in the Shasta-Cascade region.…
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Destinations
Discover a Captivating Underground World at Lake Shasta Caverns
BIt was a foregone conclusion that I would love the Shasta Caverns tour. First, you find it off the O’Brien…
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Eating NorCal
Cook Your Own Steak at this Under-the-Radar NorCal Restaurant
What would you do to get a good price on a steak dinner? A steak dinner that comes with a…
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Destinations
Crystal Ice Cave Tours at Lava Beds National Monument
Crystal Ice Cave contains some of the most spectacular ice formations among Lava Beds’ many caves. Because of the sensitive…
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Destinations
The Frozen Lake of Mt. Shasta – Ice Skating Castle Lake
Castle Lake is one of those destinations in Northern California that the visitors will rave about. In the summer, it’s…
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Bay Area
Eat the Burger That Wears A Skirt at Napa’s Squeeze Inn
Their popular "Squeezeburger w/Cheese" comes with it's own unique "Cheese Skirt" that always astonishes and satisfy's guests...
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Stories
Hunting for the Best Olives in Northern California
Rarely does Northern California come into the conversation of great olive producing regions, but maybe it should!
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Destinations
Northern California Waterfalls are FLOWING HEAVILY Following Winter Storm
Winter season is alive and well in Northern California, as three straight weeks of winter storms increased snowpack in the…
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Destinations
Find Hundreds of Northern California Campsites with this Interactive Map
Camping is one of NorCal’s favorite pastimes. Who can deny the appeal of sitting around the campfire surrounded by family…
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Destinations
NorCal’s Frozen Gem – The Siskiyou Ice Rink is a Unique Winter Experience
Whether it’s a sunny day under the shadow of Mt. Shasta or a cold night under bright, illuminating stars, the…
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Destinations
Now You Can Rent This Backcountry Cabin Above Mt. Shasta Ski Park
Every once in a while, the true enthusiasts of skiing and snowboarding have to venture outside the boundaries to go…
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Destinations
Exploring the Rich History of Rough and Ready, California
The only way you’ve probably heard of Rough and Ready, California is if you’ve driven on Highway 20 between Yuba…
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Destinations
Chaos, Lava and Snow – A Winter Trip to Lassen’s Crags Lake
By Ryan Loughrey For an area replete with unattractive names, the trail to Crags Lake is filled with beauty. Last…
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Butte
Phantom of the Falls: A Great Winter Spectacle
Photo: Flickr/Lisa Ouellette A flowing phantom haunts Table Mountain near Oroville. It disappears during the summer, and remains well hidden in…
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Destinations
Beautiful New Trail System Coming to the Grove of Titans in Jedediah Smith Redwoods
The Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, located in the northwest corner of California near Crescent City, is one of the most…
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Destinations
A Snowshoeing Adventure Around Lassen’s Manzanita Lake
Photo by Darlene M. Koontz By Ryan Loughrey Despite the current sunny weather, this most recent storm imbued Northern California with…
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Waterfalls
See the Waterfalls of Whiskeytown Following the Carr Fire
The Carr Fire impacted so many people when it broke out in July and eventually burned 230,000 acres in Shasta County,…
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Lassen
A Winter Exploration of Lassen’s Subway Cave
By Ryan Loughrey It is one of the locations that is close enough to make a day trip, and one…
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Destinations
A Winter Expedition to Heart Lake
By Ryan Loughrey Covered in a thick blanket of snow, Heart Lake virtually disappears in the winter. Familiar summer landmarks…
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Destinations
These 7 Northern California Waterfalls Look Incredible During the Winter
It may go against all your instincts to go chasing waterfalls during the winter months. After all, many of the best…
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Destinations
New Plan in Motion to Build Trail to Mossbrae Falls
Mossbrae Falls is the most unique and possibly the most beautiful waterfall in Northern California. Located in Dunsmuir, the waterfall…
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Bay Area
A Picturesque Stroll Through the Cypress Tree Tunnel
There are so many beautiful places in Northern California that are prime destinations for photographers – Mount Shasta, Burney Falls,…
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Destinations
Brand-New Adventure Park Opens in Northern California
Following months of delays, Quarry Park Adventures, a brand-new “adventure park” in Rocklin, has opened to the public. The park…
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Destinations
Finding Burstarse Falls – Castle Crag’s Fickle Waterfall
By Ryan Loughrey Burstarse Falls has been on my radar for a long time, but I have never had the…
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Destinations
Hiking the Lush Meadows of Mount Shasta’s South Gate
One of the best hikes available on Mt. Shasta, the South Gate Meadow Trail combines nearly all the elements that…
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Destinations
The Waterfall of Fire – Horsetail Fall is a Rare Natural Phenomenon
Horsetail Fall is typically not that unique in Yosemite, where waterfalls are vast and beautiful. It is a somewhat low-flow waterfall…
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Destinations
Trinity Alps Wilderness Highlighted in Outside Magazine’s “Favorite Fall Backpacking Trips”
