Section 6 of the Kings Canyon High Basin Route (KCHBR) begins at the Middle Fork King River near Simpson Meadow and ends at Road's End in Kings Canyon National Park - the route's northern terminus. From the Middle Fork, at the confluence with Goddard Creek, the route follows a trail southwest
Kings Canyon High Basin Route: Section 4
Section 4 of the Kings Canyon High Basin Route (KCHBR) begins at the South Fork Kings River at the bottom of the Cartridge Pass Trail and ends at the Middle Fork King River in Le Conte Canyon (along the Pacific Crest Trail/John Muir Trail at the confluence of Palisade Creek and the Middle Fork King
What to Put In a Thru-Hiker Care Package
If you know someone who is hiking or plans on hiking a long-distance trail, you may want to send them a hiker care package at some point along the trail. The trick of sending a care package? Knowing what to put in it. At first thought, you may be tempted to fill it with "things hikers like" -
Kings Canyon High Basin Route: Section 3
Section 3 of the Kings Canyon High Basin Route (KCHBR) begins at Junction Meadow and ends at the South Fork Kings River at the bottom of the Cartridge Pass Trail. We found this section to be the slowest-going and most sketchy section of the route (although we did not hike Section 5). This
Mac’s Backpacking Gear List 2021 (v3)
I don't typically get to the third iteration of my gear list until the end of the summer or into the fall, but so much has changed in such a short amount of time recently, that I feel disingenuous not updating my list. What's changed from my previous gear list? Here are some of the items that
How to Hike the PCT Without a Bear Canister
On a recent trip to Sequoia National Park, I noticed a paper taped to the wall at the backcountry permit office. Specifically, this piece of paper. I asked the ranger, "I was under the impression you were required to have a bear canister everywhere in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but
Kings Canyon High Basin Route: Section 2
Section 2 of the Kings Canyon High Basin Route (KCHBR) begins at Colby Pass Trail in Cloud Canyon and crosses Talus Pass, Thunder Ridge Pass, and Longley Pass before dropping to Bubbs Creek and meeting up with the Pacific Crest Trail/John Muir Trail at Junction Meadow. Following the Colby Pass
Pacific Crest Trail Bear Canister Requirements
If there's one piece of gear that causes Pacific Crest Trail hikers the most headaches, it's the bear canister. Most northbound PCT thru-hikers pick up their bear canisters at Kennedy Meadows and then ditch them at either Sonora Pass (Kennedy Meadows North/Bridgeport) or Echo Summit (South Lake
Kings Canyon High Basin Route: Section 1
Section 1 of the Kings Canyon High Basin Route (KCHBR) begins at Twin Lakes Trailhead at Lodgepole in Sequoia National Park and ends where the route intersects Colby Pass Trail in Cloud Canyon. After leaving Lodgepole via the Twin Lakes Trailhead (also known as the Silliman Pass South Trail), the