Post by toejam on Oct 14, 2019 4:26:53 GMT -8
The report about my week in Kings Canyon NP has been a struggle. I’ve tried to glean the interesting parts, but it was a big trip that went by too quickly. Way too many details were interesting and meaningful to me and I hope I don’t forget them. It had been two years since my last week-long Sierra Nevada hike, so I wanted a great one and planned a route that had everything – new stuff, old favorites, meadows, lakes, passes, and even a 14er.
Photo album - photos.app.goo.gl/y5swMcoVpKZFhrBt5
Road’s End, on the west side of Kings Canyon National Park, was chosen for the beginning and end of the hike because I hadn’t been there before. On a post-Labor Day Saturday there were plenty of open camp sites at Cedar Grove. I set up a cushy car camp, gave a ride to a smelly hiker, and shared a beer and mountain stories with the guy in the next site. He hiked over Taboose Pass and into Lake Basin but couldn’t get back to his truck because of a wildfire near the trailhead. The rangers advised him to hike out to Road’s End on the other side of the range and he was working out transportation home with his family.
It was a pleasant exchange with the permit ranger the next morning, and then I was off to hike uphill all day. The Copper Creek Trail is in great shape and well-used. I’d climbed a vertical mile to the pass above the creek by lunch time and I took my time eating in the sun. Granite Basin is really nice and I found a beautiful camp site on the north side of Granite Lake.
View from Copper Creek Trail
Granite Lake
My head was a little foggy from the quick climb to 10,000’. I strummed the ukulele but only managed to croak when I tried to sing. In bed I stopped breathing dozens of times while falling asleep – Cheyne Stokes breathing at altitude. It’s happened before and it passes after a while. Later, wind gusts flapped the tent and woke me. After inserting ear plugs, I actually slept well but was more than ready to crawl out of bed at 5:30 before dawn.
The second day was mostly downhill. I saw one guy headed off-trail near Granite Pass and was alone the rest of the day. The sky became clearer and the trail became rougher as I neared Simpson Meadow. A few of my hardy friends spoke highly of Simpson Meadow and I envisioned something like Evolution Valley, which makes no sense because Simpson Meadow is at 6000’ and Evolution Valley is almost 10,000’. The first flat looked nothing like a meadow, the trails didn’t look like trails, I was nowhere near water, and passed the ranger station without a clue. I eventually found a real meadow, but no decent campsites or water access, and accidently hiked on past a place I assumed would have lots of luxury campsites where I’d spend a lazy afternoon.
Best view of Simpson Meadow - should have looked for a campsite.
I stopped to camp on a gravel bar near Cartridge Creek, rinsed off in the river, and sat by a campfire strumming the ukulele. The next morning’s hike up the Middle Fork of the Kings River was scenic, but it’s been several growing seasons since the trail saw a pair of loppers. There were long stretches of pushing through brush. I chatted with a trail crew on the John Muir Trail and one said, “You get what you paid for on that trail.” Kind of a jerk thing to say – this hike cost me $50.
Middle Fork King's River
Grouse Meadow
After lunch at Grouse Meadow I hiked on up to Dusy Basin. Dusy Basin lives up to the hype. It’s spectacular and I loved watching the shadows grow and light fade on the mountains. It froze hard that night, but my Western Mountaineering bag was up to it. I shook a lot of frost off the tent when I packed up in the morning.
Dusy Basin
The plan after that was to go over Knapsack Pass, Potluck Pass, and Cirque Pass on the Sierra High Route and try to climb the south side of Mt. Sill. Instead of hiking directly towards Knapsack Pass, as I should have if I’d researched more obsessively, I headed up a steep slope of unstable boulders following a stupid gps track I downloaded. After an hour of that I was over it. Although I’ve been wanting to do this hike for a long time and don’t know if I’ll ever get another chance, I couldn’t convince myself to continue with another two days of cold, lonely, sketchy boulder slopes.
Maybe someday I can do that hike with someone to keep me company and help me make better decisions. Headed back to the cruisy John Muir Trail with the High Route anxiety lifted, I started enjoying the hike more although I felt like a quitter and a whimp. Working my way through Dusy Basin to the trail was fun and it turned into an ideal, sunny, warm hiking day in the Sierra Nevada. I stopped for lunch at Grouse Meadow again and spread my tent and sleeping bag out to dry in the sun. Camp for the night was a large site between the trail and Palisade Creek near where I’d camped on the JMT hike. I made a fire and put on one of the best ukulele concerts of all time. It was an incredible set list and a superb performance. I’m sure the bears and squirrels really enjoyed it.
