Tag Archives: Wilderness

Return To Scene Of Lion Standoff

I returned to the place of the lion faceoff, to measure the distance between us on that day; the most memorable day of my life in the Santa Ynez Mountains of Condor National Forest. Using the yard measurement instrument of … Continue reading

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Los Padres Forest Association Backs Forest Closure

Los Padres Forest Association issued an obsequious letter to the Forest Service declaring their full embrace of the two month closure of Los Padres National Forest. They called the shutout “wise.” That’s a word of exceptional assuredness. Not just smart, … Continue reading

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Mountain Lion Standoff, Santa Ynez Mountains

What I saw when I first turned to continue my walkabout. A beautiful disaster.  “Lions often stalk their prey and attack by leaping on their shoulders and back, biting the top of the neck or head. Their jaws are strong … Continue reading

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Forest Service Welcomes Hikers To Falling Trees, Flash Floods and Debris Flows

How much worse do conditions get?  (Those are actually fantastic conditions! The worse the better.)  And yet in the face of such natural horrors, the likes of which only Danny Hillman might venture risking limb and life to vanquish, they … Continue reading

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Wild Iris Bloom, Santa Ynez Mountains

The wild iris are abloom now in the Santa Ynez Mountains. This particular flush shown may be the best bloom in many years, coming after the Thomas Fire of 2017 cleared the way, and a month after the torrential record-setting … Continue reading

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