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Point Cabrillo Light Station

October 27th, 2011

 

Point Cabrillo Lighthouse

If you are visiting the Mendocino Coast, Point Cabrillo Light Station is well worth a visit. The first and third weekend of March 2012 they will be hosting a special Whale Festival with some of the best views for whale watching on the coast.

If you have a few days to stay in the area check-out staying at the Point Cabrillo Lightkeeper’s House. Price is very reasonable compared to other lodging in Mendocino.

The Point Cabrillo Lighthouse was established in 1909. It is one of the best restored lighthouses on the west coast and is located just north of Mendocino and south of Caspar, Ca.

California State Parks purchased the light station in 2002, unfortunately it is one of the 70 state parks slated to close July 1, 2012.

It is a 1/2 mile walk from parking area to lighthouse with views of wildlife and the ocean.  The Light Station is also close to Mendocino Headlands SP, and Russian Gulch SP.

Fall Colors are Here

October 25th, 2011

Lassen in background

Come visit Lassen Volcanic National Park and Plumas County. We have a variety of fall colors to see and the weather is great!
For a complete driving guide check out Plumas County Fall Color Guide, it will show you driving routes for the best fall colors in Plumas County.  Hwy 89 through Lassen Park will give you great fall colors and views of Lake Almanor.  If you want to hike while you are here check out Mill Creek Falls  and Kings Creek Falls both great hikes in Lassen Park.

For some great photo tips check Awesome Autumn.  Plumas county also has a self guided driving and biking tour of local historical barns displaying quilt blocks.  This tour was created through a grant of the California 4-H Youth Development Program.  Many of the barns are in the same areas as our wonderful fall colors.

Lassen Volcanic National Park is offering no fee days November 11,12,and 13th.  St. Bernard Lodge is offering a lodging special of book three nights and get the third night at 50% off until November 31st.

 

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK ROAD OPENS

July 14th, 2011

View from Kohm-Yah-mah-nee Visitor CenterHwy. 89 through Lassen Park will open to traffic Saturday, July 16th. This is the second latest opening for the park road in 30 years, in 1995 it did not open until July 21.  The earliest it has opened since 1980 is April 28th, this was in 1990.  The latest it has stayed open is November 21st.

Weekend of July16th is the last weekend for skiing and snowshoeing on Lassen Peak for the season.  Trail crews will begin work to rehabilitate Lassen Peak Trail for the second season of the Reach the Peak project.

Many of the park trails still have snow coverage, including Bumpass Hell and Brokeoff Mountain trails.  Snow conditions can be icy in the mornings and slushy and slippery in the afternoons.  Hiking in the snow-covered areas requires sturdy hiking boots and trekking poles.  Ice ax, crampons and helmet are recommended for safety.

Kings Creek Falls trail is not accessible due to snow and Dream Lake is closed due to restoration project underway.

There are still many hikes open for visitors wishing to avoid snowy areas.  Two areas outside of Lassen Park are the Subway Caves and Spatter Cone hike, which both are in the Lassen National Forest.  At the NW part of park Manzanita Lake is open.  South of Manzanita Lake is Hot Rock which amazes me every time I think of how high it had to blow from Lassen Peak to land where it did. The Devastated Area has great signage and views. NE corner of park has Cinder Cone and Butte Lake.  From the top of Cinder Cone you have views of Painted Dunes, Snag Lake and Lassen Peak.  SE entrance of the park has Boiling Springs Lake and Devils Kitchen.  If you contact Drakesbad  ahead of time you can make reservations for lunch or dinner.   If you want to see part of the park via horseback Drakesbad offers trail rides. Willow Lake is one of California most unusual lakes and it is the Warner Valley area outside of the Park, in the Lassen National Forest.

If you enjoy hiking it is time to make plans to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park.  For more information you may call the park at 530-595-4480 or call us at St. Bernard Lodge at 530-258-3382.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WATERCOLOR IN NATURE

July 13th, 2011

August 20th and 21st, 2011

Lassen Association is providing  Watercolor workshop as part of its Field Seminar Program.

