You can get to the most remote area of the Trinity Alps pretty easily from the Bay Area. You head north and then eventually get on highway 3 and take that to Trinity Alps road. You drive maybe 10 miles and the there is Stuart Fork trailhead. The hike is probably 10-13 miles to get to the area shown in the map (though the scramble up to the actual most remote area would be tough). I went to Emerald and Sapphire lakes last year (near the most remote area) and it was pretty painless. Perhaps you were just approaching the alps from another area?