Legal Notice, Terms of Use, and Disclaimer

Read this before you rely on anything published here. It limits our liability and describes what this site is and is not.

1. Acceptance of these terms

By accessing, browsing, or otherwise using this website (the "Site"), you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Legal Notice, Terms of Use, and Disclaimer (collectively, the "Terms"). If you do not agree to the Terms in their entirety, you must not access or use the Site.

These Terms constitute a binding agreement between you and the publisher of the Site ("we," "us," or "our"). Your continued use of the Site following the posting of any revision constitutes acceptance of that revision.

2. Informational purposes only; no professional advice

All content published on the Site — including but not limited to trail reports, closure notices, fire and weather information, water and fishing conditions, hunting season dates and regulatory summaries, gear descriptions, maps, diagrams, status indicators, and editorial commentary — is provided for general informational and journalistic purposes only.

Nothing on the Site constitutes, nor should it be construed as, professional advice of any kind, including without limitation safety, navigational, meteorological, medical, veterinary, engineering, mechanical, financial, or legal advice. No reader-publisher, advisory, fiduciary, or professional relationship of any kind is created by your use of the Site or by any communication with us.

Maps, diagrams, and illustrations published on the Site are schematic representations prepared for editorial purposes. THEY ARE NOT SURVEY-GRADE, ARE NOT DRAWN TO SCALE, AND MUST NOT BE USED FOR NAVIGATION, ROUTE-FINDING, BOUNDARY DETERMINATION, OR ANY OTHER OPERATIONAL PURPOSE.

3. Conditions change; information is time-stamped and perishable

The natural environment and the regulatory environment both change continuously and without notice. Fire perimeters move. Closures are issued, modified, expanded, and rescinded. Roads wash out. Water levels, water temperatures, snowpack, avalanche hazard, weather, and wildlife activity vary by the hour. Seasons, bag limits, tag requirements, testing requirements, permit systems, and fee schedules are amended by the responsible agencies, sometimes with immediate effect.

Any status indicator, date, deadline, or condition described on the Site reflects our understanding as of the publication or verification date displayed with that item, and no other time. WE DO NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THAT ANY CONTENT IS CURRENT, AND WE UNDERTAKE NO OBLIGATION TO UPDATE, CORRECT, OR SUPPLEMENT ANY CONTENT AFTER PUBLICATION.

YOU MUST INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY ALL CONDITIONS, CLOSURES, RESTRICTIONS, REGULATIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS WITH THE AGENCY, LANDOWNER, OR AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ACTING ON THEM. The official order, regulation, or advisory issued by that authority governs in all cases and supersedes anything published here.

4. Disclaimer of warranties

THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, MATERIALS, DATA, AND SERVICES MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH IT ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, WE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENCY, RELIABILITY, OR THAT THE SITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE.

NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED FROM US OR THROUGH THE SITE, CREATES ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY STATED IN THESE TERMS. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties, so portions of this section may not apply to you.

5. Assumption of risk

Outdoor recreation is inherently dangerous. Hiking, backpacking, camping, climbing, hunting, fishing, boating, off-highway and backcountry vehicle travel, and related activities involve risks of serious bodily injury, permanent disability, and death, arising from causes including but not limited to terrain, weather, wildfire, smoke, flood, avalanche, rockfall, falling trees, cold, heat, dehydration, drowning, wildlife encounters, firearms, mechanical failure, isolation, delayed rescue, and the acts or omissions of yourself and others.

BY USING THE SITE AND BY UNDERTAKING ANY ACTIVITY INFLUENCED IN ANY WAY BY ITS CONTENT, YOU KNOWINGLY AND VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL SUCH RISKS, WHETHER KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, AND ACCEPT SOLE AND COMPLETE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND FOR THE SAFETY OF ANY PERSON, ANIMAL, OR PROPERTY IN YOUR CARE.

