Did Washington state hiker catch image of Bigfoot?

A woman in Spokane, Wash., claims to have caught images of Bigfoot while out on a hike with friends
in Downriver Park, on the western perimeter of Spokane.

The woman, identified only as Samantha, said on the YouTube video posted last week that, "while hiking, we accidentally caught an image of Bigfoot walking through the woods. I didn't even notice until I got home and saw it on the computer!" The video has received more than 740,000 views thus far.

Although not calling the video a hoax, the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization says that the "Spokane figure could be a man in dark clothes" and questions the behavior of Samantha. "There may be very valid reasons for Samantha to remain anonymous, but that's not the typical pattern for authentic footage," BFRO states on its website.

The site adds that, historically, very few sightings have been reported near Spokane, with the last being in 1985 and, before that, a 1961 incident near Mount Spokane.

-- Kelly Burgess
Twitter.com/latimesoutposts

RELATED:

Bigfoot alive and well and living in North Carolina

Video credit: YouTube

Department of Fish and Game offers tips on staying safe in bear country

Campers, anglers and hikers enjoying the outdoors may have encounters with wild animals -- including black bears, which are estimated to number 40,000 in California. Certain precautions can and should be taken when it comes to interaction with these omnivores, especially by limiting food odors that attract bears.

"Bears are constantly in search of easily obtainable food sources," said Marc Kenyon, California Department of Fish and Game statewide bear program coordinator. "A bear’s fate is almost always sealed once it associates human activity with potential food. It’s always unfortunate when a bear has to be killed because people either haven’t learned how to appropriately store food and trash, or simply don’t care."

The California Department of Fish and Game shares the following precautionary tips that should be taken when in bear country:

-- Keep a clean camp by cleaning up and storing food and garbage immediately after meals.

-- Never keep food in your tent. Instead, store food and toiletries in bear-proof containers or in an airtight container in the trunk of your vehicle.

-- Use bear-proof garbage cans whenever possible or store your garbage in a secure location with your food.

-- Don’t bury or burn excess food; bears will still be attracted to the residual smell.

-- Garbage should be packed out of camp if no trash receptacles are available.

-- While hiking, make noise to avoid a surprise encounter with a bear.

-- Keep a close watch on children and teach them what to do if they encounter a bear.

-- Never approach a bear, pick up a bear cub or attempt to attract a bear to your location; observe the animal and take pictures from afar.

-- If you encounter a bear, do not run; instead, face the animal, make noise and try to appear as large as possible.

-- If attacked, fight back; if a bear harms a person in any way, immediately call 911.

The Department of Fish and Game’s Keep Me Wild campaign was developed in part to address the increasing number of conflicts between black bears and people, and provides further tips for living and visiting safely in bear habitat.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A young black bear foraging in the Falls Picnic Area caused the closure of parts of San Bernardino National Forest in 2009. Credit: California Department of Fish and Game  

Some Angeles National Forest trails closed by Station fire to reopen

 

The Angeles National Forest announced Thursday that it will reopen about 98,000 acres of forest that has been closed since the 2009 Station fire. As I reported in Outposts on April 1, forest officials have been doing public outreach and relying a lot on volunteers to clear out invasive species as part of the forest restoration. Shown above is a hillside in the San Gabriel Mountains that burned in the fire and was adorned with wildflowers in spring 2010 -- proof that this fire-adapted ecosystem can rebound.

Areas that will reopen include Charlton Flat Picnic Area, Gould Mesa Campground, Bear Canyon Trail, Paul Little Picnic Area, Mill Creek Summit Picnic Area, Silver Moccasin Trail, Sunset Ridge Trail, Indian Canyon Trailhead, Canteen Trail and the entire San Gabriel Wilderness area. Forest officials say more than 100 miles of hiking trails are being reopened.

In addition, the U.S. Forest Service announced that the portion of the Pacific Crest Trail that runs through the forest will reopen, with some minor reroutes. This is good news for PCT thru-hikers, who had a roughly 40-mile detour last summer.

Hikers should also be thrilled that the Angeles National Forest has finally posted a high-resolution zoomable map showing the closure area (frame grab image at right). A word of warning: Downloading the map can be excruciatingly slow; I found it quicker to just use the online zoom feature.

Check the Angeles National Forest website for the latest Station fire restoration updates.

-- Julie Sheer

Photo credit: Julie Sheer. Map credit: Angeles National Forest

Fish and Game department reminds Californians about rattlesnakes

California is home to more than half a dozen species of rattlesnakes. As the weather warms the state's only native venomous snake becomes more active, increasing the likelihood of their being encountered both in the wilderness and in residential areas.

While the odds of being bitten by a rattlesnake are slim (there are about 800 cases nationwide reported annually to the American Assn. of Poison Control Centers) and should not deter anyone from venturing outdoors, the California Department of Fish and Game shares the following precautionary tips which can lessen the chance of being bitten when out in snake country:

-- Wear hiking boots and loose-fitting long pants. Never go barefoot or wear sandals when walking through wild areas.

