Below Boulder: Deep Lake

Klamath National Forest

DAY 1  |  DAY 2

Red and orange lines for day 1. Click for interactive map

We headed up to the Boulder Creek Trailhead the night before and stayed in the equestrian parking area, a much quieter camping area than the remains of the pre-bridge ford I stayed in before. It is a large, fairly flat area just past the small parking area by the trailhead sign. The trailhead was sporting a brand new sign with the same old trail behind it.

The new sign at the old trailhead.

Shortly after light, someone else drove up and a collection of chainsaws started up with enthusiasm, sounding like they were opening up the closed road and maybe taking their motorcycles down it, or some other decidedly illegal activity. It turned out to be a fire crew tasked with thinning the forest. We passed by many a fresh burn pile from their work of the last few days.

A whole lot of burn piles, but the trail is freshly cleared too. All with the tones of half a dozen chainsaws making more.

Fortunately, the chainsaws were headed west as we climbed southward, gaining a few smoky views. They had already been along the trail and cut out a few logs I remembered climbing over leaving only one large one that pushes the trail off the side a couple feet. Otherwise it is clear climbing all the way to the wilderness boundary. They hadn't worked quite that far up.

It takes a while to gain a view and then only as small windows in the trees, but there's not much to look at today.

There is a spot where the view opens up.

We were four strong with little specific plan except for going to Wright Lakes for an overnight. Daniil was talking about all the wanderings we could do the next day to make it sound like more than an overnight and I'd been told it was a little more, but the other two had to be back so it was definitely an overnight. For today, he was sure we could go up to camp at Upper Wright Lake and then day hike over to Deep Lake.

A few remaining delicate California harebells.

The weather looked good with a small chance of a little afternoon rain the first day and a slightly bigger chance of a little rain the following day, but sort of dissolved into hard rain after that. While I'd really like to do a loop hike exploring all sorts of this corner of the Marble Mountain Wilderness, it would need more than three days, so the loss of that expected (rainy) third day out wasn't too badly felt.

The maker of the buzzing bird call that is the sound of summer to me: red breasted nuthatch.

A few Siskiyou beardtongue blooming.

Things get better, view wise, once a little way into the official wilderness. There's more opportunities for views and we were starting to get above the smoke. The audio was full of the calls of red breasted nuthatches instead of growling chainsaws.

Marble Mountain through the top of the smoke layer.

In the distance, the same rock outcrop as before, but now from near the top of the smoke layer.

We were moving slowly. Even if we hadn't been, I knew Deep Lake would be a bit much if I went up to make camp and then backtracked to hike out to it, but could be done if I dropped gear for the out-and-back. Since I had a mild regret for not wandering over to it on my way down from Boulder Peak two years ago, I really wanted to make it happen this time. Besides, it was likely to be the only new bit for this trip. I couldn't get any other interest at the junction, so headed off alone.

Second Valley, where I came down from the mountain two years before.

The trail is magnificent, clinging to a steep mountain side most of the way. It did get slightly difficult to see the route just past Second Valley, where it started to be new to me, but only for a short way through a tiny flat. After that, magnificence! And perhaps a little worry since it is one of the trails marked in black instead of purple on the trailhead map. This is without explanation, but I strongly suspect black is unmaintained.

Smoke in the Scott Valley.

The Deep Lake Trail clinging to the side of the steep mountain.

Toothed owl's clover with a flower crab spider on the far left.

Fringed grass of Parnassus along a small stream coursing down the slope.

Box Camp Mountain rising up behind the next ridge as the trail comes around to Deep Lake.

Valley ahead!

Somewhere below those steep slopes way down that valley is Deep Lake.

I was surprised to find a short wooden sign marking the junction to the trail to Deep Lake. It's even in good shape. Behind it is a frequently soggy trail as befits something that crosses the outflow of several springs. At least one might be somewhat substantial. The trail was pretty obvious until quite near the lake.

Beautiful willowherbs were in the biggest spring fed flow.

Deep Lake and the rest of the valley.

I didn't see any obviously camped areas. My ponderings of loops in the area seem to end up camping here. Maybe the next lake (Little Elk Lake) is just too much better. Or I just missed it over on the western side of the valley. I didn't have much time to hang out. I was expected back with the group around 6 and that would be tight already.

There are several lakes above Deep Lake and I suspect this bench on the left might be the easiest route there.

A couple beautiful mountain bog gentian on bushes that were dominated by dried out buds on their way to seed.

I found a nice spot for snacks on rocks nearly hanging over the lake. The trail ran out before I got there, but the grass had been smashed down from some previous travel.

Deep Lake with Boulder Peak rising up behind its cliffs.

All of Deep Lake from my snack rocks.

Less than 10 minutes from when I sat down, the first roll of thunder washed through suggesting that the cloudy half of my sky might be taking over the area no matter how much sun I was sitting in. Even if it didn't eventually get to where I was, it might get to where my socks for tomorrow sat, protected only by a mesh bag. I headed out quickly.

Perhaps the easier way up to the lakes above is the gully that drains them into Deep Lake.

Half and half sky with rain on one side and blue sky on the other.

Sulfur buckwheat.

A fireweed with a couple matching purple aphids.

Common woolly sunflower. They also happen to have aphids.

Giant red paintbrush. With aphids. Everybody has aphids!

A gully the map said should have spring fed water.

Clarks nutcracker in the breezes.

I had found a bit of trail coming in from Second Valley and investigated it. It joined up with the one I'd come down before, so that's why the very last bit became a mess. I missed the very last turn.

Boulder Peak in the gathering rain from the trail up Second Valley. It competes poorly with all the cow paths, so is hard to follow.

The very first drops of rain were starting to fall on me as I arrived at my stashed gear. It hadn't been getting rain either. I tucked it all away quickly, but the rain wasn't hard enough to put on any rain gear. It was already time for me to arrive at camp.

A sculpted puffball.

As I'd figured from the clues of the rain and thunder sounds, I was headed toward the thick of the storm when I'd been off to the side. It got raining hard enough that I wanted to get my poncho on before getting out from under the trees. Finding a good tree for shelter, I went ahead and put on that poncho as the rain stepped it up a notch and fell even harder around me.

Wright Lakes Trail on the way to the Boulder Creek crossing.

A little waterfall to compensate for not getting to see the bigger one.

As I arrived at Lower Wright Lake, I wasn't too surprised to see tents that were probably my group. They had even selected the exact site I'd picked two years before. The exact spot I had pitched my tent was still available, though, so that made site selection easy.

Lower Wright Lake below Boulder Peak.

The rain was lessening as I arrived at the camp an hour late. Get water, get food, get the tent up, try not to be too wet and cold along the way. We got one last glorious bit of sun as it got below the clouds just before setting.

The ridge below Upper Wright Lake just before it turned red.

It turned very red with all the smoke still in the air.

Colors in the sky above the other ridge.

Different colors out over the valley.

It was actually quite late by the time I got everything done. Rain had dribbled and gone and dribbled some more on the way. But I wasn't the latest out. Daniil came down the mountain by headlamp. The other two had stayed nice and dry in their tent during the decidedly-not-light rain, mostly, like sensible people.

Continue on to the next day ⇒




*photo album*


©2026 Valerie Norton
Published 6 Jan 2026