Apparently, the chance of an El Nino has diminished even more. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/missing-winds-probably-foiled-2014%E2%80%99s-chance-el-ni%C3%B1oby Ken M - General Discussion
Fascinating and revealing narrative of times past. Thanks for the links!by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I'm surprised by the sentiment of those who take the position that they will only follow the laws that they have researched and make sense to them. Doesn't seem the hallmark of a civilized society. I'd be surprised if citizens acted like that in Israel, where doing such things gets you killed.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Sorry to interrupt your snark, but most of the arch guys are out in the field this time of the year, so don't be surprised if you have a significant delay until your call is returned. I know you think they sit around phones waiting for your call, but you might be surprised.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"Presumably, so they can study the habits of long-departed smokers and beer drinkers (the later in the form of crumbling, ancient rusted steel beer cans) " ^^^^ That's the made up stuff. It is federal law not to disturb such things >50 years old. It is considered looting, and it is a felony. I can't speak to Anne Lake (although I've been there!) (great place), but in Yosemiby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I don' t have it handy, but recently read an article about the explosion of bears in Ca, also. There is a higher population now than 100 years ago. They are hunted state-wide, particularly in the National Forests. Last year the voters voted to outlaw the use of dogs. I don't believe trapping or baiting has been allowed for a long time.by Ken M - General Discussion
Interesting, isn't it. I kind of got the impression that Brewer believed that if he actually saw a Grizzly, it would be about the last thing he'd see.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
"As it turns out, the bear tore down a bear bag hung several hundred feet above my camp that had been set by the Californians with whom I ate dinner. The bear got away with a package of mayo and some toiletries and left behind an entire bag of teriyaki chicken. It then proceeded to move through other camps throughout the night, looking for additional spoils. " "I was wonderingby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/ I happened to run across this today, I 'd not known it existed. As so many here are interested in historical issues, one may enjoy some of the quite vintage books that exist here. Lotta stuff from the 1800' and early 1900's For example: "For years there was a search for a point in Yosemite from which the five great waterfalls—Upper and Loweby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I have found an online version of William Brewers "Up and Down California". It really captures the feel of Ca in the 1800's. He says, in the section near Monterey: "While speaking of animals—the grizzly bear is much more dreaded than I had any idea of. A wounded grizzly is much more to be feared than even a lion; a tiger is not more ferocious. They will kill and eat sheep, oby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Well, Dave, I have seen no suggestion from you that there is ANY method or way that ANY trees could be logged at ANY time, ANYPLACE, for ANY reason. While I see you do that, I see the forests becoming more overgrown every year, for 100 years in a row. I see increasing frequency and severity of forest fires over time. These fires in severely overgrown forests cause much more damage that theby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Of course that's not the issue. The issue is doing everything possible to punish those who work in the forestry industry, as often as possible. If, in doing so, you happen to also damage the forest, well, that's just collateral damage.....by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
why, yes, eeek, I have.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
I haven't seen anyone who wants to cut everything. I would only advocate evaluating the trees that are dead, of a size to represent commercial value. We HAVE to cut the burn load. from the Oakhurst fire report in the Fresno Bee: "The fire started in the northern end of Oakhurst and was initially moving away from the community. But when the winds shifted to the southeast, he said, tby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Disgusting. It is not as though these are archaeological relics from ancient times, with no modern relatives.by Ken M - General Discussion
Park, that, of course, is the standard environmental THEORETICAL argument. I have not seen any studies that have borne out that APPROPRIATELY logged forests have depleted soils, that they have less wildlife than forest that has not been fire protected, and thus is ACTUALLY natural. All those trees up there is abnormal, and leaving them up there continues the abnormalities, with unpredictaby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
ags, As a person who has volunteered for the Forest Service for the last decade, I just wanted to share with you some observations. Very frequently, it is the "frequent flyers" or old veterans, who are the most problematic in the backcountry. They backpacked when there was no requirement for bear cans, when it was fine to dump soapy water into lakes and streams, when it was a goby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Dave, We have a very abnormal environment up in the forests right now, created by our abnormal fire suppression for the last 100 years. As a result, there are many, many more trees than the land would naturally support. When a fire comes along and burns and kills them, but does not consume them, what you have is land that is absolutely covered with firewood! The next spark that comes aroundby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Dear, Your fear and surprise at what black bears do and don't do is due to misunderstanding of the species.....for example, the presence of cubs. You might want to check out this site, put together by the former chief bear biologist for the US Forest Service, and one of the most published authorities on black bear biology: www.bear.org And check out the "bear facts" section oby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Oh, and a little follow up to Fresno, which only recently started metering. Their per capita consumption is well over 200 gallons a day, and there is huge controversy over moving it down to the range of 200. Los Angeles per capita is 87 gal/day. If they reduced their use to that level, it could ALL be provided by capturing rainwater.by Ken M - General Discussion
From what I've read, it seems that most of the alfalfa crop is sold overseas, as a cash crop.by Ken M - General Discussion
Here's an interesting exercise: Calculate what percentage of your own city's water consumption falls in the form of rain in an average year? You need to know current consumption, in acre-feet. area of land in acres. yearly rainfall. 12 inches of rain produces 1 acre-foot upon an acre of land. for example, Fresno. It has 112 Sq Mi. = 640ac X 112= 71,680 ac Average rainfallby Ken M - General Discussion
excellent article.by Ken M - General Discussion
QuoteDave QuoteKen MThanks, Dave, for the rules. But make sure you read them all....I fail to understand why you would assume I had not read them all. If you have a problem with the rules, take it up with the superintendent. QuoteYou're gleeful advocacy of destroying everything, always, everywhere.....You must have me confused with someone else. I never said, or implied, any such thing.by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks, Dave, for the rules. But make sure you read them all: "Look before you clean! Yosemite also has many historic and prehistoric rock alignments that are important tangible links to the ancient past. The National Park Service is responsible for preserving and protecting these; in fact, disturbing or destroying them is a violation of federal law. If it is unclear whether a rockby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Great article, Ken S!by Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
Thanks. That illustration tracks well with the picture I posted upthread of the actual cairn up on Langley. (Although I admit that I've never before seen such a large cairn--maybe 10 feet?) To me, that is rather intrusive, and I think one a couple of feet tall is enough to get the job done, but not be overly intrusive to the environment. This interesting thread brings to mind the discussiby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
There is usually a problem when extremists start citing "never, always" and demanding how others should live their lives. THAT is almost always wrong. Speaking as a volunteer wilderness ranger, and trail maintenance crew leader, SOMETIMES there good reasons for placing "trail reassurance markers" as they are known in the trade: http://www.fs.fed.us/t-d/pubs/htmlpubs/htmby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDave QuoteHitechI've never liked the term "Leave no trace" since you almost always leave a trace. The idea of minimizing your impact is what everyone in Yosemite should be striving for. It was a goal, an ideal, not a demand. Another saying started at about the same time was; "Leave only footprints. Take only pictures." . You have a mistaken understanding of thby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion
QuoteDave QuoteKen MDave, you'll want to get your ass up to just below the summit of Mt. Langley....Apparently you're not able to have an adult style conversation on the topic. Grow up. "They are not ducks, cairns, or inuksuit. They are graffiti and are not to be erected in the Park. I shall continue to remove the blight whenever and where ever in the Park, I see them. We are not the ignorby Ken M - Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. News & Discussion