Setting up camp in Sequoia

On the Fourth of July, our three-car caravan headed up to the

Lodgepole Campground in Sequoia National Park.

In the cars were my husband, Marce, and me and our three

daughters, Elizabeth, Emily and Erin Almaraz. We also brought along

Erin’s friend, Stephanie Wheeler, and Elizabeth’s boyfriend, Jim

Kuhl. We were joined by my sister-in-law, her husband and their two

boys, and my in-laws -- 13 in all, with two more driving up later.

Our campsites were on the edge of the Kaweah River, which was

still running high with snow runoff. Friends did not quite believe me

when I told them I was going camping -- in a tent. It can be done,

comfortably, if you have the right equipment. That includes: air

mattresses; cards for the nightly poker game; a husband who knows how

to light a fire and put up tents; and a mother-in-law who led Girl

Scout camp-outs for years and knows how to pack first-rate dinners in

dry ice to ensure that everyone stays full and happy.

There are many things to do in Sequoia. The day after we set up

camp, we drove our cars through the Tunnel Log, which is a fallen

sequoia that has a tunnel carved into it so that cars can drive right

through! Then we climbed nearly 400 steps up to reach the top of Moro

rock, a large granite dome that provides an exceptional view of the

Great Western Divide and the many canyons below.

After recovering from this strenuous (at least for me) hike, we

stopped at Crescent Meadow, one of the most beautiful meadows in all

the Sequoias. Just off the meadow, we walked to Tharp’s Log, which is

a fallen sequoia that was converted into a summer cabin by Hale Tharp

in the 1860s. On the way back, we spotted a rattlesnake, curled up in

a perfect ring, sunning himself on a log. We took a picture and left

him to his rest.

The next day, we descended into Crystal Cave. This cave was carved

by water through a 750-foot-high wall of limestone that transformed,

over the centuries, into a slab of blue and white marble. The

stalactites and stalagmites and other formations are incredible. The

organ room is not to be missed -- named after the sediment formations

that resemble the pipes of a large pipe organ. Sweaters are required

for this tour, since the cave stays at a constant 50 degrees

Fahrenheit.

We also took a day to explore the Giant Forest, home of the

General Sherman tree, which is the world’s largest living tree and is

nearly 2,100 years old. We took the nearby two-mile walk on the

Congress Trail, which led us through the Giant Forest where we saw

many giant sequoias. The kids loved scrambling into the centers of

the trees that were hollowed out by fire. We fit 10 people inside one

of the trees.

While we enjoyed the many natural wonders that Sequoia offers,

camping is also a wonder in itself. Setting up tents, catching fish

-- or not -- for dinner, making sure that you have enough quarters

for the showers. Everything became an adventure.

We held a contest for the most bug bites. Our young friend,

Stephanie Wheeler, won with a whopping 21.

Hot oatmeal in the morning tastes better at camp than at any other

place or time.

The evenings are full of looking for your flashlight, listening to

the nightly forest ranger campfire chat, watching the youngest

campers become the hottest card sharks, making s’mores and looking up

at the stars.

And, of course, we spent time talking about bears. The last time

we camped, we would hear campers banging pots to chase out nosy bears

every night. But not so in early July. In fact, many of the deer had

given birth two weeks before our arrival. So instead of chasing bears

with pots, we were chasing white-spotted fawns with cameras. A few

bears did cross our paths during some of our afternoon outings.

However, while they came close enough for pictures, they were never

near the campsites.

Camping in tents in such a beautiful setting is an adventure that

can truly bring a family closer together. We left with a sense of

having mastered some new skills and seen some incredible natural

wonders. Our ability to survive this wilderness adventure left each

of us with memories of an unforgettable experience.

* JEANNE ALMARAZ is a Newport Beach resident.