Desolation Wilderness
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Echo Lakes Basin X/C Loop Desolation Wilderness |
July 28, 2024
Due to a window of relatively cooler temperatures, it is projected to be perfect
weather at the Echo Lakes today. This is a good opportunity to knock off a
bucket-list item — a previously unvisited series of lakes at the
northern base of Ralston Peak, all but one of which cannot be seen from the nearby
Pacific Crest Trail.
The parking lot is predictably jam-packed on this Sunday morning
I make the rounds anyway because sometimes one gets lucky, but not this time. I end up parking a thousand feet down the road from the designated lot.
For my Unusual Trees collection
Having carefully arrived in time to catch the first boat taxi at 9 o'clock, I must
wait nearly half an hour for three others to show up for a ride, in order to satisfy the
vendor's quota. The price also has risen to a ridiculous $22 for a
two-mile ride, each way; but it does save more than five miles of total walking
for day-hikers to Desolation Valley.
Getting started on the Pacific Crest Trail
This segment also serves as a portion of the Tahoe Rim Trail. On many older maps,
the route is named the Tahoe-Yosemite Trail, but nobody uses that designation
since the advent of the PCT.
Ralston Peak, 9239'
The northern advance of the 2021 Caldor Fire was terminated right here on the southern shores of the Echo Lakes. Burned remnants are plainly evident; I hope that today's venue is not too adversely affected.
Wild Bergamot
Cow Parsnip
Fireweed provides the local color
The first two miles of this trail segment is particularly rough, but I intend to veer off before reaching the worst of the going.
Crummy, but not terrible
It is but a mile-and-a-quarter to my cutoff junction.
Echo Lakes to the east
Traversing new ground now; this is good.
Tamarack Lake is the biggest in the area
It also is easily the noisiest, for kiddie campers can be heard yelling and screaming from several sources.
A sizable group is packing up to leave
Tamarack Lake sports a single island
The southern approach to Ralston Peak, on the other side of the mountain, has diminished in popularity after having been completely burned by Caldor.
No one is on the summit at the moment
Behind Tamarack Lake are four ponds showing on my map. Never knowing in advance whether viewing them might be worthwhile, I must investigate them all.
Pond #1
Pond #2 has nearly dried up
Pond #3 behind Tamarack Lake
The next one is over that hill
Pond #4 is pretty nice
What a life!
There is unexpected cell-service here
A call to my sweetie begets an admonishment to pick up some of her beloved Fritos on the way home. Perhaps next time I'll leave my phone in the car.
Approaching the next attraction
Ralston Lake is spectacular
I had viewed this one previously only from the summit of Ralston Peak itself some 1,500 feet above.
This one also has a single island
Atop that ridge is a longer but undamaged alternate route up Ralston Peak
In fact, it's just an 8-mile round-trip with an 1,800-foot gain, plus of course the $44 in taxi fees. That's a mile farther each way than the traditional approach, but 900 fewer feet of climbing; and it's much more scenic to boot.
Around the eastern tip of Ralston Lake
The cliff hides this area from most hikers' views
Finally, the elusive, previously unseen gem of the region appears:
Cagwin Lake
Still nobody on the summit
At the outlet
The moon at 12× zoom
A sad ending
Now the work begins in earnest, I guess. All along, it has been my intention to make my way downstream from here directly to the trailhead, if that proves feasible. Knowing from experience that cross-country going in the northern Sierra tends to be pretty unfriendly, there is but one way to find out. In any case, another pond is just downstream, so here goes.
Approaching a cliff
Searching for a reasonable scramble down
Such challenges never were much of an issue in past times; but now my balance isn't
the best and my knees need more help than ever. This means slower going, avoidance
of jumps and big steps, and occasional butt-sliding in places that I might have
scampered down previously.
The first obstacle is behind me
Besides, I am out here solo and forgot to pack my rescue beacon; so I had better get it right.
It's too bad that the creek is so dry
Just downstream is an unexpectedly verdant section.
Canada Goldenrod
Meadow Sweet
Ranger Buttons and more
Alpine Lily
Arrowleaf Ragwort
Pond #5 is a big disappointment
There is some running water in another tiny creek
The only way to proceed is to cross the creek in its deep chasm, which I do right next to the falls; a bit of bushwhacking is required in order to get out of the ravine.
A different look at Rose Meadowsweet
According to the map, the ground is more level from here on; so the going should be easier.
The destination comes into view
It is just about here that I cross out of Desolation Wilderness and back into Tahoe National Forest.
Approaching the edge of the fire zone
The next attraction is at the bottom of another cliff
Pond #6
Looking back
Suddenly I encounter signs of civilization — presumably remnants of the trail
over to the long-defunct Boy Scout Camp.
Leading to somewhere
This section appears to have been paved long ago
I am near the lake now; in fact, I already spotted a boat taxi taking off. It is just a matter of negotiating the willows and other thick underbrush.
A vague social path is helpful here
These bridges remain serviceable
From here I lose my way temporarily, failing to appreciate that a real trail must hug
the lakeside from here. After making an unnecessary five-minute detour,
I am back beside the water, just a short way from the boat dock. It appears that
my errant delay will not cost me a berth on the next taxi.
Today's wildlife entry
The next shuttle appears within three minutes
I position myself on the dock so as not to miss out on a seat, but it turns out not to matter on this occasion.
Twenty people are on board
A climber below Flagpole Peak
§: Well, the ponds proved relatively mundane overall, and Tamarack Lake
was just so-so; but Ralston and Cagwin Lakes were pristine and delightful.
Of course, I didn't have to follow-up with all the predictably rough going;
I could simply have navigated directly back to the (boring) main trail. But then
I could not have explored the other ponds marked on my map, and I would have missed out
on the flowers and off-trail excitement that are so dearly loved.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Personality | |
| Adventure | |
| Flowers |  |
(counter-clockwise loop)
