While it may seem like “just another outdoor film festival”, the 5Point Film Festival takes on the genre of adventure film in a different way than other festivals. While other festivals feature films and shorts with an activism spin, 5Point takes on a different kind of activism: uniting people through their love of adventure and…
In a deal that has been over a decade in the making, the California Coastal Commission unanimously approved a deal to preserve a seven-and-a-half mile stretch of coastline known as the Coastal Dairies. The 6,800 acres that will be preserved is the third largest privately-owned parcels of land on the west coast. While the length…
The fine folks at Backcountry Pictures have put together a spectacular documentary about the history, present state, and future of the state parks in California. At a time when 70 state parks in California are facing closure, “California Forever: The Story of California State Parks” aims to show audiences the rich history that the state…
This week, the National Park Service launched a pilot program to provide maps via smartphone technology in parts of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The program utilizes Quick Response code technology (better known as QR codes) that has become popular with smartphone users in the last year or so. Visitors can scan the…
In a recent announcement, the Unites States Forest Service, with the help of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, will be dedicating $40.6 million towards acquiring 27 “exceptional land acquisition projects” this year as part of the Obama Administration’s America’s Great Outdoors initiative. The land, spread across 15 states, will be restored by the Forest…
After years of hard work and dedication, it looks like the efforts of Protectors of Tule Springs and it’s founder, Jill DeStefano, are paying off. Last week, the Bureau of Land Management announced that it will protect 11,000 acres of land in the northwest part of the Las Vegas Valley from residential construction projects. Tule…
Being outdoors has always been an important part of my life, as far back as I can remember. Hiking in forests, swimming in the river, exploring the woods around my parents house, and always camping (even if it was just a tent in the backyard). I have vivid memories of “panning for gold” in a…
A recent discovery by University of Colorado Boulder researchers has shed new light on the pine beetle infestation that is destroying forests across North America. For many years, it was thought that the mountain pine beetle only produced one generation of offspring per year. Unfortunately, researchers at CU-Boulder have found that some mountain pine beetle populations…
There are just two days left to enter the lottery for permits to climb the cables on Yosemite’s famed Half Dome. This year will be the first year the permits will be handled via a lottery system. After initiating the permit system three years ago, park officials in Yosemite National Park are hoping to solve…
For the past few years, National Parks Week has been a huge hit with people across the country. In addition to fee-free days throughout the year, the NPS invites people to visit the parks, for free during one week in April. With just under 400 units in the National Park System, you probably might not…