You Are the Ranger: Protecting the Eastern Sierra During the Shutdown The Eastern Sierra's wild places remain open during the shutdown, but with many of our visitor centers and ranger stations closed during the ongoing government shutdown and most Forest Service, BLM and NPS staff furloughed,  there are far fewer people to care for them.  This government shutdown has just become the longest shutdown in American history and our public lands are suffering from it.  This means it’s up to all of us to step into the role of steward and caretaker for these incredible landscapes. Every trail hiked, rock climbed, campsite visited, or lake fished comes with a shared responsibility to protect this place we all love. The absence of agency staff doesn’t mean the work of caring for [...]

Let’s talk about one of our favorite subjects, bears!  Maybe you’ve seen our bear info pop-up around Mammoth this month - we’ll be out and about in September as well, check out our events calendar to see the schedule. The Eastern Sierra is home to the American Black Bear, which is one of the eight species of bears in the world.  Despite the name, black bears can range in color from light blonde to dark, with many of the bears in the Sierra tending to be more cinnamon and brown in color. Black bears are large and powerful mammals, with females (called sows) generally weighing between 100 - 300 pounds and males (boars)weighing between 150 - 400 pounds.  However, it isn’t unusual for large males to top over 500 pounds. [...]

It's August and that means the trails in the High Sierra have come alive with color as wildflowers bloom along the trails.  Not only beautiful, these wildflower gardens are a striking reminder of the region's resilience and biodiversity.  Look closely at the flowers and you are likely to see a wide range of pollinators buzzing about the flowers. We put together this guide of some of the common flowers you'll find out on High Sierra trails right now.  Interested in learning more?  Join one of our Wildflower Walks this summer in Little Lakes Valley and Tahoe Meadows.   Sierra Columbine (Aquilegia pubescens) This showy cream to yellow flower is typically found in open, rocky slopes between 8,000 - 12,000 feet in elevation.  It is endemic to the Eastern Sierra, meaning [...]

It's been a busy start to the summer season here at Sierra Forever! Our campfire talks are happening almost every Friday and Saturday at campgrounds up and down the Eastern Sierra, and we have a variety of interpretive hikes on the calendar to choose from. Read all about these, plus our recent stewardship events and upcoming events in our July Newsletter: Click here to get started! Not on our mailing list? Sign up HERE to get our monthly newsletter delivered to your inbox!