Mineral King | Cabin Art

How Do You Know Fall’s Coming When It’s Still Hot?

In Mineral King, there are consistent signs that fall is coming. It may still be 105 down the hill during the day, but in Mineral King we know summer is about to be history.

The light is different, and the grass is as high as an elephant’s eye.

The water flows in a sluggish manner.

The deer are plentiful and the fawns’ spots are fading.

Not many wildflowers remain except asters.

Things have a yellowish tinge to them.

The Park Service begins patrolling on horseback, interviewing hunters who have crossed over into Forest Service land.

What helps you believe fall is coming in spite of the heat?

Mineral King

Mineral King, Late Summer

It was remarkably clear in Mineral King in late August. The place is a continual source of inspiration and painting ideas for this central California artist.

California Artist Mineral King

Trail Guy Climbs White Chief Peak

While I was working in Wilsonia, Trail Guy was climbing White Chief Peak. Off trail stuff doesn’t suit me with my lack of depth perception, so I am always a little relieved when I don’t have to go with Trail Guy on these more adventuresome excursions.

See the peak on the left? with the flat top? That’s White Chief. I still sort of want to climb it. Maybe next year?

This was Trail Guy’s view from the top. I didn’t ask which direction he was looking and am too embarrassed to ask because I should recognize stuff.

Trail Guy said this old foxtail was petrified. I wonder. . .

He saw a pika, which is correctly pronounced “PEE-kuh”, rather than “PIE-kuh”, which is how pica is correctly pronounced. Can you even spot it in the photo above?

During the week of his ascent up White Chief, he saw a doe with triplets! This is a very very rare occurrence. (a peculiar sight!) Most of the fawns now are losing their spots, but these three are still small and dotty.

Careful on the road, you wee ones!

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Trail Guy Leads A Hike

Retired Road Guy loves to hike. He is particularly fond of loops, which ALWAYS include some off-trail stuff. The man really really knows Mineral King, and he knows how to choose the best hike for the right people at the optimal time of year.

Dude’s just gifted like that. He is an introvert, but put him on a Mineral King trail and you might mistake him for a friendly trail guide.

I did not go on this hike, but was privileged to borrow the best photos.

Five members of The Sawtooth Six were there, with 4 cameras. These are our cabin neighbors from some fraternity, I Phelta Thi or something. They have come up once a year for about 28 years now. In the early years, Trail Guy and I would leave Mineral King that weekend. Now we love it when they are in “town”. Guess we all grew up a little.

view from White Chief photograph by the Sawtooth Six — If you head up the ridge to the left (east?) out of White Chief, pause and look back. You’ll need to anyway if you want to breathe.

Four of the Sawtooth Six plus Trail Guy photo by Ted Wenta — These guys love to document their doings. Trail Guy is in the middle; Ted is taking the photo.

Foxtail pines photograph — Jon and Scott don’t get to see foxtail pines unless they come to Mineral King and their frat brothers drag them up a trail. (JUST KIDDING, guys! I know you got there under your own steam!)

Kurt and the foxtail pine, photo by Sawtooth Six — Kurt usually takes a nice long trail run before heading out on a hike. You’d hate him if he wasn’t such a genuinely nice guy.

foxtail pines photo by Sawtooth Six — And Ted finally handed the camera to someone else. These guys come from far away places that do not have foxtail pines. (When I visit Ted’s state, I get overly excited about tulips and take multiple photos, so I understand.)

Man on trail in Mineral King photo by Sawtooth Six — Hi Jon. Do you fully comprehend your awesomeness? You fly a desk all day, 5 days a week, and then BOOM! You hit some altitude and suddenly slam out 8 hard miles on (and off) a trail!

photo of Timber Gap by Sawtooth Six — Fabulously clear day in Mineral King, looking down from the Farewell/Franklin Trail. That is Timber Gap in the distance.

4 guys hiking down the Farewell/Franklin Trail photo by Sawtooth Six — Look at these city guys gamely following Trail Guy home. Pretty remarkable when you know that he used to ditch them on purpose.

has-been baker holding a pie — Aha! Craig made them keep walking because he knew Mrs.Trail Guy would be waiting with a lumpy looking apple pie. She was a baker when she first met the Sawtooth Six. She did not bring them pies back then because: A. They weren’t her pies; B. She would go down the hill when they came up the hill. Notice Kurt has removed his shoes. This is because even his feet get tired.

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White Chief, Part Two

One way you can tell that you are middle-aged is when hiking downhill is more painful than hiking uphill. (Can I get an “Amen”?)

Last week I left you wondering how we were going to leave White Chief if not by the same trail we used to get there. Trail Guy loves loops – I might start calling him “Loopy” – no, bad idea. I call him Trail Guy, but about 40% of the time he is Off-Trail Guy.

