Day 22, August 9: Heading Back East

Day 22, August 9: Heading Back East

Today I began to move back east. Not very far east, but I’ve crossed over the Sierra Nevada. In fewer than 10 days I’ll be home, so it’s time to start heading that way.

I began the morning by first heading south. Although I’d spent most my time in the Sequoias at Kings Canyon, I wanted to visit Sequoia National Park to see the General Sherman, the largest tree in the world.

General Sherman

It was about an hour drive to get there, and then I took a three mile hike around the grove where the Sherman is. It was an interesting experience after the hike I took yesterday in a natural grove. The path leading down to the General Sherman was paved with informational signs dotting the route, and signs continually warned tourists that the hike back up to the parking lot was strenuous because of the elevation gain. This was in such sharp contrast to the experience I had yesterday, but I was intent on seeing the tree.

The tree itself is amazing. There are taller trees in the world, and trees with bigger girth in the world, but this tree has the largest mass of any other tree. The tree is about 2200 years old, and the top has died, so it won’t get any taller. But it continues to put on girth every year. It is fenced in and protected from the public, so one can’t get all the way up next to it. 

The Sherman is one of many huge trees in this grove. They are named for other officers – The General Lee tree for example. There is also The President’s tree and the Senate, a group of close-standing trees. I took the two mile hike around to look at the trees, but I have to say, it was an almost unpleasant experience. Most of the trees are approachable, unlike the Sherman, but there is no doubting this is a controlled area. The trees don’t look the same – it’s as if they are unhappy. And the energy is different there. The best comparison I can make is to compare visiting animals in a zoo as compared to seeing them in the wild. This felt like a zoo for these big trees.

I was glad I made the trip and the short hike around the grove, but I was also very disturbed by the whole experience. I understand that this is the only way some people are able to experience these trees, but it seems so artificial and, more than that, it seemed that in some weird way the trees are damaged by this. I know it sounds as if I’m giving personality and mental capacity to these trees, but I don’t have any other way to express the feeling I had.

Another look at Yosemite

After that strenuous climb up the paved path back to the parking lot, I left the grove and drove north. There are only three places to cross the Sierra Nevada, and the closest one for me was Tioga Pass through Yosemite. So I went back to Yosemite, and seeing the park from west to east instead of the opposite provided a wholly different perspective. Parts were breathtaking and I hadn’t seen them the first time through. I was glad I was able to get one more look at the park.

Mono Lake

After crossing over the pass, Mono Lake loomed on the horizon, and in the distance, a wild fire was raging on the mountains beyond. Just above the thick smoke coming off the mountain, was a huge thunderhead, bubbling even higher than the smoke. I pulled over and just looked at it. I wish pictures could capture the beauty of all that I’m seeing, but it’s just too big to capture in an image.

I ended up the day not too far from Yosemite at Mammoth Lakes. This is a busy tourist town, but it feels comfortable.  I found a nice campground and a grocery store to replenish my supplies – convenience store prices were killing me, especially convenience stores at national parks. Mammoth Lakes is a center point of the eastern Sierras, and I understand there is much to experience here.  I’m going to start looking for those experiences tomorrow.

I am feeling the pull toward home though. Steinbeck wrote, in “Travels with Charley,” that no matter how we plan a journey, it’s over when it’s over, even if there is more time to be spent on the road. Although mine is not quite telling me that it’s time, I feel the message is getting close. I look forward to the next two days here as there’s some hiking to do and some sights to see. And then, I’ll be marching in an easterly direction.