46. Patterson Lake and Squaw Peak

Length:	18 miles round trip
Hiking time:	3 to 4 days
High point:	9,150 feet
Total elevation gain:	3,350 feet
Difficulty:	moderate
Season:	mid-June through late October
Water:	generally available from lakes and streams, but none for the last 2.6 miles; purify first
Maps:	USGS 7.5' Soup Creek, USGS 7.5' Eagle Peak, USGS Warren Peak, USFS South Warner Wilderness
Information:	Warner Mountain Ranger District, Modoc National Forest

This hike takes you through dense fir forest to lush meadows and eventually to high sagebrush desert country. Along the way you'll visit beautiful Patterson Lake and enjoy expansive views of the mountainous landscape of northeastern California, southern Oregon, and northwestern Nevada.

From the junction of Highways 395 and 299 in Alturas, head south on Highway 395 for 1.1 miles, then turn left onto County Road 56. Drive another 13.8 miles, then bear right at a major junction 0.3 mile past the point where the paved road changes to dirt. Follow this main dirt road another 10.4 miles, then turn left where a sign directs you the final 1.5 miles to Pine Creek Trail, your trailhead. Avoid other signed roads taking off from the main dirt road that have destinations with the word pine in them.

The trail begins its steady uphill climb, usually within earshot of tributaries of the South Fork of Pine Creek, under the shade of white fir, Jeffrey pine, and quaking aspen. However, by the time you pass a small, shallow pond on the left side of the trail at 0.6 mile, the latter two trees have been replaced by whitebark pine, a hardy species you'll encounter frequently from here on.

Reach a trail fork at 1.3 miles. The left-hand trail leads 50 yards downhill to a small but deep lake with campsites at the west and east ends. At 2.3 miles you'll pass another trailside pond on the right, also with campsites at the east and west ends. If other hikers have already claimed these, continue 100 yards due north of the pond to a lake with two sites on the east side.

Just past these two bodies of water, the trail leaves the white fir and whitebark pine forest. You now have the first open view of the Pine Creek Basin: a huge glacial bowl with 1,800-foot rock walls overlooking sagebrush-covered slopes and lush, verdant meadows.

About 100 feet from the forest, the trail makes a 90-degree turn to cross the creek and then a 50-foot stretch of meadow. Look carefully for two rock cairns on the other side of the meadow, just in case the trail is obscured.

Your way immediately leaves the meadow behind and starts a steady ascent of 1,600 feet over the next 2.4 miles. Initially you travel through a white fir forest and then pass through an aspen grove. At 0.5 mile from the creek crossing, leave most of the trees behind and walk along the sagebrush-dotted open slope with mule ear, lupine, Indian paintbrush, and other flowers keeping you company. Be sure to look for the numerous antelope and deer that call this paradise home. You'll also encounter several small creeks along the way, but these can dry up by late summer.

After enjoying the spectacular view of the Pine Creek Basin as you climb, you'll be rewarded with even more stupendous views at 4.7 miles when you reach the ridgecrest junction with Summit Trail, which runs north-south along the crest of the South Warner Mountains. Look south to the commanding summit of 9,892-foot Eagle Peak, the highest mountain in the Warners. To the east lie the irrigated green fields of Surprise Valley, along with three large, dry alkaline lakes. The desolate stretches of Nevada's basin and range dominate the landscape farther east. To the immediate north rise the steep sides of Warren Peak, and to the west and southwest Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak punctuate the skyline.

Once you've recovered from the climb and the awe-inspiring view, head left up to a saddle frequented by Clark's nutcrackers. Look northward for views of Squaw Peak, the North Warner Mountains, part of Goose Lake, and tall mountains stretching into southern Oregon. Also note the sedimentary rock layers here, which are overlain by volcanic basalts. The Warner Mountains were formed largely by volcanic eruptions over sediments that were then pushed up along faults as adjacent valleys, such as Surprise Valley, dropped down.

From the saddle the trail descends to the deep, cold, and clear waters of Patterson Lake at 5.5 miles. This beautiful body of water sits in a glacial cirque surrounded by 600-foot-high walls of basalt, crowned by 9,710-foot Warren Peak. You'll find several good campsites near the lake's west side.

The trail continues downhill 0.7 mile to the shallow waters of Cottonwood Lake. This small lake offers two campsites and good views of cliffs to the west.

Consider doing the last 2.8 miles to the summit of Squaw Peak as a day hike, using one of the two lakes as a base camp. The path enters a meadow filled with corn lilies and then passes a spring 0.2 mile past Cottonwood Lake, your last source of water for the remainder of the hike. Ascend briefly from here, then walk along the crest of the South Warner Range past mountain mahogany, sagebrush, and numerous wildflowers as you enjoy the wide, open views to the west and east.

Once beside Squaw Peak, located 9 miles from the trailhead, you can easily pick a cross-country route to the top. From here, you'll have a breathtaking 360-degree view over all of northeastern California and large sections of southern Oregon and northwestern Nevada.