Best Hike in Desolation Wilderness??

“Let's hear it Californians!

What's your favorite hike in this great spot?

I think we're heading off next weekend for three days to take the Glen Alpine Trail to Gilmore Lake and then summit Mt. Talac. The wildflowers are supposed to be stunning along this section.”

“I've been wanting to go into that area but haven't yet.

Trailbum and I were talking about maybe doing a trip there in September. Have a great trip wherever you decide to go!”

“Thanks Hikerchic!

I've done a few trips in the area before and it is really stunning. One of California's most heavily used wilderness areas (due to relatively close proximity to the Bay Area) but it's easy to see why. It's just gorgeous!”

“I'll wave to ya' from the top of Mt. Price, rosey!”

“Right on, Boulder Man!”

“I like heading up over Dick's Pass, the view is great both directions, down to Dick's Lake & that direction, or, turn around and you have a view of Susie, Half Moon, Heather & Aloha off in the distance. Great view all along the way there via the trail from Gilmore.

Or, a much less crowded hike I really like is up the loop around Schmidel, 4Q's, etc. There is some GREAT fishing in Schmidel!”

“Hello Roseymonster

Having Desolation right in my backyard just about, I wanted to to post on your message. You are right it is very beautiful indeed..I feel very fortunate to live so close to it.

One of my all time favorite hikes is hiking up Lyons creek and up to Lyons Lake, and then xcrountry up to the ridge on to Mt Price...any hike starting at wrights lake is just beautiful.
Let me know if you are coming up to Tahoe..I think it would be so neat to meet someone from this board.
Thanks for posting this :)
Anita

P.S. Bowlderman have a great hike to Mt Price”

“Thanks, madeintahoe! Our original plan is to hike up there via Twin Lakes - that seems to be a reasonably easy route. Have you ever gone up via Smith Lake? Is that too much of a scramble? We're most definitely not "climbers," but can scramble over boulders, etc. We're staying at Hemlock Lake, so going the Smith Lake way is shorter. Unless it's really difficult, of course....”

“Here's BowlderSon prepping for our assault on Mt. Price. Well, not really. If we have to do any of this, we'll just turn around and go back to camp! This was at his surprise birthday party last Saturday....”

“Hey! Thanks for posting MadeinTahoe!

Since you're so close I'll let you kow the details when we get a little closer to the hike. Seems there may be a conflict of interest for the dates we selected but I'm working to remedy that. Always up on meeting and greeting new faces!”

“Hello again!
yes, Roseymonster always great to meet another happy hiker. It would be wonderful to meet you.

Bowlderman, I have not gone to Price via Smith lake..but was on a day hike with some friends to smith lake, and a few of them continued on and went xcrountry from smith lake to price and down to island lake by the twin lakes and out, I did not join them because I had my Doggie with me..was worried about the xcrountry section of it for her, so decided not to go with them. Some of them said it was quite a challenging hike just to get up and out of smith lake, and then they said they had a tricky section desending price back to island lake, but all very doable they said. I have only done price from lyons lake which is a really beautiful hike up from lyons lake.
I wish you the best adventure this weekend! I may be day hiking pyramid peak either this saturday or sunday..so I will wave over to you on mt price”

“Excellent info, made - thanks! I will peer down to the southeast when we're on the summit on Saturday!”

“I've done your planned Gilmore/Tallac route many times, you won't be disappointed! I wish I had some photos uploaded online from those trips. I grew up hiking Desolation and I've been to every lake multiple times. My favorite loop trip there is hiking from Wright's Lake over Rockbound Pass to Lois Lake and Lake Schmidell and then over to Leland Lakes, McConnell Lake (natural reproducing golden trout, but it's really just a meadowy creek now), to Horseshoe Lake and to remote Highland Lake, then backtrack a bit and go by 4Q Lakes and drop down into the valley and up the Rubicon River to Clyde Lake, cross country over the steep ridge to Island Lake and drop back down to Twin Lakes and back to Wright's Lake. It makes a great 3-day loop through some pretty country and great fishing. And it's the least visited section of the Wilderness. But it's all good there. I just don't backpack there too much any more because it's so regulated that I can't just be spontaneous. And it's also $5 per night per person (up to 2 nights each), and paying for backpacking in beautiful public wilderness land goes against my principles (the land of the fee, home of the paid?, wassup widdat?). But I still day hike there quite often, usually to climb peaks like Tallac or Pyramid Peak. Desolation is only about an hour and a half from my garage door, but I still drive 5-6 hours each way every weekend to get down to the REAL good schtuff, the southern High Sierra. Oh yaaaa, man.”

“Way up top there, where you think you might have landed on the moon, that's what is great about Desolation.”

“Anyone out there done a Desolation Valley trip from north to south (one-way) or south to north? I can't find any info online. I was thinking about maybe starting around Rubicon reservoir (if possible) and heading south through Rockbound Valley, to Lake Aloha and ending up at Echo lake resort perhaps. It looks like there are plenty of trails, but I thought I'd see if anyone had done it, approx. mileage, if it's a worthwhile hike, points of interest (specific lakes more scenic than others), etc. Thanks.”

“I've been to Desolation so much, I don't do long trips there anymore, just a night or two now, the last two Spring's in early Spring over the snow to Velmas or Dicks Lakes. You'll like it, depending on when you go, it will be hot. Keep your eyes peeled for the trail after leaving those reservoirs up north, the trail takes a few abrupt 90 degree turns a few times until you hit Campers Flat. You'll have to cross the river, just before Campers Flat, then the last 90 to the south after crossing the river. Some nice open areas along the river up north, you'll wish you could take a swim, then nice meadows and country south of Campers Flat. Watch for the old log cabin in the fenced pasture at China Flat, just before the trail up to Rockbound Pass? Schmidell, Lois, Doris, Lake of the Woods are worth seeing, especially Schmidell when all is nice and lush still. Wow. Aloha will have a bunch of nice views towards Pyramid? Peak and that ridge to the west of Aloha. You'll be tempted to use a raft to travel about on Aloha. Many lakes just to the south of Aloha that only see a few people, time consuming to skirt them all.
Duane”

“Just did a great two day loop-- going to lyons lake via bloodsucker and then in the morning, xcrountry to hemlock and smith. The tricky part is picking how high up the ridge of Price above Lyons so that you can find the moderate to easy path down to the pasture parallel to Hemlock. The best answer is about 1/2 way up or slightly lower then scoot over the the pass below the big granite. There you will find an easy opening at the base of the large rock and only a few large bolders at the end. Once in the meadow, stay high and straight and you'll hit Hemlock/Smith. The rest is up to you. Have fun!”

“Is Bloodsucker Lake a popular camping spot?”