Misplaced Pages

#648351

21-531: The South Fork is the largest headwater of the Kings River. It originates at an elevation of 11,601 feet (3,536 m) at an unnamed lake in Kings Canyon National Park, south of Mather Pass and west of Split Mountain , in a high alpine basin known as Upper Basin. It flows south, and is paralleled for several miles by the combined Pacific Crest Trail / John Muir Trail . The trail and river separate at

42-478: A point west of Taboose Pass , where the river turns to the southwest through a deep gorge between Cirque Crest to the northwest and Arrow Ridge to the southeast. To the east, the Muro Blanco cliffs rise more than half a mile (0.8 km) above the river. The river flows into Paradise Valley, where it flows in a south-southwest direction, and receives Woods Creek from the east directly below a footbridge that carries

63-566: A rock. This Fresno County, California -related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This United States trail or long-distance path–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . South Fork Kings River The South Fork Kings River is a 44.1-mile (71.0 km) tributary of the Kings River in the Sierra Nevada of Fresno County , California . The river forms part of Kings Canyon ,

84-534: A rough trail. The party was the first to make the trip north on what became the John Muir Trail from Mount Whitney, and Hamlin advocated for state funds to be used to complete the route. In 1923, Susan P. Thew led the third-ever pack train over the pass and became the first woman to cross the pass during a photography expedition through the Sierra. During construction of the John Muir Trail, "serious consideration"

105-534: A south-southwest direction, and receives Woods Creek from the east directly below a footbridge that carries the Woods Creek Trail over the river. Until this point the river has been more or less continuous whitewater ; in Paradise Valley the gradient lessens and the current slows. Below Paradise Valley the river once again flows through a narrow gorge where it drops 100 feet (30 m) over Mist Falls, one of

126-541: Is a high mountain pass in the U.S. state of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range . It lies within far eastern Fresno County , inside Kings Canyon National Park and the Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness. The pass lies at an elevation of 12,068 feet (3,678 m), separating Palisade Basin (containing the Palisade Lakes and Palisade Creek) to the north and Upper Basin (containing the headwaters of

147-438: Is paralleled for several miles by the combined Pacific Crest Trail / John Muir Trail . The trail and river separate at a point west of Taboose Pass , where the river turns to the southwest through a deep gorge between Cirque Crest to the northwest and Arrow Ridge to the southeast. To the east, the Muro Blanco cliffs rise more than half a mile (0.8 km) above the river. The river flows into Paradise Valley, where it flows in

168-598: The Middle Fork Kings River in the Monarch Wilderness , just outside Kings Canyon National Park, to form the main stem of the Kings River. There are records of Chinook salmon presence 10–12 miles above Pine Flat, possibly including the South Fork, before the 1940s. Woodhull and Dill (1942) noted that salmon ascend about 10 to 12 mi beyond the present upper extent of the reservoir and salmon migration in

189-418: The Middle Fork Kings River in the Monarch Wilderness , just outside Kings Canyon National Park, to form the main stem of the Kings River. There are records of Chinook salmon presence 10–12 miles above Pine Flat, possibly including the South Fork, before the 1940s. Woodhull and Dill (1942) noted that salmon ascend about 10 to 12 mi beyond the present upper extent of the reservoir and salmon migration in

210-699: The Palisades group of peaks contains another three to the north of the pass. The pass was named for Stephen Mather , who served as the Assistant Secretary of the Interior and head of the National Park Service (NPS) from 1917 until 1929, by Chauncey J. Hamlin. Hamlin's was the first known party to cross Mather Pass by pack train in August 1921, taking 3 days to do so, as it was necessary for them to construct

231-725: The South Fork Kings River ) to the south. The pass is traversed by the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail , which are coincident (sharing the same route) between Crabtree Meadows and Tuolumne Meadows . It is one of the six high mountain passes above 11,000 feet on the John Muir Trail, along with Donohue Pass , Muir Pass , Pinchot Pass , Glen Pass , and Forester Pass ; it lies south of Muir Pass and north of Pinchot Pass. Split Mountain , one of California's fourteeners , lies immediately southeast of Mather Pass;

