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What to Pack for Yosemite in the Spring
Though Yosemite is located in central California, its weather varies greatly from the nearby warmer, dryer central valley. In the spring, temperatures can swing from 20 degrees F to 80 degrees F in the span of days – which can make packing a challenge. Like dressing for San Francisco, the key is to bring layers that can be easily added or removed. Read on for what I packed recently for a three-day two-night car camping trip!
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Hiking Mt. Tam: Steep Ravine & Dipsea Trail from Pantoll Station
Just a short 45 minute drive north of San Francisco, Mount Tamalpais State Park (Mt. Tam for short) provides ample trails and sights for hikers of all ability levels. Recently, we had some time to squeeze in a short afternoon hike, so we opted for the 3.8 mile Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop starting from Pantoll Station.
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Ikeda’s Pies & More: Visiting Tahoe
During a previous stay at Hostel Tahoe, a roommate kindly recommended that I check out Ikeda’s Country Market in Auburn, located right off Highway 80. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to swing by on that trip – Highway 80 was shut down from a mudslide and we were rerouted away from Ikeda’s. Luckily, the season was still young and I was able to stop by with my boyfriend on a more recent trip to North Lake Tahoe. While the berry pies came highly recommended, I’m glad we also checked out what else they had to offer – which were equally delicious!
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Visiting North Lake Tahoe & Northstar
With the help of a season ski pass and a record-setting snowfall, I’ve spent more time in Lake Tahoe over the past few months than I have in the past 27 years combined! Specifically, I was able to make several trips to North Lake Tahoe and get to know the area better. While my experience is centered around winter activities, I hope this post can help others plan for visiting North Tahoe year-round.
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Staying in Colfax: Visiting Tahoe on a Budget
Recently, my boyfriend and I decided to visit squeeze in a few more days on the mountain in Tahoe before the end of the ski season. We opted to snowboard Sunday to Tuesday, hoping to avoid most of the weekend rush and crowd. Rather than driving up early Sunday (with a 3.5 hour drive, we would have had to depart San Francisco around 5am), we decided to drive most of the way Saturday and spend the night in Colfax, CA, which is only an hour away from Northstar Resort and Lake Tahoe.