This episode is about an ill fated winter hike and what to do if you find yourself trapped in your car in the backcountry. I had planned a group hike to visit the Devil's Chair on the back side of the Angeles National Forest but a heavy winter storm moved into the region. I sat at home, watching the rain and realized I might not be properly equipped to handle traveling in the winter along a snowy, icy stretch of highway. In this podcast I remind everyone about what can happen if you venture into the backcountry unprepared and what to do to make sure you're safe on the road. Be sure to check out my blog at www.anthonysaudiojournal.com for additonal link and other valuable information if you're planning a trip this winter.

The 50th Episode of Anthony’s Audio Journal, is about our hike into Joshua Tree National Park and our adventure up the Red Butte Wash to visit the Carey Castle. This trip was unique because there isn’t really a trail to Carey’s Castle, in fact, it’s not a trail at all. The only tell-tale signs that it’s there is a small black dot on the USGS Topographic map and the words, “Carey’s Castle”. It’s a pretty well kept secret, and folks want to keep it that way. There are no signs at the trailhead or along the way. There’s no sign at the castle or any mention of it in any of the Joshua Tree publications that I’m aware of. The few cairns that have been placed by hikers are routinely knocked over and scattered about or purposely built to redirect hikers into dead ends, further adding to the mystery of the hike to Carey’s Castle. The hike involves over four miles of walking in loose gravely sand and climbing through the boulder choked wash that forks many times throughout the adventure. Elevation gain is a modest 1400 feet but by the time you’ve walked through the deep gravel and climbed up and over the boulders, it seems like more, much much more.

In last episode Doug and I began a 4 day three night adventure up the North Fork of Big Pine Creek to visit the largest glacier in the Sierra Nevada Mountains; the Palisades Glacier. We also explored the historical Lon Chaney Cabin, and enjoyed the fabulous turquoise green glacier fed chain of lakes below some of the tallest peaks in California. In this episode we have an unusual encounter with a hostile backpacker and meet some unusual characters at Lake #3, before hiking up valley to the Glacier Trail. From here we work our way through a talus and boulder field to stunning views over the glacial fed chain of lakes and the Palisades Glacier.We conclude our hike with a stop at peaceful Black Lake for our last night in the wilderness. Be sure and watch the video Doug put together of our hike and posted on YouTube in brilliant High Definition.

In this Part One of a two part episode of Anthony's Audio Journal, Doug and I embark on a 4 day three night adventure up the North Fork of Big Pine Creek to visit the historical Lon Chaney Cabin and hike among the changing fall leaves. We work our way up along the creek and pass several glacial fed lakes before reaching our camp beneath imposing Temple Crag at scenic Third Lake. After spending our first night at the Walk-In Camp, Doug and I meet some some interesting folks and and I hear about a terrifying bear encounter from someone I meet along the trail. Be sure and click on the photo to a link to all of our photos from the trip; you won't believe the magnificent turquoise color of the lakes and the timber and stone Lon Chaney Cabin. Also follow the link to the video slideshow Doug put together of our photos and video he posted on You Tube at www.anthonysaudiojournal.com.

This podcast of Anthony's Audio Journal is about wildfires in the Southern California area, what to do if you're caught up in one while you're hiking, and all about Smokey Bear's big 65th birthday. In last episode I talked about how Katie and I smelled smoke on our hike to the summit of Mt. Islip. We thought we might be walking into the mouth of a raging wildfire and I didn't know exactly what to do. This episode talks about three major fires in the last few years, including the largest fire in California history. I also share some advice by experts on what to do if you're in the back country and a wildfire approaches. Another focus in this episode is about Smokey Bear and his 65th birthday this year. Over the years the forest service has had some great public service announcements to promote fire prevention. In this episode I mix in some great PSA's from the past to help bring back some nostalgia and its just plain entertaining. I'll post some photos from the Cedar, Esperanza and Station Fires as well as some great advertising photos and memorabilia a from Smokey Bears fire prevention campaign at www. anthonysaudiojournal.com.

Episode 46 is about a day hike to the summit of Mt. Islip in the Angeles National Forest of Southern California. Katie and I took our Siberian Husky with us on this warm weather hike and worked our way through a beautiful meadow and under the delightful shade canopy of the tall pine forest to Little Jimmy Camp. After taking a break we continued up through the Windy Ridge trail junction and on to the summit of Mt. Islip. Along the way we admired the different typed of pines and wondered where the smell of smoke was coming from as we made it to the summit and the remaining fire tower base blocks and the stone summit cabin. I uploaded a short video titled Mt. Islip Day Hike on You Tube and posted photos of the hike on my web page at www.anthonysaudiojournal.com. Music featured is from the Podsafe Music Network.

This episode is about confrontations with bears while on the trail or at home. There have been many encounters with bears this summer; bears coming into the neighborhood or into the picnic areas. This podcast gives you a brief idea of what went on in the Southern California area this year, what the local wildlife personnel are doing about it and how you can prevent an unwanted encounter with a bear. I talk about bear food storage containers; how they are tested, who tests them and some of the field trial successes and failures. For more information check out my web page at www.anthonysaudiojournal.com for photos and links to bear resistant container manufacturers and agencies that help us keep bears in the wild and eating their own food.

This podcast is about a day hike to the summit of Iron Mountain in San Diego California. I picked up Dave at the train station in Escondido and drove to Poway where we headed up the Iron Mountain Trail. Along the way we saw more wildlife than ever and met some unusual folks while hiking along this splendid wilderness trail. After reaching the summit we headed back to the trail junction of the Ellie Lane Trail and finished our semi loop hike with a rousing and thigh burning climb up a steep hillside. We met some shifty looking characters and stared at some very unusual looking rock formations before taking the Wildhorse Trail back to the truck.

