August Trinity Alps trip report Day 3
Our friend had to leave early the 3rd morning, so bluegoose and I were on our own and decided to check out the Boulder Creek Lakes. These were about a 4 mile hike from our base camp iirc, and again mostly steep. This trip takes you out of the Canyon Creek Canyon and into the Boulder Creek Canyon. We went with day packs again, and headed up fairly early. Even though it was early, it was already getting hot. Even at 5-6,000 feet temps were approaching 90 by mid day.
If you ever run, ride or hike with bluegoose, you're going to go fast. He led out at a good clip and soon I was on my own, left to die at the hand of one of the thousands of Bigfoots that populate the Trinity Alps. It's a very squatchy place for sure.
Not only did we make it to the Boulder Creek Lakes, we managed to miss them initially and we went much higher. In fact, we made it to the Forbidden Falls which are the outlet of one Forbidden Lake, a lake tucked into a cirque much higher up the mountain. We toyed with going all the way up there but thought better of it and headed back down to our original destination. As far as sights go, this canyon also did not disappoint. One benefit of overshooting the place was this birdseye view of the three lakes.
The Boulder Creek Lakes
Once again, it was granite as far as the eye could see. These are photos of the biggest of the 3 lakes. We swam in this one for a while and it was much warmer than the Canyon Creek lakes as it was much shallower.
The 3 lakes sat ensconsed in a granite cirque with a huge front wall that dropped several hundred feet. It was really something to stand there and look out. This next pic is the only one I have that shows a part of that drop off (to the far left of the lakes).
The views from the edge of those cliffs:
Sawtooth Mountain and the Canyon Creek Canyon (it runs left to right in this pic)
Overall, it was an incredible trip. I can't wait to get back up there again.
Our friend had to leave early the 3rd morning, so bluegoose and I were on our own and decided to check out the Boulder Creek Lakes. These were about a 4 mile hike from our base camp iirc, and again mostly steep. This trip takes you out of the Canyon Creek Canyon and into the Boulder Creek Canyon. We went with day packs again, and headed up fairly early. Even though it was early, it was already getting hot. Even at 5-6,000 feet temps were approaching 90 by mid day.
If you ever run, ride or hike with bluegoose, you're going to go fast. He led out at a good clip and soon I was on my own, left to die at the hand of one of the thousands of Bigfoots that populate the Trinity Alps. It's a very squatchy place for sure.
Not only did we make it to the Boulder Creek Lakes, we managed to miss them initially and we went much higher. In fact, we made it to the Forbidden Falls which are the outlet of one Forbidden Lake, a lake tucked into a cirque much higher up the mountain. We toyed with going all the way up there but thought better of it and headed back down to our original destination. As far as sights go, this canyon also did not disappoint. One benefit of overshooting the place was this birdseye view of the three lakes.
The Boulder Creek Lakes
Once again, it was granite as far as the eye could see. These are photos of the biggest of the 3 lakes. We swam in this one for a while and it was much warmer than the Canyon Creek lakes as it was much shallower.
The 3 lakes sat ensconsed in a granite cirque with a huge front wall that dropped several hundred feet. It was really something to stand there and look out. This next pic is the only one I have that shows a part of that drop off (to the far left of the lakes).
The views from the edge of those cliffs:
Sawtooth Mountain and the Canyon Creek Canyon (it runs left to right in this pic)
Overall, it was an incredible trip. I can't wait to get back up there again.
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