Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

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HurryUpShriimp
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Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by HurryUpShriimp »

Hey y'all,

I am new to this online backpacking community and was hoping this could be a good spot for some insider info. Me and a group of 4 friends are planning a backpacking and trout fishing trip to Tehipite Valley for June 21st-24th of this year. As of now, we plan of leaving from outside Kings Canyon Boundary from the Crown Valley Trail Head. We hope to spend the first night at the rim of the canyon about 12 miles in. The next day we will descend about 3 miles into the valley and spend the rest of that day and the next morning fishing. We will split the ~16 mile walk back to the car over the final 2 days.

What I am hoping to find out from you good people is anything I am missing. This seems like a more challenging hike as far as navigation in comparison to the more mainstream national parks and forests that i have visited, as there is not an ample amount of information about the valley online (which is why this mysterious glaciate is calling my name). Areas of potential concern for this trip include...

1. difficult river crossings
2. are there any unmarked trails or bushwhacking required?
3. Are rattlesnakes a major concern in this area?
4. Should we consider a satellite communicator?
5. Is the Middle Fork River our most viable option for trout fishing, or should we consider hiking to the gorge of despair?
6. Does anyone have experience on how warm the water in the Middle Fork is during late june?

I would appreciate any knowledge about Tehipite from more experienced Kings Canyon explorers, or just tell me about your most recent trip to the valley.

Happy Trails to y'all!
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maverick
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by maverick »

Welcome to HST!
Use the "search feature" at the top of the page, you will find some of the answers to you questions and more. :nod:
http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... ite+valley
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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TehipiteTom
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by TehipiteTom »

1) Crown Creek could be a difficult crossing this time of year. (Hard to say--in a 'normal' snowpack year, it would probably be impassable in mid-to-late June, but this was a very low snowpack.) And the Middle Fork itself could be tough, if you want to do that. Otherwise, nothing should be too bad.
2) I think there was actually some trail work done last year--AlmostThere would probably know.
3) I've been told there are lots of rattlers in Tehipite, but I've never seen them. Assume they're there, and be appropriately cautious. (What is a major concern, IMO, is poison oak--tons of it, especially in the lower end of the valley.)
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HurryUpShriimp
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by HurryUpShriimp »

Thanks Tom I appreciate the info! I'll keep my eye out for that nasty oak!
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AlmostThere
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by AlmostThere »

Heyo,

So the trail work that has been done was last August, heading in from the other end and up to the top of the switchbacks - the park had the CCC in to do the work. That means the trail from the Wishon THs is still pretty bad. Crews are heading out there week after next. There are significant creeks along the way to the park boundary, as well. There have been a lot of search and rescues out there over the past years because the switchbacks are pretty d&^% steep and HOT.

You should use reconn.org. Electronics are not the last resort, leaving a good itinerary is. Electronics are cool when they work but they don't always. For a publicized case of not working, see articles about Bob Woodie... Use them at your own risk. I have an ACR PLB, found sat phones to be pretty lousy at good connection and mega-expensive (if you are calling someone's cell phone, make sure they have an international plan on that cell! Sudden huge bills will inflict them!), and had incredibly delayed messaging with an In Reach - these days I just leave an itinerary and carry the ACR, and practice safe backpacking, mitigating risks by storing food probably, watching where I step, not putting limbs in holes or out of my sight under logs or rocks, and not crossing high water.

Recent reports have it that the river is actually too high to cross right now at Simpson Meadow. Two hikers had to reverse over to Roads End (not a fun walk out) instead of hiking through as intended. Streams that flow into the middle fork that are in the canyon will likely restrict your movement eastward. I question the fishability of a very high river.
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HurryUpShriimp
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by HurryUpShriimp »

I appreciate the info! Are you familiar at all with the trail crossings of Rodger Creek or Crown Creek when hiking to Tehipite from Crown Valley to the West? Looking at a map it appears that these could prove to be our biggest obstacles before reaching the Middle Fork.

We hope that giving ourselves a full day to find a spot to fish will allow us to find somewhere decent. Check out this awesome rainbow my brother managed to get on our previous Sierra excursion :yummy:
Doug Trout Rush Creek.jpg
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maverick
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by maverick »

Are you familiar at all with the trail crossings of Rodger Creek or Crown Creek when hiking to Tehipite from Crown Valley to the West? Looking at a map it appears that these could prove to be our biggest obstacles before reaching the Middle Fork.
You are not getting across Crown Creek safely this early in the season, river will be near chest high, and the current will be extremely swift and very strong, deadly.
The decent down the trail into TV, if you want to call it that, will be extremely difficult to follow, no piece of cake either.

http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... ng#p119835
http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... k+crossing

PS The second TR was in 2015, very low snow pack, a 500 year record low.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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bodell82
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by bodell82 »

I did that trip a couple years ago. The trail from Crown Valley TH was mostly non-existent between Statham Meadow and Cow Meadow and was a real bushwack in spots. We crossed paths with a group of guys who came in from Rancheria TH and they said their trail was in good condition. So maybe consider going in from Rancheria rather than Crown Valley.

Some campsite advice for your trip out -- the guidebook we consulted said the only decent camping spot between Crown Valley and Tehipite was in Hay Meadow. We found that to not be true. The Hay Meadow site was pretty bad. There's a better established campsite in the small meadow at Rodgers Creek and established sites with spectacular views on the little exposed knob labeled 7456 on the topo maps.

No sign of rattlesnakes on my trip, though I don't doubt they are down there. We also found the infamous switchbacks to be not so bad, as long as you go in with the expectation of it being hell. :eek: Tehipite is an adventure and a beautiful, unspoiled place. Enjoy it!
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AlmostThere
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by AlmostThere »

The main trail to Crown Valley is maintained by the cowboys who use the inholding in Crown as a cow camp. The rest of the trails in the area are probably in various stages of buried under needles and branches and trees.

There are plenty of rattlers...

The book Angels in the Wilderness is a tale of a woman who never made it to the bottom of the switchbacks, and the heroic trio who saved her from death on the trail.
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Jimr
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Re: Tehipite Valley Trip Questions

Post by Jimr »

Rancheria TH is about 900ft higher. Lisa and I are going from Rancheria to Geraldine Lk this coming weekend.
If you don't know where you're going, then any path will get you there.
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