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It’s been a while since the last Outdoorsy episode. A lot has happened. Kerry got married, put together a big series of health stories, and Ezra has some big news of his own. This is his last episode with Outdoorsy. He’s leaving Valley Public Radio for an environment reporter job with Capital Public Radio in Sacramento. He says he’ll miss this area, but he’s psyched to explore the outdoors in places like Lake Tahoe. We’ll miss Ezra a lot, but we’re excited for him. And before he goes, we had to get him into the outdoors one more time for us. In this episode we visit a place that we’ve actually been to before in another podcast about caves. But we explore it in a new way--new at least for us. We’re going mountain biking! We’ll take you out on the trail, help you figure out how to get started, and reveal some of the history behind one of the Fresno area’s most popular mountain biking areas. Guests: Craig Bowden, President of Central California Off-Road Cyclists John McCracken , co-owner
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This summer we've been on the river a lot. Floating, some kayaking and well a lot of sunbathing. R ivers in Central California have been amazing this summer. They’ve been really high the past few months because of the record snowfall in the Sierra this winter. That’s generally a good thing, but it has made for some dangerous conditions. Earlier in the season, local authorities closed rivers like the Kings River to swimmers and boaters. A number of people in the Valley drowned because fast moving water can be so dangerous. This caution took a toll on rental industries like whitewater rafting. But now that flows have slowed, and the season is looking to be extra long this year, this episode will focus on two sports: whitewater rafting and kayaking. In this episode we’ll travel deep into the Kern River Valley and learn how to whitewater raft on what’s known to be a mean set of rapids. P lus we’ll go on a group kayaking trip on the San Joaquin River and learn what kind of gear you’ll need
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Okay, you know it, we know it: Summer in Central California is hot. Really hot. So hot, we know that even if we had an awesome activity to talk about, most of you probably wouldn’t do it. At least, not during the day. Instead, we’ve got an idea for something cool to do after the sun has retreated below the horizon: stargazing. In this episode we talk all about gazing into the heavens. We’ll go to a star party at Millerton Lake and learn how some people are trying to protect the night sky for future generations. We’ll also hear about an upcoming festival dedicated to dark skies in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Guests: Brian Bellis , Star Party Coordinator with Central Valley Astronomers Peter Strasser , Technical Director of the International Dark-Sky Association Nancy Emerson , Chairperson of the Santa Barbara County Chapter of the International Dark Sky Association Savannah Boiano , Education Director for the Sequoia Parks Conservancy Dark Sky Festival - Sequoia and Kings
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Spring is here and it’s the perfect time to get outdoors. There are, of course, lots of fun things to do outside this time of year, but one sport is attracting locals specifically to rock faces everywhere. Today’s episode focuses on that activity, and especially on safety. We’re talking about rock climbing, which may sound intimidating, but when done right is actually very safe. In this episode we talk climbing basics, staying safe from one particular critter that could really ruin your climbing trip, and we meet a local climber with an unusual—and heartbreaking—reason for getting into the sport. Central California is a great place to live if you’re into rock climbing, so we decided to learn how. Kerry’s a regular climber, but Ezra’s not a big fan—so, naturally, we sent him to take a lesson. He took our intern, Laura Tsutsui , to Metalmark , Fresno’s local climbing gym. It was her first time ever climbing, and she’s not crazy about heights—so this sounded like a fun experiment. We met
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For today's show, we're exploring the Valley's natural resources. Those can include lots of things, like water, historical artifacts, and animal species, but today we're focusing on rocks, minerals and ancient fossils. We’ll tell you how to find neat resources like these in and around the Valley, and how you and your kids can learn more about them. The audio version even features a few bonus geology puns! GOLD IN THE REGION So we’ve had a really wet winter and spring this year. Reservoirs are brimming and rivers are full. All that water is moving a lot of rocks down river. Ezra wondered what all that water was loosening up and carrying down waterways. To find out more Ezra hung out with a few folks who know a lot about the subject, gold prospectors. They went out to the Fresno River near the mountain town of Oakhurst. Meet Larry Riggs. He’s been gold prospecting since he was six, he’s now 69. “That’s a piece of gold, that little speck,” says Riggs. “I’ve had three pans and I’ve found
