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

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Fourteen-acre Alpine Lake fills the bottom of a deep, narrow cirque gouged out of granite and metasedimentary rock, where rows of grotesquely eroded pinnacles thrust into the sky at the top of the cliffs. Brooding, weeping spruce and firs are reflected in the dark water, while ghostly limbs of fallen snags reach from the depths near the outlet, and the entire scene, particularly on a cloudy day, can be a bit somber. Camping is limited to three fair campsites in the rocks, brush, and trees at the lower end of the lake. If all these sites happen to be full, your hope for solitude will be greatly diminished. If you’re the only one camped at the lake, enjoy the magnificent blessing. Otherwise, carefully respect the desire of others for the limited amount of privacy available.

OFF-TRAIL TO SMITH AND MORRIS LAKES

Hardy cross-country enthusiasts can reap big rewards by following a strenuous route to Smith and Morris Lakes. The first part of the route is by far the worst, involving steep bushwhacking on the climb out of Alpine Lake’s basin. Afterward, the route becomes much more straightforward. If you are carrying a backpack, plan on at least a half day for the 2-mile off-trail climb.