Written by Tyson Baker
I left Visalia and headed towards Mineral King for a spontaneous backpacking trip with two friends of mine, Bruno and Connor. The adventure began with loading up a tiny Toyota Prius with all of our gear piled in the back and heading east up Highway 198. The car ride was filled with jokes and conversation about the adventure we were about to embark upon. Entering the gate to Mineral King gave us a sense of relief from the real world. It offered the chance to get away from work, social media, and the rush of everyday living. We stopped at the Silver City Resort, just before the trailhead, and grabbed a quick bite to eat. We stayed and talked for a bit and then said our goodbyes to the friendly staff, who reminded us to stop in on our way back for some pie. We walked out with pie on our minds, but as we got back in the car, our thoughts quickly shifted to the adventure that awaited us. We headed to the trail, picking up our wilderness permits along the way.
At the trailhead, we geared up for the three-and-a-half-mile hike to our first camp destination in the valley of White Chief Canyon. Halfway through the trail, still acclimating to the altitude, we started to laugh at how out-of-shape we all were. Nevertheless, there is nothing greater than being in the backcountry and taking in all that Mineral King has to offer. Arriving in the valley of White Chief, we stood in awe of the 11,000 ft peaks towering around us, and the streams created from fresh snow melt flowing into one, unconfined river. We dropped our packs and started exploring the snow caves, mines, and trees that had fallen from the harsh winter snow. After a few hours of wandering around, we decided to set up camp. We chose a spot far off the trail—sheltered behind a huge rock in the valley, and close to a nearby river so that we would have access to water for cooking. That night, after setting up our tents and sleeping bags, we planned out what we were going to do the next day. The consensus was to hike over White Chief Peak and drop down into Eagle Lake. As the sun set, we cooked dinner and chatted well into the night. At nightfall, Connor practiced night photography while Bruno and I sipped on some warm coffee and looked up at the stars. The moon shone bright as we began to get tired and crawling into our sleeping bags, we were set for an epic journey the following day.
We woke up early after a long, cold night under a full moon. With the sun rising quick, we packed our bags and ate breakfast in a rush while preparing for our climb over the mountain. Oatmeal and instant coffee never tasted so good! We started the climb towards White Chief Lake and stopped to look over the valley as the sun lit up the peaks surrounding us. Just under the summit we arrived at the lake—a beautiful backcountry lake that sits nearly at 10,000ft elevation, a truly eye-catching sight. As the early summer sun beat down, we watched the frozen lake slowly thaw, while wild trout fed on flies at the surface of the icy lake. Looking up at the snow-covered summit, we were in awe of the mountain we were about to climb. We filled up on freshly filtered water and then started our ascent. With cold fingers and steady feet, we slowly made our way to the top, bursting into joy at the final steps to the summit. At that moment, standing on top of the 11,000ft. peak, we began to really look forward to that pie at Silver City Resort. We tucked that thought away for the moment and posed for pictures on top of White Chief Peak, proud of our accomplishment. We scarfed down lunch, looking over the valley and mapping out our next plan to Eagle Lake. After lunch, we began the trek across the ridge, which consisted of about a half-mile of scrambling over boulders until we could descend. Once making it to the edge of the ridge, we mustered up our remaining energy and started the plunge down to Eagle Lake.
When we arrived at the lake we celebrated with happiness, the hardest part of our journey was over. With tired legs, I strolled up the lake and sat along the bank to rest. I thought to myself: how crazy is it that I have been coming to this backcountry lake for over a decade, but every time I see it, it’s like I’m experiencing it for the first time all over again. This place is so special! At this point, after our crazy descent, we were hungry for dinner. We broke into our packs and boiled water for our freeze-dried meals, instantly wolfing them down once they were ready. Afterwards, we chilled out and enjoyed the views for several hours, even catching the sunset. We set up camp for the night and went to bed early. Worn-out, with our minds wandering back to pie, we fell asleep under the stars for one last night.
The next morning, once again, we ate breakfast quickly and hit the trail running. Tromping down the mountain like hungry marmots, we reached the car, eager to stuff our faces with pie! Throwing our packs in the trunk, we hurried over to Silver City Resort to get our fix. As we pulled in, we were greeted by the friendly staff waiting to serve us that pie they promised. After devouring our slices of pie, it all started to sink in. This was the end of our adventure. Though the trip had come to a close, we were left with a happy belly and high spirits, fully satisfied and blown away by the adventures of Mineral King.
Tyson Baker, a California Central Valley native, is more than familiar with what the surrounding landscape has to offer. Tyson has traveled all across this glorious state, picking up nuggets of insight, culture, and what it means to have true grit. As a skilled Barista and Roaster for a local coffee shop, he enjoys slingin’ those espresso shots and bringing a cup of perfectly crafted caffeine-deliciousness to the town’s customers. Aside from coffee, he has a deep passion for writing and creating. His recent endeavor has been to share his writings and stories in hopes that they will inspire, harmonize, educate, and encourage those that read them. You can read more of his little musings on his Instagram page @tysun.baker.
On his days off, Tyson is likely out on some adventure—be it exploring the backcountry in the nearby Sequoia National Park, road-tripping with his buddies, or cruising through country roads, enjoying the uninhabited hillsides, until he reaches the coastline to hunt for coves and sea caves that are calling his name. Though not all adventures are on such a large scale. Sometimes adventures are found in the small things too: like cozying up with a good book that takes his mind away from reality for a bit, or sharing a laugh and a good meal with the people that matter most.
Whatever your adventure is, Tyson wants to tell you this: Don’t be afraid to get out there and experience something new. Explore. Create. Share. And love one another.