Mineral King | Cabin Art

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.

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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.

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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.

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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

That Mineral King Bridge!

Will the Mineral King Bridge ever be finished? Will the saga ever end?

Retired Road Guy had the camera with him while his former road crew worked on the bridge. Rumor has it that he joined them for an hour or so, wearing shorts instead of green pants and his signature straw hat instead of a marshmallow head. Rumor also has it that he actually enjoyed the work!

2 guys goofing off while working on the Mineral King Bridge photo by Jana Botkin — How could he not have fun working with a couple of marshmallow-headed clowns such as these?

Kirk operating a big yellow machine in Mineral King photo by Michael Botkin — This is a HUGE yellow machine. It doesn’t have a steering wheel. The road crew isn’t very fond of it. That may be why Supervisor Kirk is at the helm. Is it a helm? What’s a helm?

Huge yellow machine on Mineral King Bridge photo by Michael Botkin — I am not kidding when I say this is a HUGE yellow machine. Good thing the bridge was replaced with this strong new one!

asphalt overlay on approach in Mineral King, photo by Michael Botkin — One side almost completed, one more to go.

equipment on Mineral King Bridge, photo by Michael Botkin — See those guys clustered around the smaller machine? It broke. Guess the other side will have to wait.

Announcement:

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 21 is the annual Mineral King Preservation Society Picnic in the Park. It takes place at noon in front of one of the cabins at the end of the road. (Look for the signs, follow the people.) Bring your own lunch and chairs, lemonade will be provided. The program has 2 parts – one by Steve Jones who will tell of his memories backpacking and camping in Mineral King. (Never met him before, don’t know a thing!)

The second part will be Retired Road Guy and the California Artist discussing the Mineral King Bridge project. They will be asking the crowd to share their memories of the bridge, and rumor has it that they may even tell what they REALLY think about it.

Guess you’ll have to attend to learn the rest of the story!

Do you have any Mineral King Bridge memories you’d like to share with the blog readers or me?

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Rhyme Time

Or is that Rhyme Thyme? or rime time?

STOP IT.

Because my friend Cheryl Barker does Summer Photo fun on her blog, and I am a monkey-see-monkey-do copyist, I will engage in my own little brand of summer photo fun for your entertainment.

caterpillars wiggling in a web photograph by Jana Botkin — Worm Squirm

Are you kidding me? That is so gross!

Yeah, I know. They are all over the shrubs in Mineral King this summer.

photograph of buck in Mineral King by Jana Botkin — Stuck Buck

What do you mean “stuck”?

He wasn’t moving. It was cold. Maybe he was scared.

photograph of hiking boot by Jana Botkin — Cute Boot

You’ve got to be kidding!

No, they are cute. I’m not talking about the Franken-foot but the boot. They have pink accents on them.

photograph of a fern burned by frost by Jana Botkin — Fern Burn

What is this about?

It got really cold in June and the ferns got frost-bitten.

Skin??

That’s “Bear Skin”, a snow patch on the side of Vandever Mt. which is the right half of Farewell Gap.

Where do you come up with this stuff?

On long hikes. Michael (Trail Guy) makes good coffee and my brain kicks into over-drive.

No more caffeine for you, Young Lady!

I’m fifty-two!

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The Nature Trail, Mineral King

Doesn’t “Nature Trail” sound silly and simple? I’ve pondered it for years and never come up with a better name.

The Nature Trail is about 1 mile long and goes from the upper end of the Cold Springs Campground to the Mineral King Valley.

The trail has a huge variety of things to see – aspen trees, little signs telling about various things along the way, the stream, a variety of flowers, a view of the road, a forested section, a view of Sawtooth, a desert-like area, a view of Timber Gap, and a section that passes through the historic cabins.

The Nature Trail, Mineral King — The lower end of the Nature Trail in Mineral King, at the upper end of the Cold Springs Campground

Nature Trail, Mineral King — Through the aspen trees on the Nature Trail

wild Geranium in Mineral King — Wild Geranium on Nature Trail

The Nature Trail in Mineral King — The Nature Trail goes close to the east fork of the Kaweah River, with Indian Paintbrush in abundance.

Sawtooth Peak, Mineral King — There are great views of Sawtooth Peak along the Nature Trail.

Timber Gap as seen from the Nature Trail — At the upper end of the Nature Trail is an unobstructed view of Timber Gap and the historical cabins.

Upper end of the Nature Trail — Don’t bring your dog on the Nature Trail!

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Online Companies I Use and Like

Notice I didn’t say I love these companies. (We’re supposed to love people and use things.) In spite of holding back emotionally, these are businesses I would be in a world of hurt without, and I cheerfully pass on the links to you, my readers and friends!

Farewell Gap oil painting — Farewell Gap, oil on wrapped canvas, 8×10″, $90
It is difficult to order from online companies when contemplating this scene in the Land of No Electricity or Internet, more commonly known as Mineral King.

Dick Blick is where I get my art supplies. (I beg you, why would any parent name their child Richard when the last name is Blick??) This company is fantastic in their inventory offerings, deals and customer service. Fantastic, I say!

Vistaprint is my new best friend. They are sooo very generous, so very tempting with all their offers of freebies. I’ve been having a blast designing products to sell and to give as promotional items.

I was despondent when Kodak announced their departure. I have tried to be brave. They have promised to send all my 90-something albums to Shutterfly. The albums have not arrived, but the tempting offers from Shutterfly have. Being a weak and gullible Regional Artist From Quaintsville, I succumbed.

(Trumpet fanfare. . .) There is a new book coming to my studio, primarily to be used for showing my work to potential customers. I have creatively and uniquely titled the book “The Drawings of Jana Botkin”. It should appear here:

Click here to view this photo book on another website. Shutterfly, to be precise. (It will cause you to leave my blog, but you can come back.) Click here to create your own Shutterfly photo book.

Alrighty then. It didn’t work out exactly as I had hoped. . . As I was saying, I am beginning to really like Shutterfly. I hope they like me back.

Who are your favorite online companies? Let’s share the like (trying to stay consistent here)!

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Announcement: