June 18, 2009

Yosemite icon leaves the slopes, the passing of Nic Fiore

From John Poimiroo of Travel and Tourism Marketing Communications:

"Nic Fiore arrived in Yosemite Valley on a snowy night in 1947 to work as a ski instructor at Badger Pass. He slogged through three feet of snow to his dormitory, exhausted from the transcontinental train trip from his native Montreal and the following morning met ski school director, Luggi Foeger. Until that moment Fiore hadn’t seen the valley’s sheer walls. The 27-year-old ski instructor turned to his new director and, while looking up, exclaimed, 'Luggi, this is fantastic, but where do the beginners ski?'

"In the 57 years following his arrival in Yosemite National Park, Nic Fiore answered that question like no Nic Fioreother American ski instructor, teaching some 137,500 people how to ski at Badger Pass. He retired in 2004, after teaching skiing for more than 60 years. His career began in 1940 as an Army Ski Instructor for the Royal Canadian Armed Forces. Following World War II he became certified by the Canadian Ski Instructor’s Alliance and taught skiing in Canada’s Laurentian mountains, before moving to Yosemite.

"Fiore, who died Tuesday in Fresno at age 89, is believed to have taught more people to ski than any other ski instructor in North America. Thousands of baby boomers were introduced to skiing at dry land ski schools conducted by him during the 1950s and ‘60s, and he became a Yosemite institution not only in winter. He also managed the Glacier Point Hotel, Big Trees Lodge, Hotel Wawona and Yosemite Lodge, and in 1966, began directing Yosemite High Sierra Camps, often walking up to 25 miles a day between camps.

"In 1965, Fiore authored the ski technique guide, So You Want to Ski and, in 1967, he was selected by the French government to represent the US at its prestigious French National Ski Instructor’s academy in Chamonix. He subsequently coordinated similar exchanges in the U.S. to improve American ski instruction techniques.

"For many years, he served as Executive Director of the Professional Ski Instructors of America/Western Division and became the only person to receive both the Northern California and Nevada Ski Media Association and the Southern California Association of Ski Writers awards for outstanding contributions to the sport of skiing. Fiore is the only ski instructor ever to have been inducted into the California Tourism Hall of Fame and the California Outdoor Hall of Fame. He was also nominated three times to the U.S. National Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

"One of the oldest ski clubs in the western United States, the Yosemite Winter Club named its highest award in his honor––the Nic Fiore Award is presented annually to 'an individual who demonstrates enthusiasm, commitment and a love of winter sports.' The honors he cherished most, however, were the generations of skiers who crowded around him at ski shows in LA and San Francisco, seeking a moment with their energetic and joyful instructor.

"
One of America’s smallest ski areas, Badger Pass is widely recognized for its excellence as a place to learn to ski and snowboardboard, credited to Fiore’s legacy. While some contributions to skisport happen in an instant, his occurred over 60 years. He never earned more than a ski instructor’s wage, yet said his reward was in passing the joy of skiing to three generations of skiers.

"Fiore is survived by two daughters, eight grandchildren and five brothers and sisters. A memorial service is planned to occur at Badger Pass in autumn. His family has asked that contributions be made in his memory to The Yosemite Fund (yosemitefund.org) and the Air Warrior Courage Foundation (airwarriorcourage.org)."

June 16, 2009

Go Green Cities: San Francisco launches Global Sustainable Tourism Initiative

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The birthplace of the United Nations, San Francisco is the lead U.S. city to partner with the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria Partnership, a coalition of more than 40 international conservation, development, and travel industry organizations to implement sustainable tourism principles. The city is promoting local businesses that protect cultural heritage and the environment; Miami and Baltimore will also commit to the criteria.

Initiated by the Rainforest Alliance, the UN Environment Programme, the UN Foundation, and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Partnership has developed specific criteria related to sustainable tourism, in contrast to “green” or “eco” tourism, addressing cultural and socio-economic impacts of tourism in addition to environmental concerns.

San Francisco is one of the country's greenest cities:
    first city to ban plastic bags
    70% recycling rate and growing
    converting 100% of taxi fleet to hybrid or alternative fuel
    largest city-owned solar installation in the U.S.
    a 2009 Nalgene study lists SF as the "America's Least Wasteful City"  
    world's most environmentally-friendly museum (California Academy of Sciences)

Visitors will find "green" itineraries, ideas, tips and more on the "Only in San Francisco" green portal.  For those seeking to reduce their impact on the environment, a list of sustainably-operated lodgings, restaurants and stores is available on the site.

And, one more thing! San Francisco has formed a partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative to transform the city’s Civic Center into a sustainable resource district that maximizes energy and water efficiency, reduces waste, and increases the use of wastewater.

