Seven day adventure from Bubb's Creek to Rae Lakes.

11/09/2007 15:49

posted by brad

Day One: August 10, 2007

I arrived at Road's end around mid-morning and was quite lucky to get a permit to exit along Bubb's Creek trail. There are advantages to going solo. I got the last available slot to exit along my planned route that day.

In order to get rid of as much trash as possible before hitting the trail, I ate a big lunch consuming much of the food that I was carrying outside the bear canister. There was no reason to be lugging all of that extra trash around.

Bubb's Creek trail to Charlotte Creek

11/09/2007 15:54

posted by brad

In the early afternoon I started hiking up Bubb's creek trail. The trail rises high above King's Canyon following the rapidly descending body of water that is Bubb's creek.

My route followed Bubb's Creek to its confluence with Charlotte Creek. At this point the cross-country part of the hike began. The route climbs high above Charlotte Creek, following its last tributary prior to said confluence. This tributary flows down into Charlotte Creek past a steep cliff face that leads up to Charlotte Dome.

Climbing the drainage below Charlotte Dome

11/09/2007 15:55

posted by brad

Route finding up this steep drainage was difficult, especially near the top where certain routes end in sheer cliffs and dense foliage precludes anything but a retreat. Finally I found a way through, but it was already two hours since I had started up from the trail and it was getting dark.

Since I had barely gained the cliff face before it got dark, I really didn't get a good view of the terrain ahead. Even past the cliffs the terrain was either too steep or too densely overgrown to find any suitable campsites in the dark. Thus my first day ended by retreating in the dark back down the steep drainage to find a pleasant bivy spot near Charlotte Creek.