He pointed up to a ridge above and to the west of lower White Chief canyon and said if we climbed it, we’d drop down into Eagle Meadow. That is in the area of the Mosquito and Eagle Lakes junction. He said he knew it wasn’t hard, because he had explored there last year.

Sure, Off-Trail Guy.

Trail Guy and friend leaving White Chief Canyon — That is Timber Gap in the middle distance. We are higher than it, because we are looking over the top of it to the Middle Fork drainage of the Kaweah River. I got a little bit behind Trail Guy and PC because of a serious distraction.

Explorer's Gentian photo by Jana Botkin — Explorer’s Gentian are my favorite flower! That color just slays me. The one on the left is a little odd – normally they have 5 petals. They appear in August and like to bloom and grow in damp places.

ridge between White Chief and Eagle Lake photo by Jana Botkin — Not hard at all. Just go up. Pick a clean route. Keep your goal in mind. Don’t step on a wasp nest. Watch out for rocks that are rocky. Just sashay up that little ridge!

looking down from the ridge photo by Jana Botkin — Whoa. We have to go down really really far now. Into those trees, and we will catch the trail down from Eagle and Mosquito Lakes, right? Eagle Lake is off the photo to the left, behind the trees. Trail Guy, are you SURE this will work?? I’m not in favor of getting bluffed up.

Eagle Creek photo by Jana Botkin — Here is Eagle Creek, flowing through Eagle Meadow. It is really hard to get lost in Mineral King. The danger is in getting bluffed up. This wasn’t a bad route, and we hit Eagle Meadow just like Trail Guy planned.

Eagle Creek, just above the sinkhole photo by Jana Botkin — Here is Eagle Creek, just before it disappears into the sinkhole.

photo by Jana Botkin of Eagle sinkhole — This never photographs well. Eagle Creek flows into a deep hole. You can see the bottom of the hole – the water just disappears! (Don’t you hate it when someone says “this is a bad photo”? Then why are you showing it?? Because it’s all I have!)

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White Chief in Mineral King is a Steep Hike

White Chief might be the most popular short(ish) hike in Mineral King. It might also be the steepest one. It is always worth the effort, especially when back home again.

Farewell Gap photo by Jana Botkin — This is the first awe-inspring view on the way to White Chief. It is Farewell Gap at around 10 a.m.

bridge over Spring Creek — A bridge is a welcome sight when one isn’t that great at rock-hopping.

fireweed photo by Jana Botkin — Nice patch of Fireweed by Spring Creek. Icky name for a gorgeous blossom!

White Chief photo by Jana Botkin — FINALLY at the end of the steep climb to White Chief, about to break into the canyon. I think someone moved the place higher since I last went there. The flat topped peak is White Chief Peak.

view from White Chief Canyon photo by Jana Botkin — Walk a little further up canyon, turn around, see this view.

creek in White Chief canyon photo by Jana Botkin — The creek in the middle part of White Chief is so cold that the marrow in my foot bones might have frozen a little bit. (It HAD to help plantar fasciitis, right?)

Trail Guy having lunch in White Chief canyon — Trail Guy finds great spots to perch for lunch, but the cheese was with me down in the creek. Bummer, Dude, I’m not moving because my feet are frozen.

cloudy view from middle of White Chief canyon — Tut-tut, it looks like rain. Let’s choose a different route home. (No, not a helicopter) Maybe over that ridge ahead, see that bare spot in the trees?

This is getting to be a bit long. I’ll continue it next Friday. . . same bat time, same bat channel.

Mineral King

Interesting And Random Photos of Mineral King

scarlet monkey flower photo by jana Botkin — I’ve only seen the scarlet monkey flower in my favorite wildflower book but never in person until this year along the Mineral King Road.

Sawtooth Peak in Mineral King, photo by jana Botkin — Some days Sawtooth looks particularly captivating, but I’d rather photograph it than climb it.

Mineral King Bridge photo by Jana Botkin — HEY LOOK! The new Mineral King Bridge has a railing! It is definitely different than the old, but it is easier and more comfortable to sit on than the old one.

horses and mules below Timber Gap photo by Jana Botkin — The Park Service (AKA NPS, Sequoia, and SNP) has used its Mineral King corral quite a bit this year. That is Timber Gap in the not so distant distance. It is much further if you are huffing and puffing your way up the trail than if you are standing beneath it with a camera.

Fawn photo by Jana Botkin — There was a pair plus Mama, but only this fawn paused long enough for me to get my camera. There’s nothing quite like a blue tarp, a piece of my dusty car and a little bit of marmot fencing to set off a wild animal shot.

Mineral King

Sawtooth Has a Story

Sawtooth Peak probably has many many stories. It is visible from Visalia, and when it is viewed in Mineral King, folks are often surprised by its smallish size. “How could that be visible from down there?”, I’ve been asked a time or two. My answer is always the same, “I dunno!”