June 09, 2009

Help save California parks, hundreds slated for closure

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Californians are expressing disbelief as they hear of Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to close 80% of all state parks and beaches, from San Simeon State Park near Hearst Castle to Humboldt Redwoods, Railtown 1897 and Mt. Diablo, and 200+ more.


Virtually every household in California (98%) visits a park each year; 2 in every 3 households visit a park each month, and 50% participate in a park recreation program every year, according to a new study conducted for the California Park & Recreation Society. “We knew Californians love parks, (yet) no one imagined the importance they attribute to their parks and recreation,” said CPRS Executive Director, Jane H. Adams.

Noted in the study: "It is clear from this study that these spaces, places, facilities and services are an essential component of the everyday lives of Californians and of millions of visitors to the state. One of the most powerful revelations was that Californians see parks as making their communities better places to live. The CPRS survey found that Californians equate a better place to live with access to serenity and nature, outdoor spaces for play for children and adults alike, facilities for group sports, and lower levels of juvenile crime because of positive recreational alternatives.”

Among the targeted parks are attractions popular with school classes, including Topanga State Park, Sutter's Fort State Historic Park in Sacramento and Pio Pico State Historic Park in Whittier. Nearly 50 parks, beaches and historic sites in the greater San Francisco Bay Area would be affected, including Mount Tamalpais, Angel Island and Big Sur. In the Lake Tahoe region, among the parks on the closure list are Donner, Sugar Pine Point, D.L. Bliss, Emerald Bay and others. Click here for the list of endangered parks.

Thousands of employees will be laid off, and nearby stores and towns will suffer economic disaster, as they lose the more than $2 billion that park visitors spend on camping gear, food, gas, lodging, and Canoe-Hike-2008-modified_2 other recreational goods and services. For every dollar that funds the parks, $2.35 is returned to the state's General Fund through economic activities in surrounding communities; means that closing the parks could actually result in the state losing over $350 million dollars in revenue. For instance, the closure of Armstrong Redwoods State Park would result in an economic loss to Sonoma County between $51 and $78 million annually, according to the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods.

 What  can you do to help save California parks?

1. Go to www.calparks.org/takeaction and fill in its automated form.

2. Join the campaign on the California State Park Foundation's Facebook channel.

3. Send letters to your legislators and the governor, to your assemblyperson, state senator, local newspapers and not-so-local newspapers, and ask you friend to do the sam (be sure to offer constructive suggestions). Save the Redwoods League offers an online message system.

4. Upload a 1-minute video on the YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/savetheredwoods to let people know what you think.

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June 01, 2009

Save on a hybrid rental car at SFO

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San Francisco International Airport is launching the nation’s first Green Rental Car program that rewards customers for renting “green” alternative-fueled vehicles. Customers who rent hybrid cars at SFO, such as the Honda Civic Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid or Toyota PRIUS will receive a $15 discount at the counter.

It is estimated that more than 4,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year will be eliminated through the implementation of this program.Currently, 10 percent of the rental car fleet at SFO is comprised of high-mileage cars—such as the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Focus—in addition to alternative-fuel cars.

“The Green Rental Car program is the first of several green initiatives the airport is rolling out in 2009,” said John L. Martin, Director of SFO. “We are committed to making SFO the sustainable Airport of Choice for California travelers.”

Participating rental car agencies:

Alamo    

Avis    

Budget    

Dollar    

Enterprise    

Fox    

Hertz

National

Thrifty

May 27, 2009

New guidebook: Backroads of the California Coast

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We've done it again! Photographer Gary Crabbe and I are announcing the release of our new book, Backroads of the California Coast, our fourth title for Voyageur Press. With fabulous color photos on nearly every page, driving itineraries, maps and lively descriptions of each section of the coast from the redwoods to San Diego. Focused on off-the-beaten-track routes and lesser-known attractions, the new guide is loaded with indispensable information and entertaining reading. You'll use it on your own getaways, and find it a great gift for visitors.

A few highlights of the 24 itineraries:

Cliffs & Coves of the Palos Verdes Peninsula
Elephants & Moonstones: San Simeon to Cayucos
Torrey Pines & the Univ. of San Diego
The Seven Sisters: Morro Bay & the Edna Valley
Along the Navarro: Anderson Valley
Arcata to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park


Gary and I also worked together on these popular "coffee-table style" books from Voyageur Press: 

    The California Coast

    Backroads of the California Wine Country

    Our San Francisco

May 14, 2009

Free road trip guide to California, driving itineraries and family fun

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The free guide, California Road Trips 2009, is now available from the California Travel and Tourism Commission. The annual booklet is loaded with regional driving itineraries, off-the-beaten-track discoveries like the Calico Ghost town, and sustainable travel choices such as the green trains at Disneyland, touring Huntington Beach by pedicab, and the “greenest” museum in the world.

