Powermonkey-eXplorer portable solar charger uses the sun to power iPods, cell phones and other devices

Solar-powered outdoor gear seems all the rage these days, and with good reason. Harboring the useful power-generating abilities of the sun is an idea whose time has come, especially if out hiking, camping or anyplace where one can't just plug in and recharge cellular phones, iPods or other electronic devices.

Enter the Powermonkey-eXplorer. This portable charger is capable of holding enough power to provide an additional 96 hours of standby time on mobile phones, 40 hours of playtime for iPods, five hours on game consoles, 48 usage hours on PDAs and six hours on MP3 or MP4 players. Equipped with compact solar panels, the Powermonkey-eXplorer can also be used to charge devices directly from the sun.

Featuring an LCD screen that displays battery capacity and the level of charge, the Powermonkey-eXplorer also has short-circuit, over-charging and anti-discharging protection. The exterior shell is made of rubberized casing, making it water resistant while helping protect it from nicks and dings even in the roughest situations. Designed for lightweight versatility, the Powermonkey-eXplorer comes with a Velcro strap, handy to attach the solar panel to a backpack for sun exposure to charge devices while on the go.

Mammoth Mountain offers a one-day, three-sport package of skiing, biking and golfing

Where else but in Southern California can you ski, mountain bike and golf in the same day? Summer is almost here, but Mammoth Mountain still has enough snow at upper elevations (3 to 7 foot base reported Wednesday) to allow for hitting the slopes, then heading to the lower areas of the resort to enjoy the Mountain Bike Park.

To take advantage of all the park has to offer, Mammoth Mountain is offering the Three-Way Challenge Ski, Ride and Golf Package, a one-day, three-sport ticket package for $99 that includes a lift ticket, shuttle to the bike park and nine holes of afternoon golf at Sierra Star Golf Course.

The Times' Daily Travel & Deal blog has more details on the offer, available from June 25 through July 5.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A rider appears to sail above the clouds at Mammoth Mountain Bike Park. Credit: Mammoth Mountain.

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Teva Mountain Games begin Thursday in Vail, Colo.

The Teva Mountain Games will kick off its eclectic mix of adventure sports, art and entertainment Thursday in Vail, Colo. The ninth annual event taking place through Sunday expects about 2,000 athletes to compete in 24 disciplines in eight sports, all vying for portions of a prize purse totaling more than $100,000.

Hosted by the Vail Valley Foundation, sporting events will include IFSC World Cup Bouldering competition -- the only World Cup bouldering event taking place in the U.S. -- as well as stand-up paddle boarding events, a discipline new to the games this year.

The games will also host competitions featuring some of the world's top athletes in each sport, competing alongside amateurs of all levels in trail running, kayaking, rafting, mountain biking, road cycling, amateur climbing, fly-fishing and a half-marathon.

In addition to all the adventure sports, there will be a photography competition, an interactive exhibition and demonstration area, DockDogs canine competitions, the Serac Adventure Film School, concerts and mountain lifestyle parties.

The games offer a family-friendly atmosphere with myriad free activities for all ages, including an adventure clinic on back-country and mountain preparedness, hosted by First Ascent guide Erik Leidecker; a mountaineering clinic hosted by First Ascent guide and mountaineering legend Peter Whittaker; a zip-lining course; the Eukanuba Doggie Dash obstacle course; outdoor film series screenings; free Parkour demonstrations with a hands-on beginner clinic; and the chance to try stand-up paddling with C4 Waterman team member and stand-up paddle surfing pro Charlie MacArthur.

A schedule of events is available on the Teva Mountain Games website.

-- Kelly Burgess

Photo: A pro kayak freestyle competitor at the 2009 Teva Mountain Games. Credit: Shane Macomber Photography

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New eyewear allows for hands-free video recording

Time for a new pair of sunglasses? You might want to check out i-Kam Xtreme eyewear, which allows the wearer to be their own videographer.

That's because each pair features a built-in video recording device, allowing for hands-free recording of your latest outdoor adventure. Be it hunting, fishing, skiing or even a ballgame, outdoor enthusiasts of all types have an easy way to record what they see, and play it back later for future enjoyment.

With no cords or battery packs required, the glasses have a digital camera incorporated into the frame, offering 4GB of built-in memory for up to 3 hours of recording, plus an integral microphone to capture all the sounds to go along with the video. The eyewear  will also accept a Micro SD card for an additional 8 GB of memory. 

The glasses can be hooked directly to a PC or Mac with the supplied USB cable to view video. When using a Micro SD card, it can be inserted into a card reader to watch footage.

Off-road bicyclists stage Fat Tire Fest

Hundreds of mountain bikers, from professionals to toddlers, descended upon Castaic Lake State recreation Area Sunday for the 2009 iteration of the Fat Tire Fest, put on by local bike trail advocacy nonprofit CORBA (Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Assn.).

