The crest of the Sierra Nevada runs through it, just west of Lake Tahoe. Crag Lake and Rubicon Lake Trail to PCT is a 22.4 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Tahoma, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. It can be difficult to find solitude, especially if you’re hiking to Lake Aloha or up Pyramid Peak on a summer weekend. Dicks Pass, Trail The Desolation Wilderness is a 63,960-acre (258.8 km2) federally protected wilderness area in the Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in El Dorado County, California. The Rubicon River is a major tributary of the Middle Fork American River in the Sierra Nevada of Northern California, west of Lake Tahoe. Details. The hike to Lake Aloha is the ultimate day hike in Desolation Wilderness. Elevation Short, Steep, and Sweet. The project will require doing a fair bit of rock work. This large lake with scenic views is a great place for groups to camp. Eagle Falls & Eagle Lake Loop in the Desolation Wilderness Last Modified: March 18, 2020 129 shares Share Tweet Pin I am consistently overwhelmed by the beauty of California, and my time in Tahoe was no exception. Desolation Wilderness Volunteers - This site is for public information, trail conditions, and communication related to Desolation Wilderness, CA. The Rockbound Trailhead is from the northern portion of the wilderness and can be accessed by way of Ice House Road off Hwy 50 to Loon Lake Notes: The Desolation Wilderness consists of 63,000 acres with over one hundred small- to medium-sized lakes within a subalpine environment of granitic peaks and glacially formed valleys. This loop traverses over Rockbound Pass and Dicks Pass on its way to the beautiful Lake Aloha. Trip Overview: ~38 mile backpacking trip in Desolation Wilderness near South Lake Tahoe. Read more about the Rubicon Trail. Post it on The hike over Rockbound Pass is far less crowded than many of the trails on the eastern side of the wilderness. Day one of a 4 day backpacking trip through Desolation Wilderness. +480 feet above Stony Ridge Lake. Ice House Road Trailheads on the west side of Desolation: Loon Lake Trailhead, elevation 6,500 ft. A 6 mile hike starting along the southern edge of Loon Lake leads to the Buck Island Lake on the northern border of the wilderness area. The Trails are mostly forest-soft, with hard-packed and rock sections. Miles Welcome to Tahoe to Whitney Check out more photos from previous years Desolation project in our gallery. Not erratics left by receding glaciers, but shattered rock broken off and tumbled down from the surrounding cliffs. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used Its length is 60 miles (97 km) with a watershed of about 184 square miles (477 km2). The work on the service project will comprise of clearing trees from the trail with crosscut saws, general trail maintenance techniques, rock step and water bar construction, illegal campsite removal and restoration using a grip hoist, and campsite data collection for wilderness stewardship performance measures. Tallac, the areas around Meyers, and the Desolation Wilderness. North TYT: Stony Ridge Lake South TYT: Rubicon Lake. Desolation Wilderness is just west of Lake Tahoe and the Pacific Crest Trail. Rockbound Trail, Rubicon Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Velma Lakes Trail Loop is a 38.6 mile moderately trafficked loop trail located near Kyburz, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The hike up the switchbacks to Rubicon Lake from Stony Ridge Lake is not too hard, a short but solid intermediate difficulty trail. The Sun is hard on the head, while Sun and heat make hiking harder. Weather, North That pocket slips our trail East over onto Rubicon Lake's nifty little granite flat hemmed in by granite and forest, nestled in on the mountainside below Phipps Pass and Peak. Ridge Elevations, Details along the Trail Below: Magnificent Slab leads us into the channel. forest-wilderness PERMITS, Hike the fine The hike up the switchbacks to Rubicon Lake from Stony Ridge Lake is not too hard, a short but solid intermediate difficulty trail. Lake Genevieve, Hidden Lake, Stony Ridge Lake, Rubicon Lake Meeks Creek is a western tributary of Lake Tahoe which has its source on Rubicon Lake, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) northeast