r/SierraNevada

Going in Early June, obviously bringing a bear canister for food, but unsure if I'll need bear spray. I know that there are only black bears in the area, but it's my first week long solo trip and I'm an East Coaster, so while I've spent plenty of time in areas with bears, idk if they're any more/less "persistent" out there. The comfort would be nice, but the price tag is steep. Is it necessary? If it's a good idea but not necessary, would pepper spray be a decent last ditch budget substitute or does it need to be the real deal?

I’ve got some time off in June and i’m looking at going to the Sierras. I’ve done a few things like Whitney summit and the JMT, but how are the areas outside the national parks? worth the road trip from seattle in June?

Any suggestions?

thanks!!

I got the gear, I got the time, and I got the gas, But any recommendations would be awesome! So far we've planned for Mount Whitney, Mount Langley, and Big Pine Creek North Fork. Thank you!

https://preview.redd.it/epux383ezb2h1.png?width=1449&format=png&auto=webp&s=495913769632c117e438fedae7e48df7950b323b

Gate Location (approx)

I'd like to access Golden Trout wilderness for a loop hike starting Friday. Does anyone know if parking is available near this gate closure?

Eric Gilbertson is a mountaineer and peakbagger known for conducting high-precision GPS surveys of mountain elevations. His work has led to discoveries including a new highest point on Mount Rainier and a previously unrecognized Colorado 14er. Recently, he hauled 30 pounds of surveying equipment up Mount Whitney and Mount Muir to remeasure their elevations. He found Whitney’s elevation to be 14,500.7’. More interestingly, he measured Mount Muir at 14,028.4’ with 318.6’ of prominence, enough for it to join the 300’ prominence Sierra 14er club. Congrats to Mount Muir!
Check out his instagram post and give him a follow: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYOMROCFJjC/?igsh=ejd2Y3QzcHJ4dDR3

Hi Everyone,

If you believe that California State Workers Should Be Able to Continue to Telework, This is How YOU Can Make a Difference!

CA State Workers being able to telework can also really help them with the ability / cost of child care, the rising price of gas, work / life balance, not increase California traffic and emissions, etc.

A study (CA State Auditor) has shown that state workers being able to work from home more days (the same amount as now) could SAVE THE STATE $225 Million Dollars!

Source: California State Auditor

If California forces state workers to commute, it passes up $225 million in savings. Can we afford that? 

https://calmatters.org/commentary/2026/03/state-workers-commute-telework-california/

Source:

California State Capitol Main Line:
(916) 324-0333

Governor Newsom:
(916) 445-2841

While Gov. Newsom is pushing for RTO, just remember that he still needs to rely on the CA State Congress to pass his new 2026/2027 budget. The Congress has leverage because of this. Gov. Newsom may be leaving office soon, but members of the CA Congress do not have the same luxury or lack of accountability. This truly can make a big difference. The only ones that can stop this now is the State Congress and the Unions. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU!

Everyone should contact their Union AND State Representatives. Everything you need to do this is below.

It takes 5 minutes to do. Any California resident is completely allowed to call as many times as they want. Please just do these things:

-Please be calm and professional.

-Briefly explain why you believe Telework should be saved, how this RTO mandate will affect you economically and your family.

Note: You should be able to call any time. Most of them have some sort of voicemail. Family members and friends can call as well.

Please take 5-10 mins to do this, save the numbers in your phone, and call as often as possible. Contact them whether they are Democrat or Republican.

Note: You can call any District and / or the Capitol. However:

Your Own Legislators Usually Carry the Most Weight

Legislators care most about:

• constituents in their own district,
• voters who can affect reelection,
• local unions and organizations,
• and people who actually live in their area.

So when someone says:

“I live in your district…”

that generally has the strongest political impact.

 

Let’s all unite and do this.

PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH YOUR CO-WORKERS, FAMILY, and FRIENDS.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Brief Summary of What Is Below:

California residents can contact their State Assemblymember, State Senator, and the Governor about AB 1729 and telework issues.

Find your legislators:
https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

California State Capitol Main Line:
(916) 324-0333

California State Senate:
(916) 651-4000

California State Assembly:
(916) 319-2800

Governor Newsom:
(916) 445-2841

Respectful phone calls and voicemails matter.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

For AB 1729 Specifically

The key people are:

• California Assemblymembers
• California State Senators
• Governor Newsom

Federal Congress has essentially no role in this bill.

