Camping and Pampering Are Not Mutually Exclusive

I am the lone female in a family of runners, boy scouts, and soccer players. The men in my family think nothing of heading out the front door for a 5 mile run before returning home to play basketball in the driveway for another two or three hours. While I enjoy a nice walk or hike in the local park, a hip condition has always caused some limitations to the amount of physical activity I can handle. This can make it difficult to plan our family’s summer vacation. The challenge: find a hike and camping combination that is strenuous enough to satisfy the strong, yet not too difficult for someone, like me, who cannot carry a heavy load. The solution: Bearpaw Meadow High Sierra Camp in Sequoia National Park.

Bearpaw Meadow High Sierra Camp sits 11.5 miles in the backcountry of Sequoia National Park. The trail begins at Crescent Meadow among the shade of the enormous Sequoia Redwoods that give the park its name, and winds along 11.5 miles of well-maintained, picturesque trails until it reaches the granite ledge that serves as the base for the Bearpaw Meadow camp.

While among the trees, be sure to look around for the many deer that wander the parking lot and off the trails. Less than a mile in, you exit the shade of Crescent Meadow at Eagle View. This is the first of many photo opportunities, and a nice place for a quick stop to admire the scenery. Continuing along the trail you will encounter alternating shade and exposed sun, cooling creek crossings, and a wide variety of flora and fauna; in our case, we encountered one rattlesnake on the trail, and spotted several bears off of the trail. During the first half of the hike, you can expect to encounter other hikers on their way back from Bearpaw Meadow or other day hikes or camping trips. Everyone we encountered were friendly and encouraging.

We stopped for lunch at Merton Creek, about halfway in. The creek flows down a stony bed to become a waterfall from a ledge below. Here we were able to find a little shade while we refueled and refilled our water containers using a filter that we carry with us on all hiking trips. The creek was flowing well, and the rocks were somewhat slippery; a careful crossing was necessary before continuing on.

The last mile of the trip is fodder for campfire stories and camaraderie, and starts with a downhill trek over a rocky path to a wooden bridge that spans a rushing stream fed by the still-melting snow. It was here that we rested on a large rock while watching a crew of volunteers shore up the masonry on the bridge. We stretched our tired limbs and ate a candy bar to prepare for the 600 foot climb over the next mile. After a 15 minute rest, we crossed the bridge and began the last segment of the path. It started with a few switchbacks that headed straight up the mountain, and eased into a path that sometimes went flat, but mostly was a constant uphill climb. (I had trained for this part of the trip on a treadmill set to a 12% incline.) It is said that “slow and steady wins the race,” and in this case it was true. Finally, we reached the top, exhausted and ready for a hot shower and a cup of lemonade.

We were greeted by several guests who were sitting on the porch, enjoying the spectacular view of the granite-faced mountain opposite the campsite. As we entered the lodge, we met Jeremy, who introduced himself and told us about the camp: hot showers available from 2:00 – 5:30 (we still had an hour and a half), outhouse with flush toilet out back, lemonade and filtered water available all day long — and please help yourself to a (very fudgy, delicious) brownie. Dinner at 5:30 (that night was turkey breast with a delectable veggie dish of zucchini, mushroom, onions, and a variety of peppery spices, fresh green salad, fresh baked bread, and cake for dessert), breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (scrambled eggs, meat – sausage or bacon, muffins or coffee cake, hashed browns, orange juice, and fresh fruit). After breakfast, they put out some fruit, nutri-grain bars, and brownies for us to pack if we were taking a day trip. After dinner, they take sandwich orders for the next morning — meat sandwich using leftovers from the previous nights, or a choice of cheese or PBJ on a high-grain bread. Sandwiches are extra, as is the wine — individual sized boxes of red or white wine served in wine glasses (not paper cups). The cabins were clean and furnished with beds (not cots) with sheets, pillows, and comforters. A kerosene lamp was provided, with matches, to light our way in the evenings.

Most guests spent their days on local hikes, sitting out on the rocks by the side of the cliff, or sitting on the porch of the lodge starting out at the view. There is a small library if you didn’t bring your own book, and a few board or card games for those who were interested. In the evening, everyone gathers on the porch starting around 5:00 (after showers), peering into the windows waiting for the evening meal to be set out. After dinner, more time on the porch, rocks, or around the fire pit. If you stay up until it is really dark (after 10:00), the view of the heavens is amazing! The Milky Way was so clear, and I was able to pick out Scorpio, a constellation that I have only ever seen one other time. A star chart would have come in very handy.

Because of the distance and nature of the hike, we knew that my hip would need a little longer than average to recover before heading back out. We stayed 3 nights, and took a turn greeting new guests as we relaxed on the porch of the lodge. The two middle days provided opportunity for day hikes to Hamilton Lake and local trails, and afforded additional opportunity for bear sightings, and photo ops with the camp marmot.

We left before breakfast on the last day, a combination of a desire to take advantage of the early morning cool weather and the knowledge that we had a five-hour drive home at the end of the trail. It was a good call, and the hike out was cooler and easier than the hike in. We were even blessed with a brief rain shower toward the end of the hike out.

The average hiker takes 7 hours to make the trip. On our way in we took a little over 8 hours, and on the way out, we made it in a blazing 6 hours. This I attribute to the cool weather, a good night’s sleep, and the fact that we had acclimated to the altitude on the way in.

One lesson learned – my family suffers from FOS (Fear of Starvation). As a result, we packed too much food. All that is needed is enough food to get in to the camp. The higher altitude tends to decrease the appetite once you reach the camp, and the lodge provides plenty of snacks. They even packed us food for the hike out. All you need to carry on your back are your clothes, basic toiletries, water. Extras might include a camera, journal and pen, and perhaps a book. Everything else is provided.

We hated to leave, but alas, home life called and we had to make room for other guests. The destination is worth every bit of the hike and the price of admission. For more information, go to the Visit Sequoia website