Find your way in Mineral King

There's plenty of hidden gems for hikers.

Published online on Tuesday, Jul. 22, 2008

Every national park contains two kinds of hiking trails: Those that appear on the map, and those that don't.

More often that not, the ones that don't are infinitely more interesting.

Those were the thoughts that sprang to mind earlier this month while trying to follow an old miner's route up Mosquito Creek during a three-day backpacking trip to the Mineral King region of Sequoia National Park. Since most of the century-old trail has long since vanished, we picked our way up the heavily forested drainage by following old tree blazes and small rock piles called cairns that were placed by fellow hikers.

Even though the route was confusing and continuously blocked by fallen trees, we were never in danger of getting lost. That's because we had a good guide.

"Where do you think the route should go?" asked Randy Coffman, a 56-year-old retired park ranger who now leads wilderness excursions for the Sequoia Natural History Association. "Take a look at the map if you're not sure."

Besides Coffman, our group of six included Leslie Johnson and Deb Pfenninger, two National Park Service employees who relished the chance to get away from behind their desks; Visalia schoolteacher Emily Franciskovich; and Sarah Guenther of Exeter, who works for Kraft Foods. It was Guenther's first backpacking trip.

Leaving Cold Springs campground at 9:30 a.m., we needed 21/2 hours to climb the creek 3 miles and 1,500 feet until we reached Mosquito Lake No. 1, the first in a series of five small alpine lakes. From there, we continued hiking cross-country for 3 more miles to Mosquito Lake No. 5, our final destination.

For a campsite, Coffman chose a series of granite benches on the far end of the lake tucked below the headwall that contains Hengst Peak. He couldn't have picked a more perfect spot.

After we set up our tents, Coffman pointed to an alder bush growing in the talus pile above our campsite. The sound of rushing water meant a spring must flow nearby.

Soon enough, we were climbing the talus slope headed for a small waterfall that emerged from the rocks. The spring's source, a melting snowfield, was plainly visible 200 yards above.

While he brought a water filter for those who wanted it, Coffman drank from the spring without hesitation.

"That's some of the best water you'll ever taste," he said.

On the way down, we stopped so that Coffman could give a short history lesson on Mineral King.

Those who brave the winding road from Three Rivers -- someone counted 698 curves over 25 miles -- will be pleased to discover that the take-your-breath-away-gorgeous valley, sculpted by glaciers and framed by 11,000-foot peaks, hasn't changed much since Porterville farmer James Crabtree filed a mining claim for the area in 1873.

Rumors of abundant mineral deposits sparked a silver rush, but within a decade the boom had largely gone bust.

Soon afterward, Mineral King's value as a vacation destination and hunting preserve was recognized, and several pockets of cabins were erected. Many of these privately owned dwellings, built in the 1920s and '30s, still stand today.

The biggest threat to this wilderness came in the 1960s, when Walt Disney sought to build a 21-lift ski resort in Mineral King, along with the infrastructure to support 10,000 people. Disney's grandiose proposal was eventually thwarted by environmentalists and local residents. In 1978, Mineral King was officially annexed to Sequoia National Park, halting all private development.

Next morning, after receiving a half-hour lesson on how to orient a map and take compass bearings, we set out for a day hike. Our objective was to climb the two opposing ridges that separate our Mosquito Lakes drainage from the two neighboring ones, Mineral Lake and Eagle Lake.

A storm moved in while we ascended the ridge overlooking Mineral Lake, so Coffman found a cave for us to wait it out. While we munched on gorp, dried apricots and smoked oysters, hail covered the face of Sawtooth Peak, one of Mineral King's most visible landmarks.

Later, as we gazed down upon Eagle Lake, Coffman told us about how he rappelled some 1,000 feet to rescue two 13-year-olds trapped on a near-vertical cliff. Even though the incident took place two decades ago, the details remain fresh in his mind.

After being chased into our tents early that night by a fresh hatch of mosquitoes, we awoke the next day to glorious sunshine that soon gave way to gray clouds. Before we broke camp, Coffman took the time to remove an illegal campfire ring.

Once a ranger, always a ranger.

Instead of returning via our cross-country route, we took the main trail back from Mosquito Lake No. 1 -- much easier to follow but not nearly as adventurous. A slight drizzle dampened us on the hike down, which helped clear the smoky air caused by numerous wildfires.

No backpacking trip to Mineral King is complete without a stop at the Silver City Resort. Their fruits of the forest berry pie (topped with vanilla ice cream) is highly recommended.