Back to Top justHiking: September 2017
F

Deadman - Cloud Canyon Trip: 8/14-16/17

This trip came to being very suddenly, the day I got my permit. I knew I wanted to go to Deadman Canyon and Cloud Canyon, but how was another question. It was only when I actually got my permit that I roughly lined out the itinerary for Ranger Sierra. I decided on this loop: Wolverton --> Pear Lake --> Big Bird Lake via Tablelands --> Deadman Canyon --> Roaring River --> Cloud Canyon --> Copper Mine Pass --> Horn Col --> Moose --> Wolverton via Alta Peak. But as we all know, plans are just that, plans. I decided to cut out Moose Lake and go out the HST from Elizabeth when I was at the pass, more on that later.

36796954990_434e86b276_b.jpg

Map can be found HERE


Day 1: Wolverton - Pear Lake


I got my permit Sunday afternoon and started Monday after work. The great thing about working in Sequoia is that I can start hiking 30 minutes after work! I made it to Pear before 8 and grabbed one of the sites high on the southwest side of the lake overlooking the basin.

Day 2: Pear Lake - Big Bird Lake


Tuesday morning I headed up to the Tablelands as I did the weekend before. I should note that these pictures are actually from the weekend before, I covered the same terrain and didn't feel it necessary to take more pictures. Plus I wanted to save my battery. I took the use trail east up and over the hill right past the "Matterhorn". Continuing up the drainage I soon found myself overlooking Moose Lake. I headed NE over the "sky bridge" between Table Meadows and Moose Lake drainage before aiming for the Kings-Kaweah Divide. It was along this route that I found my first Sierra balloon!!! I had lunch at a great little lake right on the divide with awesome views to the east. Heading down to the lakes above Big Bird was straight forward, although getting down to Big Bird itself was not. A couple times I had to backtrack as I got cliffed out but eventually made it to the outlet. I didn't see any immediate campsites on the water, but found a fantastic spot overlooking Deadman Canyon. The sun set early inside those steep canyon walls and I welcomed sleep as I awaited the next day.

36796001520_227fcf1c50_k.jpg
Tokopah Valley by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37051462281_292b5c9696_k.jpg
Aster Lake by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37051465941_7b646c7930_k.jpg
Pear Lake by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36379585663_c623d334dd_k.jpg
Looking down on Pear Lake by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37003500956_9f288d9ba9_k.jpg
Meadow above Pear Lake by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37003498186_79b2919716_k.jpg
Lower Tablelands by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37051266351_ec3c232ee6_k.jpg
MoosePano1 by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36356673604_ac29051706_k.jpg
Tarn in Tablelands by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37051439091_fa893383c1_k.jpg
Upper Buck Creek by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37051436501_6c11f08c5d_k.jpg
"Frog" Lake and Table Meadows by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37021687792_5c80db6bb3_k.jpg
TablelandsPano1 by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36795824420_a8e5bb2585_k.jpg
TablelandsDividePano by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36795925080_f945476a25_k.jpg
BigBirdPano by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37051346301_dfd51fe991_k.jpg
BigBirdPano2 by Zachary Just, on Flickr

37021802032_3023265236_k.jpg
Southern GWD by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36379559743_6605ed1864_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352527420_38879b7400_k.jpg
My first Sierra Balloon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352525160_adaa2e2930_k.jpg
View from Kings-Kaweah Divide by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352522690_5f5b738f82_k.jpg
GWD from K-K Divide by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35914512414_e157a0b522_k.jpg
Lake on Kings-Kaweah Divide by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352520750_446bec2f89_k.jpg
Lakes above Big Bird Lake by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352518710_8065465434_k.jpg
Lakes above Big Bird Lake by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35914508184_11fd6a010b_k.jpg
Big Bird Lake by Zachary Just, on Flickr

Day 3: Big Bird Lake - Cloud Canyon


Wednesday morning I found my way down the slabs towards the trail following the creek from BB lake. I crossed upstream of it's confluence with Deadman Canyon creek because of all the underbrush. It was at this time that I made a banana out of my trekking pole. A quick bend and I had it straightened out, but it no longer collapses, making setting up my tarp a little more challenging. But I perservered and soon regained the trail and all that comes with it. On the north side of Ranger Meadow I met the Roaring River Ranger (Cindy? Kathy?) and a couple of cowboys out doing trail brushing/logging. And once at Roaring River I met another park employee doing invasive species studies. Heading up Cloud Canyon I met 5 trail workers and 1 civilian, bringing the total up to 9 NPS employees and 1 non. Cloud Canyon certainly lived up to its name that day as it continually looked like rain up until about 7 when it cleared up. I wanted to camp at the "Grand Palace Hotel" (the junction between Cloud Canyon and Colby Pass trail) but the mosquitos were a 5+ so I took off up Cloud Canyon. The off-trail travel here was easy, and I soon found a flat spot at the upper end of the canyon with a nice breeze and few mosquitos. Again I watched the shadows grow long and went to bed early in the darkness of the canyon.

