White Chief Bowl

Overview

    White Chief Bowl is a large glacial bowl tucked into the upper reaches of colorful White Chief Canyon. Here, you will find meadows, streams, a small tarn, and a handful of backcountry campsites. The area has a long history of mining, and large outcrops of beautiful white marble are abundant throughout the hike. In addition to the mining history, the area features a number of notable geological and natural features, including sinkholes, an underground creek, caves, dry meadows, and a waterfall. White Chief Bowl White Chief Canyon is one of the three hanging canyons on the west side of Mineral King Valley. These three canyons, including the canyons containing Eagle Lake and the Mosquito Lakes, can be enjoyed separately or as part of a multi-day backpacking excursion. All three can be accessed via the Eagle-Mosquito Trailhead in Mineral King. Backcountry permits are available for reservation through the NPS website. Each permit is $5 per person, and can be reserved in advance on March 1st of each year. Permits are best faxed in, and the rangers will return your reservation via mail within a few weeks. Note that the reservation is not the permit, and you will be required to pick up the permit the day before from the Mineral King Ranger Station, should you decide to backpack. White Chief Canyon Of all the hikes I took recently in Mineral King, I found White Chief Bowl to be both the most memorable. White Chief Bowl and the eponymous canyon feature stunning meadows hemmed in on both sides by granite and sedimentary rocks. Numerous marble outcrops intermingle with the reddish sedimentary rocks to create an unusual color palette for the Sierras. The character of the canyon stands in stark contrast to nearby Eagle Lake, which looks much more like the classic Sierra landscape. Franklin Creek The trail starts out from the Eagle-Mosquito Trailhead and quickly begins a moderate ascent through grass- and sagebrush-carpeted slopes dotted with avalanche-thinned firs and junipers. The trail passes Spring Creek and Eagle Cre

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