Canyon Creek Lakes and El Lake Sept 11 to Sept 13

[turboherb]

I have had the Trinity Alps on my list of places to visit for a long time. I used to climb in the area when I was in college so many decades ago. Last year I made it to the Marbles so this year I promised myself to get to the Trinities no matter what. I had made a decision to off trail to some seldom visited locations but my TFF's for trip were not up to this kind of adventure and I did not want to risk anyone health and well being but my own so I changed plans a bit and it turned out great. We broke the trip into two sections this is the first and I will submit another TR for the second section as it used a different trailhead that was a 60 mile drive from the Canyon Creeks Lake TH.
My camera had gotten some moisture inside so some photos have spots near the tops. I quess its time for a new camera. The trip was exciting from the start. We left Portland on Tuesday the 10th for the 8+ hour drive to the TR. We had dinner in Yreka at Strings, a wonderful Italian place with outdoor seating. We then proceeded down Hwy 3 towards Weaverville. The sun was setting and there were deer everywhere. We saw hundreds in the next 40 miles. We had to drive slow as they were on the road in groups of two to three. Once it was dark we decided to look for a campground for the night and just before we found one we saw another dee---oops not deer but mountain lion crossing the hwy. It was large and very well fed. What a magnificent cat. It was a first for all of us. My TFF's Giorgio and Pam shares this adventure with me.
Next morning we stopped in Weaverville for breakfast and then up to the trailhead. The trail is easy to find and climbs at a very reasonable rate, especially compared to most Gorge trails.
http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/dow ... w&id=45206
The first few miles are in forest with very few views but once past Canyon Creek Meadows you head up a few switch backs and the you enter a different world. Suddenly you can see the granite spires and mountain tops in the distance. Now you travel along Canyon Creek and its crystal clear water. You can see the trout swimming and feeding. We stopped at Lower Canyon Creel Falls for a rather bracing dip. It fas far to cold to swim even with the air temp in the upper 80's. The water was in the lower 40's. We then proceeded to locate a campsite. Even midweek after Labor Day the best sites were occupied. We at last found a site just below Lower Canyon Creek Lake. Camping at the lakes is discouraged and there few places to camp as the lake shores are granite shelves and cliffs.
http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/download/file.php?
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The next day we headed up to Lower and upper Canyon Creeks Lakes and then on to El Lake for a day hike. We had hoped to make it up to Kalmia Lake as well. We got off trail on the way following someones very misleading carins and ended up at a deadend in the middle of a wall of buck brush and had to back track quite a ways to the better route to El Lake. The lake had a nother world fell to it and we enjoyed fishing and swimming and taking in the views up to Sawtooth Mountian as well as Thompson and Wedding Cake peaks. The next day we headed back down the trail to see the sights at the more north end of the Trinities. We hiked about 24 to 26 miles and an eg of around 4,000 for this part of the trip.

http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/dow ... w&id=45213

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Since it will not except anympre photos I will stop here and move on to the Caribou Lakes Basin for the the next TR.

[retired jerry]

Nice, thanks

If you were going to suggest a trip, do you think this is the best of the Trinity Alps?

Uh oh - I see stacks of rocks - don't let Tom know where they are (is that joke getting old yet?)

[BrianEdwards]

Great pics. The green pool with the waterfall is pretty awesome. That area in general is a scenic wonder.

[turboherb]

I think that the combination of Canyon Creek and Caribou Basin was a good choice for seeing some of thr best of the Trinities. Certainly Grizzly Lake, The Stewart Fork and some of the lessor know destinations are all good choices. For the amout of time we had I do not think we could have made a better choice.

[Sean Thomas]

I think that the combination of Canyon Creek and Caribou Basin was a good choice for seeing some of thr best of the Trinities. Certainly Grizzly Lake, The Stewart Fork and some of the lessor know destinations are all good choices. For the amout of time we had I do not think we could have made a better choice.

Thanks herb, I was wondering the same thing as Jerry and those look like some great options.

[retired jerry]

I see next week there will continue to be rain on and off around here. It seems like when we get into a pattern it persists for a while.

The Trinity Alps are sunny every day and clear at night. Still no snow yet.