Between Seasons at Trinity Alps: Rain on the Trail to Boulder Lakes

Date: May 25, 2013

Place: The Trinity Alps, Trinity Center, California

Coordinates: 41.065365, -122.783185

Length: Both lakes in and out, about 4.5 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous.

Getting to Boulder Lakes trailhead requires a 7-mile drive on unpaved dirt road. It is passable for non AWD cars but does have some challenging places along the way and requires careful and slow driving. It took us about an hour to get from the campsite to the trailhead. 

This trail is within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. The NF map is of too small a scale to be of any use in navigation. We had, in planning, acquired USGS topographic maps of the areas where we planned our hiking, and such was the map we used. The trail, as we found out, is obvious and well marked, and there was no need for any map consultation. 

The trail is nice and wide in the beginning. There are many shrubs and bushes along the trail and most of them were in full bloom. This one I liked most: it looks like a little ornamented tree.

Ribes roezlii

It was overcast and the cloud cover grew darker with each step, but we went on. The trail descends slowly through the forest and the shrubbery. We didn't see many anumals. Just some chipmunks here and there. This one posed for Papa Quail:

The Trinity Alps are carved from a mass of igneous rock that's different in origin from the coastal range. Weathering shaped it into ragged peaks that loom above the forest, threatening and alluring.

These peaks are popular among mountaineers and I could only wish I was one of them. Maybe in the future, when the chikas grow up.

The chikas started the hike somewhat reluctantly, but got very excited when we arrived Boulder Lake. We had encountered there a group of people, one of which was busy fishing. He offered the chikas to try casting and they were very excited to do so.

Boulder Lake

The people we met at Boulder Lake were getting ready to leave quickly, and their reason hit our heads soon enough: rain.
They did recommend us not to skip Little Boulder Lake though, so we walked back up on the trail and by the time we arrived at the branching of the trail to Little Boulder Lake the rain had ceased, to we took the advice and turned on that trail.
While the trail to Boulder Lake is relatively mild grade, going to Little Boulder Lake involves a steeper ascend. It didn't help the general mood of Papa Quail and the chikas when the rain returned, and stronger. We didn't bring any rain gear on the trail with us so I had to shove my camera down my shirt to protect it, taking it out only for quick shots.

Rain on Little Boulder Lake

Right by the trail were evidence of the not so long ago winter: snow patches on the ground.

Little Boulder Lake

We looked at the lake for maybe five minutes then hurried right back under the May shower. A few minutes after we left the lake the rain stopped completely and the clouds separated.

And the blue sky appeared! 

And I could take my camera out of hiding once more and photograph the pretty Manzanita flowers.

Manzanita sp.

Actually, we didn't get all that wet. The rain wasn't strong enough to discourage me but the rest of the Quails decided it was time to go back to the campground and make dinner.
I didn't make it easy for them, though. There were so many beautiful flowers along the dirt road that I stopped the car frequently and got out to photograph them. I was particularly impressed by the Pacific Dogwood that reminded me of brides and wedding decorations:

Pacific Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii)

It's even more beautiful from up close:

Ans the Beargrass, which lighted up the roadside with its incredible inflorescence torches: 

Common Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax)

But one time it was Papa Quail who stopped the car. He saw a movement in the trees and went out to explore. It turned out to be a woodpecker of a species we've never encountered before: 

Hairy Woodpecker

So we didn't make it back to the campground too early after all. The campground, being in lower elevation, was completely dry. By the time we finished our dinner it was almost dark. Although the trail  we did was not too challenging, we were all ready for the sack. 

Camping by Trinity River

Date: May 25-27, 2013
Place: Trinity River Campground, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California
Coordinates: 41.10844, -122.70617

For a long time I would stare at this region of the California map and dream. This time it was coming true. This past Memorial Day weekend we went hiking at the Trinity Alps.  Doing so, we also entered Trinity County, the last remaining California county in which we'd never before set foot.
This post is just a short one about our camping experience at the Trinity River campground, which was our base camp for the hikes we did in the area on that weekend.

Trinity Lake

Trinity Lake, is the northwest part of Shasta-Trinity lakes system. It is in the area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest and it is a popular recreation area. Most resorts and campgrounds are right at the lake shores. Because I selected our destination only a week before, every campsite that could be reserved was already reserved. Our choice, therefore, was limited to the first come first serve campgrounds. I originally chose the Goldfield campground by the Coffee Creek Road, but when we arrived at the area on noon Saturday, Papa Quail suggested we try for the Trinity River campground.

Trinity River, north view

The Trinity River feeds into Trinity Lake. The campground is a few miles north of the lake, right by Hwy 3. I was concerned about traffic noise but that was not a problem.
There was only one occupied site when we arrived and by the time it took us to build our tent they were already packing theirs. We had the campground to ourselves and we had the choice of the best site: right by the river.

Trinity River, south view

The reason Papa Quail favored the Trinity River Campground was that at the Shasta-Trinity National Forest website it is said to have potable water (and as of writing these words, this information is still not updated). It was only after we pitched our tent that we discovered that the water has been disconnected a couple of weeks before our arrival. We had, however, our 7 gallon container, which we filled with drinking water at the visitor center, and the Trinity River provided for all of our washing needs.
So we stayed.

Darmera peltata, on the river bank.

Camping at Trinity River Campground was fantastic. On our first night there, there were only two other campers, both on the other end of the campground. On our second night, we were completely alone. There was no traffic at all during the night. No sounds of talking, singing, fighting or RV generators. The only noise was the the river water, running along. A very soothing sound.
There were no lights. The moon was almost full, but a thick cloud cover darkened it. There were no other campfires, no electric lights on all night at the toilets, no vehicle headlights passing randomly along the tent. The moment I quenched the last embers of the campfire and switched off the flashlight I was surrounded with blissful darkness.
And it was not nearly as cold as the weather forecast had said. At least, it didn't feel like it.

Evening falls.

It was my best camping sleep in a very long time. Just as wilderness should be.

We on the Saturday of our arrival we hiked to Boulder Lakes and on Sunday we hiked along the south fork of the Salmon River. I wanted to hike some more on Monday morning but it was raining enough to discourage the rest of the family from any additional hiking in the area. So we broke camp and drove out, stopping only for a quick visit at Crystal Falls by Whiskeytown and a lovely birding walk at the Sacramento NWR. These hike stories will soon be posted separately.
I won't recommend this campground to anyone because I want it all to myself next time ....