High Sierra Topix

Hi, I'll be hiking to the Velma's for a day trip this weekend. I read that the Bayview Trail is also an equestrian trail and the footing for people can get pretty soft as the trail is dug up by hooves at the end of the season. Does anyone have any preferences over either trail? Thanks

They're both nice, for different reasons. I'm a fan of coming in one and out the other. It's a very short shuttle or hitchhike. Avoid taking Bayview uphill if it's hot.

Thanks. Supposed to be 80 tomorrow. With only one car and not keen on hitchhiking on the Emerald Bay Road curve...probably will go from Eagle Lake trail then...

You've already done your hike yesterday but I'll add a note of interest I'd bet 90% of those who hike the Bayview Trail miss. The forest is dense up the slope above Granite Lake, often with large red firs. There are a few spots where one has wonderful views out towards deep blue Lake Tahoe between the big trees. From the Bayview Trail, when one finally reaches the the top of the ridge at 8320, if one simply stops briefly sitting on the nearby convenient boulders and then continues on, one will be missing some of the finest views one might hike to in all of Lake Tahoe.

What one ought to do is walk due north on the ridge top that increasingly narrows to an arete. The boulders one need to navigate through on that ridgeline also increase in size as does the depth between each boulder. In fact I've always wanted to set up a camp some afternoon down between some of those boulders where they are deepest and then get to watch sunset and then dawn. As a photographer will do so during the waning stage of one of those periods of occasional early June late spring storms that just dust the high Tahoe peaks and ridges. At about 100 yards north of the trail one will have clear views across the whole lake with the sweeping arete continuing north to the forested summit of north Maggies Peak. And at sunset there are also fine unobstructed views west.


http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=38.94045,-120.10842&z=15&t=T" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Ended up doing the Bayview trail. Steep but beautiful. The trail was not at all pulverized by the equatrians. Fontanillis Lake is a sight to behold.

SSSdave wrote:From the Bayview Trail, when one finally reaches the the top of the ridge at 8320, if one simply stops briefly sitting on the nearby convenient boulders and then continues on, one will be missing some of the finest views one might hike to in all of Lake Tahoe.

What one ought to do is walk due north on the ridge top that increasingly narrows to an arete. The boulders one need to navigate through on that ridgeline also increase in size as does the depth between each boulder.

Right you are, sir.