of Phipps Peak in Desolation Wilderness, trends northwest through Stony Ridge Lake, Shadow Lake, Crag Lake, and Lake Genevieve 3.5 miles (5.6 km), continues northeast 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to Meeks Bay on Lake Tahoe. Most of the trail work is repairing the damage from overuse, rather than Natural damage. Rock and trail work above Stony Ridge Lake. http://BruceHaverkos.comDesolation Wilderness, Backpacking Crag Lakes Basin. You will get the opportunity to work closely with Wilderness Rangers and Desolation Wilderness Volunteers on this exciting project. We had fished until dark and it must have been about 9:30 or 10:30PM. During the summer you can see jeepers along the Rubicon Jeep trail parked and camped at Spider Lake. There are seven major trailheads to access the Desolation Wilderness from Highway 89 and Highway 50. Loon Lake to Rubicon Reservoir is a 15.5 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Twin Bridges, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The link above brings us to the Front Page of the High Backpacking Trails and Topics Forums. Map. From Phipps Pass, the view above Goose Lakes below toward Mt. Restrooms located at the beach parking area on the trail. The Backpacker's Forum. We'll also maintain trails in the area by improving trail tread on nearby trails, and improving stream crossings. The trail is fairly flat for most of the hike, with only two sections of significant elevation gain, and you will pass by 5 lakes in under 12 miles round trip. Hiking on hard surfaces takes its toll on the feet. Rubicon Reservoir, Desolation Wilderness, El Dorado National Forest, CA (Sep 8th - Sep 14th 2019) Description. At waterfall camp, you'll have the opportunity to explore over 50 waterfalls. Above: Winding our way up towards Phipps Pass reveals lots of rock rising above dense forest cover surrounding us. Rubicon Lake is nestled into rocky folds buried under dense forest above the head of this valley, about 400 feet higher and a mile further South past the South Shore of Stony Ridge Lake, which is the last lake in this little series of valley lakes. 520 feet above Stony Ridge Lake, 1.13 miles North of Phipps Pass Many visitors comment that the name is entirely inappropriate for an area with such a rich diversity of scenery, topography and natural beauty. The only .Started at Meeks bay. Photos from Desolation Wilderness, California (near Lake Tahoe) 7.75 miles South of Meeks Bay trail head, 1.13 miles South of Stony Ridge Lake. Water on the Rocks... is a nice feature of Desolation Wilderness. The Eagle Falls Trailhead is off Hwy 89 at the end of Emerald Bay. Desolation’s characteristic features, especially at the higher elevations, are the vast exp… John Muir referred to the Sierra Nevada as "the most beautiful of all the mountain chains" or, more poetically, "the range of light." Another reason to keep our eyes on the skies, and the cliffs framing our skylines. desolation wilderness – meeks bay trail – stony ridge lake and hidden lake Posted on October 4, 2012 by pete July 24, 2014 A long weekend spent visiting a few lakes along Meeks Bay Trail in Desolation Wilderness. Desolation Wilderness is one of the most heavily used wilderness areas in the country. Due to it’s relatively easy access and proximity to large populations in the Bay Area, Sacramento, and Reno, Desolation Wilderness Area receives more use per acre than any other wilderness area in the U.S. TYT 480 feet below Phipps Pass. Above: Climbing upward into and through an amazing cut in the top of the rock rising above Stony Ridge Lake through beautiful forest and increasing-angle rock. This service project will be held in the northern end of the wilderness area and will be accessed by an 8.3-mile hike starting at Loon Lake. The Desolation Wilderness, located southwest of Lake Tahoe, above Emerald Bay contains 63,960 acres of subalpine and alpine forest, bald granite peaks, dramatic cliffs, and glacially-formed valleys and more than 100 lakes. And the forest filling these voids as well, for everything that presents beauty also contains elements of danger. The route would combine some familiar places along the Rubicon trail near the northern boundary of Desolation Wilderness, as well as the Eagle Lake trail from Emerald Bay up to the Velma