Tuesday Travel Ticker: Half Dome hikers strike back

Save Half Dome, an organization supporting open access to the Half Dome trail, has submitted a petition opposing the possible removal of the hiking cables as well as mandatory hiking permits. Note that the deadline to apply for the permits is March 31: www.recreation.gov/ or (877) 444-6777. The permits will be allocated by lottery . . . . San Diego and San Francisco are teaming up Memorial Day weekend for a new electronic music festival called “I Love This City.” The San Francisco portion will take place Friday, May 25 and Saturday, May 26 at the Lot at AT&T Park set on the waterfront. This event is for patrons 18 and over. The festival in San Diego will take place Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27 at Petco Park. This event will be all ages. More than 40 electronic artists are confirmed, promoters say. For details: www.ilovethiscityfestival.com . . . . NYC & Company, New York City’s tourism and marketing organization, is going after the youth market. It has announced a new annual goal of 55 million visitors by 2015, and will focus on attracting the youth market (ages 18 to 29) with plans to draw an additional 1 million youth visitors from around the world in the next five years. For details, go to www.nycgo.com/under30. For a free weekly listing of free activities in the city, go to www.nycgo.com/free. . . . Chicago is celebrating its 175th birthday with a 175-day series of programs through Aug. 26. For details, visit www.ExploreChicago.org . . . . Ever seen them dye the Chicago River green? The St. Patrick’s Day dye they apply is actually orange, and mixes with the river’s natural – or unnatural – hues to get the right Irish green. The dye job takes place at 10 a.m. Saturday and can be viewed from the east side of the Michigan Avenuebridge. The parade starts at noon . . . . Homewood Mountain Resort’s St. Patty’s Twilight Ski gives skiers a chance to watch the sunset over Lake Tahoe from the slopes from 4-7 p.m. Saturday. Special $29 evening lift tickets will be available . . . . Fill in the punch line yourself, but the third-annual California Nut Festival is scheduled for April 21 in Chico, 90 miles north of Sacramento. Locally grown almonds, walnuts, pecans and pistachios take center stage during cooking demos, live music and art show. Tickets are $20 in advance; www.CaliforniaNutFestival.com or (530) 519-1882 . . . . The Alexander, a luxury hotel opening in Indianapolis early next year, will feature an art program, with 12 commissions and a total of more than 40 works by a range of artists . . . New York’s DavidBartonGym will be opening its first Las Vegas location on Thursday, in Tivoli Village . . . . Travel quote of the day: “Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter.” (Izaak Walton)