On Saturday, we did a favorite loop of ours: starting at the (winter) Sherman Tree parking lot, we hiked to the Congress Group area, then through Circle Meadow to Crescent Meadow. After lunch and some hot tea in the very warm sun, we took a spur trip along the High Sierra Trail to Eagle View, where the warm sun had all but melted all the snow off the trail.
After backtracking a bit, we descended to Log Meadow, passed by Tharp's Log, then climbed to the Giant Forest loop trail.
This trail passes many unnamed giants, including one older specimen that despite centuries of lightning and fire is still alive and standing strong.
After looping around this giant, the trail slowly descends to the Congress group, with the namesake House and Senate groups and several Presidential trees. This stretch is particularly noteworthy since there are stretches where almost all the trees are Sequoias, an effect you don't get in the smaller groves, where the Sequoias are more the exception than the rule.
The next day, we started from the museum parking area, following the (closed) Crescent Meadow road towards Moro Rock, which was too icy to summit safely--or sanely, at least.
After another lunch in the warm winter sun at Crescent Meadow, we returned to Circle Meadow, then followed the Alta Trail to Round Meadow.
After looping around recently-restored Round Meadow, we went to Sunset Point to, well, catch sunset.
The next day, we left via Kings Canyon/Grant Grove. Once in Fresno, we headed north on 41 towards home (only 50 or so miles away!)...
...then returned to the Bay Area.
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