High Sierra Topix

Day1. 5/24/03: Roads End to Confluence of SF Kings River and Woods Creek
8.2 miles, about 6 hours, 1930 feet gain


We had driven down the day before and camped at Moraine Campground. Before hiking up to the confluence of Woods Creek with the South Fork of the Kings River, we got up early and walked down to the SF of the Kings River at 7:30AM to photograph the raging water. Then we ate breakfast at the Cedar Grove Café and drove to the trailhead, parked and stood in line to get our permit. A bit after 9AM we were on the trail. By noon we reached Mist Falls after 3.8 miles and 800 feet of gain. We stopped for lunch, took photos and sat on the rock slabs, mesmerized by the tumbling water.

It was another beautiful 4.4 miles with 1130 feet elevation gain to the large established camping area at the confluence with Woods Creek. We were early enough to scout for a river crossing needed for the next day. We found a log crossing downstream with the afternoon high water running over the logs; we hoped it would lower for our day-hike to Castle Dome Meadow the next day.



Day2. 5/25/03: Day hike to Castle Dome Meadow
10.0 miles, about 8 hours, 2375 feet gain/loss

We brought crampons just in case we would need them. Looking upstream there was plenty of snow on the slopes up to Arrow Ridge. Although there was no snow on the south facing Castle Domes, the crampons came in very handy when crossing the wet log crossing we had found downstream the previous day. The river flow had receded more than a foot. Our 8:40 AM start was late and we wondered if we would still be able to cross on our return. We took some extra food and sleeping bags in our day packs, just in case.

The amazing cliffs first came into view at 10:20 and we were in the meadow by 11AM. We hiked to the Woods Creek Bridge just to see this marvel, and then hiked up the north hillside about 400 feet to get a close look at the rock faces and scope possible future climbs. We headed back around 2PM. The side creek fed by melt from snow west of Window and Pyramid Peaks had swollen so much that the wading was a real challenge. When we reached our log crossing it was covered with a thin film of water. We carefully crossed the maze of logs with our crampons on; it was a bit nerve-wracking. We were back in time for an evening meal before dusk.

Day3. 5/26/03: Walk out
8.2 miles, about 5 hours, 1930 feet loss

After a crack-of-dawn start, we stopped at 7AM in about a mile to photograph the roaring waters in one steeper section of Paradise Valley. By 8AM we reached the end of Paradise Valley. The continuing trail offered good viewpoints where we could see the Sphinx a far distance across the valley. All the way down to Mist Falls and nearly a mile past, we could peek into the timber and see one little falls after another. Once past the trail junction the tall reeds gave us the feel of being in a jungle! We were out about noon and headed up the steep winding Kings Canyon road stopping now and then to gawk down into the canyon.

Great report, Daisy. Thanks for continuing to post these -- especially now that winter is here and we can't get out as much!

Bridges... The Kings River water crossing you did at the Woods Creek confluence was bridged over in subsequent years; however, I think that bridge was washed out by the big summer storm of August 2018. I recall the Woods Creek JMT bridge was washed out in 1983 by the El Nino cycle that also took out all the piers of the California coast line, south of Santa, Cruz to San Diego. That same storm season also took out many other High Sierra trail bridges. The current Woods Creek JMT suspension bridge was erected in the early 1990s. The Kings River bridge at the Woods Creek confluence was supposed to be rebuilt in 2020, but I do not know if that plan was placed on hold due to Covid.

Ed