 

Easiest Official “Find Your California Legislator” Tool

This is probably the cleanest and simplest one:

https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

 

People just:

1. Enter their home address
2. It instantly shows:
   • State Assemblymember
   • State Senator
   • District numbers
   • Contact pages

Very simple and official.

 

Full Directories With Phone Numbers

California State Assembly Directory (80 Assemblymembers)

https://www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers

California Assembly Member Directory

Includes:

• Capitol phone numbers
• District office numbers
• Emails
• District maps
• Staff contacts

 

California State Senate Directory (40 Senators)

https://www.senate.ca.gov/senators

California State Senate Directory

Includes:

• Office phone numbers
• District offices
• Emails
• Maps
• Committee assignments

 

Best Simple Interactive Map

California Legislative Districts Interactive Map

This is probably the easiest overall.

It lets people:

• zoom into their area
• toggle layers on/off
• view:
  • State Assembly districts
  • State Senate districts
  • Congressional districts separately

Very visual and beginner-friendly.

 

Probably the BEST Simple Message to Share

If you want something easy to copy/paste to friends, coworkers, Reddit, Facebook groups, unions, etc., this is probably the simplest version:

Want to contact your California state representatives about telework, AB 1729, or other state issues?

Find your California State Senator and Assemblymember here in under 30 seconds:

https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/

California Assembly Directory:
https://www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymembers

California Senate Directory:
https://www.senate.ca.gov/senators

Phone calls are usually more effective than emails.

 

Remember: Each citizen in California has a State Senator and Assemblyman / Woman (Similar to a House of Representatives official).

NO need to contact your FEDERAL representatives. THIS IS FOR STATE representatives.

 

Other Resources:

 

Official California State Senate District Maps

California State Senate District Maps

Official Senate maps from California.

 

Official California Assembly District Maps

California Assembly District Maps

Official Assembly district maps from the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.

 

Easiest Way to Understand It Visually

Think of California like this:

• The state is divided into:
  • 40 large State Senate districts
  • 80 smaller Assembly districts

So:

• Senate districts are bigger
• Assembly districts are smaller and more local

That’s similar to:

• U.S. Senate = fewer, larger constituencies
• U.S. House = more numerous, smaller districts

Sacramento Offices vs District Offices

This is another important distinction.

Most legislators have:

1. a Capitol office in Sacramento
2. one or more district offices locally

For active legislation like AB 1729:

Sacramento offices are often MORE important

because:

• legislative staff work there,
• policy advisors are there,
• bills are negotiated there,
• committee work happens there.

One Important Thing

Staffers generally prefer people to:

• stay respectful,
• be concise,
• and sound informed.

Even short calls like:

“Hi, I’m a California resident and I support protecting telework flexibility and AB 1729. Please pass my concerns along to the Assemblymember/Senator.”

Voicemails Still Count

Even if nobody answers live:

• staff often tally message volume,
• categorize issues,
• and report trends to the legislator.

Especially when:

• many people mention the same bill,
• the same issue,
• or similar concerns.

So a large number of respectful voicemails can absolutely create pressure or visibility.

Best Practices for Voicemails

Shorter is usually better.

Something like:

“Hi, my name is [first name]. I’m a California resident calling to support telework protections and AB 1729. Please oppose blanket return-to-office mandates and support flexible telework policies for state workers. Thank you.”

That’s usually more effective than a long speech.

 

Timing

Ironically, evenings/weekends can sometimes be easier because:

• voicemail boxes are less overwhelmed,
• callers are less rushed,
• and people have more time to participate.

But during heavy advocacy campaigns, some inboxes can fill up.

 

One Important Note

Some offices prioritize:

1. constituents in-district,
2. then statewide residents,
3. then others.

So if people call outside their district, it helps to say:

“I’m a California resident…”

That signals the issue still matters statewide.

 

Has anyone been up to thousand island lake yet via Rush Creek and able to report on conditions ahead of Memorial Day?

Any information on Duck Pass trail conditions out of the Mammoth Lakes basin?

Has anyone been out there yet this year? Norris TH or Fernandez TH? Roads seem to be pretty clear so far and I want to do a backpacking trip up there. Any info on snow line/how much snow is still up there? If not, I’ll bring back a report!

With the overall lite snow season this yr and assuming earlier than normal melting, when do people think it's gonna get bad up there this year, what window. From a mosquito standpoint. I have permits to do a few nights in either the Kearsarge Pass or Big Pine Creek North Fork on either May 28th or June 23rd. Can't decide which of those trips would be the best to target to avoid spending most of my time inside a mosquito net.