South Sierra Wilderness

South Sierra Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
Nearest city	Bakersfield, California US
Area	60.084 acres
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service

The South Sierra Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness protected area located 65 miles northeast of Bakersfield, California. Created in 1984 with the passage of the California Wilderness Act by the U.S. Congress, it is 60,084 acres in size, is within both the Sequoia and Inyo National Forests and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Elevations range from 6,000 feet up to 12,123 feet at Olancha Peak.

The South Sierra Wilderness is the most southern part of a continuous chain of wilderness areas protecting the Sierra Nevada crest from Walker Pass to Lake Tahoe. Two very different landscapes are within the boundaries; the Kern Plateau occupies the southern portion with low, forested ridges, narrow meadows, and woodlands of Jeffrey pine, red fir and lodgepole pine. The northern portion is more mountainous with Olancha Peak and Round Mountain. The Wild and Scenic South Fork Kern River bisects the wilderness in a north - south direction on the east side.

Wildlife includes the large Monache deer herd, the sensitive Sierra Nevada Red Fox, the pine martin and the black bear.

The Forest Service encourages the practice of Leave No Trace principles of outdoor travel to minimize human impact on the environment.

Recreational activities

Recreational activities include backpacking, Skinnydipping, day hiking, fishing, rock climbing, skiing and snowshoeing.

Hiking trails

There are six trailheads leading into the wilderness, and one campground, Kennedy Meadows, providing access to the Pacific Crest Trail.
The Wildrose Trail is nine miles in length and travels through Pinyon pine forests.
The Olancha Pass Trail starts at the Sage Flat Trailhead on the eastside and is six miles in length. The majority of trail users are hunters in autumn and the grazing allotment permittees.

Guard Stations

There are two Guard Stations in the Wilderness, Casa Vieja and Tunnel Meadow (destroyed by fire in early 2000's), and one, Monache Meadows, just outside.

Casa Vieja Guard Station, South Sierra Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Mount Whitney Ranger District, circa 1976. Built in 1959.

References

Adkinson, Ron Wild Northern California, The Globe Pequot Press, 2001

External links

Center for Outdoor Ethics-Principles of Leave No Trace

Inyo National Forest section on wilderness areas.

Sequoia National Forest wilderness areas.