Читать книгу Trinity Alps & Vicinity: Including Whiskeytown, Russian Wilderness, and Castle Crags Areas. A Hiking and Backpacking Guide онлайн

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The Russian Wilderness, also set aside by Congress in 1984, is much smaller than the Trinity Alps, at a mere 12,000 acres. However, within that more diminutive acreage is a biological diversity that makes the area unique. The concentration of 17 distinct conifer species in the Duck Lake Botanical Area distinguishes the Russian Wilderness as one of most biologically diverse areas in the world. In fact, some smaller plants here grow nowhere else in the world. The area straddles a divide between the Scott and Salmon Rivers, and elevations range from a little more than 5,000 feet to 8,196 feet at the summit of Russian Peak. This compact wilderness also boasts 22 lakes and numerous trails, including a section of the famed Pacific Crest Trail.

The 4,000-acre Castle Crags State Park and adjoining 10,500-acre Castle Crags Wilderness combine to form the final backcountry area covered in this guide. Situated along a stretch of the upper Sacramento River and just off I-5, the park is open year-round to campers, picnickers, sightseers, and outdoors enthusiasts. Ranging in elevation from around 2,000–3,000 feet, the lands within the park are towered over by the Castle Crags, a series of dramatic, granite spires, some of which exceed 6,000 feet in elevation. With 22 miles of trail, Castle Crags State Park offers plenty of opportunities for hikers. Castle Crags Wilderness, also set aside in 1984, contains the namesake crags and surrounding higher-elevation backcountry. Nearly 28 miles of trails, including a 19-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail, offer opportunities to visit a wide variety of terrain, including high-elevation lakes, flower-covered meadows, and the crags themselves. While defined tread leads to the base of the crags, a more intimate visit requires basic off-trail skills.