Alone in the wilderness

A magnificent growth of giants...one naturally walked softly and awe-stricken among them. I wandered on, meeting nobler trees where all were noble giants...this part of the Sequoia seemed to me the finest, and I then named it "the Giant Forest"

As Labor Day weekend approached, I found myself without any plans and so decided to put together a backpacking trip up to Sequoia National Park, about 6 hours north of San Diego. With a major heat wave scheduled for the region, it looked like an even better idea (compared to my 90+ degree apartment). Tracy was on a "cross-cover" schedule at the hospital, meaning that she didn't necessarily have to work, but also couldn't go more than an hour away from work. Since I couldn't find anyone to go with me, I decided to go it alone.

It was a trip of firsts for me: my first solo backpacking trip, my first hiking experience in the Sierra, and, as it turned out, my first hiking trip about 7000 ft. of elevation. In the end, all I sought was a good workout, some cooler temperatures, and an escape from the crowds that were certain to invade the city. I was successful on all three counts.


Sequoia National Park is the second oldest national park in the country, established in 1890. As its name suggests, it is home to some very big trees, located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada range not too far from Fresno. It is shares a boundary with Kings Canyon National Park, which is just to the north. The lowest point in the park is probably at about 5000 feet, and the highest is Mt. Whitney, which, at 14,500 feet, is the highest point in the lower 48.


After an early morning drive up, I arrived about 12:30 to temperatures of about 100 degrees at the park entrance. About 20 miles in, I stopped at the Visitor's Center to pick up a backcountry permit, since they are only available on a first-come, first-served basis. The ranger gave me a choice of two trails, and I picked the one with more shade and more water. I didn't pay as much attention to the fact that the hike to my camp was 2700 feet up (over 7 miles), at an elevation of 9400 feet. I had two liters of water with me, hoping that there would be streams along the way.

I did fairly well until about 1.7 miles remained. At this point, I was at about 8400 feet, and my pack got heavier with each step. My goal was to reach camp with enough daylight left to cook dinner and set up my tent (I started about 2:40pm). However, I found myself having to stop every few minutes to catch my breath and let my heart beat slower. By the time I approached the Twin Lakes area, I had stopped maybe 15 or 20 times, and, with no real water sources, had to conserve my water as well. I was getting nauseated, terribly sore, and had trouble catching my breath.

There were a number of factors that could've contributed to this: (1) This was my first backpacking trip of the year, (2) This was my first hike about 7000 feet, where the air is much thinner, (3) I had no hiking partner, meaning nobody to push me and nobody to share the load of food and tent, (4) I had been fighting a cold toward the end of the week, meaning my breathing wasn't great to begin with. While all of these probably contributed, I think the first two probably had the most impact.


The hike itself was rather pleasant. It wasn't so different from some of the hikes I've done in the eastern Cascades -- dry, dusty, and hot. I wasn't really treated to many big views, but I did have some encounters with deer, and of course, the ubiqitous sequoias. Originally, I was planning to stay two nights, but given how sore I was after the first day (the hike kicked my ass more than any I have ever done), and the fact that I was hesitant to drink the stagnant lake water, I figured it would be best to make it a one-night stay. I had no desire to get to any higher elevation. So, Sunday morning, I awoke to a wonderul sunny, 55 degree morning and had some breakfast and did some reading. When it started to get warm, I began my descent.

Once I got back to the trailhead, I turned into a tourist again. Most of the people there seemed to be speaking non-English -- lots of Asians and Hispanics (with their bountiful children). The park is home to the world's biggest living thing (the General Sherman tree, whose base has a 109 foot circumference).


I also made a little detour north to Kings Canyon National Park, to see what that was all about. It definitely seems to be worth a return visit all its own, as it looks very similar to North Cascades National Park (my personal favorite). And then I made the long trek home, getting back around 11pm. I'm still very sore!

Here are the photos I took:





Fun Trivia Fact #1: Sequoia/Kings Canyon is home to the second largest roadless area in the lower 48. I'm told the largest is in either Idaho or Montana.

Fun Trivia Fact #2: There are only two glaciers left there (in Kings Canyon), despite the extremely rugged topography. Both of those are expected to be gone within 20 years.

Fun Trivia Fact #3: The General Sherman tree is the biggest tree on early, in terms of mass. But several other trees on that list are in the same area (including the General Grant tree in Kings Canyon).

Fun Trivia Fact #4: The only place in the world that sequoias grow is in this region of the Sierra Nevada, generally between 5000 and 8000 feet. They are similar to their Redwood cousins on the Northern California coast, but they are girthier and shorter.