TR: Woodchuck country-Goddard Creek-Tehipite Valley Loop
Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 6:50 pm
Got back a couple weeks ago from an 11 day loop (7/22-8/1) from woodchuck country to goddard creek and then into tehipite valley. I’m not sure exactly how many miles it was but i think somewhere around 75 with maybe a third of it off trail.
I started at the crown valley trailhead a couple hours northeast of fresno and headed into woodchuck country. Stopped at halfmoon lake for the second night and Portal lake for the third. Day four i started off trail and made it across mantle pass into blue canyon. Next day headed over blue canyon pass to goddard creek. For the next two days I descended goddard creek, took me about 10 hours hiking time of class 2 scrambling and some very nasty bushwhacking. Day 7 after making it out of goddard creek I got back on trail and camped at a beautiful spot in Simpson meadow. Day 8 and 9 were spent in Tehipite valley. My campsite was right in front of the huge dome and it was breathtaking. Great fishing in the kings river and it wasn't as hot as i expected with almost no mosquitoes. Leaving tehipite valley I had to do a hard 4000 feet uphill and camped near crown valley station for my last night before hiking out to the trailhead on day 11.
I saw a lot of bear scat in tehipite valley but didn't see a single bear. I was a bit surprised as from trip reports i’d read it was supposed to be full of bears and rattlesnakes (only saw a couple of those). I did see a mother bear and cub and another cinnamon colored black bear in woodchuck country but they were running full speed away. Did see quite a few deer and some smaller wildlife as well as great fishing almost everywhere.
Overall it was a great trip with a ton of beautiful views. I do regret that i didn't make it to tunemah lake but it would have been a couple extra passes and at least one hard day and decided to skip it this time.
Any questions about the trip or route just ask and i’ll do my best to answer.
I started at the crown valley trailhead a couple hours northeast of fresno and headed into woodchuck country. Stopped at halfmoon lake for the second night and Portal lake for the third. Day four i started off trail and made it across mantle pass into blue canyon. Next day headed over blue canyon pass to goddard creek. For the next two days I descended goddard creek, took me about 10 hours hiking time of class 2 scrambling and some very nasty bushwhacking. Day 7 after making it out of goddard creek I got back on trail and camped at a beautiful spot in Simpson meadow. Day 8 and 9 were spent in Tehipite valley. My campsite was right in front of the huge dome and it was breathtaking. Great fishing in the kings river and it wasn't as hot as i expected with almost no mosquitoes. Leaving tehipite valley I had to do a hard 4000 feet uphill and camped near crown valley station for my last night before hiking out to the trailhead on day 11.
I saw a lot of bear scat in tehipite valley but didn't see a single bear. I was a bit surprised as from trip reports i’d read it was supposed to be full of bears and rattlesnakes (only saw a couple of those). I did see a mother bear and cub and another cinnamon colored black bear in woodchuck country but they were running full speed away. Did see quite a few deer and some smaller wildlife as well as great fishing almost everywhere.
Overall it was a great trip with a ton of beautiful views. I do regret that i didn't make it to tunemah lake but it would have been a couple extra passes and at least one hard day and decided to skip it this time.
Any questions about the trip or route just ask and i’ll do my best to answer.