Friday

First day in Marble Mountains Wilderness Area. Third time here. Beautiful country. Very special place in Northern CA, very remote.

Today’s hike: Kelsey Trail

2.5 hours in, 2 hours out, about 8 miles total. Made it to Maple Falls. Didn’t see a single human.

Dinner at Five Marys Burgerhouse in Fort Jones. Fantastic place, highly recommended.

Saturday

Day 2 hike in Marble Mountains Wilderness Area.

Today my friend Tom and I out-crazied even us, driving up 1:15 miles of logging road (not a single car/human) to Paradise Trailhead. Then we hiked 1:30 to King’s Castle—an awe-inspiring, craggy ridgeline at 7,405 feet above sea level, towering high above Paradise Lake. The ridge also connects to the Pacific Coast Trail.

We didn’t expect the area to be covered in snow, but it made the scenery more otherworldly and beautiful.

I’ve always wanted to reach King’s Castle/Paradise Lake because of this famous Bigfoot sighting in July 2000 (the video has been stabilized). On our third visit to the Marbles since 2018, we finally got to the site.

It was cold and rainy most of the day—and it was not easy getting there—but the journey and spectacular views were worth it.

Sunday

“Lazy Sunday?” Anything but.

Day 3 hike in Marble Mountains Wilderness Area was a 6-mile trek (12 miles round-trip) to the Sky High Lakes, after a long (but mostly paved) drive up the mountains to Lovers Camp. Cool and sunny, and the hike was shaded the whole way.

We crossed several mountain streams from the winter snow melting, often skittering over logs and rocks. Sadly, just before reaching the lakes, we had to stop at the 4.5-mile mark due to snow and ice covering the ridge—with the lakes just on the other side. : (

Along the way, we only ran into two couples—one who turned around way before us, the other deciding to turn around with us at the 4.5 mark at the ridge (they had tried yesterday as well). If we had slipped on the snow and ice, we would have been sliding for a long time into an icy chasm far, far below us (elevation at this point is ~6,400 feet). Safety first. Know your edge and don’t cross it.

Not making it to the lakes gives an excuse to come back another day. And it was a good 9 miles or so of exercise, fresh air, glorious mountain scenery, and sunshine.