California’s Sierra Nevada is one of my favourite mountain ranges. They rise abruptly from a flat valley at sea level to 14,500 feet in a matter of miles. It is one of the most dramatic mountain ranges and only a few mountain roads cross them.
I had the chance to spend a few months in Sequoia National Forest while working at a mountain camp for families. Sequoia National Forest borders the famous Sequoia National Park and shares the same amazing landscape and nature. Our camp was set at the elevation of 7,500ft, and to get there I had to go to Fresno first.
Fresno is a major city in the Central Californian Valley. It is an amazingly unremarkable place. My Californian friends were saying that it is one of the most boring places in the whole California; I think they were right. The city is in the centre of a massive area of intensive agriculture on irrigated land and that’s about it. If that wasn’t enough to send you in another direction, it also has a very unpleasant climate – days with temperatures over 40˚C are very common in the summer. It is good only as a shopping base for supplies.
But after half-an-hour’s drive west on Hwy 180, the landscape changes dramatically. The road starts a steep and curvy climb which lasts another hour before reaching the elevation of the camp. While driving you can see the changes of climate and vegetation, as well as the altitude. On the valley floor apart from the lush greenery of irrigated land there is only semi desert vegetation and dry grass. Later comes brush with juniper and Pinyon pine. At the elevations between 4,500 and 6,500ft there is a zone where the giant sequoias grow. But they grow in isolated groves far from the main road; instead you see mostly Ponderosa Pine. Finally, the dominant vegetation at the elevation of our camp was a variety of the evergreen coniferous forests with Lodgepole Pine, Red Fir and Mountain Hemlock. It is a very nice environment indeed.
At this high elevation, the climate was much more pleasant than in Fresno; it was still warm but not too hot. It was also a dry (for the first two and a half months there was no single drop of rain) – it is the perfect place for a vacation camp.
The institution of the summer camp is well established in the USA. Every year millions of kids go for week or two to spend some time in the natural environment – most of the camps are located in the mountains, forests or by lakes. Our camp was a bit unusual because it was designed for kids as well as their parents. The idea is that while kids are playing supervised under the instructors, parents have time to relax. Of course they can join in with play and activities if they wish. Most of the families spent one week at the camp each summer and some of these families come back year after year, and some of the parents have been here as kids.
The camp is great fun – there are plenty of activities – horse riding, mountain biking, archery, wave boarding on the small lake, a barbeque almost every day, astronomy classes after dark or singing around a giant camp fire. But probably the best activities (and one of the most popular) are excursions involving interesting hikes. Usually such a trip involves an off-road drive (which is usually fun in itself) to the remote trailhead and then hiking. We had good experienced guides who could explain to us all the local ecology and geography. One of the best excursions was a trip to the isolated sequoia grove: Redwood Mountain Grove. It involved a long bumpy drive and a few miles’ trek. But the reward was a forest of giant sequoias – not a one tree, not two, but a whole forest. It looked more magical than scenery from the Lord of the Rings. Because of the isolation it was completely empty; there wasn’t a single tourist apart from us. You can of course find easily accessible sequoias next to the main roads but they are usually lonely trees, fenced off and surrounded by busloads of tourists.
Another great option is to go on some of the longer hikes above the tree line, especially the trek from Lodgepole Village area to Heather and Emerald lakes, which offers great views and at the end you can rest on the banks of a clean alpine lake. On the way you can branch off and instead of the lakes go to the top of Alta Peak (11,204ft) but this option requires good legs and a lot of stamina. A bit less challenging is a hike to the top of Mitchell Peak (10,365ft). The view from the top is great but the hike itself is a bit boring compared to the Alta Peak ascent or the Emerald Lake hike.
A great way to explore Sequoia National Forest is riding mountain bikes (note that they are prohibited in the neighbouring national parks). One of the best excursions I did was a trip to the Buck Rock fire lookout. It was a very slow and tiring climb using narrow back roads; at this elevation mountain biking (and any physical activity in fact) is much more difficult than at sea level.
However, there was a reward at the end – the fire lookout is perched at the top of rock pinnacle and offers an amazing view from its 8,500ft elevation. It is understandable because its purpose is to provide an observation platform for the forest officials who look for early signs of forest fires. It is a small building (maybe 10ft sq) with a bed, radio and basic supplies. To get there you have to climb 172 steel steps attached to the rock. It is a basic and lonely place to work but what a view it offers; I would work for free just to be able to stay there.
The way back from the fire lookout is much easier than climbing up there. It is a fast and adrenalin-pumping downhill ride on wide gravel forest roads. And what a ride it is. I can’t remember much of the scenery because I was too busy braking and generally trying to stay alive – great fun for those who are not scared of speed.
You can’t miss horse riding – it is, after all, a quintessential part of the American West experience. And apart from that, it is simply great fun to visit an area on horseback. Of course during the three months’ stay at the camp we visited all the touristy highlights too. Such as the General Sherman or General Grant trees – both are absolutely gigantic sequoias, some say they are the biggest living things on the planet. There is also the famous drive-through fallen sequoia (Tunnel Log) or the old house made inside of the log of another fallen sequoia (Tharp’s Log), all easily accessible off the Hwy 180.
If you don’t want to go off the main road to fire lookouts, I recommend a visit to the Moro Rock. It is a granite pinnacle next to the main highway and offers a great view. You just need to do a short (but quite steep, with 400 steps) climb from the parking lot.
It was really one of my best summer vacations. I was there to work but in such a place work and play blend together easily. For example, staff dines together with the guests, and we could also take part in all the activities in our off-duty time. Most of the staff members were students of Californian colleges or foreigners attending various student programs (like me). We lived in wooden cabins between the trees, not far from the guests’ area (but far enough to have some sort of privacy). The food was good, the weather even better – almost paradise. But the best part of the camp was an open-air Jacuzzi. Especially after dark (when all the kids went to bed) with a view of the stars and a drink in your hand, it was an ultimate experience - the best after a whole day spent hiking, biking or horse riding. Highly recommended. Sierra Nevada should be on the list of things to see for everyone who is going to visit California. For me it is actually the best part of this remarkable state.
I recommend Lonely Planet's guide to Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, the Sequoia & Kings Canyon Outdoor Recreation Map by National Geographic and Kings Canyon High Country Trail Map, by Tom Harrison Maps. The Moon Handbook to Northern California covers the area as well.
Author: Gregor Swiderek
Date: 6 October 2008
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