Trinity Alps June 2012

[Matt Witt]

Anybody been backpacking in Trinity Alps recently (June or May 2012) and have reports on routes where trail and camp sites aren't covered in snow? Thanks.

[Ken Thompson]

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5154861.pdf

June 7th trail condition report.

[Matt Witt]

Thanks. The ranger in the Trinity Alps does his best but as he describes in that document, there is hardly any staff to cover one of the largest wilderness areas in the country. So anyone else's recent trip experiences are welcome too.

[Chris C]

It would be best to see which trailheads were updated and plan on visiting those.

I did an overnight trip up Canyon Creek mid May and found the trail clear almost all the way to the meadow below Canyon Creek lakes, it wasn't impassable just inconvenient.

The predictions for snow are usually very accurate even without getting a look at the trails firsthand.

I say go for it and have an adventure!

[Matt Witt]

Thanks. I know Canyon Creek is beautiful.

[Paul Schwerdt]

Went a little ways up Bear Basin a couple of weeks ago, didn't run into much snow at all. It's been warm here too, so I would think that most areas except the really high north facing spots should be mostly snow free. Where were you thinking of going?

[Matt Witt]

Long Canyon, four lakes loop

[nathan matthews]

Thanks for the link to the USFS conditions report. I had been assuming that we'd have an early melt so that next week I'd be able to hike the pass between Mirror Lake (near Sapphire Lake) and L lake (near Canyon Creek Lakes). Anybody been to Mirror Lake to see the north side of this pass? Just based on the USFS report and direction/angle involved, I'm thinking that I'll postpone this hike.

–Nathan

[Matt Witt]

I have not been to Mirror Lake this year but was there in a previous year. It is beautiful, and I did see two guys go up over as you describe. But it's quite steep — most people would consider it more challenging than your typical trail hiking. So if it were covered with snow you would really need to be prepared for that both in terms of experience and gear.

[Matt Witt]

Another consideration: standing at Mirror Lake looking up at the ridge, there is no worn or marked route and so you really need to be able to see where you think you should go, which obviously would be difficult if it's got a lot of snow on it.

[nathan matthews]

Matt–

Thanks. I've been there before, and I'm not worried about my ability to do it without snow, but I'm not sure I need the added layer of difficulty.

[Paul Schwerdt]

I think there will still be a decent amount of snow at the 4 lakes, just spoke to someone that went up near the Sawtooth Ridge earlier this week and said the snow was still fairly thick up there. It has been really warm though, so I'd expect the last packs of snow to be gone fairly soon.

[Matt Witt]

Thanks.

I was just talking with some guys that were up there last weekend and they said a cold front moved in on them and froze over the lakes during the night. These are guys who go up there a lot and they bailed out in the morning, said it needs a few more weeks.

[Jay Wilkerson]

I was up there this past weekend. No snow at Emerald Lake but snow & ice was around Sapphire Lake. It was very warm in Morris Meadows.

[Matt Witt]

Thanks for the up to date info and to everyone who responded…

[David Lutz]

Morris Meadow and the lakes above are really cool places. Especially early in the season before the grass turns and too many packers show up.

[Jay Wilkerson]

Last June Emerald Lake "Big Snow Year" At the TH this weekend it said that the snow was 200% above average. There was little are no snow,ice at Emerald Lake but there was ice & snow at Sapphire lake.

[Matt Witt]

Jay, I'm curious whether there were mosquitoes around Morris Meadows? Or generally on that route?

[Jay Wilkerson]

There were mosquitoes in Morris Meadows and along the trail in various spots. It was windy at times which helped out. I brought the usual head-net and DEET but still got bit a lot. I swam in the Stuart Fork Creek and at Emerald Lake-super fun and got bit by those blood sucking worthless little f-ing bugs! The only down side of the entire trip…Enjoy your hike!

Jay

[Neil Stollman]

newbie to site, newbie to trinity alps, hope appropriate to post here. planning a 3 night four day backpack trip in mid september.
current plan, based on online research / maps etc is in/out swift creek trailhead. probably first night at granite lake, then over the pass and into the four lakes trail and second night somewhere on that loop (diamond lake, summit lake?), then out via bear basin (camping third night somewhere there) and out to car day #4. that sound like a do-able itinerary for moderately experienced, moderately fit backpackers? any tips on where to stop / camp? any insight much appreciated. thanks

[David Lutz]

Neil –

The Four-Lake Loop is a great hike. You can find at least one trip report on here somewhere.

Here's how we did it:

Thursday night (after dark) we hiked about an hour in and found a campsite by the side of the trail.

Friday past Granite Lake to camp at Louella Lake. Not a bunch of sites here but enough for the five of us.

Saturday day-hiked around to Deer Lake and up to the summit of Siligo Peak then returned to Louella. Packed up and headed over to Bear Basin for the night. We could have easily day-hiked the whole Loop back to Louella and then made it over to Bear Basin.

Sunday from Bear Basin back to the trailhead. Pizza and beer in Weaverville, ice cream at the Nut Tree and home.

The hike is not high mileage or too strenuous and all at relatively low altitude.

This is one of my favorite hikes, we might do it again this September.

[Neil Stollman]

thanks much, david, that's quite helpful and reassuring as well that we're not biting off more than we can chew (since we're planning three nights for what sounds like you guys did in two)

[Tommy Franzen]

I was down in the area last week. We first headed up to Emerald and Sapphire Lake, then down and around the four lakes loop. It's an incredible area! I'll have to go back, probably late fall as it's probably way too hot mid summer to be hiking around there

http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12338

[Chad Anderson]

This is an amazing area. If you're looking for spots to camp on the actual loop, I believe Summit Lake has the greatest number of campsites. Some of the areas around the other lakes can be pretty steep and small, I think Summit would present the easiest access to established sites, to avoid trampling around the fragile areas around the lakes. All of the lakes are gorgeous.

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