Mineral King in Early Summer

What do I mean “early summer”? It isn’t summer until June 21!

Oh yeah? It’s been in the high 90s and low 100s for a couple of weeks around here. That qualifies as summer, despite the calendar’s report.

Trail Guy is back out on the trails in Mineral King. I’ll get there, just hang on. Meanwhile, please enjoy his photos with my photo editing and explanations.

Mineral King — Looking upstream toward Farewell Gap with the early grasses. This is a good flow of water in the east fork of the Kaweah with much more snow to melt.

Mineral King — Just after crossing the bridge (not my favorite bridge but the Mineral King bridge – don’t get confused here) heading into the parking lot. This is the end of the road, and it’s all up from here, all on foot.

Mineral King — This is the view from the trail to Timber Gap. Or maybe it is to the west of Timber Gap. Closies count.

Mineral King — Decent patch of snow up on the ridge that Timber Gap is part of. Nice photo, Trail Guy!

These are phlox, an early flower that comes in subtle shades of lavender, pink, white, pinkish white, whitish pink, lavenderish white, whitish lavender, pinkish whitish lavender, etc.

Can you pick out Sawtooth Peak from this angle?

This is the view that the Mather party had 100 years ago. There is a photo, a book and a pencil drawing commemorating that event.

Mather party book cover drawing — Remember this pencil drawing? When the Park wanted to reprint the book on the Mather party (group of people on an excursion, not group of people drinking and dancing–but how would I know? I wasn’t there), they commissioned me for a cover drawing redo. That mule heiny was a challenge, but Cowboy Bert took photos of his mulz (that’s how he spells it on his license plate) to help me get it right.

Comments are closed for this article!