Sierra Alpinist

California is one of the most geographically diverse areas in the United States – deserts, beaches, forests, and cave systems can all be found within a few hours drive of cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. And one of the most spectacular features literally separates California from the rest of the country – the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, the subject of our featured TypePad blog, Sierra Alpinist. The author is based in San Francisco and spends his weekends in the mountains (about 4 hours away) hiking and climbing amidst the pristine lakes (such as Tahoe), rivers, vast stretches of pine, and rugged cliffs that make up the area – all of which can be found in the pictures and posts supplied by the author. A hiker and backpacker, he shares his mountain adventures, environmental news, videos of the area (especially tranquil for those of us working in a hot, humid city), and events in the backcountry with all of us. (This last illustrates why the area – beautiful as it is – is not to be taken lightly.) Featured trip reports keep you abreast of where the author has trekked, blogrolls and other “outdoor” sites offer additional escapes to readers.