The Other Sierra

One of California’s best kept secrets is at its best for the next few weeks. The Owens Valley and adjacent Eastern Escarpment are otherworldly: ancient, remote, and rugged. Formed by volcanic and glacial events, this is a land where you’ll adventure among the oldest trees in the world, the highest peak in California, and scenery so stunning it’s been used as cinematic backdrop time and again. Go before the snow and you can enjoy some secluded camping, too!

Week: 09.29.2016
Regions: Northern CA

Alabama Backdrop

Hiking among rare formations at Alabama Hills in Owens Valley California

Despite being named for a Confederate warship, the CSS Alabama, there’s nothing Southern about the Alabama Hills. This range of rocky hills between the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and the town of Lone Pine in the Owens Valley is Californian to the core, embodying a mythic
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High Five!

2016 Adventure Challenge Wrap Up

Big thanks to the many adventurers who successfully completed the 5th annual Weekend Sherpa Adventure Challenge! Hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, sunsets, beaches, waterfalls, hot springs, overnight escapes: you guys did it all! Also, big props to Marmot for sponsoring the Chal
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Old and Gnarly

Hiking the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest of the White Mountains in California

Few places will magnify your sense of time and space quite like the rugged White Mountains. A part of Inyo National Forest, this remote, seldom-visited range along the upper Owens Valley features epic vistas of the Sierra Escarpment, ultra-dark night skies, exposed metamorphic ro
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Lone Oasis

Hiking a section of Mount Whitney Trail in California

Every summer, thousands travel to Whitney Portal in the Eastern Sierra to summit Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. But thousands more are denied the required permit to enter the “Whitney Zone” due to the Forest Service’s strict quota system. The goo
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Trending Stories NorCal

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    Thousands of people flock to Muir Woods every year, yet only a few see it at night, when this beloved park is experienced in a whole new light. The Muir Woods Night Tour happens on the last Friday of every month through October.

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  2. Slide Ranch Marin

    Slide On Over

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    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

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  4. Hello, Sur!

    Big Sur is home to numerous fantastic beaches and coves, so which one do you choose? Go for the beach that's quintessential Big Sur (and dog-friendly!). Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Its signature lilac-colored sand is waiting for your feet!

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Waterfall Hunter

    If you ask a local in Reno about one of the best hiking trails in town, odds are high they’ll point you to Hunter Creek Falls. It’s a year-round favorite, but it absolutely shines in spring, when desert peach wildflowers make a splash—and so does the marquee waterfall.

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  2. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

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  3. Bike the Coastal Trail to Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay

    Ride and Seek

    Oceanside breezes, beautiful beaches, a car-free pathway for biking, and beer at the end: You’re on a roll! The San Mateo Coast was made for beach hopping and beer tasting … and it all goes down smooth as part of an 8-mile out-and-back bike ride.

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  4. Tamtastic Sunset

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