Mineral King
Mineral King Valley, an open glacial canyon hemmed in by the peaks of the Great Western Divide, has a special place in the hearts of many park visitors. Accessible only by a long, slow-going road, the valley is a place where nature, not man, dominates. This road to this area closes from November 1 to late May. Road is steep. RVs and trailers are strongly discouraged.
Mineral King first gained recognition in the early 1870's when silver was discovered in the valley. Miners rushed to the area in 1873. The mines never produced, but the Mineral King Road, built by a mining company in 1879, did open the area to logging, hydroelectric development, tourism and the building of summer cabins. For many years, the area was a designated game refuge within the national forest.
The valley and surrounding peaks of Mineral King, some 12,600 acres, were transferred from the national forest to Sequoia National Park by act of Congress in September 1978. This ended close to 20 years of controversy over a proposed ski resort development.
Points of Interest
Atwell (Skinner) Grove: This sequoia grove was partially logged in the 1890's. It continues onto Paradise Ridge, giving it the highest elevation of any sequoia grove. The Paradise Peak trail explores the upper part of the grove.
Atwell Mill: In a clearing across from the Atwell Mill Ranger Residence stands a large steam engine, one of the last signs of the mill that was used for cutting timber from the surrounding forests. Kaweah colonists leased the site after their Giant Forest claims were disallowed. Many young sequoias have grown up around the mill site in the 75-100 years since logging ceased.
Mineral King Valley: This unique, glacially sculpted valley exhibits a variety of rock types, including marble, shale, schist and granite. Vegetation includes sagebrush, pinemat manzanita, and a great variety of wildflowers that prosper in the open sun.
Cold Springs Nature Trail: The exhibits along this easy one-mile trail illustrate the natural history of the Mineral King Valley. The trail begins in Cold Springs Campground across from the ranger station.
Sawtooth Peak (12,343') is the most prominent peak in the Mineral King area. Upper portions of the peak are granite and shaped by glaciers. As with other peaks surrounding the valley, Sawtooth resembles the Rocky Mountains more than the Sierras due to the predominance of metamorphic rocks in the Mineral King area.
Marmots!
Each spring and early summer, the marmots of Mineral King have been known to dine on rare delicacies. Their fare includes radiator hoses and car wiring! Like bears, jays and ground squirrels, marmots have not only become accustomed to visitors, they have learned that people are a source of food.
In the parking areas some marmots feast on car hoses and wires. They can actually disable a vehicle. On several occasions, marmots have not escaped the engine compartment quickly enough and unsuspecting drivers have given them rides to other parts of the parks; several have ridden as far as southern California!
The whole thing sounds ridiculous, but it's true. If you visit Mineral King, especially during the spring, check under you hood before driving away. Let the rangers know whether or not your vehicle has been damaged. And don't forget, marmots also love to feast on boots, backpack straps, and other salty things such as the grips of hiking poles.