Name

Rick Jackson

Company

Montecino & Associates

E-mail

Contact Rick Jackson (Montecino & Associates)

Website

http://mymaderacountyrealestate.com

Office Phone

(559) 683-7074

Cell Phone

(559) 760-2789

Alt. Phone

(559) 642-1770

Fax

(559) 683-3788

Description

Montecino & Associates P.O. Box 743 Coarsegold, California 93614

About Us: Moments with Rick

Use this section to write about yourself - don't be shy - Why should a buyer or seller want to work with you? Do you have any certifications and qualificatons? What sets you apart from other agents/loan officers?

My name is Rick Jackson. I was "stuck in Lodi" in the 50's and 60's. One of the best things that came out of Lodi was my high school sweetheart, Lana, whom I met in 1967 and upon my last year at Cal State Fullerton we were married. Lana and I have two adult children Dawn, who is also a Realtor in the same office, and Christopher, who is serving people in Tucson, Arizona as a Realtor. Christopher is married to Danae and the two are parents to my grandchildren, Rylee and Jacob. Spending time with my family are the joys of my life!
"The mountains are calling and I must go!" John Muir would say. I have always enjoyed backpacking and wherever I have traveled, I have enjoyed coming home to the mountains. My family and I have lived in Oakhurst since 1978! My other occupation for almost 30+ years, prior to becoming a Realtor, was in route bread sales serving grocery stores and restaurants throughout Fresno and the mountain area, including Yosemite National Park. I am passionate about helping and encouraging people. Being a member of Sierra Vista Presbyterian Church, I have participated in overseas missions that have taken me to countries such as Cambodia, Ecuador, Mexico, Sudan, Philippines, and Australia. My mission in life is to "make an invisible God visible."
The universal language of a smile, humor, encouragement, honesty and serving and helping others is something I enjoy adn has propelled me into traveling overseas and in the business of real estate. With almost 30 years of mountain living, it has given me a working knowledge of the mountain area. If you need to buy or sell a home and a Realtor to come alongside your needs, then I am the person for you.  

The area I love has great history and with that comes great stories . . . here's abit of the story of the Sierra Mountains provided by our local Chamber of Commerce which is entitled 'The towns of eastern Madera County'.

The Story of the Sierra

The towns of Madera County are like the children of a large family.  Each contributes - and has contributed - something distinct to the region, and each bears a different character, while still reminding you of its family lineage.  Park your car and explore.  You'll discover the individual personalities that have been woven together into a fascinating family tree rich in rugged history, each anxious to tell its story.  For more information and accommodations at each of these locations, please visit YosemiteThisYear.com or call 559/683-4636.

Oakhurst

Oakhurst is one of the most populated communities in Madera County.  It is the principal gateway to Yosemite National Park on Hwy 41 that is not affected by weather.  Those in the know know they can always get to the park, no matter the season, when the other entrances are closed due to snow, mudslides and other seasonal acts.  It's  here that travelers will find virtually every level of amenity and accommodation, from  exclusive 5-star indulgence at the Chateau du Sureau, to the many exceptionally well-run inns and lodges lining the thoroughfare.  Furthermore, Oakhurst (originally called Fresno Flats) is home to the Fresno Flats Historical Park.  There you'll find a treasure of historical explorations.  Winter in Oakhurst gives you access to the abundance of snow play activities, while providing a warm, family-friendly base camp to return to at day's end.

Ahwahnee

Located a few miles north of Oakhurst on Hwy 49, Ahwahnee boasts a plush, satisfying course for the golf fan and several bed & breakfast inns.  The history buff will find a bevy of attractions, among them a marker overlooking the North Fork of the Fresno River commemorating one of the ten Section Houses that flume tenders inhabited while watching over the 56-mile-long Sugar Pine Lumber Flume.  You might also sense a slightly mysterious energy gracing the small enclave.  It's a spiritual essence that quite possibly radiates from the Wassama Round House State Park, where the local Miwok tribe honors the observation of births, celebrates harvests and mourns the dead.

Madera Ranchos

When Jackie Gleason wasn't yukking it up with The Honeymooner's crew, he was horsing around in Madera Ranchos, the town he and Jack Hailey founded.  Today, Madera Ranchos is renowned for its prized horses and offers all the charm and amenities of a small town.

