Kings Canyon National Park Trip Cut Short

Thank you for reading this week’s post on Kings Canyon National Park trip cut short. Again, the place was fantastic, and visiting highly recommended!

On our way back to Maxx’s from Lassen Park last week, he called to tell us he and Catalina were both sick with flu-like symptoms. My pulmonologist told me that people with fibrosis seldom die from fibrosis. They get a cold or flu, then develop pneumonia. That’s what does them in. So Maxx’s call did not deliver welcome news.

We decided to camp in Maxx’s yard for two nights. We’d then leave Sunday, two days earlier than planned, to go to King’s Canyon and Sequoia Parks. Great plan! I did not go into their house, nor was there any physical contact, and any discourse happened with masks on.

Sunday morning we drove south, as pleasant a drive as you’re likely to get on CA-99, then headed east on CA-180 from Fresno. Soon the van was climbing mountains again, doing switchbacks and hairpin turns. I think I’m finally getting used to them!

We found our site at Princess Campground and had lunch. I wanted to go Do Stuff, but Susan said, “I think we should just hang out and relax.” I didn’t like that idea (at all) but it wasn’t worth arguing about, especially when you know you can’t win anyway. So I wrote some travelogue pieces for Global Outdoors , which whiled away most of the afternoon.

…but Gollum and the evil wargs…

In the morning we got our usual civilized start, leaving for Kings Canyon about 10 AM. Missed the best light again! The descent into the canyon was almost otherworldly. You could imagine Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves having massive battles in terrain like this, at the very edge of Mordor. Super cool!

If you drive much out west, you’ll see lots of signs warning you about falling rocks. Well, yeah, the roads cling to cliffs! We came around one bend and there was a wheelbarrow-sized boulder on the centerline, apparently freshly fallen. Glad I wasn’t there ten minutes earlier!

Believe it or not, the road is at the bottom of this cliff, out of the frame.

This type of yucca grows all through the canyon.

Here’s CA-180, once it’s away from the cliffs.

At the bottom of Kings Canyon you find the Kings River. CA-180 follows the south fork for ten miles or so before turning back on itself and forcing you to drive the other direction. The river is sparkling and pure, full of rocks and rapids, and good enough trout habitat that I was able spot several fish holding in the current.

We went on a short hike, on fairly level ground. I found it exhausting, and couldn’t understand why.

Susan is probably 25 feet away from the base of the tree. This is not the Grant tree!

In the morning we went looking at sequoia trees at Grant’s Grove, highlighted by the General Grant tree, the third largest tree on earth. All sequoias are way more than majestic, but this was an incredible example of an extraordinary living thing in its prime! I have no idea how to adequately photograph those sequoias in any way that comes close to doing them justice.

Still no Grant!

I found this walk exhausting, too. Still couldn’t figure it out.

The General Grant tree, only 1700 years old, give or take a few. Young, for a sequoia.

We returned to camp and took a nap. When I woke up I started prepping for dinner and realized I felt awful. A thermometer stuck under my tongue registered 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit. I turned the food prep over to Susan and went and laid down again.

I did not get up for 38 hours. Ouch.

When I felt sort of human again, we did not want to risk complications in a remote area with no cell service. It was horribly disappointing to leave- we hadn’t even been in Sequoia National Park! -but it was the prudent thing to do. We left.

I seem to be recovering as well as could be expected. Thank you for your concern!

Thank you again for reading this week’s post on the Kings Canyon National Park trip cut short. Life is great and I love life! But I hate getting sick!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Take a trip! Do SOMETHING!

John Kumiski, author of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide

Purchase a signed copy of Fishing Florida by Paddle- An Angler’s Guide at http://www.spottedtail.com/fishing-florida-by-paddle/

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2021. All rights are reserved.