You are solely responsible for evaluating your own physical condition, skills, experience, equipment, and judgment, and for deciding whether any activity is appropriate for you. You should not undertake any activity beyond your ability or training.

6. Limitation of liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL WE, OUR OWNERS, OFFICERS, CONTRIBUTORS, EDITORS, EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL INJURY, WRONGFUL DEATH, PROPERTY DAMAGE, LOSS OF USE, LOST PROFITS, OR LOSS OF DATA, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR ACCESS TO, USE OF, OR RELIANCE UPON THE SITE OR ANY CONTENT, WHETHER BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SITE EXCEED ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS (US$100.00) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US FOR ACCESS TO THE SITE DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for certain damages. In such jurisdictions our liability is limited to the greatest extent permitted by law. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

7. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless us and our owners, officers, contributors, editors, employees, contractors, and agents from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, settlements, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to your use of the Site, your reliance on any content, your violation of these Terms, your violation of any law or regulation, or your infringement of the rights of any third party.

8. Compliance with law is your responsibility

Summaries of statutes, regulations, forest orders, agency proclamations, season dates, bag limits, testing requirements, permit and reservation systems, and fee schedules are provided as journalism, not as legal reference. They are necessarily condensed and may omit exceptions, unit-specific provisions, and subsequent amendments.

You are solely responsible for knowing and complying with all federal, state, tribal, county, and municipal laws and regulations applicable to your activity and location, and with the terms of any license, tag, permit, or reservation you hold. Reliance on this Site is not a defense to any citation, penalty, or prosecution.

9. Third-party content, links, and sources

The Site cites and links to third-party websites, agencies, publications, and media. Those resources are provided for reference and convenience only. We do not control, endorse, adopt, verify the ongoing accuracy of, or assume responsibility for any third-party content, and we are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of it. Your dealings with any third party are solely between you and that third party.

Where a source link is provided with an item, the source governs over our summary of it.

10. Comments and user submissions

Comments and other material submitted by readers are the sole responsibility of the person who submitted them and do not represent our views. We do not pre-screen submissions and do not warrant their accuracy, completeness, or suitability. Trail, road, water, and wildlife reports posted by readers are unverified and must not be relied upon.

We reserve the right, but assume no obligation, to remove, edit, or refuse any submission for any reason or no reason. By submitting material you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, sublicensable license to use, reproduce, adapt, publish, and display that material in connection with the Site, and you represent that you hold all rights necessary to grant that license.

11. Advertising and affiliate disclosure

The Site may contain advertising, sponsored placements, and affiliate links, through which we may earn a commission when a reader makes a purchase. Such compensation does not influence our editorial judgment, and affiliate relationships are disclosed where they exist, consistent with 16 C.F.R. Part 255.

Product descriptions are editorial commentary and are not a warranty, endorsement, or representation as to the safety, fitness, legality, or performance of any product. Consult the manufacturer's instructions and warnings before use.

12. How this site is produced

Content on the Site is researched and drafted with the assistance of automated tools and is reviewed before publication. Automated systems can misstate, omit, or misdate information. Each item lists the sources it was drawn from, and where our account and a source conflict, the source controls. Errors should be reported using the contact details below and will be corrected with a dated note rather than silently amended.

13. Emergencies

THIS SITE IS NOT AN EMERGENCY SERVICE AND IS NOT MONITORED FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. In an emergency, contact emergency services by dialing 911 or the applicable local emergency number, or activate a satellite emergency beacon. Do not rely on the Site, its comments, or any communication with us for emergency assistance or rescue.

14. Changes to these terms

We may revise these Terms at any time by posting a revised version on the Site with an updated effective date. Revisions are effective upon posting. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically.

15. Governing law, venue, and severability

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. You agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Orange County, California, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts and waive any objection to venue.

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or if it cannot be so modified, severed, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. Our failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver of it.

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Site and supersede all prior understandings on that subject.

16. Contact

Questions about these Terms, corrections, and takedown or removal requests: [email protected].