The next morning I had breakfast in the tent because it was snowing. It was overcast but not unpleasant all the way to Mather Pass. Palisade Crest and Mt. Sill, which I was supposed to have climbed that morning, were firmly in the clouds. I had some great conversations with other hikers that day. PCT hikers were easy to pick out – generally young, dirty, skinny, and hiking fast with tiny backpacks. John Muir Trail hikers were thicker and cleaner with larger backpacks, but also fit and hiking with resolve. Shorter trip hikers like myself looked out of shape and had big backpacks with lots of extraneous crap like fishing poles and ukuleles hanging off them.
Hiking past Palisade Lakes towards Mather Pass
The rain jacket and pack cover were deployed against a couple of horizontal squalls in Upper Basin. Some PCT hikers going my way said they would stop to camp on the South Fork Kings River to be out of the wind. I camped there on my JMT hike and thought it was an awful place – I wanted to camp at the scenic lakes above the Bench Lake Ranger Station. After crossing the river and heading uphill, the sky cleared as if there’d been no bad weather all day. I set up camp in a scenic spot just past the ranger encampment with an older guy hiking the JMT and enjoyed the view, company, and conversation.
It froze hard that night and I had to scrape a thick layer of frost off the bear canister before putting it in the pack. I made a mental note to set it under a tree or bush in the future. The day warmed quickly and I really enjoyed the climb over Pinchot Pass including regular conversations with other hikers. I pushed on to the lower Rae Lake and set up in a spot with a spectacular view on the north side of the lake. I rinsed off my feet and legs and then quickly put on warm layers. I hadn’t had a proper bandana bath the whole trip because it was always cooling off quickly when I stopped hiking around 5:00. The lake and mountains in the sunset were breathtaking and I put on a short ukulele concert for the chipmunks.
Camp view Lower Rae Lake
Rae Lakes is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. Near the outlet of the upper lake there was an older guy thawing out in the sun at his camp too close to both the trail and the water. I told him the last time I was here I’d gone swimming. Then we had a long conversation, which gave me a chance to enjoy the view for a while.
Upper Rae Lake
My memory of Glen Pass was that the trail was rough and it was a tough hike on both sides, but this morning I found it really enjoyable. The surrounding crags were beautiful and the trail surface was better than I remembered. A bunch of young people on top all turned out to be from Santa Barbara. After discussing a few trails in the Los Padres National Forest I had to spin out of the vortex. Maybe a mile and a half down the trail a guy came running up behind me and handed me the gloves and ditty bag of toiletries I’d left on top of the pass. Out of appreciation I gave him what was left of my bourbon.
My route took me off the JMT at Bubb’s Creek to get back to Road’s End. At Junction Meadow I stopped for lunch but couldn’t eat because of the stench of my shirt. I found a sunny spot in the creek for that overdue bandana bath. It wasn’t too cold and I felt so much better. My plan was to camp one more night near Sphinx Creek, but I was thinking maybe I could get to Cedar Grove for a shower, meal at the lodge, and cushy car camp. A recent fire burned the area upstream of Sphinx Creek, but there was a luxury campsite open near the trail intersection. By that time I was afraid the showers and restaurant would be closed if I hiked out, and this looked like a great place to play ukulele by the fire.
Bubb's Creek
Down the trail were several older guys on their annual Sierra blowout trip. There was whiskey flowing, whooping, and one guy was naked by the creek. They were friendly enough, but I left them to their debauchery and went back to my quiet camp. Two young guys came by asking about other campsites. I said there were some nice ones a few miles up, but after they hesitated and looked concerned I invited them to stay on the other side of my big site. A young woman hiking with them soon arrived looking exhausted after hiking 4 miles from the trailhead. They set up cheap tents and hung out by the fire with me.
The night was warm and dry, and I slept well. The youngsters struggled mightily to get a fire going in the morning because they didn’t collect nearly enough kindling and sticks. I said, “You need more fuel,” a couple of times and then shut up so as not to be the know-it-all old dude. They thought they knew what they were doing because they’d been camping a few times. They decided to stay at this camp and day hike a little because they weren’t capable of hiking to Vidette Meadow and back out the next day. It was good for me to spend some time with beginner backpackers who don’t run and hike as a lifestyle like I do. Hope they enjoyed their trip.