SECTION 10

#1733114164649

252-671: The California Department of Fish and Game fish data base from their surveys indicate that only rainbow trout, brown trout and Sacramento sucker are found in the South Fork Kings River. The Park Service used to stock rainbow trout in the river, but terminated the practice in the 1980s in favor of letting the fishery return to more natural conditions. However, the South Fork is still considered excellent water for fly fishing in Kings Canyon. Mather Pass Mather Pass

273-494: The John Muir Trail which traverses Mather Pass was completed by the U.S. Forest Service during the summer of 1937, using three trail camps to construct 11.25 miles of the trail at the cost of roughly $ 1,400 per mile in 1937 USD. It was the final segment of the trail to be built. In 2019, following a heavy snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, a 67-year-old man hiking alone died near Mather Pass after he slipped on ice and his head struck

294-686: The Kings River probably ascended no farther than the confluence of the North Fork. Yoshiyama and Moyle also noted that there is an undocumented note of "a few salmon" having occurred much farther upstream at Cedar Grove (28 mi above present-day Pine Flat Reservoir) in the past. According to the California Department of Fish and Game , "many of the waters in the headwaters of the South Fork Kings River and several tributary streams and lakes were also planted with California golden trout from GTC ( Golden Trout Creek ) between 1909 and 1914." As of 2012

315-569: The Kings River probably ascended no farther than the confluence of the North Fork. Yoshiyama and Moyle also noted that there is an undocumented note of "a few salmon" having occurred much farther upstream at Cedar Grove (28 mi above present-day Pine Flat Reservoir) in the past. According to the California Department of Fish and Game , "many of the waters in the headwaters of the South Fork Kings River and several tributary streams and lakes were also planted with California golden trout from GTC ( Golden Trout Creek ) between 1909 and 1914." As of 2012

336-788: The Woods Creek Trail over the river. Until this point the river has been more or less continuous whitewater ; in Paradise Valley the gradient lessens and the current slows. Below Paradise Valley the river once again flows through a narrow gorge where it drops 100 feet (30 m) over Mist Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the park. It then enters Kings Canyon, a glacial valley with a flat meadow floor surrounded by granite cliffs, which has been compared by John Muir and others to Yosemite Valley in terms of appearance and geology. It receives Bubbs Creek, and turns due west, flowing gently through grassy flats including Zumwalt Meadow, occasionally forming rapids where it breaches ancient glacial moraines . It receives its largest tributary, Roaring River, from

357-483: The largest waterfalls in the park. It then enters Kings Canyon, a glacial valley with a flat meadow floor surrounded by granite cliffs, which has been compared by John Muir and others to Yosemite Valley in terms of appearance and geology. It receives Bubbs Creek, and turns due west, flowing gently through grassy flats including Zumwalt Meadow, occasionally forming rapids where it breaches ancient glacial moraines . It receives its largest tributary, Roaring River, from

378-513: The namesake of Kings Canyon National Park and one of the deepest canyons in North America with a maximum relief of 8,200 feet (2,500 m) from rim to river. The South Fork is the largest headwater of the Kings River. It originates at an elevation of 11,601 feet (3,536 m) at an unnamed lake in Kings Canyon National Park, south of Mather Pass and west of Split Mountain , in a high alpine basin known as Upper Basin. It flows south, and

399-404: The south and passes through Cedar Grove , home to many campgrounds and visitor facilities. Further west the river reaches the deepest part of Kings Canyon, where Highway 180 follows the river closely for several miles, and Boulder Creek enters from the south. Boyden Cavern lies adjacent to the river just above Horseshoe Bend, the steepest and narrowest part of the canyon. The river joins with

420-403: The south and passes through Cedar Grove , home to many campgrounds and visitor facilities. Further west the river reaches the deepest part of Kings Canyon, where Highway 180 follows the river closely for several miles, and Boulder Creek enters from the south. Boyden Cavern lies adjacent to the river just above Horseshoe Bend, the steepest and narrowest part of the canyon. The river joins with

441-682: Was given to the idea of abandoning the proposed route over Mather Pass in favor of the gentler Cartridge Pass to the southwest, indeed, the Cartridge Pass routing was listed as the official one (as well as the main one in Walter Starr ’s first edition of the Guide to the John Muir Trail) in 1934, until the construction of the Golden Staircase portion of the trail north of Mather Pass. The segment of

SECTION 20

#1733114164649
#648351