few people outdoors experience (Palo Alto, Santa Cruz: camp, food, castle)

[80skeys]

Hello -

For outdoors/mountains activities, I am used to the Rocky Mountain states, which means: big mountains, vast wildernesses, with few people!

Is there anywhere in the Sierras or maybe northern California ranges that offers a similar experience?

[Luke9686]

Either extreme northern California or deep in the back country in places like Yosemite, Sequoia, Tahoe.

[DMenscha]

check out this page;

Category:Wilderness Areas of California - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[RebekahOwen]

It doesn't take long to get away. Most people don't want to walk more than 1/2 mile!
I love all the parks along Summit/Skyline - Like Castlerock or Monte Bello.
Also love Rancho San Antonio - I do a long run past the farm on upper wildcat - there are people the first mile then less folks the farther out you go.
If you look at a map - anything along the foothills - Quicksilver to Bear Creek to Palo Alto - is gorgeous, close to town and not many folks.
If you don't want to see anyone for days do the Pacific Crest Trail - I like the part through Yosemite - tuolomne meadows, devils postpile, mosquito pass - but beware the bear :-)

[80skeys]

Dmenscha: thanks for the link.
Rebekah: in the Rocky mountain states, bears are very shy and there is no issue at all hiking in the backcountry. Are bears more accustomed to people's presence out here?

[Zeya]

I second Castle Rock, which is in the Santa Cruz mountains. Actually there's a long trail called Skyline if you want to look it up. We did an overnight deadhead at Castle rock, but some other hikers were going all the way to Santa Cruz on that trail over 3 days.

If you go to Lake Tahoe or into the Sierras like near Grass Valley, there's tons of wilderness out there, with more of that Colorado feel to it. Go nuts out there.

If you head south along the coast, over by Monterey there's Big Sur. I went there once and it was really nice.

People always talk about trips to Yosemite, but I've not been there.

*sigh* I wish my girlfriend wasn't such a homebody. I miss hiking and stuff.

[Zeya]

Originally Posted by 80skeys

Rebekah: in the Rocky mountain states, bears are very shy and there is no issue at all hiking in the backcountry. Are bears more accustomed to people's presence out here?

I've never seen a trace of a bear around here. Maybe there are some in the true mountains like Lake Tahoe and into the Sierras. I don't think there are many at all in the Santa Cruz mountains. I've seen signs warning about mountain lions and rattlesnakes, but I haven't seen traces of any.

[sonarrat]

I saw a mountain lion just once, on the other side of the valley by Anderson Lake. This morning a mountain lion was apparently struck and killed on I-280 in Hillsborough..

[80skeys]

In Colorado, you can get way off the beaten track, to many areas of the backcountry, on forest roads. Do the Sierras have an extensive network of forest roads?

[RebekahOwen]

When I run at Ranch San Antonio I see wild turkeys, deer, bobcats, quail, rattlesnakes and bunnies in the lower wildcat final stretch back to the farm. There are signs for mountain lions but I have not seen any.
The animals at Rancho are a bit tame and sometimes I have to clap my hands for them to clear the path.
In yosemite the bears aggressively stalked our food. When we packed through we had a bear with a cub circle our camp, we woke up to deep claw marks in the tree where we hung our food and had to repair a pack that we had hung due to a bear ripping the cheese out of the side pocket.
We carry a gun in Yosemite as a precaution against the bears but have never used it. Instead we threw rocks at the bear that was circling our camp and she eventually left. Spring is gorgeous but it is also when the cubs are out and mama is in protection mode.
As a kid we drank the water in the Yosemite outback but today need a filter for the Ghiardia.
It's a beautiful trek and worth throwing a few rocks. I highly recommend it.