Northern Mountain Supply - Outdoor Guide

Backpacking Trips

Welcome to the Backpacking Trips Section of our Northern California Outdoor Guide and Gallery. Northern Mountain Supply carries an outstanding selection of backpacking gear and trail guides to make your backcountry experience safe and enjoyable. If you have a site or event that you would like to add to this page e-mail us with your information.

Siskiyou Wilderness

The Siskiyou Wilderness located in the Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests in California and the Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon, encompasses 153,000 acres. Tolerable conditions prevail from July to mid-October, however severe weather can occur in any month. Cross country travel is challenging due to dense brush and boulder fields.

Plant communities include: perioditite seeps and forests of Douglas fir, ponderosa and sugar pine, Port Orford cedar, and mixed hardwoods .

The Wild and Scenic South Fork Smith River and the South Kelsey Trail are in the area. Oregon Caves National Monument is nearby to the north. Yurok, Karuk and Tolowa (Native American Tribes) recognize spiritual areas in the wilderness.

Useful maps of the Siskiyou Wilderness: Earthwalk Press Recreation Map California's North Coast.

Kelsey Trail: Elbow Springs to Harrington Lake

Trinity Alps Wilderness

Located in the Shasta-Trinity, Klamath and Six Rivers National Forests in California, the 780 square mile Trinity Alps Wilderness is the second largest wilderness in California. It was designated in 1984 nearly doubling the area of the former Salmon-Trinity Alps Primitive Area. This rugged wilderness is composed of mountain ridges and deep canyons between the Trinity and Salmon Rivers ranging in elevation from 2,000 to 8,000 feet. Cross country travel is not common. Annual precipitation varies from 20 to 80 inches and from 12 to 20 feet of snow may occur.

Some places are accessible all year, but most use is from June to mid-October, snow may linger into August. Bear and other wildlife including rattlesnakes are plentiful. Except in the western part, firewood is scarce, and, as fire hazard warnings seem to be invoked earlier and earlier, portable stoves are recommended.

Of the many trails, the heaviest use is on Canyon Creek, Stuart Fork, Swift Creek, and Grizzly Creek. Wilderness permits are required.

Trail Guides* & References:
*Bernstein, A. 1993. Best Hikes of the Trinity Alps. Mountain N' Air 254 p.

Ferlatte, 1974. A Flora of the Trinity Alps of Northern California. U. of California Press. 206 p.

*Hart. J. 1975. Hiking the Bigfoot Country. Sierra Club. 398 p.

Jorstad, W. 1995. Behind The Wild River. Trinity. 165 p.
_____________ 1990. Jorstad's Cabin and Pfeiffer Flat, Recollections, and North Fork Area Miners in the 1930s in Trinity 1990. Trinty Co. Historical Society.

*Linkhart, L. and M. White 1994. The Trinity Alps a hiking and backpacking guide. Wilderness Press 228 p.

Wallace, D.R. 1983. The Klamth Knot. Sierra Club Books. 149p

Further information:
Shasta-Trinity National Forest 2400 Washington Avenue Redding, CA 96001
(916) 246-5222

Weaverville Ranger District P.O. Box 1190 Weaverville, CA 96093
(916) 623-2121

Klamath National Forest 1312 Fairlane Road Yreka, CA 96097
(916) 842-6131

Six Rivers National Forest 1330 Bayshore Way Eureka, CA 95501
(707) 442-1721

Trinity Alps Trails:

