TR: Kings Canyon/Sequoia in January (dry camping)

[profdant139]

There was no boondocking available (the Forest Service closes the back roads, and the National Parks don't allow boondocking); but Azalea Campground (at around 6500 feet) was almost deserted, so it was almost like boondocking in the snow. Here is our blog post -- lots of photos, mostly of big trees with little people, and also snowy peaks:

Blog post

[MrWizard]

Great pictures
We where there after labor day a few years ago 2014?
Not empty , but very close to it, and Warner weather with rain

[ppine]

good idea

[Clarryhill]

Absolutely beautiful shots as usual, Prof. Many thanks for sharing with us less fortunate. Much appreciated. Loved the ground covered with those little seedlings.

[profdant139]

Thanks, Cal! And kohldad, although I wish we could keep Kings and Sequoia to ourselves, I also wish more people knew about the cooler, quieter alternative to Yosemite. We've been to that area thirty or forty times in the past twenty years -- it keeps drawing us back.

[cewillis]

Glad to see that you didn't let any old 'closed roads' deter you from a winter trip. Outstanding photography as usual.

[kohldad]

Thanks for sharing, it brought back fond memories of our trip from coast-2-coast in 2005 with our teenage girls. After two weeks on the road, we found ourselves with 5 days to kill before our Yosemite reservations so I picked Azalea CG for the delay. While we didn't do near the hiking you did, we did get some in and had the place almost to ourselves. We got spoiled and ended up only spending 2 of the 4 nights in Yosemite because of the crowds making Yosemite such a disappointment after Kings Canyon.