It’s summer, high country’s on display

At Point Reyes and Grizzly Island, mama elks are popping out this year’s crop of calves. It’s a testament to the new start on life many now can get.

In San Francisco Bay, halibut are roaring in from the ocean and striped bass from the delta, both on a mission to feast on new arrivals of anchovies and provide a great start to the summer fishing season.

At Lake Tahoe — as well as Yosemite and Lassen Volcanic national parks — the roads have opened through the high-mountain passes, snow is melting off by the day to open new terrain and trails, and, in short order, high-country campgrounds.

Schools are letting out for summer and, for many, the coming weekend is the first chance this year for a vacation. Outside of the highest terrain (above 7,500 feet), conditions and the weather forecast are best-of-year quality.

Drive & explore: The collective effect is dramatic when mountain highways and Forest Service roads across 20 million acres of national forest are opened. That time is now, coming after being closed for nearly seven months. On Sunday, rangers opened the Lassen Park Highway/Highway 89 past the 8,500-foot Lassen Peak. Last week in Yosemite, crews opened Tioga Road/ Highway 120 from Crane Flat over 9,943-foot Tioga Pass. Earlier, Caltrans opened 9,623-foot Sonora Pass/Highway 108 and 8,730-foot Ebbetts Pass/ Highway 4, and 8,314-foot Monitor Pass/Highway 89 out of South Lake Tahoe. Still closed is Highway 203 in the Eastern Sierra from Mammoth Lakes over Minaret Pass and down to Devil’s Postpile. Info: Caltrans, 800-427-7623, www.dot.ca.gov.

Wildlife: This year’s elk calves are now being born (late May into early June is the peak time for calving). The two best sites within range of most in the Bay Area are at Pierce Ranch (Tomales Point Peninsula at Point Reyes National Seashore) and Grizzly Island Wildlife Area (with a driving tour, south of Suisun City). ... Across the state’s deer range, fawns also are being born in prolific numbers, and, if you’re lucky, you might see a newborn take its first steps. ... At wetlands, marshes and lakes, Canada geese are hatching out this year’s nestlings, where you might see mama goose swimming along followed by a bunch of tennis-ball-size fuzz-balls. Info: Point Reyes National Seashore, 415-464-5137, www.nps.gov/pore; Grizzly Island Wildlife Area 707-425-3828; www.wildlife.

Bay fishing: Year-to-year, you don’t know what to expect on San Francisco Bay, but this summer is off to a great start. Anglers using live bait aboard party boats are catching halibut and striped bass. On the Lovely Martha out of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, Capt. Mike Rescino reported 14 halibut and nine striped bass for 14 anglers aboard. On Monday, the pot winner was Zach VanDoren of Mill Valley with a 22-pound halibut, caught on the Berkeley flats. The sport salmon season opens June 17. Info: Lovely Martha, Fisherman’s Wharf, S.F., 650-619-6629, www.lovelymartha.com.

Wilderness: In the Tahoe region, the major trailhead at Echo Lakes for the Pacific Crest Trail and Desolation Wilderness is open and clear of snow. Last weekend, the Echo Lakes hikers’ boat shuttle started operations, and for those who hike the PCT here, you don’t hit snow for the first 6.5 miles. ... In Yosemite Valley, the Mist Trail is clear of snow (the John Muir Trail is closed for repair) to Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall and to Little Yosemite, and beyond to the back side of Half Dome to the climbing cables (permit required). On Tioga Road, wilderness trails are likely to open by the second or third week of June, with patches of snow hanging on. ... In the north state, in the Trinity Alps Wilderness, the snow line is at about 7,000-7,500 feet, and melting quickly. At Mount Shasta, snow is retreating from the Bunny Flat Trailhead (7,000 feet), with early-morning surface conditions good from 8,500 feet to the 14,179-foot summit. Info: Taylor Creek Visitor Center, South Lake Tahoe, 530-543-2674, www.fs.usda.gov/ltbmu;Yosemite National Park, 209-372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose;Mount Shasta Climbing Report, 530-926-5555.

Camping: In the coming weeks, the last of the campgrounds to open across the Sierra, Cascade and Siskiyou ranges will yield to summer. In the Lake Tahoe Basin, Black-wood Canyon Campground opens Friday. ... At Lassen Volcanic National Park, Butte Lake opens next Friday. ... In Yosemite, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf and Tuolumne Meadows are expected to open by mid-June, and the last holdouts, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat and Bridalveil Creek, likely before July 4. Info: Yosemite National Park, 209-372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose; Lassen Volcanic National Park, 510-595-4480, www.nps.gov/lavo.

Boating: Lake Tahoe reached capacity this week, one of dozens of lakes at peak level for the year. June and July look great for boating, camping, water sports and fishing. The current levels of major lakes: Lake Tahoe (100 percent full), Pardee (100), Independence

(100), Stampede (99), Whiskey-town (99), Folsom (98), Union Valley (98), Donner (95), Don Pedro (94), Bullards Bar (93), Camanche (92), Millerton (89), Shasta (88), Trinity (78), San Luis (77), Oroville (68). Others of note: Clear Lake (4.7 Rumsey Gauge, 7.56 feet is considered the brim). No current report for Lake Almanor available. Info: Department of Water Resources, http://cdec.water.ca.gov.

Cycling: About 3,000 riders are expected for “America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride,” the 72-mile clockwise ride around Lake Tahoe on Sunday morning. The starting point is at Stateline at South Lake Tahoe. ... “California’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride,” the June 23 Castle Crags Century, with five routes available, will reopen its Mountain Metric into the Trinity-Divide out of Mount Shasta. Info: Lake Tahoe, www.bikethewest.com; Castle Crags Century, www.castlecragscentury.com.

Tom Stienstra is the author of the book “Moon California Camping.” His “Outdoor Report” can be heard at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 12:35 p.m. Saturdays on KCBS (740 and 106.9). Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom