29 Jul 2017 - Graham
previously: art museum reviews #toomanyselfies
This was my first ever real deal backpacking trip. It was a tough experience, especially because I tackled it solo, but so so worthwhile.
Here’s the basic logistics if you want to copy me, which you totally should:
The park entrance is an easy 90 minutes east of Fresno. Fresno, conveniently, has an REI and grocery store and In N Out Burger right next to each other for all your food and supply needs.
(Snack packs! I planned for 6 nights.)
One road, route 180 East, takes you the whole way from Fresno to the entrance. It costs maybe $30 to drive in to the park, but I decided to buy the $80 annual all national park pass because I am going to lots more parks this year and you should too.
I started Monday night at Sentinel campground just east of Cedar Grove. The drive there, still just Rt. 180 East, was absolutely incredible. It’s about 30 miles of mountain-hugging curves and stunning valleys. I was in a bit of a rush to get there, so I didn’t stop to take pictures on the way, but I did catch some on the way out.
(The trusty Pilot under some staggering peaks)
(It’s like this the whole way. Try to trick a friend into driving so that you can just enjoy the views.)
The campground was nearly full, but considering that I arrived at 5:30pm, I was pretty happy to find an open spot. And, it turns out, if there hadn’t been spots there, two similar campgrounds we’re just up the road. It was $18 for the night, I just put my credit card # on the back of an envelope and dropped it in a slot, no human interaction required.
Going during the week was totally necessary because I didn’t make reservations. Some people make reservations months, even a year, in advance. But for those of us who plan trips more spontaneously, the park reserves many campsites and about 40% of wilderness permits (which you need for backpacking) for walk-ups.
The campsite had a little pull in parking spot and a bear box to hold all my food and smelly items. The park website would have you believe that bears go bonkers for things like toothpaste. But, actually, keeping food away from bears matters. Once a bear learns that humans=foodsource they almost always have to be killed. Plus proper food storage is good because you don’t want a bear with you in your tent, broken gear/windows, or a car with a permanent bear stank.
I used the first night to cook a real meal (with vegetables!) and to test out my new water filter and camp-stove.
(It took me three tries to cook those potatoes because I kept letting the water boil over and put out the stove.)
Tuesday morning I woke up super early and got to the wilderness station at Roads End (literally at the end of Rt 180, 5 miles from the campsite) a little before it opened at 7a to get in line for a good permit. When I got there the staff helped me pick an appropriately challenging hike. The permit cost $15, plus $5 for a necessary bear canister and $10 for a map. They dissuaded me from attempting the 5 night circuit and instead convinced me to start with a 2 night up and back though Paradise Valley.
It ended up being a very challenging but rewarding hike. In Paradise Valley there are only three places backpackers are allowed to camp: lower (6.5 miles from Road’s End) middle (at 7.5 miles) and upper (9 miles). I went all the way to Upper Paradise the first night. In total that first days hike took me about 5 hours, including an hour for lunch.
The hike starts with 2 miles of lovely flat shady path through what people must mean when they call something a “glen.” Lots of pretty ferns and huggable giant trees. Then it’s 2.5 miles steadily uphill alongside some beautiful rapids and waterfalls. Another 2 miles of climb to the first campsite, Lower Paradise. Another relatively flat mile to Middle Paradise. The last 2 miles, once I had passed up the two early campsites, were a real slog. There was, however, an transcendental meadow about halfway between Middle and Upper that made it all worthwhile. I was very proud of myself for making it to see that particular view.
(I literally cried, but not like a lot of tears when I got to this meadow.)
Camping at upper was very secluded. I was told that it was a very popular trail, but I guess the other people had been dissuaded by stories of a downed bridge or stopped for the night at middle or lower. I was very exhausted and grumpy this night and definitely feeling phone/internet withdraw.
Took it real easy on day two, relaxed until 2p at upper and leisurely hiked the 2.5 miles down to lower. At lower I was completely alone, I didn’t see even a single hiker. I’m not sure that’s the normal experience. I used the solitude to do some riverside yoga. The mosquitoes were pretty bothersome, and I was feeling pretty anxious about bears, but otherwise in good spirits. And I distracted myself post-yoga with William James’ Varieties of Religious Experience which I cannot recommend enough (more on that in a future post maybe).
next post: minimalism vs. disposability