I day hike in Sequoia (SEKI) often. I live close, am retired and have been going twice a week most of the summer. I have my favorite trails, others I do once in a while and often find something new as well. It is very difficult to choose between Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequioa. Sometimes I choose both Kings Canyon and Sequoia. My favorite hike is between 8 and 12 miles through and around the Giant Forest, depending on where I park, how I am feeling etc. It has several entrance points and as well as ways to extend or cut it short. The summer is definitely drawing to a close, today is hopefully the last 100 degree day down here in the Central Valley for the year so I wanted at least one more hike before I have to put on long sleeves, pants and a jacket. I see bears, often, 1, 2 or even three. The most in one hike so far this year is 5, well it was before this morning.
I had bearly (see what I did there?) got into the park before I saw my first Turkeys, 4 at Ash Mountain Visitor Center - they have been there all summer early in the morning. Just around the corner from Hospital Rock, I found 3 more, here is the one remaining on the wall as I got my cell phone up for a photo out the window. My camera was sitting on the seat next to me, right where it stayed all morning. Apparently, I am not too lazy to put it in the truck, just too lazy to get it out and carry it around. These are all cell phone photos.
@Pringles - they have real park benches in this park, with backs on them, spread out here and there. I sat on a couple.
Anyways, here is the turkey.
The first stop this morning was Moro Rock for the climb. I do it when I am passing by and there aren't many cars in the lot. Don't do this if you get vertigo. 250 feet of elevation gain in about a quarter mile. Nice views from the top looking into the Kaweah Range and if you are lucky out into the valley. Not today due to the smog, but here is my offering.
Can't forget this wonderful feller.
Next up, was Crescent Meadow, parking spot for today's hike just because it is pretty close to the rock. The hike was something like this, around Crescent Meadow to Log Meadow, past Tharps Log, and then up to the Trail of the Sequoia, along the trail of the Sequoia to the Congress Trail, around to the Sherman Tree, back out the other side of the Congress Trail to the Alta Trail, down the Alta to Huckleberry Meadow Trail, along this to get back to the near side of Crescent Meadow and back to the parking lot. Almost 9 miles today.
Here is Crescent Meadow, according to John Muir, the gem of the Seirras. Looks better in the spring with a bear in it, no bear this morning.
Next is Tharp's Log. He lived in this hollowed out Sequoia for a number of years (summers), until the park was formed in 1890. Using the information sign here as it is hard to get a decent photo of the log and the little structure on the end.
Next up is the first two bears, a mama and a cub. Not a great photo, but it will have to do, wasn't going to ask them to turn around for a better photo op.
Once up on the Trail of the Sequoia I wandered along for a mile or so before coming across bears 3 and 4, another mama and cub. Just stood and watched for a moment and then out came the phone for some photos. About this time some well three letter word starting with an A set off his air horn on the other side of them scaring them down the hill away from me. I dislike tourist behavior. When I asked him why he did that he said the cub was looking at him and he was scared. Idiot ruined my wildlife watching.
Trail Marker.
Trail through tree - there are several of similar types along the trail.
I guess since we are in the Sierra's in Sequoia National Park, we need a photo or two of the big trees. Not sure why many of them have names, but they do. I usually don't take photos of named ones, only got one today down below at the end. Here are some big trees before we get back to the bears. Current count is 4 bears.
and one more of the same tree, different angle. Thick bark allows them to survive the fires that burn.
Now back to the animals. Getting the last three of the day into one photo didn't work out too well through the trees. Wasn't going down there to ask them to pose for me so this will have to do.
that makes 7 bears before noon while hiking. I have seen more bears in one day, but that was while driving in Alaska, the Yukon and even in Yellowstone. I was quite happy with the first two, let alone the second mama and cub. The last three were only a few minutes after the 2nd pair. To top off the morning here is one of the 7 bucks I saw spread out over near the Sherman Tree.
this is called the squatters Cabin, one of the oldest remaining structures in the park. It sits on the edge of Huckleberry Meadow.
I suppose we should end with a photo of the biggest single tree in the world. First up is why I don't usually go over there, bus skirt around it. Even in October there is a line to get a photo. I took mine from the side - sorry.
