SIERRA HERITAGE: California's Golden Interior

Today we welcome Sierra Heritage to the MagSampler.com newsstand. It's a gorgeous magazine about California's golden interior, a region rich in scenery, history and civilized things to do. I've been fortunate to travel through the area a couple of times—most recently in a rented convertible, driving from Reno to a relative's wedding by the sea—and I treasure the memories of every day spent on the road, sorry only that they were so few (can't be late for a wedding!). Sierra Heritage is a bimonthly published in Auburn, CA, that focuses on the region's scenic beauty, its history and its fabled parks, skiing and wineries. It's designed both for residents and for the many people who visit the region throughout the year. I've got a recent issue in hand, and am impressed with the imaginative range of articles it presents. I liked a profile of wilderness photographer Peter Scott, well illustrated with a portfolio of his photos from Tahoe and Yosemite. You'll find a guide to funky places to get a good breakfast in the Sierras; it's paired with another on great places to paddle your canoe or kayak. There's a multipage section on where to go and what to do in El Dorado County, an historic gold mining area west of Lake Tahoe centered on Placerville (I prefer its old name, Hangtown). On the subject of gold mining, this issue contains an interesting essay on the democratic nature of the Gold Rush—at least everyone went into it pretty equal. Nonresidents may not know it, but the eastern Sierras have fall foliage that's in the same league as New England's, and this issue of Sierra Heritage has the pictures to prove it. Railroad and engineering buffs will appreciate an article, well illustrated with period photographs, about the construction and operation of hair-raising inclined railways that were built in the Sierras in the early part of the 20th century to bring logs down the mountains. Author Jack Burgess notes that one had an incline that reached 78%! Each issue of Sierra Heritage also contains articles about places to stay in the region, as well as a guide to activities in its many communities. An annual subscription to Sierra Heritage (six issues) is $25.00; you can get a sample copy from us for $2.59.