Saturday 3 July 2010

cheap camping tents

There are completely kinds of manufacturers of tents out there. Some make tents that are exactly the same as a tent by a different manufacturer. Some are different. One of your prime considerations for picking a tent should be the name of the company that manufactures it. North Face for example is an extremely well known manufacturer of tents and different camping equipment as well. We completely cognize though, that they able to be prohibitively expensive to buy for your average every day family camping type of person. Well, you should cognize that if you consider purchaseing at the end of season or even last year's stock, you able to buy good quality gear like this for a dramatic amount of money off the original price.

North Face is a true leader in the world of camping tents. They make everything from solo tents to base camp expedition tents that have withstood many of the harshest climates known to man. You able to be assured that when you buy one of their tents that it is a quality piece of gear that has the interest of the user in mind. They're water-proof, stable, roomy enough to use, yet small enough to pack, very they're a perfect tent, depending on what you plan to use it for. Their tents generally tend to be more suited to individuals that might have the intention of hiking and backpacking, or canoe camping, kayak camping etc. Basically people who are likely to be moving around and carrying their gear at the same time.

For most folks a tent from companies like Coleman or Woods will suffice. These tents are generally made with the family environment in mind. Their materials might not be as "light weight" as many of the materials you would find on a North Face tent, but if properly cared for they able to last you for years. Also note that they frequently will have fewer poles in the structure of the tent. One might argue that this will save grams of weight and maybe even that it's easier to pack but the real truth is that when a tent has fewer poles, it becomes less stable. Most of the time this won't be an issue at completely but I've been in a Woods tent in a bad storm and cognize first hand how much they able to blow around in the wind. I able to remember the sides coming in right on top of me. This doesn't happen with tents from a manufacturer like North Face as they plan for these kinds of elements. On the different hand, severe wind storms are not the 'norm' and wouldn't occur regularly, so they're normally not a interest to most campers.

You need to be sure your tent is water proof. Many have taped seams for extra protection. Some tents have peg-out vestibules to help you stow gear without it actually being in the tent. It's been my general observation that when sizing a tent for a group of people, you should always buy with in extra person in mind. That is to say, if two people are going camping then a three person tent would be the smallest tent you would likely want to take. I've used two person tents with two people in them in the past but the quarters are extremely tight, especially when trying to get into your sleeping bag or changing etc.

With the multitude of tents available to us these days you are certain to find the best one for your trip. All you very need to cognize which tent is the best for what think and go from there. You able to save money by purchaseing end of season or last year's stock to get the best quality for the money.

Lake Tahoe


Lake Tahoe is a popular vacation and recreation region straddling the border between California and Nevada. The closest large city is Reno, Nevada. It is especially popular in the summer and winter. Summer activities include golf, boating and hiking. Winter activities include world class skiing, snowmobiling and ice skating. Year round activities include shopping, gambling, eating and taking in the scenery.

Lake Tahoe is a beautiful, crystal-clear blue lake nestled among mountain peaks. It has depths of up to 1,600 feet and the mountain peaks are in the 8,000 to 10,000 foot range. During the summer, boating, camping, and hiking are popular activities. Winter sports are popular during the colder months (December-April).Lake Tahoe has been a tourist destination since the turn of the 20th century, when steam trains and improving roads made it possible to visit with ease. The 1960 Winter Olympics, held at Squaw Valley, popularized winter sports at Tahoe.

 Snow!

Be aware that you're driving into a mountainous region that receives heavy snowfall throughout the winter season and other times. Although road conditions are usually clear between April and November, it is not unheard of for heavy snow to fall as late as June, sometimes spontaneously in seemingly warm weather. Always carry snow chains in your car. If roads are slick with snow or ice, CalTrans will inmplement chain control, which
usually means you need chains installed on your tires for the affected stretch of highway unless you are in a four-wheel drive vehicle with snow tires. Before planning your trip, check local weather reports as well as the California Highway Information Network(call +1 800 427-7623 in California or +1 916 445-7623 from elsewhere) for traffic conditions. The State of California also provides helpful winter driving tips

If you are already near or in the Lake Tahoe region without snow chains in your car, but you find that you will need them, try to buy them where the locals might, such as a grocery store or auto part franchise. Prices for chains at gas stations visible from the highway will often be twice as expensive!Be aware some vehicles cannot accept regular snow chains due to low clearance between the wheel and the wheel well or the suspension
parts. Your car's manual will have the necessary information regarding this. You may still be able to use a low-clearance chain such as SSC Super Z6 but ensure that it fits and works properly BEFORE you depart.During chain control, men in orange jumpsuits will be on hand to install chains for you for a hefty fee of $30 USD (sometimes a little more if they need to cut your chains to fit). If you've never installed chains, the convenience
of paying an expert do the job in less than five minutes may outweigh the amount of money you save while shuddering in the cold, hunched over the
instructions for half an hour. The choice is entirely yours; a good method of learning how to install chains is to watch someone do it the first
time so that you know how it to do it yourself the next time---just consider the $30-$35 your lesson fee. (Or better yet, have an experienced friend
teach you before you even leave.)

