Desolation Wilderness
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Maggies Peaks South Desolation Wilderness |
July 24, 2020
Back in May, Eileen, Sue and I started from here on a quest to visit Snow Lake; but we never got there. If all goes according to plan, today Eileen will get a chance to see that lake from far above.
The Bayview Campground is open now
By the time I have visited the local restroom, my companions have disappeared.
Finally, Mark appears — on the wrong trail! I ask him to go after
Cindy and Eileen and fetch them back, which process takes a while.
They finally have returned
Now they're on the right track
As expected, the trail immediately starts up the hillside in a series of steep switchbacks. By the third or fourth turn, I find a convenient place to stash my walking stick.
It's about a 15% grade
No permit required these days
After a 500-foot slog through the trees, a great vista emerges.
Emerald Bay is quite busy today
Fannette Island is as photogenic as ever
Between the trees I can see the objective, but I don't mention it yet to the others; they really don't know what's up on this excursion anyway.
There's the destination
Mark is wearing his anti-melanoma headgear
Presently we pass above the peaceful Granite Lake, where more than a few people are camping out. For some reason, I am too busy locating the continuation of the trail to take any pictures.
More uphill
And more
Granite Lake is well behind us now
A couple of passing backpackers inform Eileen that the pass is but a couple of switchbacks farther on; that is encouraging.
Nearing the top
After 1,600 feet of non-stop climbing, the pass is ours.
Eagle Lake is barely visible down there
On my previous visit here (Hike #87), I was too bloody tired to venture uphill any farther; but today I will not be stopped. Only now do I inform my companions that our work is not finished, and that we must head to the top of the adjacent hill. It appears that there even is a semblance of a trail to assist us.
At least there is a trail
A most unusual rock formation
The 200-foot climb is even steeper and rougher than before, but it doesn't take long at all to achieve the summit. Maggies Peak has been on my bucket list for a long time.
There is quite a lot of room to scramble around up here; in fact, doing so is necessary in order to take in all the sights. From the westernmost corner of the summit block is the view I have been anticipating:
Snow Lake on the left, Azure Lake on the right
I have great memories of that grand loop ten years ago, when I bushwhacked from Cascade Falls to Snow Lake, then bushwhacked another 400 feet of manzanita to Azure Lake, then climbed another 800 feet to today's trail, and down. Anymore, I don't know whether I could muster the energy to repeat that odyssey.
Snow Lake
Azure Lake
Earlier in the season, both of those lakes had thousand-foot cascades plunging into them; but I can see no evidence of that now.
The gang lunches at 8700 feet
Actually, there are two Maggies Peaks; the other is just north of here.
They purportedly were named after a well-endowed Tahoe Tavern barmaid back
in the 1800s.
Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake
Tahoe and Cascade Lake
Some hikers are on top of Mount Tallac, a thousand feet above us
Freel Peak, 10886', is on Cindy's bucket list
All three lakes in view
Baldwin Beach
That beach was a skinny-dipping haven back in the 'seventies. Those were the good old days.
Starting down from the summit
We have found a different, much more pleasant route down the hill; there is nary a rough spot on the path.
Pine Drops are unique to the northern Sierra
A good-feeling place
Back at the pass, I hunt for a better view to the north.
Eagle Lake is 1,400 feet below
That lake is the gateway to the Velma Lakes Basin. The group must go over there sometime; I've been there before, but the others have not.
Starting back down
The trees are bent
Granite Lake
Yampah
Fireweed
The lighting and the sky are nicer now
Does Yoda like hiking?
The woman says no.
I do remember to retrieve my walking stick near the end of the journey.
Finishing up
§: Well, that was a rewarding outing. The rigors of the ascent
were compensated by the outstanding views of a total of eight nice lakes, several
of which would have been missed without including the summit of Maggies Peak South.
Also, we oldsters handled a steep, high climb without much ado. Making it up the hill seems to indicate that that we are not 'over the hill' just yet.
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