Sierra Club Bulletin 



Unwillingly we brought to an end our delightful stay at 

 this South Fork camp. The climb out, up the Copper Creek- 

 Granite Basin trail — a rise of 6,000 feet — had been described 

 as something to be dreaded, but, like all zigzagging, it was 

 more monotonous than difficult. However, no climb can be 

 very monotonous which unfolds such admirable views of dis- 

 tant valleys and peaks. Here we overlooked Sentinel Dome, 

 Avalanche Peak, the Sphinx and Bubb's Creek. This land- 

 scape gave way to delightful spaces of red fir forest, which 

 in turn began to thin out into granite boulders. Flocks of Mr. 

 Muir's ''hoofed locusts" met us here, driven by the usual 

 Basque herders. By noon we were at Granite Basin, a beauti- 

 ful camp though very cold, the only stop between the South 

 Fork Cafion and Simpson Meadows. 



Those who wished made the ascent of Goat Mountain, an 

 excellent view point, since it stands conspicuously alone in the 

 center of a circle of lofty peaks that form the rim of vision. 

 The next day the party descended over 5,000 feet in elevation 

 to Simpson Meadows, where a permanent camp was established 

 for eleven days. 



One of the most wonderful natural gardens in the Sierra is 

 in Simpson Meadows. The Middle Fork of the Kings River 

 rushes by. In the open, fern braes are mingled with a luxu- 

 riant growth of flowers whose fragrance greets one in advance. 

 Ladies' tresses, elephant's heads, tiger lilies, larkspur, wild 

 roses, wood violets, all these most delicate flowers are there, 

 either mixed with ferns or alone in beds by themselves. Out 

 beyond are picturesque groupings of pines framing views o 

 Mt. Woodworth, 12,214 feet, and the Goddard Canon. Our 

 camp was conveniently installed on numerously branching 

 streams, so numerous as to cause more than one person to 

 stray by night beyond his bourne. 



Beautiful as was our meadow it could not restrain the rest- 

 less mountain climbers. The first morning's excitement cen- 

 tered around a pine on which were posted the lists for the 

 side-trips scheduled to leave for Mt. Woodworth, Marion Lake 

 and the North Palisade. 



The less said about the many wet days that followed the 

 better, though merry were the post-campfire ceremonies of 



