Sequoia NP

Sequoia National Park

Lodgepole Campground & Wolverton Trailhead

2 nights at Lodgepole & 3 nights at Emerald Lake

7/8 - 7/13

Photos with Sony A7CR and Tamron 28-200 lens

We had been a sea level for the last couple of weeks, so I had us in Lodgepole for two nights to acclimate a little bit. It also gave us a chance to play tourist and see the sequoia a little bit.

All cellphone pics of dayhiking among the sequoia

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Mostly camera photos from here out

After a couple days, it was time to load up the backpacks. I had a permit to go in on the Alta Trail with the idea of looping though the Tablelands and coming out on the Lakes Trail. I was able to get a permit to do this in reverse which would hopefully give us a little bit more flexibility. Turned out to be a lucky move because my daughter was not up to more climbing after the first day, the elevation seemed to be affecting her a little bit. 

The Lakes Trail is beautiful, starts out as forest and then opens up

The Watchtower is pretty impressive

We got to Emerald Lake and we were the only ones there. This was a Wednesday so I guess just fewer people backpacking, but still surprising for such a popular place.

2nd day - My daughter did not think she could make it higher, so we decided to stay another night and see what happened. We wandered down to Aster Lake and then over to Pear Lake and dodged a little rain. There was lightning up high and I was glad that we had not made the climb to the Tablelands. More people showed up, but still not crowded feeling.

We got a great Sierra sunset

And then more stars

3rd day, have to decide if we are going higher or not since you can only stay at the lakes for 3 nights. We decided that given the thunderstorms and her not feeling it, we would head back the next day vs go higher. I was able to contact my wife with my InReach and she was able to change our flights. So one more day to enjoy the Sierra. We decided that we would make a little bit of the climb towards the Tablelands and see how far we got with just a daypack. 

My daughter said that she wants to be reincarnated as a marmot at Pear Lake :)

The Pear Lake ranger station is tucked into the trees, never saw a ranger though.

Climbing away from Pear Lake, she had fun with the off-trail bits

And then back to Emerald Lake for one more night, Friday night, now Emerald Lake felt full

The next day we hiked out, got showers at Lodgepole and made the drive to SFO and then red eye flight home. Great trip, but I still need to get up on the Tablelands.