High and Mighty on Wolverton Perch

Sequoia National Park’s hiking season is a fairly short one. The middle elevations--4,000 to 8,000 feet--are often snow-covered from November through May. Higher in the Sierra, particularly after a winter of heavy snowfall such as this year, the summer hiking season is even shorter.

Two memorable destinations beckon the late-summer day hiker from the park’s Wolverton trail head: Alta Meadow, a fine camping area, and Alta Peak, offering inspiring High Sierra views.

Alta Meadow is the easier (though not easy) destination. Situated on a ridge, the meadow rewards the hiker with some good views.

The route to the top of 11,204-foot Alta Peak is via a steep trail that disappears just before the summit, necessitating a bit of rock scrambling. Efforts are rewarded by a panorama of peaks: Mt. Goddard and other peaks to the north, the summits around Mineral King to the south, mighty Mt. Whitney to the east, and to the west, beyond the sometimes foggy, sometimes smoggy San Joaquin Valley, the Coast Range.

The observant map-consulting hiker will notice that this walk skips a few miles of Alta Trail. The reason? No good purpose is served by starting the jaunt three miles farther away and 1,000 feet lower in elevation, then walking a less-than-thrilling stretch of the trail that parallels Generals Highway.

Directions to trail head: From Generals Highway, three miles past Giant Village, turn into the Wolverton area parking. The Wolverton turnoff is 1 1/2 miles southeast of Lodgepole Village.

The hike: The trail soon turns east, tracing the ridge between Lodgepole and Wolverton. A mile out, you’ll follow Wolverton Creek.

Join Panther Gap Trail after another three-quarters of a mile and reach Panther Gap (elevation 8,400 feet) after yet another mile’s climb. Enjoy the good views, then continue east on Alta Trail, traveling from red fir forest into brushier environs of manzanita and chinquapin.

Shortly after passing a junction with Seven-Mile Hill Trail (which leads south to the High Sierra Trail), you’ll reach Mehrten Meadow. The meadow, tucked in a bowl, has a small creek and some campsites. Another three-quarter-mile ascent takes you over the 9,000-foot elevation mark and to a junction with Alta Peak Trail.

To Alta Peak: Ascend steeply north on the trail. Looming above is the granite dome of Tharps Rock. A 1,000-foot elevation gain over rocky, pine-dotted slopes takes you to the timberline. Near the summit, the trail fades to oblivion and you make your way over lichen-decorated slabs of granite to the very top.

To Alta Meadow: The lower trail travels a mellow mile to the ridgeline meadow.

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Lakes, Alta Trails

WHERE: Sequoia National Park

DISTANCE: to Panther Gap is 5.5 miles round trip with 1,110-foot elevation gain; to Alta Meadows is 11.5 miles round trip with 2,000-foot elevation gain; to Ata Peak is 13.75 miles with 3,900-foot elevation gain.

TERRAIN: Red fir forest, granite peak.

HIGHLIGHTS: Inviting meadows, Sierra Nevada:

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Strenuous FOR MORE INFORMATION: Sequoia National Park, Three Rivers, Ca 93271; tel. (209) 565-3341