-- When hiking, stick to well-used trails. Avoid tall grass, weeds and heavy underbrush where snakes may hide during the day.

-- Do not step or put your hands where you cannot see, and avoid wandering around in the dark. Step on logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks or gathering firewood. 

-- Check out stumps or logs before sitting down, and shake out sleeping bags before use.

-- Never grab "sticks" or "branches" while swimming in lakes and rivers. Rattlesnakes can swim.

-- Be careful when stepping over door sills as well. Snakes like to crawl along the edges of buildings where they are protected on one side.

-- Never hike alone. Always have someone with you who can assist in an emergency.

-- Do not handle a freshly killed snake, as it can still inject venom.

-- Teach children early to respect snakes and to leave them alone.

Information on rattlesnake identification and what to do in the event of a snake bite can be found on the California Poison Control website.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Mojave rattlesnake. Credit: George Wilhelm / Los Angeles Times

 

Figueroa Mountain: Where the poppies are

When it comes to spring wildflower peeping in Southern California, there are generally two hot spots: deserts and mountains. Because of the wacky winter weather this year, the Antelope Valley poppy bloom is less than stellar, but the blossoming is on in a big way at Figueroa Mountain (above), in the Los Padres National Forest.

After checking the Theodore Payne Wildflower Hotline online report (updated weekly) and a Figueroa flower update on the Los Padres website, we decided to skip the desert and head up the coast. On a Santa-Ana-wind-warmed afternoon, we set up camp north of Santa Barbara at Refugio State Beach (warning to tent campers: this is RV heaven), then headed with our dog back south to Arroyo Burro Beach. Possibly even more colorful than the wildflowers was that evening's sunset, tinted garishly from the sundowner wind that blew particulates out to sea (below).

Santa Monica Mountains Science Festival to be held at Paramount Ranch

The second annual Santa Monica Mountains Science Festival begins Friday evening at Paramount Ranch in Agoura Hills.

Sponsored by the National Park Service in partnership with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and California Science Center, the free festival will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and will give attendees a chance to ask and learn about the flora and fauna of one of our local national parks.

Friday's nocturnal activities include a campfire singalong; a lantern-led tour of Western Town; a night-sky program; and a nighttime hike to learn about animals that come out after dark, with the opportunity to identify bats, bugs and owls.

Saturday's events will include special presentations on native plant and animal species in the Santa Monica Mountains, bird and plant identification walks and hands-on demonstrations for children and adults. There  also will be live animal shows, bird watching and booths and games to inform and entertain.

The number of food vendors on site will be limited, so attendees are encouraged to bring their own food and water, as well as any personal comfort items, such as jackets, sunscreen, sunglasses and hats.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A young visitor examines a coast sunflower, native to the Santa Monica Mountains, at last year's Science Festival. Credit: Phil Crosby

Angeles National Forest trails update, post-Station fire

A few of the most popular trails in the Angeles National Forest front country that were damaged by the 2009 Station fire may reopen by Memorial Day, according to acting forest supervisor Marty Dumpis at a recent event on the forest's recovery. That's nearly two years after the fire burned more than 160,000 acres and damaged 250 miles of trails. I wouldn't pencil in that Memorial Day hike just yet, though.

Dumpis and Angeles trails program manager Andrew Fish spoke to a full house at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center during the Sierra Club-sponsored event (at right). They detailed the challenges of trying to balance ecological integrity in the most-visited national forest in the U.S., noting that forest recovery is a 3-5-year process. Some of the trails that MIGHT reopen by Memorial Day include:

* Mt. Lowe Camp and fire road

* Gabrielino Trail from Red Box to Newcomb Pass

* Silver Moccasin Trail from Charlton Flat to Highway 2

In the Mt. Lowe area, the Sunset Ridge Trail MAY open this year, and Fish is hoping the Mueller Tunnel will open in the fall. Also targeted to open later this year, said Fish, is the lower Arroyo/Gabrielino Trail, from the trailhead near JPL to the first check dam at the Paul Little picnic area. I can attest that this trail in particular is a real mess, but people are still hiking it illegally.

What has to happen before trails can be rebuilt? Imagine the mother of all backyard weeding projects. Ongoing work includes removing invasive plants, which are thriving in streambeds and along the 130 miles of "line" bulldozed during the firefight; restoring habitat destroyed by the fire and subsequent rains; and replanting trees. About 110 miles of trail have been assessed and repaired so far.

So what's the holdup? In two words: manpower and money.

Station Fire recovery program

Have you been wondering how the plants and critters in the Angeles National Forest have been recovering from the 2009 Station Fire, and when you'll be able to hike in the forest again? If so, plan on attending "Recovering From the Station Fire: The 2011 Update" Wednesday night at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center in Pasadena.

The program is being sponsored by the Forest Committee for the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter and will be presented by Angeles National Forest Acting Supervisor Marty Dumpis. Topics scheduled to be covered include preventing the invasion of non-native plant species and an update on areas that will be reopened to hiking, hopefully this summer and fall.