Professional artist, Kim Faucher will be personally guiding you in sketching and watercolor painting. Kim is a professional artist and instructor with years of experience teaching other outdoor enthusiasts how to capture nature by watercolor.  Kim is also a direct descendant of Alex Sifford, a pioneer who settled in the Warner Valley area of Lassen Volcanic National Park.  Kim currently teaches watercolor painting in Medford, Oregon.

The cost is only 49.95 per person per workshop.  A personal watercolor kit is included in price or bring your own supplies.  Meet at Drakesbad Guest Lodge 8:45 am both Saturday and Sunday.  Workshop lasts until 3 pm each day.  It is recommended to bring backpacks, small folding chair, water, sack lunch, snacks, comfortable shoes, sunscreen, hat, loose protective and comfortable clothing, insect repellent and light jacket just in case.

Beginner and Experienced Painters Welcome

Experience Lassen Volcanic National Park through Watercolor Painting.  Choose to spend one or two days with Kim Faucher in the Warner Valley area of Lassen Park.  Translate impressions of your surroundings into luminous watercolors as you create memories of your visit.  The class is designed to accommodate the beginner as well as experienced watercolorist.  Kim Faucher will demonstrate techniques for drawing and painting natural features such as rocks, mountains, water, weathered wood, wildflowers, trees and geological formations found in Warner Valley.  With Warner Valley as your backdrop and inspiration, you will learn how to compose a painting, understand the values of light and dark, sketch, transfer drawing to watercolor paper, background wash, wet into wet and negative painting.

Workshop details and registration are available at both Loomis Museum and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, or online at http://www.lassenassociation.org.  Class limit 20 painters – Ages 13 and up.

St. Bernard Lodge still has rooms available for this weekend.  Book your room and your class now, http://www.stbernardlodge.com.

Lassen Association will be offering two other field seminar topics this summer:  Star Gate; The Night Sky over Lassen Volcanic National Park with Instructor Ellis Richard and August 6 and August 27th. Also, Nature Photography for Digital & Film at Lassen Volcanic National Park with Instructor, Terry Nathan on August 27 & 28th.  Details of both to follow on future blog post.

 

 

 

 

49th GOLD DIGGER DAYS IN GREENVILLE, CALIF.

July 11th, 2011

 

 

 

Start the weekend Friday night the 15th with a Hot Rod Car show & Band in the Evergreen Parking Lot. Car show start at 5:00 pm Music by Side FX starts at 8:00 pm and goes until midnight.

Saturday July, 16th 2011

Start the day with a pancake breakfast at the Masonic Lodge on Main Street at 7:00am
Men’s Softball Tournaments start at 7:00 am both Saturday and Sunday.

Street Faire and Food Court are available all day along Main Street.

Horseshoe Pitchers Tournaments start at 9:00 am both Saturday and Sunday.

“Parade” starts at 10:00 am. There are cash prizes for best float: $200, $100 and $50. For more information on parade entry form call Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce at 530-284-6633 or www.indianvalley.net
After the parade join in on an Old Fashion Homemade Ice Cream Social on Pine Street.

Activities during the day include: Kids games, petting zoo, bake sale, Men’s best beard and legs contest, kids gold rush with $350 in prizes. Watermelon eating contest for all ages.

The is a “GOLD DIGGER RAFFLE” for a Henry .30/30. Drawing will be held Saturday at Street Dance, winner need not be present to win. Raffle tickets are available at local Indian Valley Merchants.

THE GENESEE-BECKWOURTH TRAIL

July 2nd, 2011

 

Historic Heart K Ranch

Enjoy a guided tour along the Old Genesee Beckwourth Wagon Road in Plumas County. Dan Elliot a US Forest Archeologist and Farrell Cunningham a Maidu Historian will be leading the trip. You will learn avout the Maidu Indians who lived in the area for many generations as well as early European Settlers such as Jim Beckwourth.

During the tour you will visit the Heart K Ranch and learn its history and future presented by Feather River Land Trust.

