Copper Creek

Copper Creek

We had just a few days to spend in the wilderness for this trip so we chose a west-side trailhead (shorter drive from home) with a hot, steep, dry approach to the high country (more efficient, and unlikely to have a full permit quota). Copper Creek near Road's End in Kings Canyon National Park fit the bill perfectly. We didn't see a soul on the approach, though we passed fresh bear tracks near Upper Tent Meadow. We decided to check out the first section of Roper's Sierra High Route, which entailed leaving the trail at the top of the long climb from the valley floor just beyond The Lip. We made it to Grouse Lake at dusk, a perfect campsite for our first night in the wilderness. From there we continued along the High Route over Goat Crest Saddle and past Glacier Lakes, following the trail past State Lakes, and leaving the trail again to reach Horseshoe Lakes for another evening of magical Sierra Nevada light. We backtracked a bit then turned west and went into Volcanic Lakes Basin, a glorious little corner of the Sierra that has become a favorite of ours since this first visit. For our final day in the high country, we made our way down to the mouth of Granite Basin just in time for a little rainstorm and another amazing sunset. We had breakfast near the lake with a crystal-clear reflection of Mt. Hutchings, then headed back down the Copper Creek trail to end a short but sweet backpacking trip in this lonely and beautiful corner of the SeKi wilderness.

“Steve Roper is either a masochist or in possession of a sick sense of humor, because his High Route starts at the Road’s End trailhead in Kings Canyon National Park, at 5035 ft. On the first day of a long alpine experience, with your heaviest load and in the poorest physical condition of your trip, you’re faced with the toil of a sun-exposed 5600 ft vertical gain”

— Leonie Sherman, Adventure Sports Journal

LOCATION

Kings Canyon National Park, CA, USA

MILEAGE

~32 miles on-trail, ~17 miles off-trail

DAYS: 5 SEASON: mid-JULY

STARTING & ENDING TRAILHEAD

Copper Creek

Upper Glacier Lake from Goat Crest Saddle.

Day3 Lakes 10077 and 10199 Volcanic Lakes Basin.JPG

Map: Tom Harrison Kings Canyon High Country Trail Map

GuideBooks: The High Sierra: Peaks, Passes, Trails by RJ Secor, Sierra High Route by Steve Roper, & Kings Canyon National Park by Mike White from Wilderness Press

Also Consider: Amy Lauterbach's Big SeKi Loop

NPS Trailhead Info: www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/traildesc.htm

Day 1 Copper Creek to Grouse Lake | 11.8 miles trail + 1.5 miles off-trail | Total climb 6,000' | Total descent 700'

Day 2 Grouse Lake to Horseshoe Lakes via Sierra High Route | 2.2 miles trail + 8.3 miles off-trail | Total climb 3,160' | Total descent 3,100'

Day 3 Horseshoe Lakes to Lake 10,199 in Volcanic Lakes Basin | ~6.4 miles trail + ~3.5 miles off-trail | unknown elevations (GPS died)

Day 4 Lake 10,199 to lower Granite Basin via Granite Pass, with side trip to Granite Lake | ~3 miles trail + ~3.5 miles off-trail | Unknown elevation (gps died)

LOCATION

MILEAGE

DAYS: 5 SEASON: mid-JULY

STARTING & ENDING TRAILHEAD

Day 1 Copper Creek to Grouse Lake | 11.8 miles trail + 1.5 miles off-trail | Total climb 6,000' | Total descent 700'

Day 2 Grouse Lake to Horseshoe Lakes via Sierra High Route | 2.2 miles trail + 8.3 miles off-trail | Total climb 3,160' | Total descent 3,100'

Day 3 Horseshoe Lakes to Lake 10,199 in Volcanic Lakes Basin | ~6.4 miles trail + ~3.5 miles off-trail | unknown elevations (GPS died)

Day 4 Lake 10,199 to lower Granite Basin via Granite Pass, with side trip to Granite Lake | ~3 miles trail + ~3.5 miles off-trail | Unknown elevation (gps died)

Day 5 Lower Granite Basin to Copper Creek Trailhead | 8.5 miles trail + 0.5 miles off-trail | unknown elevation (GPS died)