On July 22, 1976 I was on a backpacking trip with a group of kids and 3 adults. We had a layover day at Columbine Lake, just below Sawtooth. Several of the group decided to climb the peak, but really wanted to make a mark in history by taking a less travelled route.

It was dumb. I got a helicopter ride, a hospital stay and many booboos from that experience. I also learned a number of things.

The main thing that stays with me is that I’d rather look at Sawtooth, photograph it and paint it than climb it.

The last time I painted it, my intention was to take it to the Silver City Store to sell it there. Instead, a man saw it at my cabin while it was still wet, and he bought it!

Thanks, Sawtooth Peak.

Love,

Jana, the scarred California Artist

p.s. I went back and climbed it in 1981. It wasn’t fun. My friends helped me. Otherwise, my scared (and scarred) bones would still be up there.

California Artist Mineral King Mineral King oil paintings oil paintings Sawtooth Peak

The Best Flowers in Mineral King

It must be Friday because the California artist is talking about Mineral King again.

You can count on seeing the best variety of flowers in Mineral King in 2 places: along the Nature Trail and at the Farewell Gap/ Franklin Lake junction. The first week of July is when they are usually the most profuse. It is about 4 miles to the junction from the bridge at the end of the road, aka “The Mineral King Bridge”.

Crystal Creek, Mineral King — Crossing Crystal Creek is easy, thanks to a log-jam type bridge. It is one mile up the trail from the beginning of the hike.

along the Franklin/Farewell Gap trail, Mineral King — Trail Guy shows the way at this intersection. The sign also helps, but if you would rather go to Soda Springs, ignore the sign.

blazing star wildflower — There are 2 places I know to always find Blazing Star in Mineral King – the trail to Soda Springs and on the way to Franklin Lakes or Farewell Gap.

The sign says it is 4 miles back to Mineral King at the Franklin Lake/Farewell Gap junction, but I am always a little surprised that it is so far. This is because I love this hike!

Wildflowers of Mineral King — The flowers are this good in a not-so-good flower year at the junction. Last year was better. No, I’m not whining on the yacht.

This is off the trail, because I follow Trail Guy lots of places besides trails. He led me to the best larkspur I’ve ever seen – the boldest color, the tallest, the thickest blossoms on the stems, the biggest clumps I’ve EVER seen in Mineral King, and all this in a not-so-great flower year.

Leopard lilies are Trail Guy’s favorites. We often smell them before we see them. Most people call them “tiger lilies” but I associate tigers with stripes and these are spotted like leopards. Or giraffes. They are tall like giraffes, so perhaps it is time to rename them.

I love to put my feet in Franklin Creek on the way home. It makes them feel good for about 25 steps after putting my boots back on.

Mineral King

Empire Mountain, Mineral King

Fridays are about Mineral King on this California artist’s blog. Just reminding you, in case you are wondering where’s the art. . . or perhaps you only tune in on Fridays. Welcome! (and Mineral King is a HUGE source of inspiration to this California artist, so it isn’t really off topic.)

Michael, aka Trail Guy, likes to go off trail, which is the only way to get up Empire. There is a great deal of interesting history up there.

empire mt. as viewed from the Mineral King valley — The most visible rock outcropping on Empire isn’t really the highest point on the mountain. Bit of a poser, that outcropping.

trail to Empire and Timber Gap, Mineral King, photo by Jana Botkin — The trail to Empire and to Timber Gap (and Sawtooth and Monarch and Crystal) is full of giant, giraffey steps. These aren’t the worst ones!

photograph by Jana Botkin of Empire Peak in Mineral King — Just follow this drainage up to the bunkhouse, the road, the mines and the peak(s)

view down canyon from Empire, Mineral King, photo by Jana Botkin — That’s Case Mt. in the distance.

Trail Guy is heading up to Empire, Mineral King, photo by Jana Botkin — Be careful, Trail Guy! I’ll just wait right here for you.

knitting with a mountain backdrop, photo by Jana Botkin — Waiting is never a problem with me. This weighed next to nothing in my backpack. I believe it enjoyed its adventure.

mine on Empire, Mineral King, photo by Jana Botkin — There are mine remnants all over the side of Empire.

road between Empire and Timber Gap, Mineral King, photo by Jana Botkin — This is a road, built in the 1870s. I am not making this up. There were horses and mules hauling wagons full of ore, right here.

wildflowers on Empire, Mineral King, photo by Jana Botkin — It was the 4th of July, and I amused myself by looked for a group of wildflowers that contained red, white and blue. Why do we always say it in that order? There are five other ways we could arrange those colors verbally, but they just don’t ring.

Empire Peak, Mineral King, photo by Jana Botkin — Did we really go up there?? Not me, but Trail Guy did. My inner slob prefers to sit and knit, take photos, and contemplate matters of consequence.

California Artist Mineral King

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