I am a third generation native San Franciscan, my family first arriving from Germany in 1868. After graduating from high school in 1979, I attended University of Montana and Humboldt State receiving a degree in Forest Management and a Master’s in Environmental Education. I have worked extensively in the forests of Northern California from the Santa Cruz Mountains to the Mendocino and Modoc National Forests, and Bryce Canyon National Park.

I have camped my entire life. As a child in the 1960’s until recently, I have camped at most of the state and national parks in the West. I traversed the circumference of the United States and the Eastern Canada on a 63 night trip and tent camped 60 of those nights. I have camped from Redwood National Park to Olympic National Park and up the Oregon and Washington coasts.

My greatest achievement however, is some 150 camp trips over 30 plus years with a group of a dozen or so friends. Almost every one of these trips have been to remote undesignated spots on National Forest and Bureau of Land Management land; no campground, no trailers or RV’s, no signs, water, table, ring, services, or people for miles. We have camped extensively throughout California and Nevada, extending into Oregon, Arizona, and Idaho.

In 2018, my oldest brother and I fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a piece of land by buying 160 acres in Northeastern Lassen County. I have been going to Hart Hill about every 2 weeks each year from April through November as we have built roads, cabins, shelters, a kitchen, and developed water, power, and sewage systems to make a Great Basin camp at 5400’ elevation. These trips have filled me with joy and peace.

My wife and I have also begun to travel more and more with cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, the Mediterranean, and the Caribbean and trips to the San Juan Islands, Olympic National Park, and Vancouver, BC., Rome, and Tuscany. Maybe our favorite place on earth is Yosemite Valley where we try to go each year with our daughter, son-in-law, and Oliver.

I use this site as a memory bank for myself and to share many of the stories, adventures, accomplishments, tomfoolery, tall tales, and sweet and loving times that I have shared with family and friends camping and traveling throughout the West and beyond. I hope you enjoy the stories and photographs, and maybe learn a little something from your time on the site.