A partnership of the National Park Service and the United States Forest Service.

Field Notes

  • Lincoln Else
  • jan 6, 2010

That water from your tap may have started as snow falling on a granite peak somewhere high in the Sierra Nevada. Ever wonder "how much" water is stored in that snow each year? Answering that question starts with a pair of backcountry skis and a heavy pack...

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  • John Muir
  • dec 16, 2009

Ever wonder who cuts those logs that fall across the trail deep in the back country? Using a cross cut saw is a traditional (and challenging) skill mastered by many backcountry rangers throughout the Sierra.

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  • John Muir
  • nov 17, 2009

Join Yosemite's geologist as he teams up with the park's climbing ranger to climb El Capitan, one of the world's largest granite faces. Thousands of years ago a gigantic rock fall likely released from high on El Cap's face. Exactly where and when are among the many questions Greg Stock is curious to answer.

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