The fire in August 2009 burned more than 160,000 acres, and most of the forest and Angeles Crest Highway have been closed to the public ever since. The most recent closure order on the Angeles National Forest website says trails are still closed and entrance to the recovery area is prohibited, except for the Red Box Day Use Area, Hidden Springs Day Use Area and Monte Cristo Campground.

The program Wednesday is at 7:30 p.m., with a reception at 7 p.m. It's open to the public and will be at Eaton Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N. Altadena Drive, Pasadena.

—Julie Sheer

Photo: A hillside in bloom in May 2010, on a wildfire recovery hike in the Hall-Beckley canyon area near La Cañada-Flintridge. Credit: Julie Sheer

Death Valley winter weekend

Any amateur photographer worth his or her Badwater Salt Flats knows winter provides the best shooting opportunities in Death Valley, especially early and late in the day. The sun stays low, the weather is tolerable and the air is clear — barring any sand storms, as we endured on the last day of a recent trip.

That said, digital photography in the desert presents some unique challenges. Sure, that undulating sandstone and filtered sunlight looked fantastic in the slot canyon when you snapped photos during a hike. But very often, no amount of processing will help a downloaded image that ends up with a washed-out sky and a shadow-heavy canyon.

And when it comes to composition, does the world really need yet another shot of the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes with the Grapevine Mountains in the background? (Guilty as charged, see photo above.) As we discovered in a ranger-led program on desert photography that we stumbled upon at Death Valley National Park, the answer is a resounding "no."

Yosemite Half Dome cable permits will be required seven days a week during 2011 summer season

Yosemite National Park officials announced Monday that day-use permits to climb the Half Dome cables will be required seven days a week for the 2011 summer season.

An interim program that required permits on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays was implemented by the National Park Service in 2010 to better regulate the number of hikers using the cable system. Safety issues  have arisen from crowding, which has also led to long waits on the popular hike. 

Although the interim program worked well on the permit days, visitor use on the cables during days when permits were not required reached peak weekend levels -- thus the change to a seven-day-per-week requirement for next year's summer season. 

The Half Dome day-use permits will be available starting March 1, 2011 for climbing the cables in May and June 2011. Subsequent permits will be available at the beginning of each month for permits three months in advance. 

Reservations for a permit can be made through www.recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. Up to four permits may be obtained under one reservation, with each person climbing the Half Dome cables required to have their own. Permits are free, but there is a nonrefundable $1.50 service charge for each permit obtained.

The Half Dome cables are generally in place from mid-May through mid-October, depending on snowpack and weather conditions.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: A view of Yosemite's Half Dome and climbers using the cable. Credit: Scott Gediman / National Park Service

Body found is believed to be that of missing Mt. Baldy hiker

Sad news in the search for a Mt. Baldy hiker missing since Saturday. A body believed to be that of Michelle Yu, 49,  has been found by search crews.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said a rescue-team member spotted what was believed to be the body of Yu, an experienced hiker from Venice. Officials are still waiting for positive identification. The ID and cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Because of the terrain, crews could not remove the body Wednesday evening but planned to do so early Thursday.

For more on this story please visit the L.A. Times breaking news blog, L.A. Now.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

No-spill hydration bottles and travel mug make handy stocking stuffers

Those looking for a little something as a holiday stocking stuffer might want to check out the line of drinking products from Contigo. With "autoseal" no-spill technology in their travel mug and hydration bottles, these would seem to be gifts that actually might be used -- by an active outdoorsman, commuter or anyone who likes to take beverages along.

It's press-to-sip drinking, with no lids to remove or spouts to open. And the large-mouth bottleneck opening on the hydration bottles accommodates the addition of ice cubes and/or powdered drink mixes.

The Contigo autoseal water bottle is made from BPA-free plastic and includes a handle with an integrated carabiner clip. The suggested retail price is $12.99 for the 24-fluid-ounce bottle and $14.99 for the 32-ounce one.

The travel mug has a 16-fluid-ounce capacity and fits most automobile cupholders. It features a double-wall design and vacuum-insulated construction that eliminates condensation and keeps drinks hot for up to four hours and cold for up to 12 hours. The mug, with a suggested retail price of $19.99, is available in a stainless-steel finish or a variety of colors.

My favorite is the Kangaroo hydration bottle, one of Contigo's newer products. The Kangaroo has a handy fold-down compartment for stowing a key, some cash or cards such as an ID or gym membership, making it handy to take along even when walking the dogs.

The Kangaroo also offers an integrated carabiner and a flip-up handle and holds up to 24 fluid ounces. Suggested retail price: $12.99.

Contigo autoseal products are available at a variety of national retailers including Target, Sears and Amazon.com as well as online at GoContigo.com.

-- Kelly Burgess
twitter.com/latimesoutposts

Photo: Kangaroo hydration bottle with the compartment open. Credit: Contigo