The event featured group rides led by professional mountain bikers Ned Overend, Brian Lopes and Sid Taberlay; demo bikes from companies including Cannondale, Giant, Ibis, Specialized and Trek Women; a skills clinic; poker ride; wheelie contest; a bike limbo contest; a silent auction; and a raffle drawing.  The festival is CORBA's biggest source of funding each year and all proceeds go to help the group advance the cause of mountain biking in the greater Los Angeles area, said association president Jeff Klinger.

"We get probably 50% of our operating budget from just this event," Klinger said.  The group has held the festival every year since its inception in 1987.

In addition to maintaining trails in L.A. and parts of Ventura counties, Klinger said CORBA advocates for greater trail access for mountain bikers; runs a youth-outreach program that brings inner-city kids ages 8 to 17 on mountain biking trips in the Santa Monica mountains; and provides free skills clinics and group rides for cyclists of all levels, including those new to the sport.

The big draw of the day was the chance to ride with pros Lopes, Overend and Taberlay. 

National parks' invasive weeds? There's an app for that

Hikers, bikers and horseback riders enjoying the Santa Monica Mountains can now assist in mapping invasive weeds, thanks to a new smart-phone application developed to identify the locations of intruding plant species in the park.

The "What's Invasive!" application allows users to snap an image and map the location of encroaching weeds, which will help National Park Service staff identify where plants need to be removed and monitored in the park.

"When visitors launch the application on the phone, the information they collect is automatically submitted to the 'What's Invasive!' website," said Lauren Newman, external affairs manager for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. "NPS will rely on that website to get the information."

The six most common plants being targeted are Harding grass, perennial pepperweed, poison hemlock, Spanish broom, Terracina spurge and yellow starthistle.

Developed by the UCLA Center for Embedded Networked Sensing, the application will soon include other national park locations.

"It's great because the public can see the exact same data that the scientists will use, in real time," added Newman.

--Kelly Burgess

'What's Invasive!' iPhone image courtesy of UCLA Center for Embedded Network Sensing

Angeles Crest Highway drive reveals moonscape in wake of Station fire

*Updated to reflect it was an Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department escort

Scorched earth is a depressing sight, especially when it had been lush with chaparral and old-growth forest.

The extent of the devastation caused by the Station fire, which has burned almost 250 square miles within the Angeles National Forest but finally is close to being contained, will be unfathomable when assessments are made.

Dead animals are said to litter the blackened and barren countryside. Rattlesnakes -- those that had burrowed and somehow survived the inferno -- slither across a moonscape hunted from the sky by raptors.

Campgrounds and important structures have been destroyed and trails are ruined. A once-verdant paradise is lost for who knows how many years to thousands of campers, hikers, bikers, runners, birders and horseback riders.

The Angeles Crest 100-Mile Endurance Run had been scheduled to begin Saturday. Obviously it has been canceled as its route is off-limits.

The scenic Angeles Crest Highway also remains closed, but a video shot by a couple touring the road behind a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. escort is making the rounds on YouTube. It reveals a charred countryside, melted road signs and guard rails that simply lie atop or alongside the pavement, their wooden support beams burned to ashes.

If you're familiar with the highway and forest, click on the video and tag along. It's a surreal odyssey, to be sure.

-- Pete Thomas

Video credit: Courtesy of YouTube

   

State parks closure list is coming soon, but not eagerly anticipated

California residents probably will learn within a few weeks how many state parks will close.

Because of extensive cuts in funding, 100 or more parks probably will be shut down, and when they might reopen is anyone's guess.

When the dreaded closure list does emerge and the specified parks become off-limits and begin to deteriorate, it'll be a sad day for residents who enjoy hiking, biking, horseback riding, bird-watching and animal viewing. It'll be just as dark a day for a state that presently boasts the nation's most extensive state parks system.

However, some other states are dealing with the same issue, and seeking creative ways to keep parks open. 

In Washington state, drivers who renew their license tabs in September will have the option of donating $5 to state parks. The contributions could generate about $22 million over the next two years and spare dozens of Washington's 125 state parks from being closed.

There was a fairly similar attempt in California. A state parks access pass would have placed a $15 surcharge on vehicle license fees for noncommercial vehicles. The general fund would have realized an estimated savings of about $143 million annually. But that plan failed and now we're in this hard place.

Outposts, barring a minor miracle that will prevent the closures, will share the closure list when it becomes available.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: A king snake enjoys the view from a branch in Malibu Creek State Park. Credit: Pete Thomas/Los Angeles Times

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State parks access pass might be key to preventing their closure

Those following the issue of funding for California's state parks will note there is bad news but some good news this week.