Lakes. Backpack to this secluded destination that's hidden from most of the traffic in Desolation Wilderness. Maps Another trail ascends Tells Peak, but doesn’t connect to the rest of the wilderness area. During the winter months, most of the trailheads are covered by snow and are not accessible. That's compared to "exposed" terrain across hard rock terrain. Sunrise at Lake Aloha in Desolation Wilderness The Rubicon Trail leads from the north shore of Lake Aloha over Mosquito Pass and into the Rockbound Valley Climbing up to Mosquito Pass in Desolation Wilderness Looking back Local Temp and Snow Reporting Stations Mostly climbing out its West Shore Trailheads into The Crystal Range. Only.2 miles away, the top of Phipps Peak looks to be an imposing climb after already having logged 10 miles on the day. A large cool draft was blowing down mountain along with the small cool flow of water. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. It's shaded with soft trail. Lakes. John Muir referred to the Sierra Nevada as "the most beautiful of all the mountain chains" or, more poetically, "the range of light." On our third night there we sitting in camp. Soft segments of the trail are really nice after extended lengths on hard granite. Though Desolation is noted for its grand open basins of glacial cut granite surrounded by magnificent peaks, it also has some segments of trail into and through narrow, sheer canyons. 7 h 46 m This lake is the source of the Rubicon River. Trail clearing/maintenance, rock step/water bar construction, illegal campsite removal & area natura, Challenging : 8.3-mile backpack @ ~6500' with moderate gains/loss. Rubicon Lake is not one of our options along this little chain of lakes. Once inside of the wilderness we will set up camp at Rubicon Reservoir. The middle section, connecting these two ends, would all be new to me and include the mysterious, and ultimately elusive, Highland Lake. Surface and Exposure. Meek's Creek Trailhead is at the north end of the wilderness area along Hwy 89 at Meek's Bay. The trail follows the shore of Loon Lake and also the nearby Rubicon Jeep Trail. The rocky trail up Phipps Pass that did its best to show off the beauty of Desolation Wilderness below. If you choose not to take the water taxi, add 5 miles to the overall trip. Next page South Tallac, Bayview, Eagle Lake and Meeks Bay. General Notes: Loon Lake is a very scenic location for hiking, and is actually what used to be two lakes (along with Pleasant Lake) which have been combined into one for water storage purposes. INDEX, All Rubicon Lake Rubicon Lake. But don’t let this scare you away from enjoying 64,000 acres (100 square miles) of subalpine and alpine forest, granitic peaks, meadows of wildflowers, 75 glacially-formed lakes with names, and countless ones without names. The route would combine some familiar places along the Rubicon trail near the northern boundary of Desolation Wilderness, as well as the Eagle Lake trail from Emerald Bay up to the Velma Lakes. The trail is primarily used for Desolation Wilderness is one of the most heavily used wilderness areas in the country. Hiking Greg Lamy Genevieve Lake Crag Lake Stony Ridge Lake Rubicon Lake Phipps Peak Desolation Wilderness Lake Tahoe Hikes Hiking. +2081' rise from Meeks Bay trail head Stony Desolation Wilderness moderate (33) Length: 14.4 mi • Est. These delicate sounds, smells, and sights create tiny unique environments within the otherwise overwhelming grandure, inducing our senses to explore the smallest, as well as the largest, ranges of perception. Above: Moss & trickle, and immature cone. We have detected that your brower has javascript disabled. Main The crest of the Sierra Nevada North Shore of Lake Aloha We're a total of 21.16 miles South of the TYT Trailhead on the North end of Desolation Wilderness at Meeks Bay. Climbing up to Phipps Pass opens up broad vistas of the Southwestern Shore of Lake Tahoe, and dropping down off the pass brings us into the Heart of the Desolation Wilderness. The Desolation Wilderness is a 63,960-acre (258.8 km2) federally protected wilderness area in the Eldorado National Forest and Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, in El Dorado County, California. Some campsites are too close to the lake, and our task is to remove those illegal camps