Marble Mountain Wilderness:
Little Marble Valley
Terrain
Fairly moderate hiking - climbing on the ridges above the valley add difficulty of routefinding and off-trail scrambling. This is a great choice for a two or three day backpacking trip - A loop through Little Marble Valley, through Sky High Lakes, with a stop at Shadow Lake or day hikes to the ridges above the valley can be accomplished in three days with minimal effort.
Distance & Elevation
4,300 feet at Lover's Camp trailhead, 7,442 at the summit of Black Marble Mtn. Roughly 10 miles roundtrip - additional mileage can be added for Shadow Lake or scrambles up to ridgetops.
Getting There & Map:
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From Ashland, OR head south on I-5 roughly 45 mins to Yreka. From Yreka head south on CA Hwy-3/Fort Jones Rd until you reach Fort Jones, CA. Head west on Scott River Rd. until you reach Indian Scotty Campground, turn left on FS Rd. 44N45 - follow the road until you reach the Lover's Camp trailhead.
Recommended Equipment
*note* This list is not all-inclusive, and is intended for recommendation only. All backpackers have their own preferences and choices in terms of gear.
- 55-85L Backpack
- Sturdy Waterproof Boots
- Scree gaiters
- 15 degree Synthetic or Down Sleeping Bag
- Sleeping Pad (Thermarest or similar)
- Lightweight 3-season tent
- Liquid fuel or Canister stove
- Fuel Bottles or Canister Fuel
- Pot set - aluminum, steel, or titanium
- Headlamp with extra batteries
- Map, Compass, GPS optional
- Sun Hat
- Sunglasses
- Hiking Poles
- Lip Balm and sunscreen
- Light First Aid Kit
- Cordage for clothes-lines, lashing, hanging bear-bags (30-50 ft)
- Lighter, Waterproof Matches
- Sewing Kit, Duct Tape (wind a small amount on your poles)
- 2-3 Water containers, e.g. bottles, reservoirs, etc
- Water Filter (many options)
- Book or etc
- Toilet trowel
- Backpacker's towel
- Rain Jacket, Rain Pants
- Long Underwear top and bottom (no cotton!)
- Two or more pairs of socks, liners (no cotton!)
- Hiking shorts
- Hiking Shirt
- Synthetic or Down insulated jacket
- Warm Hat
- Pack Cover or Pack Liner
- Stuff Sacks (at least one extra)
Food & Water
*note* This is intended as a recommendation - everyone's preferences for backpacking food are different.
Plan to drink 2-3L of water per day! Pack one pre-packaged, dehydrated meal in the bottom of your pack for emergencies. Here at AOS, we like oatmeal or cream-of-wheat for breakfasts. Dried fruit, brown sugar, butter, and powdered milk make these hot breakfasts delicious! For lunches, you have many options. Bagels with dried hummus, cheese, mustard, and salami makes a hearty meal, and bagels keep well for up to a week. Package cheese in a double-wrap of tin foil, and be delicate with it - this will keep the cheese fresh for a long while! Other lunch options include crispbread with cheese and fruit, dried hummus, etc - the options are endless. Bring trail mix for snacks and as a compliment for lunches. We like to bring a small selection of energy food as well: chews, gels, bars (your preference). For dinner, we recommend hearty meals that don't take up much space: pastas, soups, etc. Salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, spike, yeast, hot sauce, and olive oil all make great additions to any meal.
Keep in mind that amount of food and food choice varies greatly with length of trip, season, amount of people in your group, and dietary restriction. We feel that we always end up with less gear and more food - a good principle to follow.
Another thing to consider as a general principle, based on season. Plan to consume:
Warm conditions - 1 1/2 lbs per person, per day = 2,500 to 3,000 calories
Cooler Conditions - 1 3/4-2 lbs per person, per day = 3,000 to 3,500 calories
Cold, or Winter conditions - 2-2 1/2 lbs per person, per day = 3,500 to 5,000 calories
Additional Info
The Marbles usually have a large amount of snowpack until mid-summer - July and August are the best months to plan a trip, not only in terms of accessibility and weather, but because of the local mosquito population, which diminishes as summer wanes.
Many caves are present in Little Marble Valley, including one of the deepest in the continental U.S. - Bigfoot Cave. All of them should be consider only by serious cavers with prerequisite skills and proper equipment. Do not under any circumstances enter these caves alone - keep in mind that air and ground temperatures hover between 32 and 40F, even through the hottest periods of the summer. Be safe!