The trail near Pacific Crest leads to three places to cool off
Hans Kuhr makes his way along the Pacific Crest Trail to Deadfall Lakes. [Photo by Lee Juillerat]
Middle Deadfall Lake offers camping and swimming. [Photo by Lee Juillerat]
The Pacific Crest Trail-Deadfall Lakes junction presents many attractive options. [Photo by Lee Juillerat]
Sometimes reaching the top of a mountain is not the end goal.
The view from Mount Eddy, at an elevation of 9,025 feet, is fantastic. It is the highest peak west of Mount Shasta in the Klamath Mountains. From Eddy’s high peak, Shasta looks remarkably massive and almost close enough to touch.
But this afternoon the temperatures were rising faster than us, into the mid-80s. We were lounging at Upper Deadfall Lake at 7,790 feet, enjoying the view of the calm lake and Mount Eddy from a cozy shelter and shade of trees
From Upper Deadfall, our group of eight diverged. An anxious hiker made his way to the top of Eddy. Another decided to hike halfway up the steep, sun-exposed summit trail and then retreat. A third decided to rest in Upper Deadfall before returning to Middle Deadfall. And possibly the smartest of them all decided to immediately go back to Middle Deadfall Lake and go swimming.
Three of us followed Hans Kuhr, who has explored the Deadfall Lake region several times. We started up the trail, but Eddy’s Peak was not our goal.
Instead, Hans led the climb to a path that only he could see leading off the trail. Carefully using his hiking poles for balance, he made his way down hard. The trio of us followed, weaving and creating our own improvised routes.
Within minutes, the outlines of a lake came into view. It is tucked away from the main track in a bowl-like setting, surrounded and framed by trees, a mix of pines and firs. The name of the lake is unknown; it’s unnamed on every map I’ve seen since then.
We stopped briefly at the edge of the lake before continuing on, winding along a barely visible trail that eventually intersected with the Deadfall Lakes Trail at a murky pond above Middle Deadfall Lake.
Finally, we headed where I wanted to go. On my previous hike to the top of Mount Eddy, the return trip included a dip in Middle Deadfall. The memory persists.
I was looking forward to it. And once I rejoined most of the others in Middle Deadfall, I stayed in my socks, boots, shorts, and shirt. Splash! – at the lake
Ahhhh… Refreshing.
There is something indescribable about a refreshing bath after a hot day of hiking.
It was a day that, in retrospect, started later than it should have. It was almost 11 o’clock when we headed from the Parks Creek Summit trailhead to the lakes.
Located at a junction along the Pacific Crest Trail, the trailhead includes an information kiosk and vault restrooms. From there we followed the PCT south about 2 1/2 miles gently uphill to a marked junction with the Deadfall Lakes Trail.
Along the way there were openings with panoramic views of the nearby and vast Trinity Alps. Much of the trail was shaded by a welcome variety of spruces and pines.
Best of all, near the seasonal streams, the trail’s edge was lush with flowers—a cornucopia that included yellow lupines, red columbine, paintbrush, corn lily, angelica, spirea, scarlet gilia, yarrow, penstemon, and far more. Since we were on the lake, we mostly drove past. But on the way back to the trailhead, many of us stopped to look, speculate on the names of the flowers (Danny Hawkes did most of the identification) and take photos.
On our way back from the lake, we encountered several northbound PCT through backpackers, some who stopped to filter water in a stream for the dry stretches ahead, others who never break step as they advanced.
Because it is just steps from the PCT-Deadfall Lakes crossing, Lower Deadfall Lake is heavily used by PCTers. Middle Deadfall Lake, considered by frequent visitors to be the prettiest of the bunch, is also close but semi-hidden from the PCT. But Middle Deadfall is obviously no secret, with a number of well-used campsites along its northern coast and more secluded southern flanks.
On our way to Upper Deadfall, we had only stopped at Middle Lake. For some of us, its waters were immediately tempting. Like some of the others, I found comfort in knowing that we would be back, this time to enter.
Leaving Middle Deadfall after the first stormy sighting, a couple of us played catch-up while others forged the steeper path to Upper Deadfall. From Middle Deadfall, the trail climbs steeply over 500 feet in about three-quarters of a mile to the upper lake.
There were visual treats along the way, including scattered foxtail pines. Found only at high elevations, a subspecies of foxtail pine is found mostly in the Klamath Mountains. They are different because their bark can vary in color from gray to cinnamon red.
As mentioned, Upper Deadfall was a good place for lunch, and the detour to the unnamed lake was a treat. But the dip in Middle Deadfall was the real reward, one that all five of us savored.
Even after partially drying off, the wet sheen of the lake waters was welcome on the hike back to the trailhead. As a friend pointed out, a relaxing swim in Middle Deadfall proved that, yes, high mountain lakes and I get along swimmingly-Lee.
Contact freelance writer Lee Juillerat at 337lee337@charter.net or 541-880-4139.