Reservations are required. Call today to register at 530-284-1022. Cost is 50 per person or 95 per couple. Morning refreshments, lunch, snacks and bus transportation are all provided. The tour begins in Quincy at 8:00 am and will conclude by 5:00 pm

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK – A COOL PLACE TO VISIT THIS FOURTH OF JULY

June 30th, 2011

View of Lassen Park on June 30, 2011Lassen Park will be a cool summer retreat from the valley this holiday weekend for visitors looking to camp, hike, fish,picnic, kayak, and even play in the snow. The park has a wonderful variety of activities for visitors because of the differing elevations in the park. The main road through the park will not be completely open until July 8. At this time it is open ten miles in on the north side of park to the Devastated Area and seven miles to the Bumpass Hell Trailhead parking area from the Southwest Entrance. Hikers to Lassen Peak will find that it requires an ice ax, crampons and a helmet for safety. It will be an excellent weekend for spring skiing and snowshoeing in the higher elevations.

Fourth of July weekend the park will be offering special programs, visitors are welcome to attend programs featuring former Lassen Volcanic National Park interpretation rangers. More information can be found on the park website at www.nps.gov/lavo

If you need a great place to eat breakfaast, lunch or dinner just call ahead for reservations at the St. Bernard Lodge 530-258-3382.

SOLAR COOK-OFF

June 30th, 2011

21st Annual Solar Cook-off

Friday and Saturday July 8 & 9, 2011 Blackhawk Solar presents the 21st Annual Solar Cook-off at the Taylorsville Campground.

Bring your own store-bought or home-made solar oven and share in the fun.  There will be solar demonstrations, solar cooked food to sample.  Over 30 Arts and Crafts booths.  More than a dozen bands.  Admission for the weekend is only $15.00 if you want to camp fee is $14 per night.

Music Line-up Music includes:  FRIDAYNIGHT

7:30 – 8:15 pm Hank & Shaidri Alrich

8:20 – 9:00 pm Boogie Daddys

9:05- 10:00 pm Jeff Pershing Band

10:00 pm Drumming with Terra  Lumbus and Dancing

SATURDAY

10:00 – 10:30 am Benny, Penny & Dude

10:35- 11:10 Melissa Ruth & Likely Stories with Leal Brothers

11:50 am – 12:30 pm Spur of the Moment

12:35- 1:15 pm Perpetual Drifters

1:20 – 2:00 pm Rocket Surgery

2:05- 2:45  pm Soldiers of HiFi

2:50-3:35 pm Mudbone

3:40 – 4:20 pm Jason King Band

4:25- 5:15 pm Blue Haven

8:00 – 8:45 pm Lost Sierra Ramblers

8:50- 10:00 pm Guitar Woody and the Boilers

A Day at Chester Park

June 22nd, 2011

A Few Brews & A Banjo

Saturday, June 25th 2011
2 – 6pm at Chester Park

Come spend a sunny summer afternoon sitting among friends alongside the north fork of the Feather River under cottonwood trees. Sip on a tasty micro-brewed beer with a tri-tip sandwich. Enjoy Bluegrass & Americana Music. Watch children dance and play. This is not only great fun, you are helping to raise for local high school music and drama programs.

Music Schedule:

2–3:30pm.. Sourdough Slim with Robert Armstrong
4–5:30pm..The Ruby Hollow Ban

Slim & Armstrong

Event admission is free. Tickets for brew-glasses and wristbands are $25 and will be available at the park on the day of the event to those 21 years old and up.

All proceeds will be donated to the Music and Drama Dept at Chester High.

Food and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided by the Elks Club of Chester.

