S,P of Heavy Winter Snows

TRAILS OF LODGEPOLE/WOLVERTON that the trail passes through a wide variety of habitats, winters. Feeding these wild animals disru pts their INTRODUCTION each with its own specially adapted plant life. natural habits and is prohibited. Ice-sculpted granite peaks - crystalline, rock rimmed But perhaps the most interesting story the Tokopah The Tokopah Trail ends at the base of 1200-foot-high lakes - ancient, storm-battered foxtail pines - all these Valley has to share is a story of mountain building and Tokopah Falls, a rolling cascade at its best in early beauties and more await the hiker who explores the trail erosion. This steep-walled canyon has a surprisingly summer, when the snowpack in the Pear Lake reg ion leading towards the high country of Sequoia National flat and open floor. (In cross section it might best be upstream is melting. Please do not travel beyond the Park from the Lodgepole/Wolverton area. described as "U-shaped.") To the geologist that by end of the trail. Slippery rock surfaces make off-trail itself is almost enough to tell the recent geological exploration in this area especially dangerous. Several At the heart of this country is the canyon of the Marble story of this place. The Tokopah Canyon is not solely fatalities have occurred here. When the river is high, Fork of the Kaweah River. Lodgepole, located in this the product of the Marble Fork. Rivers by themselves don't forget that it, too, deserves respect. Cold, rushing canyon at an altitude of 6.700 feet. is the human center tend to cut "V-shaped" canyons with narrow floors and mountain rivers are far more powerful than they appear. for area activities. From Lodgepole, or nearby sloping walls. The "U-shaped" profile of this gorge tells Please be careful. Wolverton, scenic trails lead north, east, and south into us that while the river may have initiated its shaping, country that can only be described as true " High the canyon we see today is the result of glacial THE LAKES TRAIL Sierra." These are not trails for the faint of heart. The erosion. shortest of these routes is a four- mile- long round trip, Distance: (One way, via Watchtower Trail) and much of the most exciting scenery requires long, Heather Lake, 4.6 miles The ancient Tokopah Glacier was formed during the Emerald Lake, 5.7 miles all-day hikes to appreciate. Ice Age when winter snows accumulated on the high Pear Lake, 6.7 miles ridges to the east in amounts too large to melt. This pam phlet provides information on the four major Difficulty: Strenuous (2,300 feet altitude gain) Ultimately, the snow accumulated to such depths that it wz m trails beginning at Lodgepole or Wolverton. Trails Starting point: Wolverton parking area compressed into ice and began to creep downhill. At immediately to the west of Lodgepole, in the Giant times, the mass of ice that crept slowly down this Forest area, are descri bed in the separate pamphlet The most popular backcountry trail in Sequoia National canyon was over 500 feet deep even where the "Trails of Giant Forest '. ' Within these two areas there is a Park, the Lakes Trail leads up through dense forests campground is today. In the process, immense amounts hike for every taste and ability. Choose a walk that suits into a clean, polished granite world of rock, sky, and of soil and rock were scoured away and the canyon you, but do choose one! There is no better way to know water. Heather Lake, the most easily accessible of widened to its present configuration. Sequoia National Park. Sequoia's alpine lakes, is found along this route, as is The story of glacial erosion is most easily visible in the the "Watchtower" cliff with its spectacular views. THE TOKOPAH TRAIL uppermost one-quarter mile of·the Tokopah Trail. Here, Our hike begins at the Wolverton parking area; the Distance: 1.7 miles (one way) our route emerges from the forest into a barren, rocky !railhead is plainly visible to the left as you eAter the Difficulty: Easy (500 feet altitude gain) gorge hemmed in by massive granite cliffs. Slowly moving ice sculpted this scene, removing uncounted area. For the first mile, our route trends almost due a: m Starting point: Lodgepole Campground east following a series of gravel ridges. These are the tons of hard rock. The "Watchtower," the 1,600 foot tall lateral (side) moraines of the ancient Tokopah glacier, Towering cliffs, a sparkling stream, and a giant, cliff dominating the southern wall of the canyon, owes giant ridges of crushed rock and gravel pushed up by cascading waterfall all await discovery along the its shape to the work of ice. Too hard to be ground Tokopah Trail. This popular day-hike begins in the Log away