I promised myself to start doing some trip reports as I have been living off the reports on this site for years when I couldn't hike much due to work and a bad hip. Both those are happily resolved so perhaps another one or two next week, I have a couple of very different hikes lined up for Saturday and Sunday.
Happy Trails
Kevin
I had bearly (see what I did there?) got into the park before I saw my first Turkeys, 4 at Ash Mountain Visitor Center - they have been there all summer early in the morning. Just around the corner from Hospital Rock, I found 3 more, here is the one remaining on the wall as I got my cell phone up for a photo out the window. My camera was sitting on the seat next to me, right where it stayed all morning. Apparently, I am not too lazy to put it in the truck, just too lazy to get it out and carry it around. These are all cell phone photos.
@Pringles - they have real park benches in this park, with backs on them, spread out here and there. I sat on a couple.
Anyways, here is the turkey.
The first stop this morning was Moro Rock for the climb. I do it when I am passing by and there aren't many cars in the lot. Don't do this if you get vertigo. 250 feet of elevation gain in about a quarter mile. Nice views from the top looking into the Kaweah Range and if you are lucky out into the valley. Not today due to the smog, but here is my offering.
Can't forget this wonderful feller.
Next up, was Crescent Meadow, parking spot for today's hike just because it is pretty close to the rock. The hike was something like this, around Crescent Meadow to Log Meadow, past Tharps Log, and then up to the Trail of the Sequoia, along the trail of the Sequoia to the Congress Trail, around to the Sherman Tree, back out the other side of the Congress Trail to the Alta Trail, down the Alta to Huckleberry Meadow Trail, along this to get back to the near side of Crescent Meadow and back to the parking lot. Almost 9 miles today.
Here is Crescent Meadow, according to John Muir, the gem of the Seirras. Looks better in the spring with a bear in it, no bear this morning.
Next is Tharp's Log. He lived in this hollowed out Sequoia for a number of years (summers), until the park was formed in 1890. Using the information sign here as it is hard to get a decent photo of the log and the little structure on the end.
Next up is the first two bears, a mama and a cub. Not a great photo, but it will have to do, wasn't going to ask them to turn around for a better photo op.
Once up on the Trail of the Sequoia I wandered along for a mile or so before coming across bears 3 and 4, another mama and cub. Just stood and watched for a moment and then out came the phone for some photos. About this time some well three letter word starting with an A set off his air horn on the other side of them scaring them down the hill away from me. I dislike tourist behavior. When I asked him why he did that he said the cub was looking at him and he was scared. Idiot ruined my wildlife watching.
Trail Marker.
Trail through tree - there are several of similar types along the trail.
I guess since we are in the Sierra's in Sequoia National Park, we need a photo or two of the big trees. Not sure why many of them have names, but they do. I usually don't take photos of named ones, only got one today down below at the end. Here are some big trees before we get back to the bears. Current count is 4 bears.
and one more of the same tree, different angle. Thick bark allows them to survive the fires that burn.
Now back to the animals. Getting the last three of the day into one photo didn't work out too well through the trees. Wasn't going down there to ask them to pose for me so this will have to do.
that makes 7 bears before noon while hiking. I have seen more bears in one day, but that was while driving in Alaska, the Yukon and even in Yellowstone. I was quite happy with the first two, let alone the second mama and cub. The last three were only a few minutes after the 2nd pair. To top off the morning here is one of the 7 bucks I saw spread out over near the Sherman Tree.
this is called the squatters Cabin, one of the oldest remaining structures in the park. It sits on the edge of Huckleberry Meadow.
I suppose we should end with a photo of the biggest single tree in the world. First up is why I don't usually go over there, bus skirt around it. Even in October there is a line to get a photo. I took mine from the side - sorry.
I promised myself to start doing some trip reports as I have been living off the reports on this site for years when I couldn't hike much due to work and a bad hip. Both those are happily resolved so perhaps another one or two next week, I have a couple of very different hikes lined up for Saturday and Sunday.
Happy Trails
Kevin
