Backpacking SEKI in June

[dustybottoms21]

Well combine my neurosis with the fact that a lot of people are wondering if SEKI in June is possible this year, I’m not surprised that this thread has gotten a lot of attention.

And amen to having a good time regardless. I’ll stress like crazy between now and then but R&R is in my not too distant future no matter where we end up!!!

And I promise to post a trip report when it’s all said and done

[AlmostThere]

I have a permit going through Jennie into SeKi starting June 29. Am told the road will likely open the 21st.

[dustybottoms21]

Well that would suck. We're getting started on 6/20.

[AlmostThere]

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.

I wonder if that is the same gal who said there was no creek crossings on the Middle Fork trail until Panther Creek? She was wrong, and I knew she was - Moro Creek is right down the hill from the trailhead.

Southern foothills = beastly hot. I just went overnight on the Middle Fork trail, rarely do it in late May - it's a springtime trail. There are not going to be a ton of destinations, especially during the melt. Ran into a couple who tried to get to Redwood Meadow; Granite Creek was completely impassible, Mehrten was up to the hips on the 5' 8" guy (probably up to my navel, I have shorter legs)... And the real meltout has yet to really get going.

Some of the folks on the phone just never get out in the field. I'm shooting for trail crew outings in drainages that have smaller streams.

[c9h13no3]

Yeah, a lot of rangers on the phone are VERY conservative, they issue the same disclaimers 800 times per day. Ask them specific questions like "Is _______ road open?" "What elevation is the snow line?" Stuff like that.

[AlmostThere]

A lot of the "rangers" on the phone are volunteers. If they don't hear from the field, they don't know. Like the one in the Yosemite office who told people to break the rules, which I knew because I'd been there so much. I've called for road conditions before and ended up having more information than the person on the phone.

[dustybottoms21]

With a little help from C9 (thanks again!) we got ourselves a safe fallback plan if things do not work out for Plan A in SEKI. We were approved for permits at the Rancheria Falls TH in Hetch Hetchy. I think we’ll end up doing the loop via Lake Vernon. Lots of climb that first day!

After studying the map and some pics/vids online, I’m almost wondering if we just call this our new plan.

[oldranger]

Not sure you want to do the loop. The trail thru Tiltil valley is usually flooded during periods of high water. Also the bridge below Vernon lake can be under water and crossing could be risky. A safer alternative would be just going to Vernon and laurel lakes as an out and back. Even the boardwalk past Wapama falls enroute to Rancheria Falls can be dangerous during periods of high flows.

[dustybottoms21]

Yeah the ranger warned of the bridge at Lake Vernon. And I’ve seen quite a few videos online that shows Tiltill Valley completely flooded. I guess it could be a game day decision on what we do. I suppose we could head to Cherry and Lake Eleanor as an option too.

[c9h13no3]

Yeah, this is why I ski early season: I’d rather deal with snow than flooded, muddy trails and dangerous rivers.