ourfoothills

One of America’s best loved and best known naturalists, John Muir was an explorer not only of nature itself, but of the best way to describe it.Following are a few quotes from his journals and personal observations.

• The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.
• The power of imagination makes us infinite.
• Trees go wandering forth in all directions with every wind Read the rest of this entry »

They come and they go, and they are fun to watch as they ebb and flow.But beyond being mesmerizing to look at, a little insight might help to appreciate their important role in nature.

• The gravitational force of the moon is one ten-millionth that of earth, but when you combine other forces such as the earth’s centrifugal force created by its spin, you get tides.
• The sun’s gravitational force on the earth is only 46 percent that of the moon. Making the moon the single most important factor for the creation of tides.
• The sun’s gravity also produces tides. But since the forces are smaller, as compared to the moon, the effects are greatly decreased.
• Tides are not caused by the direct pull of the moon’s gravity. The moon is pulling Read the rest of this entry »

As alternate sources for energy continue to increase, it’s important to understand them. And since solar energy is the ultimate renewable resource, a few frequently asked questions are answered. What happens when it snows? Will my solar panels still work? Yes, sunlight will penetrate a thin layer of snow and the snow will usually melt fairly quickly off the panels. If there is Read the rest of this entry »

1. At almost 14,500 feet, climbing Mt. Whitney is sure to exhilarate. This is the highest peak in the lower 48 states and as a result it finds itself the goal of many an avid hiker and mountaineer.
2. Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a stunningly beautiful four mile trip through the majestic woods of the Read the rest of this entry »

Easily recognized as one of America’s most recognizable desert regions, the Sonoran desert can broadly be defined as including the areas of:

• Southern Arizona north to the Mogollon Rim
• The southeastern corner of California (roughly south of a line drawn from Needles to Palm Springs to San Diego)
• The state of Sonora, Mexico
• The Baja California peninsula of Mexico
• The Gulf of California and its islands

What is remarkable about the region is the inclusion of all the world’s biomes contained within its boundaries which covers 100,000 square miles and is surprisingly lush when compared to most “traditionally defined” deserts since it is known to include an estimated 2000 species of plant life.Additionally, the Sonoran Desert can boast Read the rest of this entry »