Summer Backpacking Adventures

Summer 2013 was a dry year for backpacking in the Sierras. A mid-July trip to Alta Meadow and Peak with friends went well with little water in the creeks, but some marvelous garden displays. We counted 21 species by the Alta Meadow creek along including Lewis' Monkey Flower and Monkshood.

 August 7 began a 9-day backpack via Sequoia Natural History Association with "groupies" I have hiked with for 10+ seasons. We headed to the Middle Fork of the Kings River in Kings Canyon National Park on a little used, unmaintained trail--how true! Hiking around fallen trees, slipping on slippery oak leaves and brushy obstacles were the name of the game as we descended 3,700' in four miles. Chuck actually broke a rib when he fell getting around a fallen tree. So we learned about Sequoia/Kings medical evacuation services the next morning as a yellow wasp of a helicopter flew into the canyon next to Tehipite Dome with two EMTs to evacuate Chuck.                                                                      photo courtesy of Bob Early

We carried on the next day following the Middle Fork but up and down the mountain side past avalanche chutes. After 12 miles we made a hasty camp at 6 p.m. since we couldn't seem to find the Simpson Meadow campsite--next morning we learned it was right across the river and idyllic!  A day of rest and then up out of the river valley, climbing up 4,000' in 6 miles and then the real fun began going cross-country past Volcano Lakes. What looked like an easy route on the topo maps suddenly took on new dimensions. A tough climb up 800' in two miles, then the descent from hell to E. Kennedy Lake only made possible because we took our backpacks off twice, passed them down a 6' boulder to the guys and then carefully slipped down ourselves. Well, we survived and here's a photo of the group on top of Kennedy Pass (just under 11,000') to prove it! (I'm third from the right.) Photo courtesy of Lu Plauzoles

We'll pick an easier trail next summer.