(1) North Fork Trinity to Papoose Lake

(2) North Fork Trinity to Grizzly Lake

(3) New River Divide Loop

(4) Canyon Creek to Upper Boulder Lake

(5) Stuart Fork to Morris Meadows, Sapphire and Emerald Lakes

(6) Swift Creek to Big Flat

(7) Caribou Lakes and Sawtooth Ridge

(8) Green Mountain--Pony Mountain--Jim Jam Ridge

(9) Salmon Summit to Red Cap Lake

(10) Tangle Blue Lake

Trinity Alps Lake Index

Lake Elevation Mileage Visitor Use Trail Difficulty Acreage Depth

Alpine 6150 8 Moderate-High Moderate-Difficult 14 26

Big Bear 6500 5 Moderate Moderate 28 73

Boulder, Big 6100 2 High Easy 8 27

Boulder, East 6700 7 High Easy 32 60

Boulder, Little 6350 2 High Easy 4.5 19

Boulder, Upper 6850 7 Low-Moderate Easy-Moderate 7 11

Boulder Creek 5750 7.5 High Easy-Moderate 5 17

Canyon Creek, lower 5600 7.5 High Easy-Moderate 14 56

Canyon Creek, upper 5690 8 High Easy-Moderate 25 86

Caribou 6850 10 High Moderate-Difficult 72 72

Deer 7150 8/14 Moderate Moderate 4.5 19

Diamond 7250 9.5/16.5 Moderate Moderate 2.5 13

Doe 7300 7 Low Difficult 4.5 15

East Weaver 6350 1.5 Moderate Easy-Moderate 1 12

Eleanor 4950 0.12 High Easy 3 10

Emerald 5500 14 High Easy-Moderate 21 68

Foster 7250 0.8 Low-Moderate Moderate-Difficult 5.5 20

Granite (Swift) 6000 5 High Easy-Moderate 18 64

Granite (C.C.) 6400 9 Low-Moderate Easy-Moderate 6.3 12

Grizzly 7100 6/19 High Difficult 42 173

Horseshoe 6850 9 Moderate Easy-Moderate 6 22

"L" 6350 8.5 Low-Moderate Moderate-Difficult 2 29

Landers 7100 7/9 Moderate Easy-Moderate 6 17

Lilypad 8300 4 Low Moderate 2 8

Lion 7000 8/6.5 Low-Moderate Moderate-Difficult 3 37

Long Gulch 6450 2/6 Low-Moderate Easy-Moderate 14 21

Luella 6850 10.5/16 Moderate Moderate 2.5 13

Papoose 6600 14 Moderate Difficult 28 70

Rush Creek Lakes 6200 6.5 Low Difficult <2 14

Sapphire 6100 15 High Easy-Moderate 43 200

Shimmy 6400 4.5 Low-Moderate Moderate 1.5 10

Smith 6950 10 High Difficult 24 167

Snowslide 6700 9 High Moderate-Difficult 10 45

Stoddard 5900 6/8.5 High Easy-Moderate 25 84

Sugar Pine 6600 5.5 Low Difficult 9 43

Summit 7350 16/9 Moderate Moderate 13 34

Tangle Blue 5800 4 Moderate-High Easy-Moderate 12 17

Trail Gulch 6400 3.5/5 Low-Moderate Easy-Moderate 10 47

Union 6060 9 Moderate Easy-Moderate 3.5 14

Ward 7100 9.5 Moderate Moderate 5.5 12

Lake	Elevation	Mileage	Visitor Use	Trail Difficulty	Acreage	Depth
Alpine	6150	8	Moderate-High	Moderate-Difficult	14	26
Big Bear	6500	5	Moderate	Moderate	28	73
Boulder, Big	6100	2	High	Easy	8	27
Boulder, East	6700	7	High	Easy	32	60
Boulder, Little	6350	2	High	Easy	4.5	19
Boulder, Upper	6850	7	Low-Moderate	Easy-Moderate	7	11
Boulder Creek	5750	7.5	High	Easy-Moderate	5	17
Canyon Creek, lower	5600	7.5	High	Easy-Moderate	14	56
Canyon Creek, upper	5690	8	High	Easy-Moderate	25	86
Caribou	6850	10	High	Moderate-Difficult	72	72
Deer	7150	8/14	Moderate	Moderate	4.5	19
Diamond	7250	9.5/16.5	Moderate	Moderate	2.5	13
Doe	7300	7	Low	Difficult	4.5	15
East Weaver	6350	1.5	Moderate	Easy-Moderate	1	12
