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- Gnarly shark // West Nile sucks // Fire recovery
Gnarly shark // West Nile sucks // Fire recovery
OutdoorSoCal Newsletter September 28, 2024
Chris Emery
September 28, 2024
In today’s newsletter,
Gnarly shark sighting
Avoiding West Nile virus
Fire recovery
News
Fire burning on Mount Baldy.
SoCal national forests and mountain resorts recovering after massive fires
After the massive fires that swept through SoCal’s mountains, the area’s national forests and mountain resorts are regrouping as winter approaches.
While some resorts are still closed for fall activities, they will be open for the 2024/25 winter sports season. Many wilderness areas in Angeles National Forest and San Bernardino National Forest, however, are under closure orders following the fires.
Whale watching tour got real when it happened upon a feasting great white shark
Intellectually, I know my chances of encountering a shark when surfing are fairly low. But news that great whites are hanging around Southern California waters and photos like the one above, taken during a whale watching tour off the Santa Barbara coast…well, it’s hard to shake the “dunant dunant” vibes.
Mosquitoes suck - so does West Nile Virus
Sad but true, mosquitoes are thriving in Southern California, and along with them come diseases. Cases of West Nile Virus are on the rise in California, and LA County recently reported the first death from the disease this year. While the risk of contracting the disease is low, there are some things you can do to minimize your chances even more.
Upcoming Events
Next weekend: Grizzly 100 MTB Race and Big Bear Mountain Biking Gran Fondo 2024
The Grizzly 100 & Big Bear Mountain Biking Gran Fondo comprise a single-day mountain biking event in the San Bernardino Mountains at Big Bear Lake. The event offers races for all levels of riders.
Adventure Van Expo Big Bear - Overlanding/Vanlife
Oct 19-20 - Big Bear Lake, California
The Boardroom International Surfboard Show - Surfing
Oct 12-13 - San Diego, California
Mount Laguna Trailfest - MTB
Oct 18 - Mount Laguna, California
Bishop Craggin Classic - Climbing
Oct 18-19 - Bishop, California
E-Dirty Cross MTB Race - MTB
Dec 1 - Lakeside, California
Dirty 30 MTB Race - MTB
Dec 1 - Lakeside, California
If you know of an outdoors-related event in or around SoCal that you’d like to share with other subscribers, email me at [email protected].
Gear
Garmin's new satellite comms device let’s you send photos and voice messages
In a futile attempt to keep up with the steady march of technology, I bought an InReach Mini a few months ago. Now Garmin has released the new InReach Messenger Plus that lets you send photos and voice messages via satellite from the backcountry. It looks very cool. Anybody wanna buy a lightly used InReach Mini…? 🥹
Guides & Videos
Anza-Borrego’s iron oasis: Galleta Meadows sculptures
With the weather starting to cool down, my thoughts turn to exploring the deserts of Southern California this winter. Galleta Meadows, near downtown Borrego Springs in the Anza Borrego desert, is always worth a stop if you are in the area.
Vanalden Cave Trail  | Vanalden Cave Trail is a mile-and-a-half hike in the Tarzana area of Los Angeles. The trail winds through dense patches of desert vegetation as it ascends a gently sloping hillside to reveal spectacular views of the valley below ultimately. Go to guide |
Los Penasquitos Canyon Trail  | Tucked into the northern suburbs of San Diego, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Trail follows a riparian forest through the 4,000-acre Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve. Go to guide |