Canyon Creek to Upper Boulder Lake
One guidebook (Bernstein, 1993) claims that Canyon Creek makes Yosemite
look like a back alley. Both guidebook (Linkhart, 1994) and internet authors
conclude that the Canyon Creek trail is a common favorite choice if you
have only one Trinity Alps trip. The one described here offers a range
of trip possibilities. The trip is a moderate short hike into a glaciated
granitoid basin. You follow up Canyon Creek making six major stream crossings
to the Boulder Creek trail junction then you climb up steep slope to lower
Boulder Lake and then cross country to upper Boulder Lake and beyond.
Cautions:
- Bears.
- Car Vandals
- 6 Stream Crossings
- No wood, bring stove
- Water plentiful but needs to be filtered.
- Beware of avalanches in winter and spring.
Points Along the Trail:
Distance: 0.0
Elevation: 3200'.
Canyon Creek Trailhead.
Distance: 0.25
Bear Creek crossing.
Distance: 1.2
Elevation: 3400'
Flat with good campsites. In 1993 I took a late winter walk up Canyon
Creek. Between this point and the Sinks I had to cross two large ice avalanches.
Large rounded ice blocks up to VW size were mingled with tree trunks and
boulders, the unconsolidated material was challenging to climb over and
the thought of the energy unleashed by the event was sobering. To the
summer throngs there would be little evidence of winters lethal peril.
Distance: 2.5
Elevation: 3200'.
Sinks. 1/4 mile steep path to camp. Early in season water bubbles out
of ground here.
Distance: 2.5+
Switchbacks.
Distance: 3.8 .
Elevation: 4300'
Lower Canyon Creek Falls resting spot/swimming hole.
Distance: 5 0
Elevation: 4600'
Beginning of meadows.
Distance: 5.5
Forested flat begins junction to go cross country to Morris and Smith
Lakes.
Distance: 6.0
Trail travels through lush meadows situated in a long and wide glaciated
valley. Make base camp here. The terraced, vegetated meadows provide privacy
and there are few camps at Canyon Creek Lakes, especially for groups.
Up Canyon Creek
Distance: 6.5 .
Elevation: 5065'
Middle Canyon Creek Falls, 100' high.
Distance: 7.0.
After here views of Sawtooth Mt. 8884'.
Upper Canyon Creek Falls
Elevation: 5065
Distance: 7.4.
Elevation: 5600'
Outlet Lower Canyon Creek Lake. Be careful--a person was swept away and
drowned here. Can see 9002' Thompson Peak.
Distance: 9.0
Elevation: 5690'
Upper Canyon Creek Lake. Good view of Sawtooth Mt. 8964' and Wedding Cake.
Distance: 9.7
Elevation: 6350'
"L" Lake behind back ridge. From "L" Lake a cross
country route runs through saddle in timbered ridge across valley to the
north of Kalmia Lake (Elev. 7500') along the Canyon Creek/Stuart Fork
divide.
Boulder Lakes Trail (Back down at Canyon Creek Trail Junction)
Distance: 6.0
Elevation: 5280'
Boulder Creek Lakes Trail branches to the west. The rough trail to these
tiny lakes thins the crowds.
Distance: 6.2
Good camps along Canyon Creek.
Distance: 6.75
Elevation: 5280'
Boulder Creek Ford. Hiker swept away and drowned here.
Distance: 7.25
One half mile stretch of the roughest steepest trail in the Trinity Alps.
Distance: 8.3
Elevation: 6100'
Lower Boulder Lake. Brush field between here and upper lake stops people.
Distance: 8.6
Elevation: 6850'
Upper Boulder Lake. Can climb Mt. Hilton from here.
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