California Basecamp
Gear reviews and trail guides for camping and hiking in Northern California.
Permit & planning guides
See all guides →Lake Tahoe
Desolation Wilderness Permits: The 6-Month Rolling Window Explained
Desolation Wilderness overnight permits aren't a lottery. They're a rolling 6-month release by camping zone. How the zone quota system works, when each date opens, and what it costs.
Yosemite
Half Dome Permit Lottery: Dates, Odds, and How to Apply
How Yosemite's Half Dome cable route permit lottery works: the March preseason application window, the daily lottery backup, costs, and the rules that get applications disqualified.
Eastern Sierra
Mount Whitney Permits: Lottery Dates, Fees, and What to Do If You Lose
How the Mount Whitney permit lottery works: the February application window, the March results date, the April claim deadline that catches people out, and how unclaimed dates get released.
Yosemite
When Does Tioga Pass Open? Historical Dates and How to Predict It
Tioga Pass has averaged a May 28 opening since 1933, but the real range runs from early May to late July. What drives the date, and how to plan a Yosemite high country trip around it.
Gear reviews
See all gear →Best 2-Person Backpacking Tents for California Camping
A buying guide to the best 2-person backpacking tents for California's mix of coastal fog, Sierra granite, and desert wind, based on independent outdoor-gear testing.
Best Backpacking Backpacks for Multi-Day California Trips
A buying guide to backpacking packs for Sierra and North Coast trips, based on independent outdoor-gear testing, with notes on how to actually get the fit right.
Best Backpacking Sleeping Bags for Sierra and Coastal Camping
A buying guide to backpacking sleeping bags for California's temperature swings, based on independent outdoor-gear testing.
Best Backpacking Stoves for California Trail Trips
A buying guide to backpacking camp stoves, based on independent outdoor-gear testing, with a note on wind performance for exposed Sierra and coastal camping.
Best Bear Canister for Sierra and Tahoe Backpacking Permits
Which bear canisters are actually legal for Yosemite, Whitney Zone, and Desolation Wilderness permits, what we personally carry, and why a cheap unbranded canister can get you fined or turned away at a trailhead.
Best Hiking Boots for California Trails
A buying guide to hiking boots for California terrain, from Sierra granite to coastal mud, based on independent outdoor-gear testing.
Starlink Mini on a Truck Camper: What Actually Works Off-Grid
A hands-on account of running Starlink Mini flat-mounted on a truck camper roof, including real speeds, why the USB-C cable beats the AC brick, and the one thing that actually kills the signal.
Trail guides
See all trails →No trail guides published yet.