07.26.06

The Yeagers and Hopkins in Sequoia National Park

Posted in California Life, Family Events, Vacations and Trips at 1:51 am by mathagat

The Yeagers and Hopkins in Sequoia National Park

What a great feeling it is to see family! Early Sunday morning Matt and I headed southeast to Sequoia National Park and at the same time Layne and Amanda headed west from Las Vegas. Layne and Amanda had been in Vegas for a Michalsky family vacation and had made plans to head to Cali for a short part of their trip. After a wonderful five hour drive though the middle of California and into the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Matt and I arrived at our home for the next two nights 6,720 feet above sea level, Dorst campground. Dorst is located in the Giant Forest area of the national park on the western side where you can see some of the largest and oldest of the giant sequoias anywhere. Sequoia National Park is about 1.5 hours outside of Fresno. Somewhere between the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles area, but much further east away from the coast. Because we were traveling south Matt and I were prepared to face 112 degree temperatures but were pleasantly surprised when we found our highest temp to be 85. Not quite sure where weather.com is getting their reading on the temp for the park?

Matt and I set out to put together our campsite while we waited for Layne and Amanda to arrive. Our site was secluded from the main sections of the park but near the restrooms, which was nice. Bears are a HUGE problem (for people that is) in the Sierras and the park rangers warned us to take all precautions with our food and any scented items (including lipstick and toothpaste). Although, calling them a problem might not be the best way to put it. We are after all visiting in their home. Each site is supplied with a “bear box” which is where you can store any food items, toiletries, and anything else that might attract bears. The bears try so hard to get food that they have been known to break into cars in order to get at the goods inside. Needless to say we were very careful to empty all the contents of our car into the box right away. Neither Matt nor I wanted to say hi to Yogi, Smoky or any other member of the bear gang on our trip. Although I agree with Matt, seeing them from a distance would be really cool.

After Layne and Amanda arrived we decided it was time for a hike. We figured that a trip to the largest living organism on the plant was in order. After a short drive down the Generals Highway, which weaves through the national park with hairpin turns and breathtaking scenery, we arrived at the trailhead for the General Sherman Tree. We walked the 2.5 mile loop to view this amazing sight and all the other neighboring giants in the area. The General Sherman Tree is 102.6 feet in circumference and is 274.9 feet tall. This is one massive tree! We all found it so interesting to learn how the trees used their extremely thick bark to guard them against forest fires and to protect them from dangerous gasses in the air. In one of the photos, you can see that my arm span just barely the width of one of the recently downed branches from high above.

After enjoying the sight of this humbling behemoth we continued on the Congress trail and enjoyed the sights of many other majestic sequoias and their smaller family members, the redwoods. There was one tree that had fallen and been hollowed out so we could walk thought it – when I walked through I spread my arms out as wide as they would go and still wasn’t even near the width of the tree. Matt kept saying he felt like he was in some fairytale land you only read about in books or see on the screen in movies. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get from being in a place where everything seems larger than life. It really puts us young small human creatures in our place.

After finishing our hike and taking a few quick showers we headed back to our campsite for a much deserved dinner. We drove with visions of hot dogs dancing in our heads only to be greeted by rain. And not just sprinkles, seriously hard, fat, sideways rain. I couldn’t believe that it was raining in California and that we hadn’t seen the rain on the weather report. Needless to say we did not let the rain dampen the spirits of our trip. After the rain stopped (about 15 minutes) we got out to survey the damage of our sight. Everything was a little wet but nothing was ruined.

Amanda and I set to begin cooking dinner as Layne and Matt put their survival skills to the test and worked on getting us a fire going (with wet wood), since along with the rain came cooler temperatures. Our boys were successful and Amanda and I were so proud and thankful to have a warm fire to stand next to. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner of chili dogs and fruit (yeah, like the fruit compensates for the calories of a hotdog drenched in chili?). It was still wet but not raining, even though the large trees drip for hours after it finishes raining. We enjoyed a few rounds of spades and then decided it was time for bed. Now, because our tents had gotten a bit too wet in the rain we chose to sleep in our cars. Layne and Amanda lucked out with a Jeep Liberty and had plenty of room to sleep. Matt and I were thankful that the seats in the Mazda laid down providing access to the trunk. We all slept warm, dry, cozy and bear free. Car camping at its finest!

We got up bright and early on day two so that we could fit in a hike before Layne and Amanda had to return to Las Vegas. After a couple of breakfast tacos we set out to hike the Little Baldy trail. This trail rises to 8,044 feet above sea level and ends on top of a treeless, granite dome at the tip of a long ridge with amazing views of the High Sierras (the much taller mountains to the west of the range), as well as the whole of Sequoia National Park to the east and south and Kings Canyon National Park to the north. This trail was a total of 3.4 miles and we enjoyed every foot of it. Although the climb to Little Baldy was mostly uphill it was worth every minute of the struggle once we were greeted with the breathtaking views from the top.

Once atop the outcropping of rock we enjoyed about 30 minutes of rest and play while admiring the glory of Mother Nature in all her splendor. Aside from what looked like the roof of a small green park ranger hut (Amanda said it looked more like a billboard – she had the video camera’s zoom fixed way in on it) part way up the neighboring peak and a short piece of the Generals Highway in the valley below, there was no other visible or audible signs of civilization. How cool that was to be in a place where there is just tree after tree and row after row of mountains as far as the eye can see in every single direction. Talk about the definition of “the great outdoors!”

Our trip down from Little Baldy provided a few laughs. We were greeted by a friendly marmot, which is a form of groundhog or also known as a woodchuck. After chasing him down the trail to get a picture he decided to give us a little chase! He headed straight for Layne and one point Layne became scared he would crawl up his leg – it was quite a sight! I guess you never know what a wild animal can do! Mr. Marmot did stop long enough to pose for Matt. National Geographic is calling for our marmot pictures right now. Matt said it didn’t click at first, but at one point when he got close enough to this giant mountain rodent to get some great shots he realized he might be getting a little too close. He couldn’t tell if the marmot was starting to get curious about him or starting to get defensive. He was slowly creeping out of a hole in between the rocks toward the camera. Matt brought the Nikon down from his face and swiftly backed away. I don’t think he cared to capture any close-ups of a flying marmot!

After we returned from our hike it was time for Layne and Amanda to head back to Vegas. Although I was sad to see them go I am very thankful for the family time we got to have. I only wish they could have packed Morgan in their suitcase too, I think she would have given the marmot a run for his money!

Matt and I stayed and enjoyed the Sequoias for a few more hours before packing up and heading home as well. Rain was coming again and we were not ready for another wet night. We are already working on planning our next camping trip as well as our next mountain excursion with Layne and Amanda. Until next time!

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