The Trinity Alps Wilderness, located just northwest of Redding, is a gorgeous mountain range providing backpackers with stunning views, pristine…
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Destinations
Mount Shasta Named “Most Charming Ski Town” by TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, conducted a survey in order to name the “Most Charming Ski Town in America,” and…
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Destinations
Video Previews the Sunken Ships of Tahoe’s First Underwater Trail
The California State Parks streamed a live video on Facebook last week, previewing the sunken ships of the brand-new Emerald…
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Destinations
Visit North America’s Tallest Waterfall in Northern California
Everyone knows that Northern California is home to hundreds of beautiful waterfalls, some of them world-renown. But did you know…
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Waterfalls
The Phantom Falls Experience: 164-Feet of Pure Waterfall Bliss
By Ryan Loughrey From the directions I had read online, I anticipated pulling off the side of the road in…
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Outdoors
Airstream Livin’ – A Brand New “Glamping” Experience is Coming to Yosemite
Camping is great but if you prefer the comfort of glamping, you can stay in an iconic silver bullet Airstream at…
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Destinations
NorCal’s Redwood Coast Named the Top Place to Visit in 2018 by Lonely Planet
Northern California locals know the Redwood National Forest as one of the great beauties on this planet. The tallest trees…
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Destinations
Visit National Parks for Free on September 22 for National Public Lands Day
On September 22 you can celebrate National Public Lands Day by visiting any of the National Parks in Northern California…
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Destinations
Lake Tahoe Opening its First-Ever Underwater Trail
The area surrounding Lake Tahoe is world-renown for its beautiful scenery and amazing trail systems in the mountain above the…
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History
A Beacon Of Northern California History: The Battery Point Lighthouse
A D.C. socialite, the Gold Rush, shipping lines, San Francisco, Crescent City and Battery Point Lighthouse intertwine in history to…
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Destinations
A Harrowing Journey into the Haunted Caribou Wilderness
“AAAAAAUUUUAAAACK… AAAAAAUUUUAAAACK…” My eyes opened the size of softballs and the sleeping bag I’d been dozing in nearly lifted off…
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Destinations
See What It Takes To Hike Humboldt’s Lost Coast Trail
A mention of the Lost Coast should never be omitted from any comprehensive discussion of California’s best outdoor attractions. The misplaced…
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Destinations
Explore the Circle of Discovery: The 7 National Parks Surrounding Far Northern California
Did you know that Northern California and Southern Oregon are home to seven National Park sites? This circle of parks…
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Destinations
Areas of Whiskeytown NRA to Remain Open Indefinitely
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area was closed for 5 weeks following the devastating Carr Fire that burned 39,000 acres within the 43,000-acre…
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Hikes
The Historic Hike To Faery Falls
Combining history and nature, the Ney Springs Canyon Trail near Siskiyou Lake in Mount Shasta City is an easy hike…
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Destinations
The Ultimate Northern California Brewery-Camping Road Trip
By Zach O’Brien This journey began a few months ago, when I was lounging in my back yard, sipping on…
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Destinations
This Northern California Destination Made World’s 100 Greatest Places in 2018 from Time Magazine
Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove is famous for being one of the largest collection of mature trees in the world. The grove’s sequoias…
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Destinations
A Kayaking Adventure to Mossbrae Falls
Mossbrae Falls is probably NorCal’s most unique waterfall. Instead of your typical water falling off a cliff (although very beautiful…
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Destinations
New Photos of the Sacramento River Trail Show Carr Fire Devastation
When the Carr Fire blazed through west Redding on July 26th, the biggest concern on everyone’s mind was making sure…
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Stories
Q&A with Michelle Titus – the Owner of Northern California’s Premiere Fishing Lodge
In a short time, Michelle Titus went from a Bay Area city-dweller to a North Valley, horse wrangling “anglet”. When she…
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Destinations
Kiss a Giraffe at this Awesome Northern California Park
By Amy Sue Do you have an animal lover in your family? I’ve got one, and she gets extraordinarily excited…
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Destinations
Shasta Lake is Surrounded by Two Large Wildfires, Lake Businesses Remain Open
The Carr Fire has officially moved all the way from Whiskeytown Lake to waterfront of Shasta Lake, blazing through another…
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Waterfalls
The Short Hike To Hedge Creek Falls
Similar to hideout entrances seen in Batman movies and the Legend of Zorro, Hedge Creek Falls cascades in front of the…
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Destinations
Road Trippin’ – Southern Oregon’s Toketee Falls and Umpqua Hot Springs
Sure, we are Active NorCal, covering all the cool outdoor stuff in Northern California. But for us to ignore the…
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Destinations
3 Bidwell Park Swimming Holes to Beat the Heat
What Chico lacks in terms of manageable summer temperatures, it makes up for with all the swimming hole options at…
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Stories
Almost Climbing Mount Shasta: A Story of Misery and Life Lessons at 14,000 Feet
