Trinity Alps?

[kpeter]

30 years ago I backpacked with my father once in the Trinity Alps and enjoyed it. Not sure if it is off-topic since it is not exactly in the Sierra range. In any case, I was wondering if anyone has insight into what the conditions would be there--it is much lower elevation, but gets much more precipitation. Would it be a viable July alternative this year?

The trip I did was a loop around Siligo Peak, which we walked up. We went up Granite Creek and down Long Valley. Summit Lake was very interesting, at nearly the top. If I do a trip this year, it will be an in-and out. I can afford to take some time in early July, so could do a 6-7 day trip if the destinations warranted it.

Is anyone here knowledgeable about this wilderness?

[maverick]

Called a friend ranger friend at Klamath NF , he said solid snow starts off at 6200 ft, a lot of snow, very large drifts on northern slopes, last weeks snow dropped 6" of new snow at 5000 ft. They too experienced a similarly, above average, snowy winter as we did in the Sierra.

[kpeter]

Well, shoot The passes are in the 7500 foot range, so it doesn't sound as if they will be reasonable in early July. Someday I want to go back there, though. Thanks Mav for making the call! Beyond the call of duty!

[maverick]

Yeah, July will be early this year, but Sept/Oct is really nice up there too, Stuart Fork is really nice, as is Grizzly Lake.

[kpeter]

Yeah, July will be early this year, but Sept/Oct is really nice up there too, Stuart Fork is really nice, as is Grizzly Lake.

Stuart Fork trailhead at Bridge Camp is very low elevation--2700 feet, and Emerald Lake and Sapphire Lakes 15 miles in are in the 5000s with Mirror topping out at 6700. With temperatures in Weaverville expected to top 100 this weekend, I expect that trip will be doable in a couple of weeks. The trail stays on the east bank of the Stuart fork the entire way--so only side stream crossings would be at issue. Crucial would be the status of the bridges at Deep Creek and Deer Creek. I will do some more research....

[Lumbergh21]

Emerald and Sapphire Lake are nice as is Morris Meadow on the way up. I can't remember if I posted a trip report on here, but I enjoyed the hike in the fall of 2015. With the leaves changing colors, it was very pretty. The bad part of that trip was a storm came in and it started raining late on my first (and only) night. Also, I had seen quite a bit of bear scat while hiking along the two lakes before heading back to camp for the evening. Because of the cloud cover, it was a pitch black night. Well, about 10PM I hear a loud crashing in the brush near my camp site. I turned my headlamp on high and stuck my head out of the tent swinging the beam from my right to my left until I caught a large blocky head in the beam among the brush about 20 feet from my tent. I let out a whoop and the bear took off. I grabbed my whistle and used it several times that night whenever I heard anything moving through the brush around my campsite. I didn't get much sleep that night, and with the rain on top of it, I just hiked out the next day. I also saw a heron in Stuart Fork, a decent sized trout in Sapphire Lake, heard an owl that same night, and some coyotes.
If you continue up Swift Creek trail past the turnoff to Granite Lake (where you've been before), Horseshoe and Ward Lakes are pretty nice, and I enjoyed the hike over the Ridge and down to the south fork of the Salmon then back up and down into the Deer Creek drainage before heading up along Deer Creek, then up and over another ridge line and into Bear Basin. Then you hook back up to the Swift Creek trail and back out for a lollipop loop. I spent two partial days and one very long full day on that hike. I'm sure there are some studs out there who could do it faster, but there is quite a bit of up and down in those 30 something miles.

[tarbuckle]

Shasta Trinity Website has a detailed trail report that was updated on the 9th. Here's a look at Mt Hilton that I took on the 13th

[kpeter]

Thank you Tarbuckle. That trail report is exactly what I needed. Unfortunately, it isn't good news. The Deep Creek bridge is out, necessitating a ford. I'll have to talk to the rangers about the feasibility of fording Deep Creek. At least the bridge at Deer Creek seems to be intact, and Deer Creek was specifically called out in the Linkhart guide as potentially dangerous when water is high.

Anyone experienced on that trail remember Deep Creek and have an opinion about its dangers?

[BakoGal]

I live in Scott Valley, a little north of Trinity Alps Wilderness. I'm hearing the Deep Creek bridge is NOT out. Join facebook's group "Trinity Alps Wilderness - 30th Anniversary Celebration", where trail updates are being posted.

[kpeter]

Thank you, BakoGal. The rangers say that the deep creek bridge is not technically out, but a tree took out the handrail. I've decided to do the Stuart fork and beyond next week so I will give a more detailed trail report when I return.