Dad – Page 8 – Not Your Average Engineer

July 1, 2016August 1, 2016

Into Blue Canyon

Cresting over the shoulder of Kettle Dome, we were treated to amazing views of Tehipite Valley and big mountains in the distance.

Taking a break up on ridgeline.

We were really pumping out the sweat as we hiked. My dad’s gloves soaked through.

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One last view before heading down into the canyon.

Hiking down into Blue Canyon, we passed through an absolutely amazing grove of truly massive red fir and white fir. It’s possible these are the biggest of each species in the world. Neither my dad (a forester by training who worked for a decade in the Sierras) or I have seen bigger.

Just look at how big these trees are! Incredible! And they’re all very healthy.

A gorgeous hanging meadow down the trail toward the bottom of the canyon.

July 1, 2016August 1, 2016

Hiking Through Crown Valley

On our way into the backcountry, we passed through Crown Valley where my dad spent a summer in the Forest Service.

Lots of beautiful wildflowers everywhere.

At the old Crown Valley Guard Station where my dad lived for a summer. Last year, this place smelled really bad probably from a badger or weasel living in it. This year the smell was gone but the lower logs are starting to rot out.

Looking inside the old guard station.

Hiking through an old burn area on the way to Blue Canyon in Kings Canyon National Park.

Looking toward Kettle Dome. We are going to hike over the left side of the dome on our way into Blue Canyon.

A pretty tiger lily along the trail.

In deep grass walking through an old burn area.

Now entering the park!

June 3, 2016August 16, 2016

Down in Crown Basin

After successfully coming over Hummingbird Pass, we headed down the drainage toward Hummingbird Lake and into Crown Basin.

Looking back up toward the pass.

We spotted a white-tailed ptarmigan among the rocks. It must have had a nest nearby with eggs or maybe even chicks based on how it was acting. The ptarmigans were introduced to the Sierras many years ago and now live happily at high elevation.

Hummingbird Lake comes into view. I recall as a kid that we did encounter many hummingbirds around here.

We encountered another bird in the brush as we walked past Hummingbird Lake. She had several chicks that fled as we approached. If they hadn’t moved, we would never have seen them.

Standing on the lip before descending down into Crown Basin.

Entering into Crown Basin. We camped in this area several times with the llamas when I was growing up. There is an old cross country route that descends out of this basin and winds its way over to Woodchuck Country on its way out to Wishon Reservoir. The last time we took that trail was at least 15 years ago. I doubt many people have been on it since.

I once found a 50 calibre shell out in this big meadow. Back during the Vietnam War, it was somewhat common for jets and helicopters to come up into basins like this for target practicing. That is frowned upon now.

At the old shepherd’s camp where I spent several nights sleeping in a tent growing up you can still find carvings on the trees from the cowboys and herders who spent their summers up here. There are some carvings that date back to the 1870s and 1880s.