At four thirty in the morning no one saw the light from my tiny headlamp inching uphill in pitch darkness…
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Destinations
9 Family-Friendly Camping Spots in Northern California
The insistent bzzzzzzzz of a mosquito roused me from sleep, but my eyes refused to open in hopes it would…
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Waterfalls
A Tour of 10 Stunning Waterfalls in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park has countless waterfalls. A tour of the massive park can yield many small waterfalls, but we wanted…
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Destinations
See What it’s Like to Summit Mount Shasta via Avalanche Gulch
Climbing Mount Shasta is the ultimate badge of honor in NorCal. It’s a grueling hike up steep terrain with changing…
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Outdoors
Fly Fishing on the Haunted Upper Sacramento River
Thankfully, no invisible or bony hand ever reached out to touch my shoulder on dark evenings while fishing the October…
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Destinations
A Summer Getaway to Lake Aloha in the Desolation Wilderness
By Ryan Loughrey The entrance to the Desolation Wilderness is anything but – neither desolate nor wild. The southern Lake…
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Destinations
Road Trippin’ – The Painted Hills of the Oregon Heartlands
By Ryan Loughrey The first leg of our trip took us 323 miles, having left late last Thursday night, spending…
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Hikes
Weekend in Lassen – Exploring Cold Boiling Lake and Kings Creek Falls
By Ryan Loughrey Lassen Park offer a bounty of opportunities of exploration. Although I feel I’ve explored a good amount,…
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Destinations
This Northern California Ghost Town is Cursed, According to its Visitors
The workers at the Bodie State Historic Park are used to receiving letters in the mail talking about the “Bodie…
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Destinations
5 Tips for Hiking Lassen’s Brokeoff Mountain
By Ryan Loughrey Brokeoff Mountain in Lassen National Park is notorious for being one of the most difficult hikes in…
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Outdoors
Exploring the Car Graveyard of Mt. Shasta
By Ryan Loughrey Walking through the car graveyard felt like walking through an ancient time. Even though the cars couldn’t…
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Outdoors
A Tale of Summer Backpacking: A Little Sketchy, A Lot Worth It
By Benjamin Goodpasture, Founder and CEO of Shasta Rock Club I’ll never forget the day I first saw Emerald and…
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Waterfalls
The 20 Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Northern California
In 1995, the recording group TLC released their massive hit Waterfalls, in which the chorus reads “don’t go chasing waterfalls,…
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Destinations
The Desolate Hike to Lassen’s Mill Creek Falls
By Ryan Loughrey Now that the road through Lassen National Park is open, Kiva and I decided to hike a…
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Destinations
The Flumes and Cable Pools of Paradise
The town of Paradise, California, which is just outside of Chico, is not necessarily known as NorCal’s “paradise,” but it does…
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Destinations
An Overnight Trip to Tangle Blue Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness
By Ryan Loughrey We had it in our mind that the hike to Tangle Blue Lake was going to be…
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Hikes
Hiking Castle Crags – Castle Dome Trail
Castle Crags seems to hide in plain sight. Though clearly visible from I-5, the magnificent geological oddity receives less mention than other North…
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Outdoors
My Northern California Summer Bucket List
By Ryan Loughrey The sun has inspired me to start thinking more about summer. One of the activities I am…
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Waterfalls
Feather Falls – Hiking to Northern California’s Towering Waterfall
Before being accurately measured, Oroville’s Feather Falls was considered the sixth tallest waterfall in the United States. Though widely reported, the height of the falls…
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Destinations
Road Trippin’ – 10 Waterfalls in a Day at Silver Falls State Park
By Ryan Loughrey Sometimes your weekend starts with a long drive. This one in particular ended at a campsite at…
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Destinations
Off the Beaten Path – Kosk Hot Springs
By Ryan Loughrey A typical Redding Pre-Summer: glimpses of the searing heat to come, interspersed with rain and wind. While…
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Destinations
An Underground Visit to Lava Beds National Monument
This past weekend, Kiva and I visited Lava Beds National Monument for an overnight trip. I’ve been a few times…
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Destinations
Mammoth is a Must-See Destination for Outdoor Enthusiasts
U.S. Highway 395 runs from the Canadian border all the way down to Southern California, and approaching the Eastern Sierras…
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Hikes
3 World-Renown Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park
Many people like to visit Yosemite National Park for intimidating adventures, like the thrilling hike to the top of Half Dome,…
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Destinations
Daytrippin’ in Humboldt – Beach Bouldering and the Lost Coast Brewery
By Ryan Loughrey With the holiday season, traffic and locales around Redding have been busy. Not to mention the heat,…
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Destinations
The 10 Best Summer Activities to do in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Summer has officially hit Northern California, which means we ceremoniously trade out our snowshoes and hard-shelled jackets for swim shorts…
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