As you may already have discovered, Blanco, hiking in my fair state offers a lot of opportunity, and not all of it limited to the Sierra. You’ll find that by making the short drive to Reno and hooking up with US 395, you can head south in winter to Death Valley or farther to the lower desert around J - Tree. Or head to the coast, warmer in winter than the interior, and try out Pt Reyes Nat’l Seashore, among many, many others. You’re within an hour or so of Calaveras Big Trees SP, where you can get a look at giant Sequoias in winter, as it’s only around 5,000 ft or so. Campfire permits are available at any USFS Ranger Station, and are free. Fires are a big deal here, as you’ll see in the warm (i.e. “hot”) months. 3 season gear works almost all the time, anywhere unless you plan on spending time in the high Sierra when the snow and ice are formidably present - even then, many use only 3 season tents.
I wish I could nail down the “California Hiking Experience” in just a simple paragraph or six…but you’ll find opportunities are year round, and of unbelieveable variety. As a native, I couldn’t be convinced to move from here (SF Bay Area) no matter the draw or salary - with few exceptions (Jessica Alba, are you paying attention?)! Welcome, and keep in touch if you find there are specific areas you want to try out.
4wheelbob
