Panorama of the Great Western Divide as seen from the shoulder of Moro Rock, a prominent granite dome above the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park.
Another pan of the Great Western Divide.
Zooming in on a particular peak in the GWD: Sawtooth Peak.
Looking west from Moro Rock down the drainage of the Middle Fork Kaweah River. The General's Highway winds up the mountainside in the right side of the photo.
Looking down on trees to the east of Moro Rock. An excellent short trail, with handrails, goes from the Crescent Meadow road to the top of this dome.
Looking south across the Middle Fork canyon to Castle Rocks and The Fin.
A viewpoint just north of Hume Lake, looking down on the road into Cedar Grove with the junction of the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Kings river just beyond, and the Kings Canyon high country in the distance.
Looking northeast towards the drainage of the South Fork of the Kings river, from just north of Hume Lake.
Zoomed in on the Middle Fork Kings drainage.
Stump Meadow, and preparation for the evening meal for myself and Bela.
My Honda Element. 2004, stick shift. This area is in National Forest lands, so camping restrictions are fewer and roadside impromptu camps like this are allowed.
Bela. He's a Keeshond that we rescued, and was born in 1996 (therefore was 12 when this photo was taken.)
Bela amongst the greenery. Good dog!
Late-afternoon light on sprouting trees in Stump Meadow.
A little cloud of gnats. Why do they do that?
Element dwarfed by roadside Giant Sequoia stump.
Texture of old stump in evening light.
Stump. Once the trees were cut down, the water table rose, which made it impossible for seedling redwoods to re-establish the grove that was once here.
Interpretive sign explaining a bit about the area. The sad thing is that the sequoias were poor for lumber, but somehow there were enough dollars to cut almost all of them down before the logging companies went broke.
Young trees are slowly encroaching on the Stump Meadow area, and probably will have returned it to near its original look in a few hundred more years.
A view down on Bela and the Element from atop one of the roadside stumps. The crate leaning on the rear bumper unfolds and is then strapped onto a rear seat inside to provide a secure place for Bela to ride. He and I had slept inside the Element the previous night; plenty of room for two when the rear seats are folded up.
Stump Meadow.
Young redwoods near Stump Meadow. Got a few years to go before they're mature…
Looking down on the junction of the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Kings River.
Middle and South Fork junction at left, and South Fork canyon trending to right, with Highway 180 going up the canyon.
Roadside flower. Very showy!
South Fork Kings River in flood, at peak snowmelt. Noisy!
Looking downstream along the South Fork Kings. The highway goes right alongside the river for quite a ways, and gives spectacular views.
Grizzly Falls, just west of the Kings Canyon NP boundary. Lots of spray!
Rushing water, blooming plants.
Roaring River Falls near Cedar Grove and Roads End.
Roaring River Falls. During peak snowmelt this fall is quite boisterous!
Roaring River Falls. By the time the water has come down the canyon walls to this point, it is a frothy avalanche of bubbles.
At this flow rate, any conversation is fruitless when standing this close to the falls. Loud!
Lupine, just one of many species of flowers alongside the road this time of year. Beauty!
