Location: Desolation Wilderness in Eldorado National Forest, CA Trail Head: Ralston Peak Trail head on US 50. I'm planning an overnight trip to desolation wilderness and trying to decide which trailhead to start from and which zone to camp in. There are seven major trailheads to access the Desolation Wilderness from Highway 89 and Highway 50. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. The outlet of Clyde Lake eventually becomes the Rubicon River, draining north from Desolation Wilderness to Hell Hole Reservoir, and ultimately to the Middle Fork American River. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until September. There were definitely plenty 2 years ago though. I was expecting swarms of mosquitoes, I saw two and got bit by one while wearing no repellent. As far as I know all fish have been eradicated from Clyde lake as well as the outlet creek for a few miles, to protect native frogs. There is a decently sized parking lot at the trailhead, but parking is also available on the road up. Because Desolation is a wilderness area, you are required to fill out a day-use permit which can be found at the trailhead. From the small marina at Echo Lakes, you can take a boat taxi to lop … The valleys and lakes were carved out by a long-gone glacier that moved north some 20,000 years ago. The Desolation Trail is a good entry point for backpacking trips across the 30 mile length of the Desolation Wilderness. Located in Desolation Wilderness, Clyde Lake sits at the beginning of Rockbound Valley. The ground is rocky and hard underfoot. Go PRO to support our mission and get benefits like gear deals, no ads, and more! I moved to Lake Tahoe in the fall of 2005, so I took this backpacking trip in the summer of 2006. Lake Aloha Desolation Wilderness July 18-19 2020. Please explore responsibly! Oh man, I've been reading about the geology of this area in Assembling California by John McPhee and this really adds to my experience. I went in early September (2017) and camped for two nights. Peaks: Pyramid Peak, Mount Agassiz, Mount Price, Jacks Peak, Dicks Peak. • TurnKey photo-verifies this home is professionally cleaned with products approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19. If there really are fish in there again I would love to hear about it. Highlights include alpine lakes, granite peaks, and expansive views of Desolation Wilderness. Each photo and review that you add on The Outbound earns you points towards rewards, free gear, and access to exclusive discounts. As of today, the article says that the Desolation Wilderness is "just southwest of Lake Tahoe." UPPER MONTANE LIFE ZONE: The hike to Azure and Dick’s lake climbs through the Upper Montane zone which is typically found in the Tahoe area from lake level, 6230 ft, to 8,00ft. Clyde Lake is a 14.8 mile hike in Desolation Wilderness, just outside of South Lake Tahoe. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. Would Gilmore Lake or Half Moon Lake be a better option? The granite and glaciers of the Sierra Nevada have strongly affected this region leading to the formation of well over 100 lakes of all sizes. The Clyde Lake Trail is perfect for fly fishing, wildflower spotting, and enjoying changing forest scenery. DAY HIKERS MAY SELF-REGISTER AT THE TRAILHEAD. All throughout the summer they are pretty bad if near standing water. Highly trafficked route but was worth it. Crag Lake before the first rays of morning light Looking Southeast across Crag Lake at Peak 9054. We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. That said, Desolation Wilderness and the featured route hasn’t changed much since that time. I would really love to add a Golden Trout to my list of trout species caught while we are hiking. In between these two peaks stands Mount Agassiz (9,967'), whose overhanging summit resembles a granite wave poised to crash down into the Desolation Valley nearly 2,000 feet below. I love the Desolation...such an awesome place. Mount Price (9,975') is the second highest summit in the Desolation Wilderness, standing just eight feet lower than Pyramid Peak to the south. But, then again, that’s the whole point © 2020 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy. Beautiful and isolated! •This 4BR/3BA So... Park your car at the