35914506954_0972603fab_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35914504054_3dea93cc69_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36748764805_c7b8080591_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36748763155_172ded2bf7_k.jpg
Bent my trekking pole by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352506110_d949716728_k.jpg
Up Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701845666_0c065e73a8_k.jpg
Up Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701842276_4c9d3cb657_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701840396_1aa7dacc8e_k.jpg
Ranger Meadow by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352499550_2b960c18d6_k.jpg
Wild Currants by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36609451741_09c9bc5031_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35939684163_376ad24299_k.jpg
Grave marker by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36609443781_bfe025202f_k.jpg
Cloud Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36609438561_fc00fb0340_k.jpg
Cloud Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701824136_fda643ade9_k.jpg
Upper Cloud Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701820996_ca8a6be2c3_k.jpg
Upper Cloud Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35914479014_78528ac31a_k.jpg
Upper Cloud Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36579076792_00d516a164_k.jpg
Lion Pass by Zachary Just, on Flickr

Day 4: Cloud Canyon - Buck Creek


Thursday was another day of x-country: over Copper Mine and Horn Col to Lonely Lake. I briefly read OldRanger's description in an older post but neglected to confirm that the pass was on my Tom Harrison map, which it wasn't. I found some switchbacks in a Foxtail grove as expected, but they trickled out and I decided to head straight up. I was confused which notch was the true pass and ended up crossing North of peak 12345. The east side was class 2-3 up to the top. I'd say 3 just because it was so soft it required some handholds. The west side was solid 3-4 soft, unstable talus chute with the last 30 feet having some sketchy exposure. I had to lower my pack and position myself above a snowpatch just in case. Not recommended. The snow on the west side made traversing to Elizabeth slower than anticipated and slightly frustrating. I ended up looking at the trail sign for 1 1/2 hours as it beckoned me closer. But I finally made it to the pass and enjoyed lunch there. It was here that I decided to deviate from my planned course. I could see it raining over Moose Lake and the clouds did not look good. The weather reports a hiker I met got on his InReach said that storms were likely at higher elevations. I decided to head down Elizabeth and go out the HST. Although I tried to avoid the rain it did end up raining on me between the Tamarack junction and Bearpaw. Met the ranger at Bearpaw and talked for a bit. I mentioned that I was planning on camping at Buck Creek and he gave me a tip on an old trail workers' camp. It was pretty nice to have some logs to sit on.



36701877186_b15344b2a1_k.jpg
Upper Cloud Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701879176_d7ad93b944_k.jpg
GWD by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352547810_9a104bd92e_k.jpg
GWD by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35939734073_5937603f0b_k.jpg
Cloud-Deadman Divide by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36352549140_aa0755ba6e_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35939736723_a66754f701_k.jpg
Moose Lake/Horn Col by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36748802125_a3cb57c660_k.jpg
GWD by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36748803625_410352a682_k.jpg
Me on Deadman/Cloud Divide by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35914530424_640b4c309d_k.jpg
Me on Deadman/Cloud Divide by Zachary Just, on Flickr

35914531704_50fdfc4c7d_k.jpg
Deadman Canyon Headwall by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36609503471_c1ff1a292b_k.jpg
Down Deadman Canyon by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36579072912_712f826d7e_k.jpg
View from Elizabeth by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701870926_f474f31416_k.jpg
Elizabeth Pass by Zachary Just, on Flickr

36701867616_cfc3cbc55b_k.jpg
Tamarack Lake Drainage by Zachary Just, on Flickr

Day 5: Buck Creek - Crescent Meadow


My last day was an easy walk back to Crescent Meadow, boring and dull. I made it back by 1 and took the shuttle back to my truck at Wolverton. A slice of pizza and a burger were welcome sights at the Lodgepole market before taking a shower and a nap. A great trip through some awesome terrain.
Back to Top