WEEKEND ESCAPE | SIERRA NEVADA
Giant Sequoia National Monument's High Sierra tent camp
Sierra bliss, without roughing it: The forest setting is rugged, but the digs are not. Plump beds, clean linen, cozy tents and an on-site gourmet chef beckon hike-in guests to this luxury camp.
Glamping: Posh Montana Camping
Horsepacking the Eastern Sierra
No pain, no gain. That's what people always say to get you to do something hard, like carry 30 pounds of gear on your back, sleep on the ground, eat freeze-dried food and go without a bath. But if you had the chance to get into the wilderness without such hassle — be honest now — wouldn't you take it?
Some die-hard lovers of the great outdoors claim to appreciate the hardships of backpacking. But I felt plenty appreciative when I heard I could sleep on clean sheets and eat gourmet meals at a new luxury tent camp in Giant Sequoia National Monument.
Sequoia High Sierra Camp sits on 40 of the 49,000 acres of private land that was grandfathered into the monument.
The last part of my drive in was along beautiful California 180, which passed through Central Valley orange groves on its way toward the 200-foot-tall sequoias on the western side of the Sierra Nevada.
As the foothills yielded to the mountains, I turned south on Generals Highway (California 198) for about eight more miles.
After that, I had my choice of ways to reach the camp. The hard way: hiking 11 miles on the Twin Lakes Trail, starting from Lodgepole Campground in adjacent Sequoia National Park. The easy way: 1 1/2 miles on the Marvin Pass Trail, which begins 10 miles down Big Meadows Horse Corral Road. I took the easy way.
The walk up a boulder-strewn ridge though thick pine and fir was a good way to stretch my legs and get acclimated. The camp is pitched on a steep hill at 8,200 feet above sea level. Halfway up the mountainside is the massive open-air wood dining pavilion and below it the bathhouse with flush toilets and hot showers.
The 36 tents, each outfitted with two plump twin beds covered in double-sheeted duvets and Pendleton blankets, are in clusters. Graded gravel paths connect everything.
Camping doesn't get much cushier, but giving wimps a way to enjoy the outdoors without getting dirt under their fingernails wasn't the motivation.
About 10 years ago, Burr Hughes, a Memphis, Tenn., businessman, launched himself into a second career by getting a master's degree in sustainable architecture at Cambridge University in England. There, he learned how to build structures that do as little damage as possible to the environment by grading to minimize erosion, building away from streams and burying septic tanks deep underground. Then Hughes decided to put the knowledge to use by creating a wilderness resort.
While planning, Hughes was drawn to the tent-camp phenomenon of the early 20th century, when Americans vacationed in temporary enclaves in scenic places such as Coronado Island near San Diego.
"Tents don't tear up the ground, and people like to stay in them," said Hughes, a tall, courtly man with a thick Southern accent.
He found further inspiration at the High Sierra camps in Yosemite National Park. There was a wonderful camaraderie among the guests, mostly educated, older couples who returned to the camps season after season. "They hike during the day and get to know each other over dinner," Hughes said.
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Impressive views, menus
 This city got its name in the 1860s. The operation shown here has been under the same management since 1987. |
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