 Photo: Suzanne Swedo A Celebration of Wildflowers, Marble Mountain Wilderness, California Highlights:
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Trip Number: 09104A Price: $635 Deposit: $100 Capacity: 13 Rating: L/M Leader:
The Trip  Photo: Suzanne Swedo The Marble Mountain Wilderness, one of California’s largest and oldest wilderness areas, is a land of tremendous biological diversity and scenic beauty. Its location between the Klamath and Salmon Rivers, temperate climate, and dramatic geologic history make this a happy home to a marvelous number of rare and unusual wildflowers and the largest variety of conifers in the world. Wildflowers should be at the height of their bloom at this time of year, watered by patches of snow remaining on the mountain peaks. This is one of the most exciting zones of geologic activity in North America. It lies at the edge of converging crustal plates where slabs of ancient sea floor have been thrust to the surface, transformed to beautiful expanses of marble and granite, sculpted by glaciers. Even though a short section of our route lies along the Pacific Crest Trail, this region is otherwise off the beaten path, far away from large population centers, so we can expect more solitude here than can be found in most of California’s parks and wildernesses. Our relatively short loop of 35 miles (not counting side trips on layover days) and moderate elevations (less than 8,000 feet) should allow us plenty of time to learn about the flowers, trees, birds, beasts and rocks, time to scramble up nearby peaks, time to fish the lakes for rainbow, brown, and brook trout, and time to relax and appreciate the beauty of the mountains.
 Photo: Suzanne Swedo Day 1: Meet at the campground for orientation and introductions. Day 2: Our 4.5 mile climb takes us into exquisite Marble Valley in the heart of the wilderness. Day 3: Explore a nearby lake basin from Marble Valley without packs. Day 4: This will be our longest day. We hike 8.5 miles along the famous Pacific Crest Trail to our next lake. Day 5: Hike only a half day into day into a glacial cirque enclosing our largest lake, with a long afternoon for rest or botanizing. Day 6: Hike through flowery meadows to camp near natural mountain springs. Day 7: Continue climbing 7 miles to our highest lake at the foot of the Boulder Peak, highest in the wilderness at 8,299 feet). Day 8: Hike only a half day to Boulder Creek Trailhead where a short shuttle returns us to our cars. Getting There  Photo: Suzanne Swedo Our campground meeting place is on the eastern side of the wilderness, beyond the tiny town of Etna, a two hour drive from Interstate 5 at Yreka. The nearest airport is Redding, California, 100 miles south of Yreka on I5. You may choose to fly into Sacramento or Reno, Nevada. Driving distance from Sacramento to Yreka is 265 miles, from Reno to Yreka 297 miles. It’s another 30 miles on State Highway 3 to Etna. There is no public transportation to this remote region, so you will need to drive from home or rent a vehicle. There will be some winding mountain roads, a couple of miles of which are gravel, but nothing unsuitable for ordinary passenger cars. Ride-sharing is highly recommended. A trip roster will be provided to facilitate this. More detailed directions will be sent in a later bulletin, along with information about nearby accommodations, eating places, and sources of emergency supplies.
All meals are included from dinner on day one through lunch on day eight. We provide all cooking equipment, including stoves and fuel. Each participant will share in easy food preparation and cleanup on two days of the trip. Food and commissary equipment is weighed and divided equally each morning so that everyone carries a fair share. On the first hiking day we should start out with no more than 15 pounds of commissary per person, dwindling to about five pounds by the last day. Meals are nutritious and delicious. We do not serve red meat, but we do offer fish and chicken dishes. Vegetarians can be accommodated, but if you avoid dairy products as well, this trip is not for you. Please let us know as soon as possible if you have any food allergies.
 Photo: Suzanne Swedo This trip is rated Light-Moderate (L-M). Daily distances will be between 3 and 8.5 miles, with one layover day, and a second half-layover, both with optional hiking. Overall elevations are low, so we do not expect high-altitude problems. We never gain more than 1,000 feet at a time, but there will be plenty of ups and downs through the mountains. It is essential that all participants be well-conditioned and experienced backpackers. We recommend weekly hikes with 1,000 feet of elevation gain, as well as one mountain backpack prior to this one. Running up and down bleachers and time on the stairmaster are useful, but are not the same as exercise with a pack.
 Photo: Suzanne Swedo A detailed equipment list will be sent to all registered participants. You will need to furnish your own backpack, sleeping bag, tent, and personal gear. Our food will be carried in bear-proof containers, so your pack must be roomy enough to hold your share of central commissary as well as your personal gear. Your sleeping bag should be rated to 30 degrees. Good rain gear, including a waterproof pack cover, is essential. You’ll need good waterproofed boots with lug soles that are well broken in. Your personal gear should be limited to 25 pounds since You’ll be given an additional 15 pounds of central commissary on the first day. Make sure you try out all new equipment in advance to make sure it’s adequate, that it fits properly, and that you know how to use it.
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Conservation  Photo: Suzanne Swedo The Klamath River country has had a long history of over-exploitation in the form of careless logging, mining, and grazing, yet some relatively untouched wilderness jewels have been preserved. Understanding the natural history of a region like this one as we travel through it, learning how everything in nature is intertwined with and dependent upon everything else reminds us how important the protection of such relationships are to all live on earth, including our own. We plan to travel lightly over the land ourselves, practicing Leave No Trace principles, including camping away from water sources, off of meadows, carrying bear canisters, and reducing our footprint by sharing tents.
See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy. The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.
Leader:
Assistant Leader: 
Melinda Goodwater has been leading backpack trips for Sierra Club Outings for over 15 years. She quit her full-time job when it got in the way of her trips and has been leading adventures ever since. She leads treks from Nepal to Alaska to the desert Southwest. When not in the wilderness, Melinda still does consulting work as an electronic engineer. Melinda has training in CPR and is a wilderness first responder. She is an avid fan of long trails (a reasonable section at a time), so don't be surprised if you bump into her in the wilderness sometime!
E-mail: mgoodwater@sbcglobal.net General Notes About Sierra Club Trips
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Suzanne Swedo is a botanist who leads wilderness seminars for the Yosemite Association and other organizations as well as her own adventure travel company. She has just written a new book, Hiking the Hawaiian Islands, and she writes trail guides for Falcon Publishing including Hiking Yosemite National Park, Best Easy Day Hikes in Yosemite, and Wilderness Survival. She has led Sierra Club outings for 20 years and has hiked the mountains of every continent.