Name : Pete Cutler @petecut
Where did you travel to : North Fork of the Granite Creek drainage, Sequoia National Park, California
What made you want to go here : I have a friend that lives in Visalia, (right outside of Sequoia National Park) He invited me out to explore the Sequoia back country. We were off trail, about 17 miles back, rock climbing on unclimbed granite cliffs. Mostly just exploring.
Trip highlights : Establishing a ‘first ascent’ on a 1800′ tall unclimbed granite wall. Difficulties up to 5.11- and a beautiful summit block! Also, the camping was amazing. Way back, away from the trails and crowds, we had the entire valley to ourselves.
Tips for anyone wanting to travel here : There is a really cool backcountry “luxury camping” spot called Bearclaw camp up the High Sierra trail towards Hamilton Lake. It’s 11 miles in the backcountry, they have yurts you can rent, a fully stocked kitchen (they bring supplies in via pack mule twice a week) so you can hike in with a light pack, stay there, eat gourmet meals and sleep in a bed! Its a beautiful spot and you can day hike from there to two different lakes. Would be a great place to stay if somebody wanted the backcountry experience without the suffering! Definitely worth checking out. http://www.redwoodhikes.