by the glacier. this mass of rock was left standing the glacier as it moved down the canyon immediately to the north. The ridge w;e are following was moved Bridge area o' Lodgepole t.'uniµgYCJUl'rd, ~oo lor the when the lee las't me'ittitf -awaylb'are'l'.I' •1 ~yea rs ago. rock by rock from the lake basins we are climbing !railhead just after you cross the bridge. Parking is Geologists call these middle altitude glacial canyons Map designed nd pr pared by Calowell & Assoc1mos to see. Text by William Tw d, NPS. available in the large lot just before the bridge, about "yosemites:· alter the most famous canyon of this type. 200 yards short of the !railhead. As we approach Tokopah Falls we enter the "High Approximately one mile from the !railhead we turn to SEQUOIA NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIAl ION the south, climbing along the densely forested east wall Much of the charm ·of the Jokopah Trail comes from Sierra." Left below are the thick conifer forests which in cooperation with tho of the Wolverton Creek basin. The dominant tree here the fact that it follows 'closely the banks of the Marble clothe the middle-altitude slopes of the Sierra. In their NATIONAL PARK SERVICC G:.1·0 is the red fir, perhaps the best adapted of all the E place, one finds a sometimes harsh land of sunshine Fork of the Kaweah River. Look for bird life in the clear, © 1985 Sierra's trees to long winters and deep snow. The tall, tumbling waters of the stream. The dipper, or water and rock. Different plants and animals live here. Look narrow shape of the fir, together with its short, tight ouzel, a small gray bird often seen standing on for the stunted junipers that grow on the dry bluffs needles, make this tree highly resistant to the ravages streamside roc ks, feeds beneath the water on aquatic above the trail. Watch, too, for two of the high country's ::s,p of heavy winter snows. This is important, for although Co insects. The ouzel can usually be found either flying most common animals - the marmot and the pika. the high altitudes endure colder winter temperatures, along water or perched on a streamside rock bounding These two rodents inhabit rocky areas and are often or "dipping" as it looks for food. seen near the base of Tokopah Falls. Marmots, the this is the zone of the heaviest winter precipitation. Mid largest member of the squirrel family, subsist mostly on winter snow depths here in excess of ten feet are not Life in many forms is abundant along this friendly green leafy vegetation growing fat during the summer exceptional. stream. Deer and squirrels are seen frequently, and in preparation for a long winter's sleep. The guinea At a distance of 1.7 miles from Wolverton our first trail during July, a hike along this trail may disclose 30 to 40 pig-like pika, on the other hand, industriously harvests junction comes into view. The trail to the right climbs to different wildfl ower species blooming at one time. A grasses and seeds during the late summer and tall, and Panther Gap and Alta Peak (see the next section of this good deal of this floral richness is explained by the fact remains active beneath the snow during even the worst pamphlet), but we turn to the left and continue our ascent. Shortly, we arrive at another junction. Both the About two-thirds of a mile past Emerald Lake a side camping spot during the summer months, Mehrten west, the views extend as far as the clarity of the the north end of this plateau and the resumption of our A FEW MORE THINGS TO REMEMBER "Watchtower" and "Hump" Trails lead to the lakes. but trail branches to the left, leading several hundred yards Meadow takes its name from the pioneer ranching atmosphere will allow. On a clear day even the coast climb. Within half a mile Cahoon Meadow appears. Many of the areas described in this pamphlet as day the experiences they offer are quite different. Under to the Pear Lake Ranger Station. Here emergency family that used this range during the late 19th century. ranges west of the San Joaquin Valley may be visible. Meadows like this remain free of forest trees because hike destinations are also popular destinations for most conditions the Watchtower route is preferred. assistance is available during the summer months. But The precipitous north face of Alta Peak discloses views they are too wet, even during the summer months. overnight backpacking trips. If you intend to stay out Although slightly longer, it pursues an easier grade, and our route keeps to the right, and after one more climb Our steady climb continues beyond Mehrten Meadow of Emerald and Pear Lakes, nearly 1700 feet below.

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