Find out where to get close and personal with leopard sharks, stroll an old mission garden, hike around a pine-fringed lake, and see shopkeepers dressed like it’s 1849.

A valuable resource for this summer's "stay near home" vacation planning, California Road Trips 2009 is available in the June edition of Sunset magazine. You can also get a copy by calling 1-877-TOP-DRIVES or download it for free via the CTTC Web site at www.visitcalifornia.com/visitorsguide.

For more info on summer vacations, pick up a copy of Karen Misuraca's new 7th edition of Fun With the Family Northern California, and soon to be released Backroads of the California Coast.

May 07, 2009

Joie de Vivre's Hotel Carlton wins 2009 "Innovation" Hotel Hero Award

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The annual "Hotel Hero Awards" are presented by Hotel Council of San Francisco, which represents more than 80 hotels in the city. This year, Joie de Vivre's Hotel Carlton won the Innovation award for environmental efforts. The Carlton is the first solar powered hotel in the city. In addition to installing solar panels last year, the property introduced new green practices and policies to further reduce its carbon footprint, and installed large-format amenity dispensers, filtered water machines with reusable glass pitchers and reinforced its recycling program with in-room and public recycling bins. Communication and education materials placed throughout the hotel include a lobby solar energy production monitor and energy/water savings quick fact sheets.


The Hotel Carlton offsets all carbon used in operations and is in the process of LEED-EB Gold Certification.

Hotel Hero Awards were created to acknowledge the best and the brightest in the city's hotel industry. Categories for the nominations include: Beyond the Call of Duty, Community Spirit, Innovation, Lifetime Achievement, Rising Star, and Unsung Hero. 

Learn more about Joie de Vivre hotels, and the Hotel Carlton--one of my very favorite hotels--at my Resorts & Spas column for examiner.com.

April 24, 2009

Luxury safari camp in Zambia reopens after "green" renovation

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One of my most unforgettable experiences in Africa was on Sindabezi Isand, a luxury camp near Victoria Falls in Zambia. It's a private island with just five open-sided thatched cottages, wherein we laid awake into the starry night, listening to animal sounds. The Sunday Times in London says Sindabezi as one of the best remote lodgings in the world--right in the middle of the Zambezi River.

Meals are served in a tropical paradise on a little hill above the river. One night, we were dining by lantern-light when our guide/host told us to grab our wine glasses and retreat to the upper terrace, whereupon two lovely hippos waddled up to our dinner table, settled themselves underneath, and fell asleep, side by side. Our guide told us that the two of them often took shelter on the island, when lions were in the area. Later, we heard that unmistakable, husky call of the lions across the river.

Sindabezi Island is reopens this June after having rebuilt the cottages and other facilities on the island to exacting “green” standards. To celebrate, a rather extraordinary special rate of US$250 per person per night is being offered, including all meals, wildlife tours by boat, fand a visit to Victoria Falls, the largest curtain of falling water in the world. Solar panels, state-of-the-art water recycling and other environmentally sensitive elements were added.

The camp is making the most of its forested island setting on the Zambezi River by building elevated star gazing decks for viewing the unbelievable sparkle of the night sky. New rooms feature closeable fronts, minimal solar lighting and ultra-comfortable teak beds with luxury bedding. Guests at the camp often combine a stay at Sindabezi with a stay at the sister camp across the river, Tongabezi--which is also one of the most luxurious camps in Southern Africa.

For more info: see some spectacular images of Zambia at www.ZambiaTourism.com

April 14, 2009

Kayak surfing and stand-up surfing on Monterey Bay

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Not to be outdone by Southern California or Hawaii, the Monterey County coast in Central California is becoming known for the sports of kayak surfing and stand-up surfboard paddling (Laird Hamilton does it). Started by the beach boys of Waikiki in the 1950s, paddle surfing combines surfing with canoe-style paddling in a stand-up position, exercising the core and sense of balance. Visitors in Monterey learn to walk on water by taking classes covering the basics of balance, strokes and paddling techniques. Adventures by the Sea offers kayak and bike rentals and tours; surfing lessons and guided tours of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Kayak Connection, based in Santa Cruz, offers sea kayaking rental, instruction in stand-up surfing and kayaking, and tours in Santa Cruz, Moss Landing, Monterey Bay and at international destinations.

April 07, 2009

Sustainable Tourism on Riviera Maya

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On a recent trip to Riviera Maya, south of Cancun, I discovered that the several (fabulous) golf courses along the resort coast are intimately involved in preserving and restoring their precious natural environment, from mangrove forests to cenotes and waterways. See my recent article on "green golf" in AirTran's inflight magazine GO.


Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, which includes the Riviera Maya Caribbean coast, has been the focus of intensive resort development in recent years, and accordingly, the tourism arm of the country's Secretariat for the Environment and Natural Resources has developed a new standard called "Environmental Requirements and Specifications for Site Selection, Design, Construction, and Operation of Tourism and Real Estate Developments on the Yucatan Peninsula." The goal is to promote and support sustainable tourism (comprised of environmental, economic and social benefits). The new standard will be the basis of sustainable tourism certification, serving as a frame of reference for developers, entrepreneurs and government officials and strengthening environmental impact evaluation along the coastline.

Among natural and historic sights to see and enjoy on Riviera May are Sian Ka'an, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; the coral formations of the Great Maya Reef; and the glorious and dramatic Mayan pyramids of Cobá and Tulum.





March 31, 2009

Tree Huggers Art Raises Eco Awareness


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In public places and at events around the world, eye-catching, inspiring environmental art is erected by vounteer artists for the Tree Hugger Project, an organization that aims to help people rediscover their relationship with nature. Made from twigs, branches, sticks, vines and other natural materials, the playful sculptures are conversation starters, meant to be metaphors for the symbiotic relationships between organisms. A kind of political art, the Tree Hugger sculptures raise awareness of the relationships between humanity and the besieged environment. Check out the fascinating photos at www.treehuggerproject.com.

Installations have appeared around the planet, from Nevada to Missouri, Poland, Vienna and England. On the drawing boards are multi-part sculptures for the Royal Botanical Gardens in Ontario, Canada; the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and three large installations will be erected at the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, December, 2009.

Poznan-images-detail-13 At the installation "Lonely Tree, Lonely People," at the UN Climate Change Conference in Poland in 2008, hundreds of people lined up behind the figures to try to imagine that there was just one tree left to hug.

March 24, 2009

Earth Hour March 28, 2009: Turn Out the Lights!


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Fairmont Hotels & Resorts are one of the hospitality companies who will participate in Earth Hour 2009, a global environmental awareness event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). On Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m., millions of people, business and government entities, and all 56 of Fairmont's hotels and resorts from Dallas to Dubai, will turn off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour - to draw attention to the world's most pressing environmental issue: climate change.

In 2008, more than 50 million people participated. This year, 1 billion people in 1,000 cities are expected to take part. The Eiffel Tower will go dark, as will Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney’s Opera House, Table Mountain in Cape Town, the CN Tower in Toronto and Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Casino.

Tell your friends--turn it all off on March 28!     www.earthhour.org

March 16, 2009

Mindfulness & Movement in AZ

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A company specializing in unique nature/personal growth programs, Inner Passage is offering a life-changing weekend of Mindfulness and Movement, involving collaborative learning, introspection and mind-body focus while camping in the spectacular high desert of the Cochise Stronghold in the Coronado National Forest of southeastern Arizona. Spend precious days with a small group, doing yoga, guided mindfulness meditation and rock climbing. Holistic health and goal-setting are topics of exploration. Activities also include one-on-one life coaching, hiking and more. Friday, April 24-Sunday, April 26. $575 per person covers meals, technical and camping equipment; bring your own tent & sleeping bag. (Other weekends to be held in Jackson, WY, Joshua Tree National Monument, and Sedona. Check out this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and other programs offered at www.Inner Passage.net–from Zen and the Art of Work to Adventure Therapy and 1-day Intro to Rock Climbing.

February 24, 2009

Montréal’s Self-serve BIXI Bikes

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The city of Montreal is offering residents and visitors a fun, fast, cheap and eco-efficient way to get around. Starting in April, you can head to one of 3,000 BIXI bikes in service at 300 stations. Take out a bike, hop on the saddle and Montréal is yours to explore for a few hours or the whole day--just return your wheels to the nearest station.


Many European cities, such as Paris, Barcelona and Lyon, have already launched Img-escouade their own public bike systems, providing a new, eco-friendly and low-cost alternative to the auto. Bike prototypes were shown off to the eager public in the streets of Montreal by the BIXI SWAT teams. 

February 20, 2009

Fun w/the Family Northern California


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My ever-popular guidebook, Fun with the Family Northern California, has just come out in a new
7th edition
. Chocked with 300 pages of hundreds of ideas for daytripping and vacationing with kids, the chapters cover the state:

Redwood Country
Shasta Cascade
Gold Country
Sierras North & South
Wine Country
San Francisco & Marin
East & South Bay
Central Coast


The latest on amusement parks, wildlife adventures, museums, outdoor recreation; state, national, regional, county & city parks; best places for families to stay, eat and have fun. Even best wineries for kids, houseboating, kayaking, camping, hiking trails, cavern tours, boating, snow parks--and more!

Check it out on Amazon!

ABOUT KAREN: 


  • Karen Misuraca is the Founder/Editor of BestGolfResortsofTheWorld.com and the award-winning author of several guidebooks and literary travel books. She contributes to a variety of publications, from inflight magazines to lifestyle periodicals. Learn more at KarenMisuraca.com.

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