Photo: Suzanne Swedo Lakes and Wildflowers on the Pacific Crest Trail, Marble Mountains Wilderness Highlights:
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Trip Number: 08117A Price: $595 Deposit: $100 Capacity: 13 Rating: L/M Leader:
The Trip  Photo: Suzanne Swedo The Marble Mountain Wilderness, one of California 's largest and oldest wilderness areas, is a land of tremendous biological diversity and scenic beauty. Author Art Bernstein calls Marble Valley “the most beautiful place I'd ever been.” Its temperate climate and geologic history make the Marble Mountains a happy home for a great variety of rare and unusual wildflowers. There are 17 different species of conifers here, the largest variety anywhere in the world. Its exceptional scenery is also due to the fact that this is one of the most exciting zones of geologic activity in North America . It lies at the edge of converging tectonic plates where slabs of ancient sea floor have been thrust to the surface, transformed to beautiful expanses of marble and granite, and sculpted by glaciers. Since the wilderness is off the beaten path, we'll have greater solitude here than can be found in most of California 's parks and wildernesses. Our entire hike will follow the Pacific Crest Trail, a well-maintained and graded path that makes travel through this rough country a joy. We'll have plenty of time to climb some of the prominent peaks, enjoy glorious views, and fish the lakes for rainbow, brown, and brook trout. We'll also learn about the flowers, trees, birds, beasts, and rock formations. Daily distances are moderate, between 5- 8 miles, with one longer day (the very last) of eleven miles. Elevations are moderate as well, ranging from 5,800 feet to less than 8,000 feet.
We will have campsites reserved at a forest service campground the night before our trip officially begins so we can get acquainted and partly organized before our early start in the morning. On day one we'll divide gear, shuttle vehicles to trail's end, drive to the trailhead and make a short first-day's shakedown hike of only 2.5 miles to our first camp at about 6,500 feet. On day two, we'll hike less than six miles past King's Castle and other spectacular rock formations to camp at Paradise Lake . Day three takes us around Black Mountain and drops into exquisite Marble Valley in the heart of the wilderness at 5,800 feet. We'll camp here for two nights, exploring nearby lakes, and, if weather permits, making an optional excursion up Marble Mountain (6,800 feet.) On day five we climb out of Marble Valley to follow a ridge with fabulous lake-basin views, then descend through forest to camp at Summit Lake . On day six we travel through forests and flowery meadows to camp at yet another lake, before beginning our last, and longest day (day seven) of 11 miles back to our cars.Getting There Our campground meeting place is on the eastern side of the wilderness, beyond the tiny town of Etna, a two hour drive from Interstate 5 at Yreka. The nearest airport is Redding, California, 100 miles south of Yreka on I5. You may choose to fly into Sacramento and Reno, Nevada. Driving distance from Sacramento to Yreka is 265 miles, from Reno to Yreka 297 miles. It’s another 30 miles on State Highway 3 to Etna. There is no public transportation to this remote region, so you will need to drive from home or rent a vehicle. There will be some winding mountain roads, a couple of miles of which are gravel, but nothing unsuitable for ordinary passenger cars. Ride-sharing is highly recommended. A trip roster will be provided to facilitate this. More detailed directions will be sent in a later bulletin, along with information about nearby accommodations, eating places, and sources of emergency supplies.
All meals are included from breakfast on day one through lunch on day seven. The Sierra Club provides all cooking equipment, including stoves and fuel. Each participant will share in easy food preparation and cleanup on two days of the trip. Food and commissary equipment is weighed and divided equally each morning so that everyone carries a fair share. On the first day we should start out with no more than 15 pounds of commissary per person, dwindling to about five pounds by the last day. Meals are nutritious and delicious. We do not serve red meat, but we do offer fish and chicken dishes. Vegetarians can be accommodated, but if you avoid dairy products as well, this trip is not for you. Please let us know as soon as possible if you have any food allergies.
This trip is rated Light-Moderate (L-M). Daily distances will be between 5-8 miles, with a long last day (with almost empty packs) of 11 miles. We’ll have one layover day with optional hiking. Overall elevations are low, so we do not expect high-altitude problems. We never gain more than 1,000 feet at a time, but there will be plenty of ups and downs through the mountains. It is essential that all participants be well-conditioned and experienced backpackers. We recommend weekly hikes of 8-10 miles with 1,000 feet of elevation gain, as well as one mountain backpack prior to this one. Running up and down bleachers and time on the stair-master are useful, but are not the same as exercise with a pack.
A detailed equipment list will be sent to all registered participants. You will need to furnish your own backpack, sleeping bag, tent, and personal gear. Our food will be carried in bear-proof containers, so your pack must be roomy enough to hold your share of central commissary as well as your personal gear. Your sleeping bag should be rated to 30 degrees. Good rain gear, including a waterproof pack cover, is essential. You’ll need good waterproofed boots with lug soles that are well broken in. Your personal gear should be limited to 25 pounds since you’ll be given an additional 15 pounds of central commissary on the first day. Make sure you try out all new equipment in advance to make sure it’s adequate, that it fits properly, and that you know how to use it.
Maps The Marble Mountain Wilderness map from Wilderness Press shows the entire wilderness at a 1:62,500 scale USGS 7.5 minute topos are Etna, Boulder Peak, Grider Valley, Huckleberry Mountain, Marble Mountain, and Yellow Dog Peak. You can order these on-line from usgs.gov. Conservation The Klamath River country has had a long history of over-exploitation in the form of careless logging, mining, and grazing, yet some relatively untouched wilderness jewels have been preserved. Understanding the natural history of a region like this one as we travel through it, learning how everything in nature is intertwined with and dependent upon everything else reminds us how important the protection of such relationships are to all life on earth, including our own. We plan to travel lightly over the land ourselves, practicing Leave No Trace principles, including camping away from water sources, off of meadows, carrying bear canisters, and reducing our footprint by sharing tents.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
Suzanne Swedo is a botanist who leads wilderness seminars for the Yosemite Association and other organizations as well as her own adventure travel company. She writes trail guides for Falcon Publishing including Hiking Yosemite National Park, Best Easy Day Hikes in Yosemite, and Wilderness Survival. She has led Sierra Club outings for 20 years and has hiked the mountains of every continent.
General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Melinda Goodwater has been leading backpack trips for Sierra Club Outings for over 15 years. She quit her full-time job when it got in the way of her trips and has been leading adventures ever since. She leads treks from Nepal to Alaska to the desert Southwest. When not in the wilderness, Melinda still does consulting work as an electronic engineer. Melinda has training in CPR and is a wilderness first responder. She is an avid fan of long trails (a reasonable section at a time), so don’t be surprised if you bump into her in the wilderness sometime!