The bad news: The Budget Conference Committee on Monday afternoon voted to eliminate $70 million in general fund money earmarked for support of the state parks system for the 2009-10 fiscal year.

The good news: The committee also voted to adopt the State Parks Access Pass and create a dedicated funding source to keep parks open. This still needs to be passed by the Legislature, as part of a budget bill, and approved by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But it makes sense. The access pass would place a $15 surcharge on vehicle license fees for noncommercial vehicles. That won't go over well with those who do not like outdoor recreation and have no plans to enter any of California's 279 state parks, beaches and reserves.

But it's a bargain for those who frequent these vast wilderness refuges, as they'd be allowed free day-use access to state parks. More important, it would prevent 220 of these parks from closing and deteriorating to a point where it'd become extremely costly to reopen them.

With the surcharge the general fund would realize an estimated savings of about $143 million annually.

Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation, declared in a news release: "At a time when the state desperately needs to generate revenues for many other critical state services, it makes sense to keep state parks open and available for the public. The Committee recognized that closing state parks won't save money, it will cost the state dearly."

Goldstein cited a Cal State Sacramento study that found park users spend an average of $57.63 per visit and, across the state parks system, generate more than $4.2 billion in positive economic effects.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: The scene within the walls of Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in Sacramento, where the Mexican flag still flies. The park is slated for closure if state parks funding disappeared. Credit: Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times

Californians rallying to prevent closures of state parks--will it help?

These are sad and crazy times for millions who enjoy parks. There is some good news: The National Park Service has announced it is offering three free weekends at more than 100 national parks, the first of which is Father's Day weekend, June 20-21.

But in California there's mostly depressing news, as 220 state parks, reserves and beaches still face closure because of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to eliminate funding to help alleviate a $24.3-billion budget deficit.

Ironically, this is occurring at a time the governor is pressing forward--for the time being, anyway--with the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative, which establishes an extensive network of marine parks along the California coast. The state has private funding for the process of establishing those parks, but it remains unclear where funding will come from thereafter, for enforcement and studies to determine whether the no-fishing parks are helping fisheries recover, as intended.

But that's a separate issue. As for the land parks, Californians are rallying to prevent them from being closed. More than 84,000 letters of opposition to the funding cuts have been sent to legislators and/or the governor, according to Elizabeth Goldstein, president of the California State Parks Foundation. The Legislature probably will deliberate on the issue and make committee-level recommendations next week.

Cougar study: Facing down predators not the safest measure, after all

How would you respond if you encountered a mountain lion? That's a question I ponder whenever I venture alone into the wilderness.

Traditional wisdom, preached time and again by so-called animal experts and the California Department of Fish and Game, is to stand your ground, make yourself appear larger, yell and throw rocks or other items at the predator. That's because if you run, you might prompt the beast to attack.

Now there's a group of scientists who challenge traditional wisdom. A UC Davis study suggests a polar opposite survival strategy is the safest: Run like the dickens.

"Even though we found evidence that pumas will indeed chase, and capture, people who run, we also found that people who stand still are possibly more endangered,"  said Richard Coss, a UC Davis psychology professor and the study's lead author.

"Immobility may be interpreted by the mountain lion as a sign that you are vulnerable prey, either because you are unaware of its presence, or because you are disabled and not capable of escaping."

Vandalism an issue in Eastern Sierra

Of the fire that destroyed the Schulman Grove Visitor Center at the entrance of Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, reader Carol comments, “That visitor center was beautiful, a place for people from around the world to learn about the oldest trees on Earth. I loved visiting the center as it was a beautiful little building set amongst the old trees. This is senseless and shameful.”

How true. Especially considering the suspicious timing. In recent weeks there have been numerous acts of vandalism throughout the Eastern Sierra region, of which motives remain hazy.

They include smashed vehicle windows at trailheads, among them South Lake, Leavitt Meadows and Big Pine Creek. The Sierra Wave radio station reports on its website that the White Mountain Research Station atop its namesake peak was "trashed and covered with gas, but not set on fire."

Law agencies, which over the weekend were still investigating the cause of the fire, are trying to find a pattern. One resort concessionaire, who did not wished to be named, told me that many locals are worried these might be acts of eco-terrorism related to controversial political issues, most notably the Wilderness Bill, which threatens to close large portions of the White Mountains to off-road vehicles.

That concessionaire, who opposes the bill, is worried he'll have to sleep in his high-elevation cabins "until the snow comes" after they close for business next month, to protect against break-ins and arson.

This hardly sounds like the idyllic Eastern Sierra paradise I’m familiar with. Here's hoping they catch the misguided person or group responsible and prosecute to the fullest. This type of activity is dangerous and benefits nobody.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo: Though idyllic, the Eastern Sierra region seems to be plagued by vandals.

Credit: Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times