Our first backpacking hike in California was in King’s Canyon NP entering from the east via Kearsarge Pass. We left from Onion valley trailhead and had permits to camp at Gilbert Lake. This lake was only about two miles in. One lesson Molly and I learned backpacking over the years is that we need to hike a minimum of 10 miles or so to fall asleep on our foam sleeping pads. However this was the only permit available. With the night before in a hotel and only hiking in two miles we were too fresh and had a very restless night.
We had planned a big day with two mountain passes, so we got up at 4AM. Molly and I like to hike while the sun rises for a few reasons. It’s cool, no people, more wildlife, and most importantly, no sunscreen. We hiked over the Kearsarge Pass towards Grant pass with intentions of staying at Rae Lakes. We found that Kearsarge Pass is a main resupply stop for Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) thru-hikers. While hiking this trail we realized that thru-hiking one of the triple crown hikes is not our cup of tea. There are just too many people – we go backpacking for views and solitude.
Hiking over Kearsarge Pass was not a problem since it was clear of snow. However, Grant pass was another story. Grant pass is a north facing mountain pass so we expected snow this early in the season. Molly and I were without micro spikes so when we got to a very sketchy and slippery section of the trail we decided to call it and turn around. We are early in the trip and have a lot of hiking to do so it was not worth the risk. We decided to change our plans and go to Sequoia instead of staying two nights in King’s Canyon.
So, we hiked all the way out – we ended up hiking 19 miles over three mountain passes then drove six hours around to the west side of the mountains. Molly was a trooper and found a dispersed campsite in Sequoia National Forest. We set up our tent at 1AM.
We are so glad we decided to change our plans and stay two nights near Sequoia because it is one of my favorite places we have visited so far. The Giant Sequoias are unbelievable and the forest was so green and lush. A welcomed change from the dry and dusty Eastern Sierra mountains. Pictures just don’t do it justice. My neck was sore from looking up so much.
We saw lots of evidence of the 2021 KNP complex fires that killed about 19% mature Sequoias. These trees are adapted to survive fires, but with the fires becoming more frequent and more intense these trees are at risk of becoming extinct. So if you haven’t seen them yet I highly recommend seeing them soon before it’s too late.
We will be working our way up the west side of the Sierra Nevada mountains stopping at Yosemite.
Not Sew Fancy Travels 