A loud howl pierced a dark night in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. For most of my life, wolves were extinct in California, but I knew that some had crossed into the state and reproduced. Yet I was backpacking 500 miles south of their Northern California turf. Could I really have heard one?
When I got back to civilization, I learned that I could have. Since a wolf known as OR-7 passed from Oregon to California in 2011, the canines have multiplied in the Golden State. One pack grew into seven which produced 30 pups this spring, the most in a century here. A pack migrated as far south as Sequoia National Forest. The wolves’ return to California marks perhaps the most astonishing recovery for an endangered species in state history.
Sure, 2024 saw outdoors athletes break records and perform amazing feats as they do every year. Runner Emily Keddie set a speed record on the Lost Coast Trail, covering the 25-mile northern section of the rugged route in 5 hours and 29 minutes. Climber Alex Honnold broke yet another speed record, climbing the Salathé Wall on El Capitan alone in 11 hours and 18 minutes, beating the previous record by more than eight hours. Such achievements are inspiring and worth celebrating.
Yet how can those compare with the restoration of a wild river and the native species it supports? After Native Americans campaigned for decades, government officials agreed and workers labored to remove four dams along the Klamath River which spans the California-Oregon border. The dams nearly wiped out the river’s salmon population for decades. Their destruction this summer marked the largest dam removal in US history, delighting Native tribes and allowing the salmon population to begin a recovery.
California boasted 22 Olympic medalists this year. Kudus to them and all the state’s 121 Olympians. I’ll bet they would agree that the Golden State’s efforts to preserve its lands and coastal waters are more important to our current and future people. Under a directive from Gov. Gavin Newsom, the state has conserved 1.5 million acres or 2,350 square miles in the last four years. California now protects 25 percent of its land and 16 percent of its coastal waters. Newsom has called for 30 percent by 2030.
Here’s a shout-out to those who do for others through their outdoor pursuits. A list of those names would stretch out longer than the line for Half Dome permits, but here are a few efforts which caught my eye. At this year’s California Coastal Cleanup, 28,571 volunteers at more than 750 sites recovered 242,312 pounds of trash. Thousands of volunteers have gathered to clean up Yosemite through annual Facelift events for 20 years, removing more than 1.2 million pounds of garbage.
Tens of thousands of cyclists have participated in the AIDS LifeCycle Ride, pedaling 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles, since 1994. Together they have raised more than $300 million for HIV and AIDS-related services. And the Every Kid Outdoors Program grants all fourth graders and their families free access to federal public lands, waters and shores for a year. Since 2015, the program has helped 1,105,805 students experience and enjoy nature.
Outdoors authors seem to outdo themselves every year and 2024 was no exception. For a great read, pick up “Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail.” Author Andrea Lankford takes readers on a riveting quest to find three men who disappeared from the famed backpacking route. Those who sought the missing hikers for years bring new meaning to the term “trail angel.”
Climbers will greatly appreciate the new guidebook “High Sierra Climbing Volume 3.” Authors Roger Putnam and Vitaliy Musiyenko share the knowledge they gained from years of climbing remote and challenging mountains. This third volume covers peaks between Bishop Pass and Sonora Pass like the Minarets, Mount Ritter and Banner Peak. I’ve seen no other guidebook reveal such specific details which serve to make the climbs safer and accessible for more people.
If you’d rather watch a movie, check out “Monster Mavericks” on YouTube. The free 45-minute film by Tim Bonython shows remarkable footage of big-wave surfing at the Mavericks surfers’ mecca north of Half Moon Bay. Riveting close-ups of giant waves may make you want to try surfing yourself, or you’re like me, glad you’re seeing other brave souls do so from the safety of home.
But giving to others beats personal accolades so I’m glad I was able to do that too. I coaxed my two nephews, who are both high school freshmen, into running on their school cross country teams. They’re both making friends and getting into the best shape of their lives. I got to take friends and relatives onto several modest climbs near Ebbetts Pass and introduce them to hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. They loved it and vowed to return. Though I would have enjoyed it, it’s probably best that we didn’t hear any wolf howls.
I hope you got outdoors in 2024, but if not, there’s your New Year’s resolution for 2025. Happy trails.
