Converse Grove - Sequoia NF - "Happy to have a rip saw"

 After visiting a friend in Fowler we drove east into the Sequoia National Forest.

 When studying a map of the area I noticed that the forest service allowed dispersed camping in the Converse Grove. It looked like a good place to go for some peace, quiet and cool.

 The road was an easy drive to this junction. But we engaged the 4WD just 50 yards into the road on the left. Nothing serious but enough to warrant the sign in the photo.

 My passenger opened and closed several gates because there were bovine grazing in the area.

 Sometimes the road wasn't much more than a quad track.

 Jan inspecting an old Sequoia stump. Just after this stump the road crossed a small marsh that still had a little water flowing.

 There was plenty of evidence that this was quad territory. We started to encounter tree fall tunnels that were barely passable. "It's good to own a pop-up camper," was voiced by the two of us several times on this route.

 One tree fall was blocking our route and had to be removed. Once again we were happy have carry a rip saw in our gear. Stump on left.

We set up camp just after sunset at the only clearing we could find. This 20 second exposure captured the silhouette of a young Sequoia, a timeless great bear and a 2006 Four Wheel Camper.

 Our camp in the morning light. Both Jan and I commented that this had been a very quiet place to camp.

Quiet until a helicopter flew over later in the morning.

 Our camp was surrounded by some gorgeous trees.

 Standing high above our camp.

We left our campsite around noon and drove to Stump Meadow. On a walk around this little meadow we counted 15 gigantic Sequoia stumps.

On our return to pavement we drove past the Chicago Stump trailhead. But both Jan and I thought that we had seen enough Sequoia stumps.