JOSEPH WALKER

Walker was the greatest trailblazer in California history. He was the first to discover a trans-Sierra route, in the process becoming the first trailblazer to see Yosemite. His gravesite marker reads, "Camped in Yosemite, Nov. 13, 1833."

Though Jedediah Smith and John C. Frémont are better remembered because of more flamboyant styles, it was Walker who made the greatest discoveries of any trailblazer in California history, the first trans-Sierra routes. He is best known among the public for Walker Pass (on the Pacific Crest Trail) in Kern County, Walker River in Mono County, and Walker Lake in Nevada.

Unlike Smith, whose recklessness placed himself and those around him at peril (27 of 33 died on Smith's California expeditions), Walker kept his men safe, fed, with water, and ready for physical challenge. Thousands of pioneers followed in his footsteps.

PETE OTTESEN

Ottesen is the award-winning outdoor writer for the Stockton Record, an educator who invented an outdoors program for students, the personal guardian of 2,800 acres of wetlands, and an expert waterfowl hunter and wildlife lover. His impact on the public has been far reaching and long lasting.

As a 35-year administrator of the San Joaquin County Outdoor School, Ottesen took more than 350,000 fifth/sixth-grade children for five days and four nights to the Santa Cruz Mountains. He also started the regional "Kids Catch A Smile" fishing program for physically challenged children.

He is best known publicly for his outdoors writing, including the longest current consecutive tenure of any outdoor writer in California. Ottesen wrote provocative stories about the toxic disaster at Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge. He was involved in the ongoing saga of acquiring an adequate supply of good-quality Central Valley Project water for the Grassland Ecological Area and Central Valley Refuges, benefiting more than 350 wildlife species.

JOHN REGINATO

The depth of Reginato's travels across Northern California is unparalleled. His turf consists of Tehama, Shasta, Lassen, Trinity, Siskiyou and Modoc counties. No individual in California history knows any region more intimately. He is an avid boater, bird hunter, angler and award-winning wildlife photographer. Reginato is also a champion of youth outdoors activities, especially opportunities for youth trout fishing.

As manager of the Shasta Cascade Wonderland Association for 41 years, Reginato promoted all phases of the outdoors and regional tourism and inspired thousands to go fishing, boating, hunting, camping and traveling in Northern California. He developed a network between recreation businesses and the public and averaged 20,000 phone and mail contacts per year with the public, roughly 8 million contacts in his career.

Reginato pioneered boating and fishing access for the public, developing 20 new boat ramps in Northern California and inventing the concept of using houseboats as a recreation getaway. He also helped develop the concept of rails to trails, starting with the 25-mile Bizz Johnson Trail near Susanville.