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I've shot in the Mineral King section
of Sequoia National Park every year since my first trip a decade
ago. At around 8000 feet, this area has beautiful scenic
landscapes, lush wildflowers, waterfalls, the east fork of the
Kaweah River, and wildlife. This location is
high on my list due to the Sooty Grouse, wildflowers, songbirds, and
butterflies. At
the end of the road is Farewell Gap - a colorful display in the
fall. While trailheads go off in many directions (all steeply
uphill) we stay fairly close to the road.
The story of this area is truly unique. At one time this high
elevation valley was considered for a Disney Ski Resort (in the
1960's), but its remote location and difficult road access kept the
valley from being anything but a summer home location. Miners
and hunters in the later 1870's first brought white men to the area,
but the mines were less than successful and eventually abandoned -
though they did leave traces of mining around the upper reaches of
the valley, and they did create the initial road for horses and
wagons. A couple of summer home settlements remain, and
eventually it was added to Sequoia National Park. Views of
Sawtooth Peak to the east, Farewell Gap to the south, and Timber Gap
to the north surround the valley with photogenic sites.
Reservations
We can meet at my home in Tulare or at a hotel in Visalia at 5am, or in Three Rivers on Highway 198 at 6am in the Pizza
Factory parking lot. From there we travel to the Mineral King
Valley and photograph throughout the area.
We will stop for lunch, then shoot again through the early afternoon
before heading back.
Difficulty Level: EASY
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