Friday, December 14th, 2012 by Nick, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Nick, Project SpecialistName: Nick Holt Title: Project Specialist About: Originally from San Diego, Nick spent the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2012 with the Mono Lake Committee. Recently back from hiking the John Muir Trail, Nick works on IT problems, troubleshoots computer issues, and maintains the Committee's network, server, and computer systems. He spent four years at UC Berkeley making weekend trips to the Sierra as much as possible and earning a degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering. When out of the office, you can probably find Nick somewhere in the mountains fishing, mountaineering, hiking, climbing, or back in Lee Vining working on his newest pursuit: gardening.See All Posts by Nick (3) Contact Nick
Can you identify these tracks? Photo by Nick Holt.
While waking up to fresh snow is a great treat (especially for those of us from Southern California), this most recent storm revealed some extra surprises. Winter may be upon us here in the Mono Basin, but a multitude of animals are still enjoying the spectacular scenery. On my walk to work this morning I spotted fresh tracks from bears, raccoons, deer, squirrels, rabbits, and other furry woodland critters. Clark’s Nutcrackers, Stellar’s Jays, and Mountain Chickadees had the air to themselves as they traded calls (more…)
Friday, September 7th, 2012 by Nick, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Nick, Project SpecialistName: Nick Holt Title: Project Specialist About: Originally from San Diego, Nick spent the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2012 with the Mono Lake Committee. Recently back from hiking the John Muir Trail, Nick works on IT problems, troubleshoots computer issues, and maintains the Committee's network, server, and computer systems. He spent four years at UC Berkeley making weekend trips to the Sierra as much as possible and earning a degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering. When out of the office, you can probably find Nick somewhere in the mountains fishing, mountaineering, hiking, climbing, or back in Lee Vining working on his newest pursuit: gardening.See All Posts by Nick (3) Contact Nick
Skypilot (Polemonium eximium) are found in the high Sierra above treeline, including near the summit of Mt. Dana. Photo by Nick Holt.
America’s National Parks and extensive wilderness system provides millions of acres of unspoiled lands in which we can all escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a day, a week, or even months at a time. Enjoying our protected public lands is not the only activity we can pursue in the great outdoors, however.
Adventurers & Scientists for Conservation is a nonprofit founded by Gregg Treinish after he was able to partake in the adventure of a lifetime—trekking 7,800 miles along the length of the Andes, worthy of 2008 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year honors—but he felt (more…)
Thursday, August 30th, 2012 by Nick, Project SpecialistcloseAuthor: Nick, Project SpecialistName: Nick Holt Title: Project Specialist About: Originally from San Diego, Nick spent the summers of 2007, 2008, and 2012 with the Mono Lake Committee. Recently back from hiking the John Muir Trail, Nick works on IT problems, troubleshoots computer issues, and maintains the Committee's network, server, and computer systems. He spent four years at UC Berkeley making weekend trips to the Sierra as much as possible and earning a degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering. When out of the office, you can probably find Nick somewhere in the mountains fishing, mountaineering, hiking, climbing, or back in Lee Vining working on his newest pursuit: gardening.See All Posts by Nick (3) Contact Nick
I was lucky enough to spend the summers of 2007 and 2008 Lee Vining volunteering and interning with the Mono Lake Committee, but this summer is exceptionally memorable. During a cold and windy morning of interpretive training down at South Tufa early this summer, we were amazed to see the most foam any of us had ever witnessed at Mono Lake.
My legs covered in foam after an early summer trek along the windy South Tufa shoreline. Photo courtesy of Janet Carle.
Foam can appear on the shoreline because the lake’s unique chemical composition includes natural surfactants that reduce the surface tension necessary to hold bubbles together. In layman’s terms, Mono Lake’s soapy-feeling water acts like soap and can bubble up considerably when mixed, such as when 30-mile-an-hour gusts reach the normally calm shoreline.
For years I’ve heard of the immense flocks of phalaropes that grace Mono Lake with their synchronized flocks. This summer, our canoe and walking tours were exceptionally special because of a few thousand special guests at South Tufa and Navy Beach. For one reason or another the phalaropes picked (more…)
