B 523 Bill Mott

– Doug McConnell

I had the honor to MC the transfer of Fort Baker from the Army to our Golden Gate National Parks in 2002.   Over the years, I followed the planning led by the Park Service, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Passport Resorts and Equity Community Builders to turn an historic military base into an iconic Park Lodge, spa and conference center for the 21st Century.   What a team!   They worked closely and well together and created a jewell in our National Park crown……and a place that welcomes all of us to visit, to relax, to enjoy the spectacular setting and learn about history and nature in the process.  It’s one of my favorite places in the Bay Area……in one of the finest urban settings on earth.  Committed to environmental sustainability at every level, from its Leed Gold Certification, to its fine and mostly locally grown and organic food, to its partnership with the Institute at the Golden Gate (www.instituteatgoldengate.org,) Cavallo Point, the Lodge at the Golden Gate is setting new standards for comfort, quality and commitment to an improved environment in the 21st century.   Check out our video, then stop by and soak it up.  Whether you spend the night, have a meal or just wander around on your own…..you won’t be disappointed……and you won’t want to leave.

Whether you pronounce it RODE-ee-oh or Row-DAY-oh, it’s a fine place to grab a seat and watch one of nature’s most interesting air shows… pelicans in flight.

A trip to Alpine County takes you far, far away… deep into the sparsely populated California back country.

Link to Sorensen’s Resort in Hope Valley

– Carl Bidleman

There’s an old saying that we are “loving our parks to death” and it’s certainly true that during peak visitation times there are so many of us trying  to enjoy the natural wonders of our western parks that we get in the way of the experience we’re seeking. The hike to the top of Half Dome is the latest example of this.  It’s rapidly increasing popularity has been causing traffic jams on the top of the world.

Two of OpenRoad’s good friends are experts on Yosemite and Half Dome and they have posted information about the new quota rules on their excellent blogs.  Check out Loyd Schutte’s Yosemite Blog and Rick Deutsch’s Mr. Half Dome’s Blog.

Then watch the video of Doug’s experience climbing Half Dome several years ago.

And if you decide to try it yourself, watch this video of tips from Mr. Half Dome before you go.

Watch our full videos on Pt. Reyes:

Pt. Reyes Beauty and Birds

Pt. Reyes Light and History

Check out our full story on the Alabama Hills Movie History.