Backpacking SEKI in June

[dustybottoms21]

Looking at the Crabtree TH upper loop in Emigrant, it seems that there will be a boatload of creek crossings. Assuming they are all raging two weeks from today, what are the ones that will be the most challenging (or impossible) to cross? I hear cherry creek can be a **** but at least that’s 9 miles from the TH with plenty of lakes prior to it. Are there any others that are notoriously bad during a massive melt?


Regarding Plan A, I can’t find anything online from Rowell meadow to Skillman Pass in SEKI that talks about tough crossings.

[AlmostThere]

Silliman.

Like as not the route from Rowell will have easier crossings.

[dustybottoms21]

You mean I can’t trust everything I read on the interweb?!?

I would still think Rowell Meadow to Skillman Pass and back would be better than Emigrant since there’s much less granite? Source: the Interweb

[c9h13no3]

You mean I can’t trust everything I read on the interweb?!?

I would still think Rowell Meadow to Silliman Pass and back would be better than Emigrant since there’s much less granite? Source: the Interweb

FYP

It's not the granite, it's how large of an area the creek drains. Rowell Meadow does have some creeks, but since your trip is hiking along the King's-Kaweah divide, all streams are fairly small (since you're at the top of a drainage).

West Fork Cherry Creek is low in elevation, but that means that all high elevation spots are melting their snow into it.

This is just the reality of early season backpacking. Up high, you get snow. Down low, you get raging water & marshy meadows. Pick your poison. Bridged river crossings are a great thing to look for in an early season trip destination. This is why I like the Kennedy Lake area, bridges over all the tough crossings.

Bridges!

footbridge.png (300.48 KiB) Viewed 178 times

[oldranger]

Absolutely no issues of dangerous creek crossings out of Sunset Meadow TH. Expect some snow. Big issue is whether the gate at Big meadow will still be locked. Need to check with Forest service.

[dustybottoms21]

Thanks fellas but I just spoke with rangers for both A and B and they basically told us to scratch those plans and find something else due to road and/or trail conditions.

One woman did recommend checking the Kennedy Meadows area or Sonora Pass in Emigrant...I’ll check these on the map later. c9, I presume Kennedy Lake is in Kennedy Meadows?

Another ranger also confirmed how f***** we are and said the only areas she could recommend right now would be the Cedar Grove area of Kings Canyon or the Southern Foothills of Sequoia. I need to read up on these two, don’t know much about them.

[c9h13no3]

One woman did recommend checking the Kennedy Meadows area or Sonora Pass in Emigrant...I’ll check these on the map later. c9, I presume Kennedy Lake is in Kennedy Meadows?

Sonora pass is a back country ski destination right now. Drove over it this past weekend to go skiing in the eastern Sierra, and there was a group of 5-6 skiers having beers at the pass after their day. But Kennedy Meadows is 3000' lower than the pass, and is essentially snow free now.

Yes, Kennedy Lake is a 7-8 mile hike from Kennedy Meadows North. Read here, or here. I still think Yosemite would be more scenic & a shorter drive. Worth the hassel of a crowded start.

I wouldn't scrap your plan A trip yet either. At this time of year, the snow coverage isn't uniform. It gets very aspect dependent. Many south faces are bare, while north facing couloirs have feet of snow. The plan A is still the same (call ranger 3 days out), and still in play IMO.

[mckee80]

+1 on Yosemite. I was there two weeks ago. Here's a post on the multi-day options out of the valley:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19231

and here are a couple of trip reports of some of the routes so far this year:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19465
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19482
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19468

I imagine you could find solitude once you get past the start.

[dustybottoms21]

Thanks fellas. I don’t know where I would be without you guys!!!

I’ll check Yosemite options later today. Hopefully procuring permits won’t be a challenge...

But at the end of the day, I’m still pulling for Plan A...Yosemite is def in my crosshairs but I was hoping to do that another season where I could put in a little bit more time planning the trip. But we’re approaching desperation so I’ll shut my trap right now!

[rightstar76]

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