This episode of Anthony's Audio Journal is about a quick overnight hike from Big Bear Lake to Lake Arrowhead in Southern California. Doug, Steve, Brad and I made this hike from the shores of Big Bear Lake up the Cougar Crest Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail near Bertha peak. From here we headed south along the P.C.T. alongside Delamar Mountain and down into the Holcomb Creek drainage toward Lake Arrowhead almost 30 miles away. Doug brought his German Shepard Brandy while Brad's Golden Retriever June happily followed along. We hiked at a fast clip taking in some beautiful scenery above Holcomb Valley and eventually made camp at Holcomb Creek Crossing Camp for the night. Steve had stashed some beer in advance and he and Doug humped the extra couple of miles to fetch the beer for all of us to share. Steve's friend Matt joined us for the night and we sat around the campfire talking about our adventurous day and about our favorite parts of the hike so far. The next morning we continued on towards Deep Creek and the large metal bridge before splitting up at Splinter's Cabin. Steve, Matt, Brad and June headed back to town on the fire road while Doug and I continued up the Little Bear Creek Trail into the North Shore campground and eventually arrived at Doug's Fire Station 92 in Lake Arrowhead. This podcast features lots of great music with lyrics that compliment my thoughts and feelings along the way and ends with a special song that flushes out the last of fond memories. I took lots of photos along the way and posted them on my web site at www.anthonysaudiojournal.com. Head over to my web site for links, photos and more.

In this episode of Anthony's Audio Journal Dave and I make a trip up the Spitler Peak Trail to the desert divide and hike up to the summit of Apache Peak. Along the way we hike through transitional zones of chaparral, oak woodland, and eventually pine forest. We meet the friendly California Conservation Corp and chat with trail boss Jose Murillo while the CCC crew from San Bernardino clip back the manzanita and remove rocks from the trail. Music featured in this episode of Anthony's Audio Journal is from Douglass Spotted Eagle with Summer Morn, ALexander Blu with Nature Song and Maria Danes with Church of Rock.

In this final part of a three part series about dangerous wildlife encounters, I relate my dangerous wildlife encounter with a mountain lion. I also talk about mountain lion attacks in Southern California and relate my eerie connection with the attack victims and familiarity with the area where the attacks occurred. I also include some helpful information on what to do if confronted by a mountain lion and feature some great music from the Podsafe Music Network.

In part two of Dangerous Wildlife Encounters I tell the story about an encounter with a very large snake while getting ready to go mountain biking with the kids. I also relate a real life snake bite encounter and read from an article written by the Loma Linda University Medical Center’s leading snakebite physician Dr. Sean Bush, famous for his appearance on T.V. Show Venom E.R. Dr. Bush lets us know how to avoid being bitten and walks us through the series of steps that will happen after you’ve been bit. I mention gory snakebite photos from Justin Schwartz’s horrifying snakebite and feature links to some well photographed rattlesnakes and their look-a-likes in the Southern California Area from California Herps.Com. In memory of The Crodile Hunter’s Steve Irwin I included a link to a short video on You Tube where Steve handles a Mojave Rattlesnake, California’s most venomous snake. Click here to watch the video. Music featured in this episode is Watch Out from Matt Thorp and Survive from Polaradio. All from the Podsafe Music Network.

In this first part of a three part series about dangerous wildlife encounters, I tell the story about a short day hike I did with my dogs while looking for a geocache. We accidently stirred up a bee hive hidden among the boulders below the trail. I relate the nervous few minutes that followed and our race back to the truck to escape the bee attack. I also talk about the history of Africanized Bees and relate true stories of attacks in the southwest. I let you know what to do if you’re atacked and how to escape with help from Desert USA’s great website. I’m including links to a You Tube Video about Killer Bees you’ve got to see and an interesting website about Bees, Wasps and other stinging insects called Comming Back Alive. Music featured in this episode is from Get Three Coffins Ready and Tom Smith from the Podsafe Music Network.

This episode of Anthony’s Audio Journal is about a snowshoe day hike up the Devil’s Slide Trail to Tahquitz Meadow of the San Bernardino National Forest with friends Dick and Dane. Years ago cattlemen searched for a cool, lush place to take their herd during the summer months, to escape the searing heat of the San Jacinto Valley. They knew of Tahquitz Meadow and cowboys reluctantly drove their cattle up the head of the steep, Strawberry Valley. Many cowboys and cattle became victims to the loose rock and brush choked ravine and tumbled down the steep slide, cursing along the way. They named the route the Devil’s Slide as only the devil himself could have created such a horrendous route to the green pastures of Tahquitz Meadow. In this winter adventure Dick, Dane and I strap on our snowshoes and make the hike up into a winter wonderland of fresh powder snow. Along the way we encountered epic conditions and steep terrain and met some interesting folks along the way. Dane shot video during the adventure and did a great job of providing additional audio and insight into our trip. I think he captured the scenery, difficulty and absolutely zany madcap adventure of hiking with twin brothers. How could anyone not have fun with these guys’s? Music used in this episode was Highway Dave and the Varmits, “Mountains to the Sea”, Defibulators with, “Wild Wild Young Men”, and this one from Awry with “Out of the Cold” all from the Podsafe Music Network.

This episode of Anthony's Audio Journal is about a mental expedition into the wild and surviving. I talk about the traits of a survivor and how to take more notice of your surrounds while you're enjoying yourself on the trail. I also discuss things you should take with you on every hike and touch on clothing for the outdoors