On Sunday, March 30, Nora, Marie, Marilyn, and I did a hike starting from Canyon Lake Marina. It was a variant of La Barge Lowest Loop, in which we did much of the Canyon Loop, but instead of returning via the canyon, we instead returned via Boulder Canyon Trail #103.
I gather that this can be a difficult hike, but we were fortunate to not see much water while doing the canyon hiking. This meant that we were able to avoid some bushwhack sections that might be attempted had there been more pools. We only saw two significant pools that we had to cross; the first one we got across by walking across some smallish and shaky (downed) trees; the second was passed by going scrambling up and down a boulder. There were still several bushwhacking sections that we couldn’t find a way to avoid, but they weren’t horrible. There were a bunch of spots where we thought we’d have to bushwhack, but upon getting closer, we found a way through, often by rock hopping boulders that prevented the very type of growth that we sought to avoid!
This is the really wet part of La Barge Creek; it’s not wet because there’s water flowing down La Barge Creek, but because it’s taking the overflow from Canyon Lake. This section of the creek lies just west of the first half mile up Boulder Canyon Trail #103.
Looking back towards Canyon Lake:
We left Boulder Canyon Trail and took a spur trail part way down to the creek. On the way down, we saw a bluff from which we could get a better look at the creek. This photo is looking downstream towards where it meets Canyon Lake.
We left the bluff view area and returned to the trail leading down to the creek. Shortly after reaching the creek, I took this photo looking up-creek.
Note the rock with a hole in it – an arch? – up ahead…
Nora and I both noticed a large boulder being held up by smaller rocks.
Approaching a narrower part of the canyon…
Looking back…
Going through the narrower section…
Looking ahead again:
I think that this is looking back again:
I forgot to take photos of the two pools we encountered; we’re past them at this point, though I think that one of the pools is on the other side of the large boulders.
Marilyn and Nora continue to make their way up the rocky wash/creek:
Marie is sitting on one of the few sections of smooth rock that encountered.
I think that this is “port” side of Battleship Mountain:
Thankfully, there was a clear way to hike through the reeds at this point of our hike; earlier on, we had a stretch where we had to hike through them.
To the best of my knowledge, these ruins are the part of the “Indian Paint Mine”:
Our trek took us from La Barge Creek into Boulder Canyon. Here, we’re descending back towards the upper part of La Barge Creek:
Looking at the “bow” of Battleship Mountain:
At this point, I’ve hiked a significant way back on the Boulder Canyon Trail. This is a few of Canyon Lake:
Views of Battleship Mountain (left) and Weaver’s Needle (right and further away):