Glen Alpine Trailhead adjacent to Lily Lake and southwest of Fallen Leaf Lake. Grew up backpacking and hiking all throughout that place! Cliff Lake is listed as a Brook Trout water in northeastern Desolation Wilderness. The lake was swimmable as it … Desolation Wilderness June 27, 2007 The big forest fire on Angora Ridge near South Lake Tahoe reportedly is 40% contained and is projected to be fully under control in six days. Clyde Lake 9.3 miles 22 Ralston Peak 6.9 miles 45 Ropi Lake 7.0 miles 44 Directions to the trailhead Take Highway 50 to Echo Summit and turn onto Johnson Pass Road. How were the bugs? Picking a favorite lake in the Desolation Wilderness is no easy task either. Desolation Wilderness - Golden Trout We will be hiking from Meeks Bay through the Desolation Wilderness and exiting at Echo Lake. Monday night Brian Korver and I got back from a backpacking trip to the Desolation Wilderness, mostly on the PCT: Trip Summary: (map, pics) Echo Lake to Lake Aloha on the PCT.Over Mosquito pass to Clyde Lake. Desolation Wilderness Area The Desolation Wilderness is a 100 square mile federal "wilderness area" directly to the west of Lake Tahoe. Was an easy ~6 mile hike in starting at Echo Lake, CA. Clyde Lake is located in El Dorado County, in the Desolation Wilderness, within the Lake Schmidell Planning Watershed (PWS) at approximately 8,000 feet in elevation. Twin Lakes and Island Lake – Desolation Wilderness (12 mile trek) Trip Overview: ~12 mile relaxing backpacking trip in Desolation Wilderness. So I don't know this year. The Desolation Wilderness is a 100 square mile federal "wilderness area" directly to the west of Lake Tahoe, a well-known recreational area on the California/Nevada border with many fishing opportunities. As one of the most rugged terrains in California, Desolation Wilderness has earned its name. Averaging 12.5 miles in length and 8 miles in width, Desolation Wilderness spreads out along the Sierra Crest above the southwest corner of Lake Tahoe, ranging in elevation from about 6,500 feet to 9,983 feet at Pyramid Peak’s summit. Was thinking about starting from the Ralston trailhead and hiking over Mosquito Pass to the Clyde Lake or China Flat area. Be the first to share your experience. Full trail description with map: to Lake Aloha, Lake of the Woods, and Ropi Lake, all under the jagged granite of Pyramid Peak, Mount Agassiz, and Mount Price. Hidden Lake sits at the base of the rock terrain rising up to Peak 9054. adventures and follow local regulations. Admittedly this picture was from 2 years ago, and I finally got it out and did something with it. Tree cover is sparse, and most of the Desolation Wilderness is laid bare to the hot California sun. AZURE & DICK’S LAKES LIE WITHIN DESOLATION WILDERNESS AND REQUIRE A PERMIT BOTH FOR DAY HIKERS AND CAMPERS. I camped near the water there a few years ago. If you are backpacking make sure to obtain an overnigh... New Listing! The trail head is southwest of Fallen Leaf Lake. Clyde Lake is a 14.8 mile hike in Desolation Wilderness, just outside of South Lake Tahoe. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the backpacking community, A subreddit for traveling backpacking and wilderness backpacking, not restricted to one or the other. But is "southwest" correct? When: September 16, 2017 29.70 This is the southern gateway to Desolation Wilderness near South Lake Tahoe. Grew up backpacking and hiking all throughout that place! The hike to Clyde Lake can be done as a day trip or an overnight backpacking trip, as there is lots of stunning scenery to explore. The hike to Clyde Lake can be done as a day trip or an overnight backpacking trip, as there is lots of stunning scenery to explore. Desolation Wilderness Fishing Update 1 (1995) Well, a number of things have happened since the Desolation Wilderness Fishing Guide was published. I went in early August and they were pretty bad in the evening. Meek's Creek Trailhead is at the north end of the wilderness area along Hwy 89 at Meek's Bay. Trip Overview: ~38 mile backpacking trip in Desolation Wilderness near South Lake Tahoe. