For this weeks Show Us Your California contest by @socalsteemit I spend a day hiking to the...

Atwell Grove, Paradise Peak, and the Amphitheater Domes!!

I woke up, made some breakfast, and then drove from the Cold Spring campground down to the Paradise Ridge trailhead by the Atwell Mill campground. Despite the sign at the trailhead warning of a mountain lion in the area, I headed up the trail. I climbed up into the Atwell Sequoia grove, which was really cool to get to be hiking through all the giant trees! I followed the trail up on to Paradise ridge and then left the trail and headed cross country up the ridgeline to the top of Paradise peak!

Morning at the Cold Spring Campground

Paradise Ridge trailhead

Ripe Thimbleberry

Checking out the Atwell Grove

Me and a Giant Sequoia

Fallen Giant Sequoia

A massive burn scar on a Sequoia

Views from Paradise Ridge

Views from Paradise peak

Selfie on Paradise peak

From the top there were awesome views of the Great Western Divide, but what really caught my eye was the Amphitheater domes just to the north, which are a group of granite domes at the top of the famous Castle Rocks formation. I wasn't sure how difficult it would be to get out there, but it was still early in the day so I scouted out my route and went for it! There was a ton of fallen log obstacles which made movement really slow, but I just kept pushing on. It wasn't long and I was at the base of the first dome. I hiked around it and tried to climb it, but I couldn't find a route that I was comfortable with. I hiked around the next dome looking for a climbing route and I tried a couple, but again it was beyond my' free solo' skill level. The third dome was less prominent, but it showed some potential for a route to the top. With a little bushwhacking, to climbing a steep granite slab, to climbing the summit block which took some really fun/exposed vertical climbing... I made it to the top. I signed the peak register, took some pictures, and then enjoyed a really nice lunch break on the top of the dome. The views were incredible!! Epic views to the north across the Middle Fork Kaweah River canyon to Moro rock, the Giant Forest, Alta peak, and the Tablelands. And also out to the east to all the high peaks of the Great Western Divide.

Exploring Amphitheater domes

Enjoying the views from Amphitheater domes

Enjoying a lunch break on the Amphitheater domes

Amphitheater domes

After relaxing for a bit and soaking in all the beautiful views, I climbed down off the other side of the dome and started heading back though the "obstacle course woods" towards Paradise ridge. As I worked my way through all the logs I kept hearing noises behind me. I never saw anything, but I couldn't help thinking about the mountain lion warning that was posted at the trailhead. So I quickly made my way back to the ridge and then caught the trail back down the other side through the Atwell Sequoia grove where I enjoyed checking out some more of the Giant Sequoia trees on my way back down to the trailhead at Atwell Mill and then back up to my campsite for another night at the Cold Spring campground!!