Wawona

Wawona was a prime camp for the native tribes en route between the Eastern and Western Sierra.  The white man arrived and, in 1857, erected a stage stop for travelers going to and from Yosemite Valley.  The stage stop eventually evolved into the elegant Wawona Hotel.  You can visit many historic buildings that the National Park Service has moved there from other parts of the park.  For activities, there is golfing on one of the most inspiring alpine courses in the world.  The course was established in 1917.  You can take in the countryside by a horse-drawn stagecoach, camp, hike, fish and even swim at Chilnualna Fall.  Wawona is also a bit of a Yosemite National Park anomaly in that several private residences are there, some available for rent.

Fish Camp

Fish Camp is the last town you pass through before entering Yosemite National Park.  You'll find a general store, cozy lodging and a Post Office (zip code 93623) along the roadside.  Just ahead of town, you'll see the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad.  In the Stauffer family for two generations, the narrow gauge railroad is authentic, from the two engines (60 and 84 tons, respectively) down to the Thornberry Home, which is now situated on the property.  It's genuinely interesting and entertaining.

Coarsegold

Step back into the boots of the gold-panning 49'er at Coarsegold.  The residents of the town have stayed true to their roots by offering modern-day prospectors and the people who love them a stopping place for supplies, gifts, gold panning and to meet up with fiends.  There are quaint shops to stroll through featuring crafts and handmade wares, as well as annual events that honor Coarsegold's colorful history.  You can catch a certifiable case of "reel" gold fever at Chuckchansi Gold Resort & Casino, too.  For more, visit CoarsegoldChamber.com.

Raymond

There is much history associated with Raymond.  It was the primary railhead for the central Sierra, and is where the main line terminated.  In addition, a few historic buildings still stand, including the Raymond General Store.  Raymond is also the headquarters for the Raymond Granite Quarry.  Still in operation, the quarry carved out the blocks for the capitol building in Sacramento, the San Francisco Stock Exchange, the San Francisco Mint and the Los Angeles City Hall.  And of great significance, this is where President Teddy Roosevelt and the amazing Yosemite naturalist John Muir started out on their private tour of "the Yosemite," as Muir was fond of calling it.

Bass Lake

Bass Lake is to outdoor fun what Yosemite is to the world's rock climbers.  It's grand in scale.  While the lake is the centerpiece, the surrounding forest offers wonderful camping, hiking, bike riding and exploring.  Individual and group camps are plentiful along the southwest shore.  Hikes will take you up Goat Mountain Lookout or up Willow Creek, and there is an interpretive short ramble called the Way of the Mono Trail.  During the winter months, you can ski, snowshoe, sled (there is a designated Snow Play Area) and snowmobile just minutes away.  A diversity of lodging is the rule here.  Aside from the well-managed campgrounds, you can select from a range of accommodations, including chalets, cabins, bed & breakfast inns and dapper suites.  To learn more about other hikes and activities in the area, call 559/683-4636, or go to YosemiteThisYear.com/outdoor.

O'Neals

The bucolic hills surrounding O'Neals were once dotted with gold mines that were known for their "finegold" rather than nuggets.  Here you'll find the site of the old Hanover School house and the ghost town of Hildreth.  Although cattle ranching remains a cultural and economic mainstay, you'll also find Westbrook Wine Farm, the largest (and only) winery in O'Neals, which grows and produces the sought after "Fait Accompli" wine.

Also, in the Fall of 2006, groundbreaking for the largest per acreage High School in California will start construction in the O'Neals area. 

North Fork

Nestled on the other side of Bass Lake, North Fork, like many former logging communities, is shifting its emphasis from working the surrounding mountains to playing in them.  For starters, this is where you start the incredible Sierra Vista Scenic Byway route.  The byway takes you through the unpopulated wilds of the mountains over a relatively benign road.  This is also the gateway to the Ansel Adams Wilderness, with trailheads that lead you to Clover and Reds Meadows.  In town, you'll find the Sierra Mono Museum, which documents the life of the native Mono people.  And as a tip of the axe to its past, North Fork hosts the annual Logger's Jamboree in the first part of July.  Of geographic note:  a few miles south on Road 225, near Redinger Lake, lies the exact geographic center