SEQUOIA - KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS

DAY 6 - WOODS CREEK TO LOWER PARADISE VALLEY

July 9, 2020
Bianca Milione

 

 

Woods Creek Trail continues following the river downstream.  We pass a very pretty meadow.

 

   
  Pretty meadow  

 

We left the John Muir Trail hikers behind today, and it’s becoming apparent that all of the Rae Lakes Loop hikers are doing it in the opposite direction we are.  It does seem to be less steep doing it in the opposite direction to what we did, but more total miles uphill.  Late in the morning, we come to the south fork of King’s River, one of the bigger river crossings on this trip.  Dean and I cross barefoot. 

 

Bianca approaching King's River An old abandoned bridge Dean preparing to cross the river
     

The water is quick flowing and very cold, but only about knee deep.  We sit down for a break on the other side when a group of one man and two women hikers arrive, probably in their mid 50’s.  They ask us a few questions about how we crossed, and then the man crosses quite easily, leaving his boots and socks on. The women have an idea that they will cross in flip flops.  It doesn’t seem likely that flip flops will stay on their feet in the rushing water, and as they change shoes, I note that their feet are covered in bandaids, presumably because of blisters.  One of the women strikes out and seems to freeze halfway across for about ten minutes.  Eventually she makes it.  The other woman realizes that she can’t manage in flip flops, so she puts her boots back on, but can’t seem to start.  I suggest to Dean that he should offer to carry her pack across.  He’s a little concerned that this might offend her by suggesting such a thing, but she accepts his offer enthusiastically, calls him an angel, and says she couldn’t have made it with her pack on.  She makes it across after that and we continue on our way.  I can’t help worrying about them later, already having blisters, plus wet socks and boots, does not sound like fun.

 

The Paradise Valley area is beautiful.  I find a very large Sugar Pine Cone.

 

   
  Bianca with a large Sugar Pine Cone  

 

We set up camp in a forested spot on the bank of Woods Creek and have a lovely afternoon here.

 

Paradise Valley sign Dean playing in the river Dean filtering water at our campsite
     

I am disturbed from my sleep around 1 am by flashlights on the tent, voices, and general commotion.  Some hikers have arrived and are setting up camp, cooking, and talking a very short distance away from us.  This keeps me awake for a while and I am none too pleased about it.  The parking lot at Road’s End is only a few miles from here and they obviously hiked in very late, perhaps after a long drive?  I have no idea why they would do such a thing.  In the morning we also notice that they kindly left their bear canisters near our tent! 

 

 

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