Trip Report Northern Kings Canyon 7/6-7/16/17

[Hobbes]

Do you think an axe + traction would have helped, or were the conditions still too difficult/dangerous being off-trail solo?

[Jason]

Amazing! Thanks for the trip report. Fantastic fish too.

[TahoeJeff]

Nice Goldens!!!

[cgundersen]

Hi Robert: Bravo, stunning report, and partly I'm not too surprised that the snow is still that deep and that the suncups were trying to gobble you up. When we crossed Piute Creek in late June, there were spots where the snow was at least 20 ft deep. Even though Darwin canyon had ample exposed rock, I think that's because lots of the snow had blown down to lower elevations where there were drifts at least 30 ft thick. Even with warm weather, it will take a while to chip away at those monsters. But, as you noticed, it sure cuts down on the number of folks competing for the small number of patches of open ground. Cameron

[RiseToADry]

The stomach contents of all the fish were the same. Anyone know what kind of grub this is? And how to match with a fly? No surface action at all.
They all were packed with this grub .

I too would like to know what these are. I'm am always curious what the food source is for large fish in lakes above treeline. I've seen a variety of sources including october caddis and ginormous midge hatches, but can never identify the sub surface food (I don't eat the fish or pump stomachs) so this picture intrigues me.

If I had to take a stab, it looks like some sort of stonefly or mayfly. Or perhaps some sort of scud/shrimp.

[rlown]

I'd go with stonefly.

stonefly_nymph_1.jpg

They're not helgrimites http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/67/Insect ... lgrammites.

Virginia lake never had rises and the fish had dull teeth. They were grubbing the bottom. I like that kind of lake. Fish are generally bigger but more elusive.

Nice report!!!

[RiseToADry]

After a little more research I think I'm leaning scud...

[rlown]

hard to tell given the digestion from the picture. The legs on the front looked bigger than a scud, but you might be right. We'll never know, but that lake fished deep would be a great bet..

[robertseeburger]

OK.. answering some questions... from the post..sorry for the delay.

From Wandering Daisy.. I guess I got it wrong from memory on your prior post. My mind must have played tricks on me as I saw the steep snow going into the lake...and remembered your post. The one picture I posted was only an example ..there were many on both sides. On the way to Mcgee Lake, I asked Ranger Dario how best to get there and I followed his suggestion. Go to the very top of Colby Meadow ( not McClure Meadow), and cross in a spot that is flat, wide and slow similar to the Evolution Meadow Crossing. His recommendations were perfect and accurate, and while it was another crossing hip high, there was no problem. From there, find the use trail that goes up to McGee Lakes. Again, it took me like 5 minutes to find it and it is a well ducked trail...no problem following. An old map shows the "trail" coming from McClure Meadow and Dario suggested not to do this..plus McClure meadow was more of a lake than a meadow.

As to equipment, I could have used ice ax and crampons going over Sapphire Pass on the east side, and if I chose to try to go around Davis Lake. I could have used nicrospikes many times, and probably should have in retrospect.. Walking on snow, which I did a lot of...I slipped a lot and fell perhaps 10 times, but also in slipping without falling many many times, I know I risked pulling a muscle ( thought I did once but I worked it out), plus just the act of slipping with a pack on is exhausting. Pulling a muscle not good for solo hiker. So, I will remember this for the next big season. I am not going to bring ice ax and crampons...just not my style.

For AlmostThere..again great to meet you.. and a predicament for other hikers..as in what to do? You are on your last day, you were sloppy putting up camp, you didn't put up rainfly for the tent, you plan to wake up at 5:30 to hike out, and then the clouds role in and it starts raining at 3:45 AM, complete with lightning and thunder. Do you get up and re set up camp? I thought about it as my first inclination was to do nothing..and decided to get up and pack in the rain, and just walk out by headlamp. First time in my life I have walked 11 miles by 8AM!... got home to the Bay Area by 2PM and surprised my wife....

Thanks to all who commented on the grub and fly options also.. I would say that they were in general a size 12 or 14.

[AlmostThere]

For AlmostThere..again great to meet you.. and a predicament for other hikers..as in what to do? You are on your last day, you were sloppy putting up camp, you didn't put up rainfly for the tent, you plan to wake up at 5:30 to hike out, and then the clouds role in and it starts raining at 3:45 AM, complete with lightning and thunder. Do you get up and re set up camp? I thought about it as my first inclination was to do nothing..and decided to get up and pack in the rain, and just walk out by headlamp. First time in my life I have walked 11 miles by 8AM!... got home to the Bay Area by 2PM and surprised my wife....

I've actually done the same thing before. It starts raining, I can't sleep, I got up and packed and hiked in the dark with the good ol' umbrella.

I actually had to wake up my friend - he didn't put the tarp over his hammock and he's a sound sleeper. He'd probably be wet before he awoke. Then we slept in a little longer than we intended... love sleeping in the rain.

Bet that steak was great.