My sixth trip of the season was to continue maintenance on the Five Lakes Creek Trail, which left short on my previous trail maintenance trip (Granite Chief 2026-08-01 maintenance) in early August. As usual, I took the train to Truckee, had tea at Dark Horse Coffee, and took the bus to River Ranch. I hitched up to the Five Lakes trailhead. I’ve grown increasingly tired of walking the road to that trailhead, and have had good luck getting a ride from locals. I walked in that afternoon and evening to Whiskey Creek Camp, and camped for the night. Whiskey Creek is very slow, the lowest I can remember seeing this time of year, and it cease flowing this fall, though there will probably still be pools. The spring that crosses the Pacific Crest Trail on the way there is still flowing, though low.

I worked the Five Lakes Trail the rest of the way to the north Big Spring Trail junction, cutting all down trees and leaners that are small enough to cut with my folding saw, clearing debris from the trail and minor brushing. This section of Five Lakes Creek Trail is in acceptable condition, with larger down trees, but easy step-overs or good bypasses. I then worked the Big Spring Trail across Five Lakes Creek, which is low but flowing, to Big Spring Meadow, and to the area above Big Spring. The best trail to the north of the spring, and the best trail to the south of the spring, do not match, so I cleared alder in the dry (usually) creekbed, to connect the two. If you cross directly from the south section, you will end up in the Big Spring bog. I set rock ducks through the Big Spring Meadow, where the trail does not get enough use to define a tread. I did not work south of Big Spring, and this section of trail to the south Big Spring junction, is in poor condition, many down trees, debris heavy at times, and some uncertainty where it crosses a dry meadow.

Wednesday was a perfect day for cloud watching, with cumulus clouds forming and dissipating. Not great day for animal shapes, but the process and edges are endlessly fascinating.

And at night a nearly new moon made for great star watching. Jupiter and Venus are down below the horizon at sunset, but Saturn comes up in the east not too long after.

I also worked a short distance on Five Lakes Creek Trail south of the north Big Spring Trail junction, cutting many small down trees and leaners, clearing debris, and some brushing. I made a good bypass of a huge down yellow pine. But this was only perhaps 10% of the distance to the Shanks Cove Trail junction, and it will require several days of work to complete. This trail is not much used, so following it through the many down trees and heavy debris is challenging. At the junction with Shanks Cove Trail, the trail sign post is long gone, and the sign is often on the ground, but is in good condition, quite readable. The section of Five Lakes Creek Trail to the south Big Spring Trail junction is in better condition, but not maintained. The crossing of Five Lakes Creek has been brushed.

For more detail on the trails maintained, and not maintained, see the Trail Conditions page.

Heading out, I went over ‘Squaw’ Saddle and dropped into Olympic Valley to the Western States Trail section that traverses the valley from Watson Monument to Hwy 89, and then dropped down to Palisades Tahoe to catch the bus back to Truckee, and more tea at Dark Horse Coffee, and jalapeño cheddar bread at Cornerstone Bakery. And home on the train again.

On the last day I smelled smoke on the trail and in Truckee. I looked in Watch Duty and saw nothing near except a small prescribed burn which could not have produced that much smoke. Turns out it was the Lucas Fire in Mendocino and Lake counties, which is still burning though not actively spreading. The smoke was taking a circuitous route though Sacramento and up to the Tahoe area.

This may or may not be my last trip of the year to Granite Chief Wilderness. I have one more window in October, but that depends on the weather. And water sources, as most will be dry by then unless there is rain. There have been almost no thunderstorms this season, and though precipitation was about normal last winter, it came early and the snow melted early, so it dry out there.

• Photos on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/allisondan/albums/72177720335654553
• Granite Chief collection on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/allisondan/collections/72157637640215275/