camping Archives

Backpacking Fourth of July Lake, Mokelumne Wilderness

Paulina DaoAugust 8, 201702K views

This winter was a Sierra snow year for the books. I’ve lived in California all my life but don’t remember a winter where it rained for three months straight. All the snow meant my Sierra objectives were looking a little bleak and buried. I brushed up on my map and compass skills with REI and hit the trail in Mokelumne Wilderness at the beginning of June. My destination was a place I’ve never been: Fourth of July Lake in the Carson Pass Management Area.

Frontcountry Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Paulina DaoJuly 27, 201732.2K views

Camp food is, unfortunately, not high on my list of things to do well. It’s a little weird because I love eating and I love good food. My go-to dishes are usually pasta, stir fries, or if it’s been a long day, salami and cream cheese. Lately, I’ve been exploring different ideas for camping food, because why should I eat the same ol’ things when I’m out in the wilderness? I started racking my brain for some of my favorite home-cooked dishes that I could modify for camping. Spring rolls were the first thing to come mind.

Friday Nights are for Backpacking

Paulina DaoJuly 12, 201701.6K views

If you’ve got a car, good company, and some time to kill, camping in the Bay Area is just a stone’s throw away. Saturday night campsites are generally booked months in advance. Weeknights? You’ll have a better chance. I was stuck in the Bay Area one Saturday for a Chainsmokers concert. A quick browse on recreation.gov showed a Friday night Glen Camp site at Point Reyes National Seashore. I whipped out my credit card with lightning speeds, and within seconds, a campsite nestled in the woods was mine.

Lady Squads and the Inaugural Feral Female Weekend

Paulina DaoMay 2, 201711.3K views

Back in February, I headed down to SoCal to hang out with some very, very rad ladies: Kam Altar, Oshie Magturo and Shawnté Salabert. I think it was my first real ladies’ trip. No dude friends, no boyfriends, no men. I’ll come out and say it: female friendship is something that’s very new and different for me. When I talk about “ladies’ weekends,” my long time (male) friends mock me and ask “What girlfriends?”

Roadtrip the Eastern Sierra in 4 Days

Paulina DaoApril 27, 201702.5K views

A few years ago I celebrated my 25th birthday in the Eastern Sierra. I had four whole days dedicated to fun, some driving to and from the Bay Area, but no agenda. I’d been to the East Side before, to tackle Mt. Whitney and some ice climbing, but had never driven the length of 395. I’m always stuck with the dilemma of trying to see something of everything, or sticking to just one spot. For my 25th trip around the sun, I was going to try to see a bit of it all.