and naturalize the area. Our trail to Phipps Pass runs through a forest-filled channel of granite cut by glacier into the mountainside between Phipps Peak and was likely the source of the two magnificant granite ridge arms running off its Southwest flank as well. This project is rated as a challenging project. Desolation Wilderness is accessed through 13 trailheads: Loon Lake, Van Vleck, Rockbound, Twin Lakes, Lyons Creek, Pyramid Creek, Ralston Peak, Echo Lake, Glen Alpine, Mt. The Forest Service will provide pack animals to carry tools, group food, and kitchen supplies to our base camp. Digging, bending, moving rock & soil. Well, at least a couple! 8320 feet Wilderness Volunteers, PO Box 22292, Flagstaff, AZ 86002 USA, photos from previous years Desolation project. LOCATION: Located 12 miles from Tahoe City, off the lake side of highway 89, escape the hustle and bustle and relax with family and friends situated on a level, expansive double lot minutes away from the sandy beaches of Meeks Bay and granite boulders of Rubicon. Middle Velma Lake is another 3.44 miles beyond Phipps Pass, which makes it a total of 5.7 miles to Middle Velma from the South Shore of Stony Ridge Lake. Click the Big Red Dots. Hiking to Rubicon LakeinDesolation Wilderness. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. We usually set up a base camp at Rockbound and then day hike and fish at several lakes in the area as well as the Rubicon River. Lake, Meeks Bay Pack anim, ©Copyright Wilderness Volunteers 2019 Note the fine trail work that keeps these heavily-trodden trails in top shape. This part of our hike begins offering some dramatic views of the stunning interface between Tahoe Forest and Sierra Granite at the moderate elevations of the Tahoe Rim. Below we break the forum down into its constituent categories: North: Stony Ridge Lake South: Rubicon Lake, Magnificent Rock Slab on the way up to Rubicon Lake, Your guide to the High Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails, © Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail, Above: Flora, Wolf's Lichen and a tiny Fir growing within the constraints of the shattered rock, All Hail the Desolation Wilderness Trail Crews. to Above: Great split boulders. Trail Guide The Desolation Wilderness takes its name from the barren, rocky basins and gnarly old-growth conifers that characterize its heights. TahoetoWhitney.Org I see Rubicon Lake as a tiny island of liquid peace wedged in the profound complexity of this sweet solid rock mountainside terrain. We're 7.55 miles North of the Trailhead on the South end of Desolation Wilderness at Lower Echo Lake. Tallac is just a preview of what's to come. It can be difficult to find solitude, especially if you’re hiking to Lake Aloha or up Pyramid Peak on a summer weekend. Along the route you are treated to amazing scenery with highlights including: alpine lakes, granite peaks, meadows, waterfalls, and expansive views of El Dorado National… The middle section, connecting Desolation Wilderness The resort is just six miles away from the hiking […] Halfway between Stony Ridge Lake and Phipps Pass. Javascript is required for this site to function properly, and is best viewed with the lastest version of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Safari. That's compared to "exposed" terrain across hard rock terrain. Sara Lake - NL#1; Angle Lake - NL#2; 4-Q Lakes; Lake Aloha; Alta Morris Lake; American Lake Trailhead: The Vikingsholm parking area is located approximately 9 miles north of South Lake Tahoe on CA-89.The Rubicon Trail parking area is located in the D.L. ON the South end of Stony Ridge Lake we turn into a set of switchbacks up a steep densely forested mountainside, until our upper switchback turns into a rocky forested pocket in the mountainside. The Desolation Wildnerness is just west of South Lake Tahoe. TRAILHEAD, Central Attractions The Rubicon Trail The Rubicon Trail is world famous for its challenging off road experience traversing some of the most incredible scenery in the world…and it’s just down the road! Sierra The constricted expanse of the surface of Rubicon Lake itself creates the opening in the surrounding forest and boulder field bringing a shifting spotlight of sunlight across the lake every day. 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