May 21-23, 2003, Paris Creek

With the Memorial Day weekend coming up, I wanted a lonesome destination for this week's tour. Paris Creek was certainly that. The trail (#1393.1) was snow free for ~2 1/2 miles or about a tenth of a mile beyond what the Boulder Creek locals apparently call the "New Paris Creek Road".  It might be possible to drive to the road end at ~ 3800' - - don't know if there is a gate or not, but I did see one set of fresh tire tracks.  Oh, and a giant pile of shotgun shells too! Ugh.

Skis on at 3900 feet. I had intended to camp somewhere near the location John M mentioned in his trip report, but, ah, um, age, fatigue, the threat of rain, and a bare and rocky south facing side hill just past the North Fork junction convinced me that discretion was the better part of valor. Camped between the Middle Fork and the South Fork with a nice view of Hibox, "Lobox", and the Three Queens.

Day skied up the South Fork and found some nice snow. Too bad my skiing did not match. At about 4700' I passed a truly monumental pile of avalanche debris. It looked like someone shredded a thousand Christmas trees, and tossed in a modest number of full size trees to boot. The slide appeared to have come off the north face of a minor high point 0.6 mi. north of Jolly Mtn. (which I call Ladybug).

I think the window of opportunity for skiing Paris Creek has about passed at least for the less than fully committed like me, with the possible exception of waiting maybe one or two weeks in the hope that one could boot it on the trail part way into the North Fork drainage. On the way out the weather cleared and I got a view up that direction. What I saw was awe-inspiring.