Day 3. Trinity Alps Wilderness

Day 3. Trinity Alps Wilderness
7/12/2019
1545.9 (Chilcoot Creek) to 1567.6 (near Boulder Lake Junction)
21.7 miles

Today was hot and there were no lakes for swimming. The climb up from the road crossing took me forever. Thank goodness for my sun umbrella to give some relief.

My pack feels heavy since I misjudged how much food I'd need this stretch. The strain of having a heavy pack migrates around my body, making all my old injuries creak and groan. I feel creaking in the stress fracture on my foot from 2014 and also sensations at the patch of my hernia in my groin (from last year). Nothing alarmingly painful. More like they are just saying "hey don't forget." Reminders to be grateful for my body and not take it for granted. My biggest fear going into this hike is getting another overuse injury.

The beauty of nature provides plenty of pleasant delightful distractions. More pitcher plants! And a spotted fritillary!

It still feels quiet out here. I see four or five hikers going southbound, but no hikers going my way. Are the other NOBOs just all hiking in lockstep, so that we don’t see each other?

Right at the boundary to the Trinity Alps Wilderness, a trail maintenance crew is working on removing blowdowns. Thank you PCTA, the Forest Service, and all the volunteers for making this trail so awesome!

Finally I made it to near the Boulder Lake junction. Oh I wish I had energy to hike down the side trail to the lake far below. But it looks to be at least a mile and a 600 foot drop in elevation. Which is really not much but I’m too worn out.

Instead, I peer out of my hammock at the snowy peaks above and listen to a botany podcast (In Defense of Plants). It just happens to be an episode about conifer trees. They interview ecologist Michael Kauffmann about the high conifer diversity around the Russian Wilderness. Apparently there is a mile along a ridge (called the “Miracle Mile”) that is a true biodiversity hotspot for conifers. And this whole area of the Klamaths has more conifers (38 species) than anywhere in the world. He also describes where the rare foxtail pines grow (and which are closely related to the Great Basin and Rocky Mountain bristlecone pines). Then I realize that I’ll be going near that area tomorrow! WOW!