Eleanor	4950	0.12	High	Easy	3	10
Emerald	5500	14	High	Easy-Moderate	21	68
Foster	7250	0.8	Low-Moderate	Moderate-Difficult	5.5	20
Granite (Swift)	6000	5	High	Easy-Moderate	18	64
Granite (C.C.)	6400	9	Low-Moderate	Easy-Moderate	6.3	12
Grizzly	7100	6/19	High	Difficult	42	173
Horseshoe	6850	9	Moderate	Easy-Moderate	6	22
"L"	6350	8.5	Low-Moderate	Moderate-Difficult	2	29
Landers	7100	7/9	Moderate	Easy-Moderate	6	17
Lilypad	8300	4	Low	Moderate	2	8
Lion	7000	8/6.5	Low-Moderate	Moderate-Difficult	3	37
Long Gulch	6450	2/6	Low-Moderate	Easy-Moderate	14	21
Luella	6850	10.5/16	Moderate	Moderate	2.5	13
Papoose	6600	14	Moderate	Difficult	28	70
Rush Creek Lakes	6200	6.5	Low	Difficult	<2	14
Sapphire	6100	15	High	Easy-Moderate	43	200
Shimmy	6400	4.5	Low-Moderate	Moderate	1.5	10
Smith	6950	10	High	Difficult	24	167
Snowslide	6700	9	High	Moderate-Difficult	10	45
Stoddard	5900	6/8.5	High	Easy-Moderate	25	84
Sugar Pine	6600	5.5	Low	Difficult	9	43
Summit	7350	16/9	Moderate	Moderate	13	34
Tangle Blue	5800	4	Moderate-High	Easy-Moderate	12	17
Trail Gulch	6400	3.5/5	Low-Moderate	Easy-Moderate	10	47
Union	6060	9	Moderate	Easy-Moderate	3.5	14
Ward	7100	9.5	Moderate	Moderate	5.5	12

Marble Mountain Wilderness

The 242,500 acre Marble Mountain Wilderness, the fourth largest in California, is located in the Klamath National Forest. The 'Marbles' include low elevation forested areas to the peaks and lakes (89) of the Salmon and Marble Mountains. These mountains form a giant arc pointing to the south with Marble (6880') and Black Marble (7442') Mountains in the middle. Also parts of the country support extensive meadows which make for easy travel. The wilderness watershed give rise to large tributaries of the Klamath River, the Salmon and Scott Rivers, whose larger tributaries hold steelhead trout and salmon. Bear, Elk, deer and other wildlife abound. Over one half of wilderness visitor use occurs on two trailheads in the Scott River District. Sky High Lakes is the most popular area in the wilderness; Campbell, Cliff, Summit, Paradise and Ukonom lakes also receive heavy use. Eighty per cent of those visiting the Ukonom District use the Haypress Meadows Trail.

Klamath National Forest
1312 Fairlane Road
Yreka, CA 96097
(916) 842-6131

Topo maps covering the wilderness: Good topo map coverage of the wilderness comes attached with the Green and Ingold trail guide.

Trail Guides* & References:
Green D. and G. Ingold. 1996. Marble Mountain Wilderness. Wilderness Press. 167p. Book does not always clearly indicate digressive trails from the main route. Mileages are not cumulative. The map is handy but it is deteriorating before reaching the field

Marble Mountains Trails:

(1) Kelsey Trail--Trans Marble Salmon Crest

(2) Wooley Creek Watershed Loop

(3) Pacific Crest Trail--Marble Mountains Segment

(4) A Trail to Ukonom Lake: Johnson's Hunting Ground

(5) North Fork Salmon River Bug Gulch Loop

(6) Salmon Mountains PCT via Shelly Fork to Shackleford Creek