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Today, we’re taking advantage of the season and venturing out into the snow. We’ve gotten a lot of it this winter, so it’s the perfect opportunity for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Or at least snowball fights. A native New Englander, Kerry loves the winter—as long as she’s bundled up and warm. Ezra: not so much. But as far as winter activities go, snowshoeing is his jam. And who doesn’t love seeing their breath in the air and hearing ice crunching under their feet? In this episode, we’ll take you to a few places near the valley to play in the snow, we’ll help you get equipped, and then tantalize you with a sugary delicacy that’s wildly popular in Shaver Lake. Yosemite by Snowshoe So far this winter, we’ve taken two snowshoeing trips—each with varying success. The first was to what Kerry regards as the most magical place in wintertime: Yosemite National Park. We went with a few friends friends over Christmas weekend when a big storm rolled through the Valley. We drove in as the
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In this episode, we’re venturing to a different kind of destination. It’s not exactly outdoors…but there’s no heating or air conditioning. It’s musty, damp and that’s what some people love about it. Often the only light source is the light you bring. We’re going underground. In this episode we’re exploring the world of spelunking. But people who do this don’t actually call it that. They refer to the activity as caving. We’ll meander through a threatened cave system in the region, find out all about the gear you need for underfoot activities and learn about subterranean spots in Sequoia National Park. Did you know there are more than 300 caves there? Millerton Caves In December we went underground to a place called Millerton Caves along the San Joaquin River Gorge with a local caver. The caves are about a 20-minute drive from Fresno, plus a 30-minute hike once you arrive. They’re in an area where the river cuts through a steep canyon. A 13-mile one-way trail runs along the river. We
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In our last episode we brought you to Mono Hot Springs in Sierra National Forest. This time, we discuss hiking with dogs and we explore a not-so-visited grove of giant sequoias. In this episode we talk less about humans and more about our pets: specifically, dogs. N either of us (Kerry or Ezra) has dogs but hiking with them looks like a lot of fun. Our friends also talk about how tough it can be to find dog-friendly hiking spots and to keep them safe. So this episode is all about where to take them, w here not to take them, and how to prep them for the outdoors if they’re not quite ready yet. We also found a place on the way to Yosemite National Park w here both humans and animals can get a treat. We knew there was only one way to do this story: spend some time with dogs and their people. We invited four buddies with furry friends to join us for a day in the woods. Meet Norah, Duke, Bart and Kuma Diego, and their owners: Mackenzie, Christine, Michelle and Joey. There's a grove of giant
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In our last episode we took you to this mountain oasis called Mineral King in Sequoia National Park. This time, we go 100 miles north of there to a place called Mono Hot Springs. Mono (pronounced “MOE-no”) Hot Springs is tucked away in the Sierra Nevada south of Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes, and it’s about halfway from the Valley to the East Side. The hot springs sit in a mountain valley next to a fork in the San Joaquin River. Like Mineral King , the springs are at the end of a long, winding road. To get there from Fresno, you drive up Highway 168 East past places like Shaver Lake and China Peak Ski Resort. Before reaching Huntington Lake, turn onto Kaiser Pass Road, which quickly becomes only one lane. At some points it’s worse than the drive to Mineral King. It’s narrow and bumpy and at a few points, the side of the road drops off literally over a cliff. We don’t recommend driving it at night. As you climb Kaiser Pass, the highest point of the drive, you briefly venture
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Yay! You made it to Outdoorsy. This is Valley Public Radio’s new podcast, in which we explore wild places in California and interview the people who enjoy them. We – reporters Ezra David Romero and Kerry Klein – are excited to share some of our favorite places and outdoor activities. We both consider ourselves pretty “Outdoorsy,” though we're coming at this from two different backgrounds. Ezra’s explored the Sierra Nevada his whole life. He grew up near Fresno and his love for the outdoors started on childhood camping trips with his dad and brothers. Since then he’s camped, hiked, kayaked, and done a few survival training camps and nature scavenger hunts. Kerry’s a backpacker and camper, too, plus she's into rock climbing and bicycling. She’s new to this area, having grown up exploring the Berkshires and White Mountains in New England. The Sierra Nevada is totally different – in a great way – and Kerry’s been looking for places to go. Despite our separate experiences with the Sierra
