Yesterday I reset everything right upon getting back from the wilderness. Shower, charge batteries, transfer images to storage, get gas, pack food, wash clothes, then read up on possibilities for tomorrow.
I also left my SPOT unit on a mountain near Hume Lake. So, it was necessary to stop and pick that up. Good thing my GPS was loaded with the coordinates where SPOT was transmitting its location. A sort of search mission for my little $150 SPOT unit. I had no idea where it was exactly, but it spent the night on the mountain and I have it back.
On this Independence Day, I set out to Kings Canyon again to see what might happen. I went as far as the first trailhead past the Winter closure gate, Yucca Point. It is a trail that leads to the bottom of the canyon. There wouldn’t be time to go the whole way, so I spent just enough effort to hit the steep switchbacks for a mile or so below. The descent was far, long, hot, and exposed, but there were enough wind and cloud cover to keep things cool.
For the most part, I wanted to get more photos of flowers and tree life that dwell in this harsh area. It was a treat to have a full view of Deer Ridge and Tombstone Ridge the whole way. Time well spent.
