TRINITY ALPS WILDERNESS

THIS 517,000 ACRE WILDERNESS IS THE SECOND LARGEST IN CALIFORNIA AND IS ADJACENT TO THREE NATIONAL FORESTS. IT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1932. YOU CAN HIKE FOR WEEKS AND THERE ARE STILL MORE TRAILS. MY HUSBAND AND I CLIMBED AND BACKPACKED HERE WHEN WE WERE WORKING ON THE KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST. IT WAS A HUGE AREA AND WE ENTERED IT ON THE SOUTH END AS WE HIKED UP A JEEP TRAIL. WE BROUGHT A FISHING POLE AND CAUGHT SOME FISH IN A SMALL LAKE FOR DINNER. WE STAYED THERE OVERNIGHT AND HIKED BACK THE NEXT DAY. THERE WERE ONLY TWO OTHER PEOPLE AT THE SMALL CAMPGROUND. WE DID NOT SEE ANY BEARS HOWEVER WE PUT OUR FOOD UP IN A TREE. THE HIGHEST PEAK HERE IS THOMAS PEAK AT 9000 FEET. THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS THAT WELDED TOGETHER TO FORM THE KLAMATH MOUNTAINS.

I GUESS WE HIKED IN THE GREEN MOUNTAINS ON THE WESTERN EDGE WHERE FEW HIKERS GO. THERE ARE SMALL GLACIERS ON THE HIGH PEAKS AND RUGGED VOLCANIC PEAKS. THE AREA CONTAINS TWO DESIGNATED WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS. WE DID NOT SEE ANY BEAR OR SALMON UP HERE. HOWEVER THERE WERE STILL SALMON ON THE KLAMATH RIVER IN THE 70'S. THE VEGETATION IN THESE MOUNTAINS INCLUDES DOUG FIR, WHITE ND RED FIR, PONDEROSA PINE, BLACK OAK, CANYON LIVE OAK, CALIFORNIA MADRONE, MAPLE, BUCKEYE, INCENSE CEDAR, AND JEFFREY PINE. SALMON AND STEEL HEAD TROUT ARE COMMON AS WELL AS SPOTTED OWLS, ELK, AS WELL AS BLACK BEAR. HOWEVER, CATTLE GRAZING DEPLETE THE NATURAL GRASSES.

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