Distance: 4.6 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 8209'
Prominence: 609'
Elevation Gain: 1220'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.0
Round trip time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Recommended water: 32 oz.
Parking/Fees: $35 National Parks Fee (one car for 7 days)
Difficulty: Easy
Our final hike in King's Canyon for the weekend was Big Baldy. The trailhead is immediately off the Generals Highway at a hairpin turn. There was a big sign, easy to find. Several other vehicles were parked at the large turnout so we weren't alone on the mountain. The trail was mostly a north to south ridge walk with some gentle undulations. Because it was late afternoon, clouds had formed over the mountains and we would be hiking up into the them. We debated whether to continue knowing our summit views might be zero, but decided to roll the dice. Fire damage was visible and serious from the start. Hundreds of trees stood in charred ruins on the western slopes. Parts of the trail were covered in ash and it felt like walking through a cold fire pit. As we got closer to the summit, the trail got steeper. We arrived on top with partial views to the west, which were the most dramatic. The benchmark was undamaged but we found no register. On the way back, the clouds cleared enough that we got a great view of the mountain we had missed on the way up. Leisa spotted a curious marmot. We got back to the truck, then drove to Grant's Grove for some pizza, burgers, and beer.
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