Picayune Valley (Placer County, California)

 

I've hiked so much of the area around Lake Tahoe over the years, but I've never really explored the Granite Chief Wilderness on the northwestern. When I saw a hike listed on one the meetup groups I belong to pioneer a route through the Picayune Valley, I thought it would be a great chance to see this remote area.

Meeting the group on the west side of Reno, seven of us headed to the Squaw Ski Resort in Olympic Valley in four vehicles. We dropped two off and then traveled a few miles down the road to Alpine Meadows, where we met  up with two more hikers at the Five Lakes Trailhead. From here, we headed up the mountain and along Five Lakes Creek. The organizers had mentioned a report they had found last night that describes a river crossing further along part of the trail that may prove problematic. Luckily, I brought my water shoes, but some members of the group were a bit concerned with this development.

As we joined the Pacific Crest Trail for a short distance, the three hikers concerned with the river crossing decided to depart our group and make for a different destination with a little less adventure. We wish them well and continue on to our fateful exploration of this seldom visited valley. 

When we ascend the ridge, we note the hillsides covered with milkweed and mule ear, which are blooming into a marvelous yellow field. To the south, the valley carved out by Whiskey Creek opens up with gorgeous views of the Sierras. Off the north side of the ridge, the valley we intend to explore lays broad and potent. The Picayune Valley runs a few miles south to north until it abruptly ends at the Middle Fork of the American River and a steep cliff-side below Granite Chief.

While we carefully watch the track of our descent into the valley, Paul, who planned the route, remarks about their being many more fallen trees when he hiked this area last summer. Apparently, some individuals generous with their time and labor have visited since then and cross-cut many of the fallen trees to make a clean passage down the hillside and through most of the valley. In the valley itself, we pause to examine some long-abandoned pioneer cabins left to the ravages of time (though they seem to be holding up pretty well).

As we reach the area below a rock formation, the organizers refer to as the Cathedral, we pause for a short time for some pictures. I note the large quartz veins in the rocks beneath my feet. Looking up at the Cathedral above, an awesome piece of granite explodes out of the green hillside. Having vacationed in New Orleans just a couple of months ago, I'm reminded of the famous St. Louis Cathedral and the resemblance to it.

Just a short distance further down the trail, where the creek cuts carves a channel out from the stone valley floor, we decide to break for lunch. I enjoy a protein shake and some Nature's Bakery fig bars, while chatting with some of my hiking companions, John, Rob, Terry, Jim, and Paul. We rest for the better part of an hour and I explore the area just below us and the waterfall that delivers the water to it. It's a one beautiful little site in this broader expanse of beauty. 

We finish our lunch and push on until we reach the northern end of the valley and the Middle Fork of the American River. Contrary to the reports we had, the river crossing is not as terrible as we had been lead to believe. I swap over to my water shoes and with the aid of one of Paul's hiking poles, I maneuver past the large boulders and through the frigid and fast moving water to safely reach the other side. 

From there, the trail disappears and we follow the approximate track that Paul took up this hillside last summer. It's quite challenging for most of us. There is no trail and we are forced to find our way through dense bushes (mostly small manzanita), patches of pulverized granite sand, and the occasional boulder to take a hand hold on. This is certainly class 3 terrain as we are forced to use our hands for the majority of the ascent. With the sun exposure, I begin to feel light-headed and show symptoms of light heat exhaustion. I'm forced to break often as we climb. 

It's taxing and truly kicks my butt, but I finally reach the top. I tell group that I need a few minutes to recover before moving on. I take the time to hydrate myself and relax. After ten of fifteen minutes, I feel well enough to continue, but I know that I've lost the bulk of my energy on this ascent. I warn my companions that I may be slow as we continue on.

From there, the trail is relatively easy as it undulates along the ridge top making our way toward the backside of the Squaw Valley Ski Resort. I am disappointed though, when at every turn, the trail continues gently upward instead of downward, which would be much more to my liking.

Finally, we reach the resort and make our way to the gondola that will carry us down to the bottom of Olympic Valley. It's been one hell of a hike, likely the most difficult I've done this season, but I'm glad to have explored this area. We hiked 17.3 miles with a total elevation gain of around 4,500' of elevation gain, a thousand feet or so of which was the ascent of that steep wall. Paul suggests grabbing some dinner before we part ways, and my stomach being open to a meal, I and two others take him up on the idea.