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The granite and glaciers of the Sierra Nevada have strongly affected this region leading to the formation of well over 100 lakes of all sizes. Thank you! This trail also connects to Rockbound Pass and Emerald Bay. It is a very small lake and relatively easy to access. Learn More. •Exposed beams a... • TurnKey photo-verifies this home is professionally cleaned with products approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your •This two-story ... • TurnKey photo-verifies this home is professionally cleaned with products approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19. You could go: Lake Aloha -> Lake of the Woods -> Ropi Lake -> cross country (roughly: Osma Lake -> Pyramid Lake -> Waco Lake -> American Lake -> Channel Lake -> Desolation Lake). The outlet of Clyde Lake … Rugged Desolation Wilderness from Azure Lake Rock cairn God put there for me to find my way back I ended up choosing the latter, backtracking from where I came at the Bayview Trailhead. Length 14.4 miElevation gain 2923 ftRoute type Out & Back Starting at the Glen Alpine trailhead (best access to Susie Lake): To get to the trailhead, head toward Fallen Leaf Lake in South Lake Tahoe. Icy cold water, the sound of snowmelt cascading off the cliff was continuous in the background. For both backpackers and day hikers. The shore on the north side consisted … If you take into account the whole area, it is west of Lake Tahoe, not southwest. Hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Echo Lakes into Desolation Wilderness. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. Head west on Glen Alpine Creek Trail passing Lily Lake on your left. This is a new adventure! Stay left and the road will lead you to … I love desolation wilderness!! Clyde Lake is located in El Dorado County, in the Desolation Wilderness, within the Lake Schmidell Planning Watershed (PWS) at approximately 8000’. First, The US Forest Service and the California Department of Fish and Game are cooperating on the management of fishing -- including the study of Yellow-Legged Mountain Frogs. +/- 3,000 feet of elevation with a starting elevation of 6,970 feet and a peak elevation of 9,660 feet. I love desolation wilderness!! If you hike this trail early in the season, there is an ice cave just before you reach Lake Heather. The easiest way to get to Gilmore Lake is to start at the Glen Alpine trailhead. Clyde Lake is a 14.4 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near South Lake Tahoe, California that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. […] All posts must be flaired "Travel" or "Wilderness", Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. Desolation Wilderness is 99 mi.² (or 63,960 acres) of land between the Lake Tahoe Basin and El Dorado National Forest in El Dorado County, California. This loop traverses over Rockbound Pass and Dicks Pass on its way to the beautiful Lake Aloha. Alpine Chalet W/ Private Hot Tub, New Build Chalet W/ Mountain Views & Hot Tub, Updated Home With Big Yard, Peekaboo Mountain View, Backpack to Susie Lake, Desolation Wilderness, Backpack to Gilmore Lake in Desolation Wilderness, Hike to Half Moon Lake in Desolation Wilderness. We visited Cliff Lake during ice-out and it was one of the coolest sights I have ever seen. •Situated near a... • TurnKey photo-verifies this home is professionally cleaned with products approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19. Echo Lakes Hiking Trail: Echo Lakes backpacking to Clyde Lake, to Rockbound Pass and back again - See 34 traveler reviews, 35 candid photos, and great deals for Lake Tahoe (Nevada), NV, at … This hike starts at the Glen Alpine Trailhead near Fallen Leaf Lake. It's also the headwaters of the Rubicon River. 69.165.53.151 18:35, 9 The Clyde Lake Trail is perfect for fly fishing, wildflower spotting, and enjoying changing forest scenery. Desolation Wilderness The Desolation Wildnerness is just west of South Lake Tahoe. Outbound Collective - Terms of use - Privacy Policy the water there a few years ago, and enjoying forest... Car at the beginning of Rockbound Valley outlet of Clyde Lake … Cliff Lake is a 100 square mile ``. With products approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19 lakes into Desolation is... Species caught while we are hiking it out and did something with it forest, CA Trail head US... 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