Dan's Outside

Sun Fog and Trees

Photo of sun, fog, and trees
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January 26, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Sun Fog and Trees

2003.01.26

Almaden Quicksilver Mines Park

January 26 and I saw the first wildflowers of the season today.
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January 26, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2003.01.26

2003.01.23

***Senate Rejects Effort to Delay Rules on Clean Air.
The fight played out in the form of amendments to a $390 billion appropriations measure that the Senate has been considering for a week. By Sheryl Gay Stolberg. [New York Times: Science]

***Because It’s There: Putting Everest Online.
A group of American technology experts is collaborating with a Sherpa to help establish a wireless Internet setup at a Mount Everest base camp. By Nancy Gohring. [New York Times: Technology]
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January 23, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2003.01.23

2003.01.22

After almost 30 years as a XC skier, a couple weeks ago I tried telemark skiing for the first time – the modern type of tele’ skiing, with wide metal-edged skis and heavy boots. For the first time in my life I skied a downhill resort – twice actually. The first was Northstar a couple weeks ago and then I skied at Squaw Valley earlier this week.

The plan is to use this downhill skiing as practice so that I can develop enough competence on tele gear to try some backcountry skiing.

And, no, I have no plans to give up XC skiing…

***Wilderness skiers seek perfect powder – Trips are costly, dangerous … and addictive, fans say
“To stand on a mountaintop deep in the backcountry of British Columbia and look out over thousands and thousands of acres of wilderness and know there are no more than 40 or 50 people in the whole area — that’s a feeling you can’t get any other way,” said John Wagnon, vice president of marketing for Heavenly Ski Resort at Lake Tahoe, who has gone heli-skiing in British Columbia seven times. [SFGate]

Well, actually there is another way. Put on backcountry gear and ski into the backcountry.
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January 22, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2003.01.22

2003.01.19

***Hikers, bikers find their bliss at Briones Park – A spider web of roads and trails surrounds gem-like reservoir
– Tom Stienstra write about Briones Park: “… the park has a spider web of old ranch roads and hiking trails that provide access and allow bikers and hikers to create great trips. You can return over and over again, making slight detours and new turns, making each trip as fresh as the first. A trip to one of the peaks, either Briones or Mott peak, makes everything work.” [SFGate]
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January 19, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2003.01.19

Quicksilver Diablo Range Panorama

Panorama of the Diablo Range from Quicksilver Mines County Park
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January 18, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Quicksilver Diablo Range Panorama

2003.01.18

&t

At 8:30 this morning is was probably 65 degrees on top of this 1400′ ridge at Quicksilver Mines County Park. Below, the Santa Clara Valley was socked in by heavy fog with temperatures in the 40s.
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January 18, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2003.01.18

Photography

At one time all of my photos were posted on this page. However, as the number of photos increased the download times became way too long. I have moved the photographs to separate pages. See the list in the sidebar on the right side of this page and on the home page of this web site.

[Macro error: Can’t include message “105” because no message exists with that number, shortcut or path.]

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January 16, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Photography

2003.01.16

***Away from it all – Midweek best time for Bay Area outings
“The Bay Area has roughly 150 significant parks with about 7,500 miles of trails, 20 waterfalls, a dozen mountain peaks with stellar lookouts, 10 redwood forests, 45 lakes with public access and 15 providing good fishing, 20 fishing piers, 100 miles of ocean frontage with dozens of secluded beaches, the bay and its open waters and half-dozen islands, 50 campgrounds including 20 secluded hike-in sites, 1,500 miles of waterways for boating and among the best salmon fishing, mountain biking and boating tours in North America.” [SFGate]
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January 16, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2003.01.16

2003.01.07

***Environment and Science: Danes Rebuke a ‘Skeptic’.
A branch of the Danish Research Agency has concluded that the author of an upbeat analysis of environmental trends displayed “scientific dishonesty.” By Andrew C. Revkin. [New York Times: Science]

***Einstein Was Right on Gravity’s Velocity.
In a test critical to theories of cosmology, scientists have for the first time measured the speed at which the force of gravity moves. By The New York Times. [New York Times: Science]

***‘Fog City’ Catches a Few Rays.
By installing solar panels and other energy-efficient systems in its public buildings, San Francisco hopes to become a center for ‘green’ building. Alternative-energy advocates hope cities across the United States will follow suit. By Kendra Mayfield. [Wired News]
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January 7, 2003 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on 2003.01.07