Four-wheel drive vehicles with snow tires or "mud and snow" tires almost never need chains Caltrans usually closes the highway altogether for several hours before requiring four-wheel drive vehicles with chains. The latter tires usually have a "M+S" marking on them. If you are an experienced driver in snow, you may find it ridiculous to be asked to put on chains. But the Highway patrol makes no exceptions unless you have 4wd.
You can't argue your way out if it, but you'll get over it and you will laugh heartily at the number of cars spinning out of control (even with 4wd)
as inexperienced California drivers attempt to handle the snow by driving as if it isn't there. Take their foolishness realistically - they WILL hit
you if they get close. Keep your distance.

Front-wheel drive cars with snow tires on the drive wheels under the weight of the engine do very well. Rear-wheel drive trucks with no weight in the back do the worst.

Cars with bald tires with chains may still slip and be a major road hazard.

Big rig trucks, the 18 wheelers, can jackknife, and spin and crash, and often are the cause of road closures.

Windshield wipers during snowfall: It's best to find and use special windshield wipers for the snow, where the joints in the wipers are
covered up and protected, otherwise, they may freeze, and be useless.




Ski Resorts

There are many resorts in the Tahoe region for skiers and snowboarders. Lifts are open whenever the snows begin (usually around mid-November) and
close when the weather becomes too warm and the snow stops (usually around mid to late-April, though resorts have sometimes closed as late as July
4th). Conditions will vary depending on the resort, and not all mountains are the same.

Hiking

There are several parks along the shore and nearby, including Bliss State Park and Emerald Bay State Park.

Beaches

   Sand Harbor, northeast shore.

   Chamber's Landing, west shore, south of Tahoe City.

   Meek's Bay, west shore, south of Tahoe City.

   Tahoe City, North shore, in Tahoe City.

   Emerald Bay, west shore, south of Homewood on 89.

Boat trips

Several charter services offer boat tours to the mansions that dot the lake shore.

Year-Round Activities

Gambling is a popular activity year-round, many other activities are seasonal. In the winter the skiing in the area is world class and spread
across many varied resorts, other winter activities are snow shoeing and snowmobiling. During the summer months boat rentals are available in most
towns on the lake. Other activities that draw people to the area are: golf, hiking, mountain biking, and 4-wheeling.

Friday 2 July 2010

Yosemite National Park


Yosemite National Park is a USA National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, USA. The park covers an area of 761,268 acres (3,080.74 km2) and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain.Over 3.7 million people visit Yosemite each year most spend their time in the seven square miles (18 km2) of Yosemite Valley.Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity.Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness. Although not the first designated national park, Yosemite was central to the development of the national park idea, largely owing to the work of people alike Galen Clark and John Muir.

Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, and the park supports a diversity of plants and animals. The park has an elevation range from 2,127 to 13,114 feet (648 to 3,997 m) and contains five major vegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane, upper montane, subalpine, and alpine. Of California's 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the Sierra Nevada and more than 20% within Yosemite. There is suitable habitat or documentation for more than 160 rare plants in the park, with rare local geologic formations and unique soilscharacterizing the restricted ranges numerous of these plants occupy.

Climbing
Rock climbing is an important part of Yosemite.Camp 4—a walk-in campground in Yosemite Valley—was instrumental in the development of rock climbing as a sport, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Climbers can generally be spotted in thesnow-free months on anything from ten-foot-high (3 m) boulders to the 3,300-foot (1.0 km) face of El Capitan. Classes are offered by numerous groups on rock climbing.

Hiking
Over 800 miles (1,300 km) of trails are available to hikers—anything from the easy stroll, to the grueling hikes up several park mountains, to multiple-day backpack trips.The park can be divided into 5 sections for the day-user—Yosemite Valley, Wawona/Mariposa Grove/ Glacier Point, Tuolumne Meadows, Hetch Hetchy, and Crane Flat/White Wolf. Numerous books describe park trails, and free information is available from the Park Service in Yosemite. Park rangers encourage visitors to experience portions of the park in addition to Yosemite Valley.Between late spring and early fall, much of the park is open to multiple-day backpack trips. All overnight trips into the back country require a wilderness permit and most require approved bear-resistant food storage.

Winter activities
A ranger-guided snowshoe walk in the park Many of the roads in the park close because of heavy snow in winter; however, Yosemite Valley is open all year long. Downhill skiing is available at the Badger Pass Ski Area—the oldest downhill skiing area in California, offering downhill skiing from mid-December through early April.Much of the park is open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, with several backcountry ski huts open for use.Wilderness permits are required for backcountry overnight ski trips.The Bracebridge dinner is an annual holiday event,held since 1927 at the Ahwahnee Hotel, inspired by Washington Irving's descriptions of Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of the 1700s in his
Sketch Book. Between 1929 and 1973, the show was organized by Ansel Adams.

california camping guide

California State Parks has something for everybody -year-round. Whether it's hiking, biking, strolling on a beach or cross-country skiing, state parks has it all. You can walk through the redwoods, sail on a lake, view wildlife, explore the desert, see history first-hand in historic sites, and just relax with family and friends.  Here's a section of travel features about all kind of things to do in state parks to make your visits even more enjoyable.