The California Trip

Trip Log:

Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks

Tuesday - 9/21/04 – Fly from GSP to Fresno, CA. Flew from Greenville to Atlanta to Salt Lake City to Fresno. Used some frequent flyer miles that I had accumulated a few years ago while flying around with BASF plus some more received flying to Hawaii and we were able to fly first class free. At least the legs between Atlanta and Salt Lake City going and Salt Lake City to Cincinnati returning were first class. We assumed we’d be fed in first class but, on the trip out, Delta’s caterers were on strike and there was no food service. Delta did provide us with food vouchers and were able to buy some sandwiches in the SLC airport and eat those on the plane. On the return trip, the caterers were back (court injunction I think) so we were fed on the return trip. The sandwiches were better. Anne is convinced that first class is the only way to fly. Arrived about 8:30 PM in Fresno so stayed there at the Econolodge, about 5 miles from the airport, that first night.

Wednesday, 9/22/04 – Up early for the drive to Cedar Lodge in El Portal, CA.

Entered the park through the South entrance and drove on to the valley. Stopped at the visitors center, bought a trail map and asked about hikes. Went to the lodge and got tickets for the ‘hiker’s bus’ ($15 each, seniors rate) to glacier point for the hike back to the valley on Thursday. Ate lunch in the food court at the lodge. Drove to the Glacier point road and did two short hikes – Sentinel Dome & Taft Point – each about 2.2 Miles, with trail head for both located on the Glacier Pt. road. Both relatively level and fairly easy – views from Sentinel Dome were spectacular, of the valley and Half Dome; and of the valley from Taft Point. Drove on to the Cedar Lodge after the hikes and checked in around 5:30. Very nice place. Drink and supper in the bar section of the ‘50’s diner’ – food edible and drinks expensive. Total miles hiked today = 5+.

Thursday, 9/23/04 – Long hike – Panorama and Mist trails from Glacier Point. Up early

and caught the 8:30 AM bus to GP at Yosemite Lodge – took about an hour and a half to get there but the driver/guide was interesting. Walked around GP (exceptional views of the valley) for a little then started the hike down the Panorama trail, and continuing to the valley via the Mist trail. Thought this would be a fairly easy hike since, even though it was 8.5 miles, it appeared to be mostly down hill. However, it descended from 7,200 ft at GP to around 5,800 ft. at Illilouette falls, then back up to around 6,800 ft. and along the Panorama cliffs before descending to around 5,800 ft. at Nevada falls. Stopped and ate lunch at Nevada falls and then continued down the extremely steep mist trail for the 3.5 mile hike back to the valley, passing Vernal falls on the way. Lost over 1,200 ft. in elevation from Nevada to Vernal falls in less than 1 mile, then another 1,300 ft. in the mile after Vernal falls. VERY rough on the downgoing muscles. Caught the free valley shuttle bus back to the lodge and the car and back to Cedar Lodge. Total miles hiked today = 9+.

Friday, 9/24/04 – Long hike – Up fairly early and drove up the Tioga Rd. to Tenaya Lake,

at 8,200 ft., trail head for the hike to Cloud’s Rest. Cloud’s Rest is a peak, 9,926 ft. high, on the North side of the valley overlooking Tenaya Canyon with Half Dome and Yosemite Valley in the distance and a clear, virtually unlimited 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside. The hike was a 14 mile round trip with a very steep, half mile climb of about 800 ft. at around the 2 mile mark, VERY rough on the upgoing muscles. The trail then continues down about another 500 ft. which, of course, must be regained enroute to the summit. But the rest of the hike consisted of mostly fairly easy ups and some downs until you reach around the 6 mile mark, then climbs the final 500 ft. of elevation or so in the last quarter mile. The side trail to the summit climbs at about a 40 degree angle and is not for those with a fear of heights, since it narrows to 2 to 3 feet in width with sharp drop offs on either side. About 200 ft. from the summit the defined trail essentially disappears and you rock hop your way over rock slabs and boulders on to the top. But the view is worth the effort, possibly the best in the park. One hiker we met described it well as “terrifyingly beautiful”. From the summit there is a drop on two sides of around 2,000 ft. to Tenaya and Sunrise Creeks on the right and left respectively and in front a drop straight down 1,500 ft. to a plateau before the land rises again to the 8,842 ft. summit of Half Dome, 6 miles away. Ate lunch at the summit before returning over the same trail. Returned to Cedar Lodge tired, thirsty and hungry. Total miles hiked today = about 15.

