Bubbs Creek Campsite

Bubbs Creek - Sierra Nevada  2005

Campsite - Sierra Nevada  2005

Bubbs Creek, made somewhat famous by the Gary Snyder poem, "Bubbs Creek Haircut."

“Now why you want your hair cut back like that.”

– Well I’m going to the Sierras for a while

Bubbs Creek and on across to upper Kern.

he wriggled his clippers,

“Well I been up there, I built the cabin

up at Cedar Grove. In nineteen five.”

old haircut smell.

out of the memory of smoking pine
The lotion and the spittoon glitter rises
Chair turns and in the double mirror waver
The old man cranks me down and cracks a chuckle

“Your Bubbs Creek haircut, boy.”

- Gary Snyder (from Mountains and Rivers Without End, 1996)

From the notes:

10:30—Trail levels off. The famous Vidette Meadow (9600 ft elevation, I think), although there’s really no meadow to speak of in evidence. And, the equally famous Bubbs Creek. After a really short distance, the trail starts to gain elevation.

12:30 PM—Camp, somewhat randomly picked, & lunch.

2:30—62º. Yes, I had to stop early. A) had reached the point where I had originally planned to stop (maybe), B) didn’t want to go too far in (thinking of the return trip), and C) aching all over! Back, feet, shoulders . . . another too-strenuous hike?

5:25—Sun sets directly behind the famous East Vidette peak. Starts getting cold immediately.

7:00—Into the tent. 52º.

Backpack: 4-1/4 hours.