Blog

Momentous Adventures-The Northern Marbles Loop (part 1-Lovers to Salmon Crest)

Posted by eriksoltan on Oct 12, 2016 in Momentous Adventures, Trail Reports | No Comments

Black Marble Mountain

Very few areas in the Northwest I can think of compares to the remoteness of the Marble Mountains in N. California. From almost no info on the web to out of print maps with no milages, you feel like you are on your own. But, if you are confident with your navigation skills, very comfortable with animals and good with some real isolation, it is truly amazing. A place that is so special, seems guarded by the few that know and travel it, only to be discovered by a select few of curious mountain junkies. I started this approximately 83 mile trip at the popular Lover’s Camp, there was only one other car there. Strapped on my pack and headed up the Red Rock TR to Little Elk Lake, where I saw my first bear (total trip count was 6 adult bears and 3 cubs), less than 15 feet off the trail. Passing the Lake, you step across the outlet stream and start climbing into nice country around Deep Lake and Muse Meadows. The next climb brings you into the Lower Wright Lakes Basin, one of my favorite spots on the trip. Framed by the steep cliffs of Boulder Mtn, L. Wright is everything that makes a subalpine lake great, miles of meadows, great primitive camps above the lake and absolute quiet.

Little Elk from the outlet

Second bear of the trip in Muse Meadows

Lower Wright Lake

Upper Wright

Climbing past Upper Wright Lake to a pass and down to Big Meadows where the trail arcs past an unsigned trail heading left to a TH and follows this high grassy plain down to a intersection for Calf Lake, make this sharp left and follow the tread down to Log Lake and beyond to peaceful Summit Lake. Next, climb up a bit to the PCT and take it north along a rocky ridge side where views northwest of the Black Marble Mtn. and Marble Rim’s white walls will captivate your attention. This fairly level section of trail meanders for a bit before hitting a intersection for the Marble Rim, make this left and begin the climb to the Rim. This awesome trail heads out of subalpine country following the very edge of the Rim along mostly marble slabs looking down at Little Marble Valley and along the Rim, a sight that will be etched into your memory for a long time to come. Still climbing, the trail comes up to a rocky shoulder before darting down through half burned/meadow switchbacks to a unsigned intersection, make that right onto the Salmon Crest Trail.