Marble Mountain Backpacking Loop

Best backpacking trails in marble mountain wilderness.

Marble mountain backpacking loop.

A side trip to the marble rim is worth the effort. Turning left the trail climbs over the loop s high point 6 425 ft and then descends into the beautiful basin of the sky high lakes where ample camping can be found along the shores of and in the forests surrounding frying pan upper and lower sky high lakes. It s a 65 mile loop that hits some spectacular areas of the marbles. Then did the summit lake and cliff lake loop the second day.

This group met up for a three day backpacking trip on labor day weekend. We took the sky high lakes trail hooked up. Wilderness permits are not required for trips into the marble mountain wilderness. A short off trail section brings you to marble mountain s 6 880 foot summit and exquisite views south from 1 000 foot cliffs to the trinity alps and north to the dark hulk of black mountain.

Backtrack to the pct and hike south 1 4 miles to the shadow lake trail and the hike s most spectacular campsite perched at cliff s edge hundreds of feet above sky high lakes basin. Lots of wildflowers and beautiful meadows. Jen is a bubbly 27 year old australian girl backpacking for the first time in the marble mountain wilderness. This is a great choice for a two or three day backpacking trip a loop through little marble valley through sky high lakes with a stop at shadow lake or day hikes to the ridges above the valley can be accomplished in three days with minimal effort.

The loop however heads south for another half mile towards another junction. The marbles are definitely a wilderness area worth checking. We chose the marble mountain wilderness because it s roughly halfway between reno tahoe and portland oregon a 5 or 6 hour drive for everyone. The marble mountain wilderness is located in the klamath national forest in northern california.

This trail passes beneath the essence of the wilderness area marble mountain itself. Photo of cliff lake copyrighted used by permission of deems burton. The marble mountain wilderness has been recognized for its wild values for generations. The pct crosses the wilderness and boulder peak the tallest in the park rises to an impressive 8299 feet.

Mountain tops wildflower laden meadows and an impressive 89 lakes are found in the marble mountains wilderness in northern california. A california campfire permit is required and are available at any. I ve decided to share a recent trip in the marble mtn wilderness. The ridge underneath black marble mountain is completely snowed over with dangerous crossings through cliffs and avalanche terrain.

While her boyfriend dave sets up camp jen bounces around their campsite alongside lower sky high lake admiring the high overhanging cliffs glowing orange in the late afternoon light. This area was originally designated as a primitive area in 1931 and is one of the original wilderness areas designated by the 1964 wilderness act.