It took less time than expected to get back to the trailhead. The permit station was closed for the season when I passed. I got a shower at Cedar Grove but missed breakfast at the lodge. So I grabbed a soda, muffin, and some chips from the store, put on a podcast, and started driving. I’d hiked around 90 miles the first 7 days and a little over 4 the last. It was a great trip and I was ready to go home.
Photo album - photos.app.goo.gl/y5swMcoVpKZFhrBt5
Road’s End, on the west side of Kings Canyon National Park, was chosen for the beginning and end of the hike because I hadn’t been there before. On a post-Labor Day Saturday there were plenty of open camp sites at Cedar Grove. I set up a cushy car camp, gave a ride to a smelly hiker, and shared a beer and mountain stories with the guy in the next site. He hiked over Taboose Pass and into Lake Basin but couldn’t get back to his truck because of a wildfire near the trailhead. The rangers advised him to hike out to Road’s End on the other side of the range and he was working out transportation home with his family.
It was a pleasant exchange with the permit ranger the next morning, and then I was off to hike uphill all day. The Copper Creek Trail is in great shape and well-used. I’d climbed a vertical mile to the pass above the creek by lunch time and I took my time eating in the sun. Granite Basin is really nice and I found a beautiful camp site on the north side of Granite Lake.
View from Copper Creek Trail
Granite Lake
My head was a little foggy from the quick climb to 10,000’. I strummed the ukulele but only managed to croak when I tried to sing. In bed I stopped breathing dozens of times while falling asleep – Cheyne Stokes breathing at altitude. It’s happened before and it passes after a while. Later, wind gusts flapped the tent and woke me. After inserting ear plugs, I actually slept well but was more than ready to crawl out of bed at 5:30 before dawn.
The second day was mostly downhill. I saw one guy headed off-trail near Granite Pass and was alone the rest of the day. The sky became clearer and the trail became rougher as I neared Simpson Meadow. A few of my hardy friends spoke highly of Simpson Meadow and I envisioned something like Evolution Valley, which makes no sense because Simpson Meadow is at 6000’ and Evolution Valley is almost 10,000’. The first flat looked nothing like a meadow, the trails didn’t look like trails, I was nowhere near water, and passed the ranger station without a clue. I eventually found a real meadow, but no decent campsites or water access, and accidently hiked on past a place I assumed would have lots of luxury campsites where I’d spend a lazy afternoon.
Best view of Simpson Meadow - should have looked for a campsite.
I stopped to camp on a gravel bar near Cartridge Creek, rinsed off in the river, and sat by a campfire strumming the ukulele. The next morning’s hike up the Middle Fork of the Kings River was scenic, but it’s been several growing seasons since the trail saw a pair of loppers. There were long stretches of pushing through brush. I chatted with a trail crew on the John Muir Trail and one said, “You get what you paid for on that trail.” Kind of a jerk thing to say – this hike cost me $50.
Middle Fork King's River
Grouse Meadow
After lunch at Grouse Meadow I hiked on up to Dusy Basin. Dusy Basin lives up to the hype. It’s spectacular and I loved watching the shadows grow and light fade on the mountains. It froze hard that night, but my Western Mountaineering bag was up to it. I shook a lot of frost off the tent when I packed up in the morning.
Dusy Basin
The plan after that was to go over Knapsack Pass, Potluck Pass, and Cirque Pass on the Sierra High Route and try to climb the south side of Mt. Sill. Instead of hiking directly towards Knapsack Pass, as I should have if I’d researched more obsessively, I headed up a steep slope of unstable boulders following a stupid gps track I downloaded. After an hour of that I was over it. Although I’ve been wanting to do this hike for a long time and don’t know if I’ll ever get another chance, I couldn’t convince myself to continue with another two days of cold, lonely, sketchy boulder slopes.
Maybe someday I can do that hike with someone to keep me company and help me make better decisions. Headed back to the cruisy John Muir Trail with the High Route anxiety lifted, I started enjoying the hike more although I felt like a quitter and a whimp. Working my way through Dusy Basin to the trail was fun and it turned into an ideal, sunny, warm hiking day in the Sierra Nevada. I stopped for lunch at Grouse Meadow again and spread my tent and sleeping bag out to dry in the sun. Camp for the night was a large site between the trail and Palisade Creek near where I’d camped on the JMT hike. I made a fire and put on one of the best ukulele concerts of all time. It was an incredible set list and a superb performance. I’m sure the bears and squirrels really enjoyed it.
