Our program headquarters at the Wuksachi Lodge in Sequoia, where we’ll spend the first three nights. We’ll van shuttle from Fresno to Sequoia early enough to head to Lodgepole and hike along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River. Our goal for Day 1 is Tokopah Falls, and a short final boulder scramble will bring us to the base of this 1,200-foot marvel.
Day 2 requires a short shuttle to the Wolverton Trailhead. The Lakes Trail offers another perspective on the beautiful Kaweah River and Tokopah Valley. Today our trail snakes along a ledge on the Watchtower itself, before descending to Heather Lake. We’ll continue on to Emerald Lake, nestled at the base of the mighty Alta Peak – our destination in a couple days.
We’ll devote much of Day 3 to the awesome sequoias as we explore the trails of the Giant Forest. We’ll hike the Congress Trail, view The House, The Senate, The President, and of course, The General Sherman Tree, “the largest living thing on Earth”. We then follow the Trail of the Sequoias to Crescent Meadow. Later that afternoon, we’ll also climb to the top of remarkable Moro Rock for one of the park’s most incredible views.
Our challenge for Day 4 is one of the park’s greatest trails. We’re headed for the 11,204′ summit of Alta Peak on a 12-mile round trip trek that offers some of the finest alpine vistas in the Sierra. From Alta’s summit, we’ll see the towering peaks of the Mt. Goddard region to the north and those of the Great Western Divide rising out of Mineral King to the south. Whitney’s crest dominates the eastern horizon and far below rests shimmering Emerald Lake. This afternoon we will transfer north to Grants Village and the John Muir Lodge.
We’re off to Cedar Grove in adjacent Kings Canyon on Day 5. From our trailhead at Roads End, we’ll trace the course of the Kings River upstream to Mist Falls and then cross the river at its confluence with Bubbs Creek as we return to our trailhead.
The adventure continues on Day 6 as we climb the ridge to the Big Baldy for its wondrous views down into the valley. We’ll visit Grant Grove and “General Grant” before our return to Fresno.