Saturday, 9/25/04 – Drive from Yosemite to Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks –

We stopped at the Lodgepole visitor center for advice on hikes and to get trail maps. Then to Wuksachi Lodge where we were able to check in around 1:00 PM and ate lunch in the restaurant there. Good food but really pricey. Sandwiches from around $10 with dinner entrees from $20 on up. We ate sandwiches, usually shared one between us. We then went to the Giant forest area for a relatively short hike to and around Tharp’s log, trail head at the Crescent Meadow parking lot, then down to a junction with the High Sierra trail where we saw a sign for Eagles View, 0.2 miles up the trail. So we took that and got a beautiful view of the valley and peaks to the East. Back to the parking lot intending to return to the lodge. Then saw a sign for the Sunset Rock trail, and since it was close to sunset, stopped and looked it up on the map. It was only about a mile, one way, so we took it and actually watched the sun set at sunset rock. Then back to the lodge for late drinks and a bite to eat. Really nice accommodations in a room with two queen size beds, refrigerator, etc. Total miles hiked today = 8+.

Sunday, 9/26/04 – Did two relatively short hikes since most longer hikes were either a long

drive away, 14+ miles with a 5,000 ft. elevation gain, or too near the park border with the national forest where hunters were hunting.

First, did the Moro Rock/Soldier Trail loop, an official 4.6 miles but my pedometer said closer to 6. Started at the main road entrance to the Giant Forest museum area, around to a side trail to Hanging Rock then on to Moro rock. This is a dome overlooking the headwaters and valley of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River and to the west the Sierra foothills and the smoggy haze hanging over the San Joaquin Valley. Completed the loop, seeing many large – really large – sequoias en-route back to the car.

Second, we drove back up the main road, passed our lodge, to where the road crosses Little Baldy Saddle, elevation 7,347 ft.. There we picked up the trail head to the summit of Little Baldy, elevation 8,044 ft. This trail was a 1.8 mile hike (one way) with a steady climb, none too terribly steep after the initial short climb up several switchbacks. The last part of the trail is relatively level passing over a rocky outcropping about a quarter of a mile before emerging onto the granite summit. Views from here were just about as pretty as anywhere else even though it was not as high as some other spots we had hiked to. Ate lunch here and returned by the same trail to the car. Returned to the lodge for the obligatory bloody mary for Anne and a beer for me. Discovered a new beer – called Fat Tire. I had never heard of it so decided to give it a try. Very good. Will have to see if I can find it anywhere around here. Got a sandwich which we split when we returned to the room. Total miles hiked today = 11 miles

Monday, 9/27/04 – Again combined two shorter hikes. First a short 1.7+ mile (one way)

hike up the Tokopah trail. With the trail head at the Lodgepole campground, it follows the valley of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River to what was described in the guide as a giant, cascading waterfall, 1,200 ft. high. Well, fall is the dry season and the waterfall was a small trickle of water that could only be seen if you looked really closely. But an interesting hike with a view 1,600 ft. above the valley floor of the ‘Watchtower’, an interesting rock formation guarding the head of the valley. We would pass this landmark, where we would eat lunch, later on our next hike, a portion of the Lakes Trail.

This trail starts at the Wolverton parking area, elevation 7,300 ft., and is a pretty steady climb of around 4.6 miles to Heather Lake at about 9,250 ft., the first of three lakes on this trail. At around 2 miles, and a 1,000 ft. elevation gain, there is a junction with the Watchtower and Hump trails, both of which go to Heather Lake. The Watchtower trail skirts the rim of the valley we had hiked earlier, while the Hump trail takes a slightly shorter but much steeper route through the forest and over a hump 9,400 ft high. We took the Watchtower trail up to Heather Lake and returned by the Hump trail. On the Watchtower trail you get some spectacular views of the valley as well as the higher country since it is a much more open trail. While you can’t actually climb the Watchtower, you get pretty close. There is a fairly flat area, elevation about 8,900 ft., along the trail adjacent to the tower which was a great spot for our lunch break. After lunch we continued up the trail to Heather Lake, a beautiful alpine lake setting created during the glacial period. Near the lake was a very interesting toilet – walls around it were about three feet high on only three sides, so, no roof but with a view. Though the trail continues on to the two other lakes, it was late so we returned via the Hump trail, climbing the initial 500 feet over the hump before making a very steep 1,100 ft. descent to the junction with the Watchtower trail. Returning to the parking lot and the car, we drove to the lodge where we repeated the routine of the previous evening. Total miles hiked today = 12 miles

Tuesday, 9/28/04 – Up early for the drive back to Fresno Airport for flight back to GSP, departure at 1:05 PM, arriving back at GSP at about 12:20 AM on Wednesday morning. Flight back was Fresno to Salt Lake City to Cincinnati to Greenville. Got home around 1:30 and to bed about 2:00 AM.