The next morning I had breakfast in the tent because it was snowing. It was overcast but not unpleasant all the way to Mather Pass. Palisade Crest and Mt. Sill, which I was supposed to have climbed that morning, were firmly in the clouds. I had some great conversations with other hikers that day. PCT hikers were easy to pick out – generally young, dirty, skinny, and hiking fast with tiny backpacks. John Muir Trail hikers were thicker and cleaner with larger backpacks, but also fit and hiking with resolve. Shorter trip hikers like myself looked out of shape and had big backpacks with lots of extraneous crap like fishing poles and ukuleles hanging off them.
Hiking past Palisade Lakes towards Mather Pass
The rain jacket and pack cover were deployed against a couple of horizontal squalls in Upper Basin. Some PCT hikers going my way said they would stop to camp on the South Fork Kings River to be out of the wind. I camped there on my JMT hike and thought it was an awful place – I wanted to camp at the scenic lakes above the Bench Lake Ranger Station. After crossing the river and heading uphill, the sky cleared as if there’d been no bad weather all day. I set up camp in a scenic spot just past the ranger encampment with an older guy hiking the JMT and enjoyed the view, company, and conversation.
It froze hard that night and I had to scrape a thick layer of frost off the bear canister before putting it in the pack. I made a mental note to set it under a tree or bush in the future. The day warmed quickly and I really enjoyed the climb over Pinchot Pass including regular conversations with other hikers. I pushed on to the lower Rae Lake and set up in a spot with a spectacular view on the north side of the lake. I rinsed off my feet and legs and then quickly put on warm layers. I hadn’t had a proper bandana bath the whole trip because it was always cooling off quickly when I stopped hiking around 5:00. The lake and mountains in the sunset were breathtaking and I put on a short ukulele concert for the chipmunks.
Camp view Lower Rae Lake
Rae Lakes is one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen. Near the outlet of the upper lake there was an older guy thawing out in the sun at his camp too close to both the trail and the water. I told him the last time I was here I’d gone swimming. Then we had a long conversation, which gave me a chance to enjoy the view for a while.
Upper Rae Lake
My memory of Glen Pass was that the trail was rough and it was a tough hike on both sides, but this morning I found it really enjoyable. The surrounding crags were beautiful and the trail surface was better than I remembered. A bunch of young people on top all turned out to be from Santa Barbara. After discussing a few trails in the Los Padres National Forest I had to spin out of the vortex. Maybe a mile and a half down the trail a guy came running up behind me and handed me the gloves and ditty bag of toiletries I’d left on top of the pass. Out of appreciation I gave him what was left of my bourbon.
My route took me off the JMT at Bubb’s Creek to get back to Road’s End. At Junction Meadow I stopped for lunch but couldn’t eat because of the stench of my shirt. I found a sunny spot in the creek for that overdue bandana bath. It wasn’t too cold and I felt so much better. My plan was to camp one more night near Sphinx Creek, but I was thinking maybe I could get to Cedar Grove for a shower, meal at the lodge, and cushy car camp. A recent fire burned the area upstream of Sphinx Creek, but there was a luxury campsite open near the trail intersection. By that time I was afraid the showers and restaurant would be closed if I hiked out, and this looked like a great place to play ukulele by the fire.
Bubb's Creek
Down the trail were several older guys on their annual Sierra blowout trip. There was whiskey flowing, whooping, and one guy was naked by the creek. They were friendly enough, but I left them to their debauchery and went back to my quiet camp. Two young guys came by asking about other campsites. I said there were some nice ones a few miles up, but after they hesitated and looked concerned I invited them to stay on the other side of my big site. A young woman hiking with them soon arrived looking exhausted after hiking 4 miles from the trailhead. They set up cheap tents and hung out by the fire with me.
The night was warm and dry, and I slept well. The youngsters struggled mightily to get a fire going in the morning because they didn’t collect nearly enough kindling and sticks. I said, “You need more fuel,” a couple of times and then shut up so as not to be the know-it-all old dude. They thought they knew what they were doing because they’d been camping a few times. They decided to stay at this camp and day hike a little because they weren’t capable of hiking to Vidette Meadow and back out the next day. It was good for me to spend some time with beginner backpackers who don’t run and hike as a lifestyle like I do. Hope they enjoyed their trip.
It took less time than expected to get back to the trailhead. The permit station was closed for the season when I passed. I got a shower at Cedar Grove but missed breakfast at the lodge. So I grabbed a soda, muffin, and some chips from the store, put on a podcast, and started driving. I’d hiked around 90 miles the first 7 days and a little over 4 the last. It was a great trip and I was ready to go home.