The BREWS:

Sierra Nevada Brewing
Great Basin Brewing
Anchor Brewing
New Belgium Brewing
Firehouse
Anderson Valley
Lagunitas
Bear Republic

Brews

Sourdough Slim with Robert Armstrong

A marvel of musical ingenuity, showman extraordinaire Sourdough Slim and string instrument wizard Robert Armstrong joyously rekindle the country blues, western classics, vintage jazz and string band repertoire of pre-WWII America. A fast-paced performance of music and humor that showcases their seasoned gift for connecting with audiences. Whether capturing the haunting refrain of a Jimmie Rodgers blue yodel or swinging out a hot novelty number, everyone gets caught up in the fun these two cut-ups have on stage. Long time fans will remember them as founding members of two of California’s favorite acoustic combo’s, “8th Avenue String Band” and “R. Crumb’s Cheap Suit Serenaders.” Between them they share a provocative array of period instruments including: flat-top guitar, national steel guitar, baritone and soprano ukulele, musical saw, accordion, six-string banjo and harmonica.

Well-traveled veterans of stages ranging from Carnegie Hall and The Lincoln Center to The Strawberry Music Festival, The National Cowboy Gathering and Prairie Home Companion, these modern day vaudevillians capture a sound and moment in time that consistently delights fun loving music fans of all walks of life.
Ruby-Hollow-Band

Ruby Hollow Band
www.rubyhollowband.com

Covers, original and traditional songs; ballads, new grass, polkas, Irish and South American/ Spanish tunes, incredible 4-part harmonies, and much more. Their repertoire keeps growing from our varied musical passions… and they do it all with flair and lots of fun!

Ruby Hollow is nothing short of a “phoenix rising” band, rumbling and rising from the wonderfully, musically eclectic dust of the 1980′s “Willowgreen” (David Cowan, Jo Chavez, Alice Peake) to a smashing hot, new configuration (with the addition of David Bilinski) of even more cool instrumentation and incredibly beautiful, intricately woven 4-part harmonies… all in the package of Hot Pogo Folk Music!

What is Hot Pogo Folk Music, you may well ask? Think of a child’s pogo stick hopping and bopping around from place to place, staying put long enough for the balance and fun, and then moving on to another adventure… all in compelling music and song!

The Hot Pogo Folk instruments we use (with constant additions!) are: guitars (including a 7 string), dobro, mandolin, electric bass, 2 accordions, banjo, lap steel, harmonica, South American keynas and panpipes, charrango, penny whistles, flute, bodhran; hammered dulcimer, lap dulcimers, kanun, and keyboard for tailored special performances, drums and various percussive instruments.
Sponsored by the Lake Almanor Community Foundation in partnership with Plumas Arts. Special Thanks to Superior Products Co. Mark Carter, Mtn Division

Lassen Volcanic National Park

June 18th, 2011

Lassen Volcanic Park on June 18, 2011

Lassen Volcanic National Park Road is now open to Bumpass Hell parking area at the SW entrance, Devastated Area at the North entrance, Road to Butte Lake and Cinder Cone is open and Warner Valley road into Drakesbad is open. Road crews are working to have Hwy. 89 through the park open for fourth of July weekend.  http://www.stbernardlodge.com/facebook or park website both have road updates.

Right now is a popular time for spring skiing or snowshoeing. Bodfish Quiet Mountain Sports in Chester rents cross country skis and snowshoes. Mill Creek Resort rents snowshoes. This is a great time to try cross country skiing or snowshoeing while the weather is warm and the park still has lots of snow.

Lassen peak is open to over-the-snow travel until trail crews are able to begin work for the season which will be the second year of Reach the Peak trail rehabilitation project. Access to the peak will be limited to the following dates this summer: July 1 to July 4; August 13 & 14, and September 2 to September 5. If you want to make it to Lassen Peak this is the time to do it with over-the-snow travel conditions.

Ranger-led programs are kicking off on Friday June 17th and will continue through Labor Day weekend. There are programs for visitors of all ages. For a program schedule check the park web site or the summer newspaper for the park.

Weather conditions can change quickly in the park be prepared for possible cold and snowy conditions. Dress in layers, bring blankets, food, water, sunscreen and sunglasses.

The Lassen Association will be offering full and half day workshops in the Drakesbad/Warner Valley and Manzanita areas of Lassen Volcanic National Park for both children and adults.  Once they have the workshops schedule we will post on St. Bernard Lodge blog and face book page