John Muir-ing Weekend

One of the best things about living in Visalia, California is the close proximity to Sequoia National Park. Our Central California mini-city sits 50 miles from the largest trees in the world.

This past weekend, we were invited to join some friends, and their newly arrived Russian foreign exchange student, on a day hike in Sequoia National Park.

Dennis and Patty Hylton are an adorable older couple who began hiking later in life, and now spend many weekends per year conquering rugged terrain. Last year, I joined them on a 12-mile training hike through the most beautiful hidden valley in the Sequoia National Park, Mineral King. Since that hike, we have tried several times to hike together, but busy schedules have prevails. The Hyltons recently felt called to invite a foreign exchange student to their home, and happily, found that she loved hiking! So they invited us to join them and meet adorable Anna. The timing was perfect! Alex is nearly recovered from his March ACL surgery and ready to test his newly repaired knee.

(OK, don’t feel too bad for him. He tore it skiing off-terrain in Squaw Valley!)

We left early Saturday morning, to beat the forecasted heat, and made the 50 mile drive to Sequoia National Park. Specifically, we drove through the park to the Giant Forest, where the most densely concentrate sequoia grove lives.

Dennis planned an easy 6 mile hike from Crescent Meadow along the High Sierra Trail and Congress Trail to General Sherman, the largest tree in the world. For those interested in planning a day hike in your local National Park, there are numerous ideas, including trail maps, available via nps.org.

Armed with water, a light sack lunch, and sunglasses, we commenced our trek. The hike was as Dennis promised, easy and picturesque. I am not sure how to describe this landscape in writing. In person, it literally takes your breath away. It delights the senses. The air is clear and fresh. The ground is covered in greens and browns and blacks and pops of bright color. The bright blue sky is barely visible through the massive sequoias and pines. The sounds of wind and critters and faint voices can be heard among the conversation. I could go on, but I think good ole John Muir can state it more eloquently.

“Another glorious Sierra day in which one seems to be dissolved and absorbed and sent pulsing onward we know not where. Life seems neither long nor short, and we take no more heed to save time or make haste than do the trees and stars. This is true freedom, a good practical sort of immortality.”

That quotation was taken from his book, My First Summer in the Sierra (1911) chapter 2.

Yep, I am officially a tree-hugger. So what.

And it doesn’t end there. We ended the hike at General Sherman. Although I cannot count how many times I have seen him, his size and presence never ceases to amaze me. Wow.

I should insert another John Muir quote here, because he says it so much better than me!

After taking in all that is General Sherman, we spent a few minutes browsing the Giant Forest Museum and exploring some crazy authentic Native American cave writings down the road.  Patty is a former elementary school teacher and knows all of the cool stops along the Generals Highway (a.k.a. Highway 198, a.k.a. the main road through Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks).

We topped the afternoon off with ice cream cones at Reimer’s, a local candy shoppe that has received rave reviews for decades. It was Alex and my first time at Reimer’s and we approve!

Upon arrival home from any hike, short or long, it is always delightful and necessary to slip off the hiking boots and relax. Which is exactly what we did. And of course we talked about our next hike.

Grace and peace.