Tuolumne to Tahoe via PCT

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cloudlesssky
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Re: Tuolumne to Tahoe via PCT

Post by cloudlesssky »

Works for me too. Thanks QINTL and Halfmile!
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Tom_H
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Re: Tuolumne to Tahoe via PCT

Post by Tom_H »

Kennedy Meadows is a good location, but you'll either have to divert away from the PCT and come back to it further north, or if you don't want to miss any of it, make a side trip and return from Emigrant Meadow Lake or Kennedy Creek.

Where is your planned terminus? I would recommend Meeks Bay. From Echo Lakes to Meeks Bay there is a string of about 30 lakes. If you terminate at Glen Alpine Spring or Emerald Bay, you will miss a lot of this beautiful water world.

Below is a copy of a post I made in another thread. The OP in that thread wanted a 7-8 day trip. You can pass through this area much more quickly, 2 or 3 days. If you do want to take longer and fish these lakes, the store at Lower Echo Lakes Marina is a good resupply point.

Day 1 Near Echo Summit, take the water taxi from the marina at the lower end of Echo Lakes to the upper end of Upper Echo. You start out from a fairly high elevation. It's not a bad first day to the little plot of land in between Tamarack, Ralston, and Cagwin Lakes.

2 From there, depart for Lake of the Woods. Going north from there, you find a number of small lakes to visit if you choose on the way to Aloha. Aloha itself might be a good second day camp or hike up to Le Conte for a little isolation and more view.

3 Next pass Heather and Susie on the way to Gilmore. The climb of Tallac is a nice side trip.

4 On to Dicks Lake with a possible side trip to Half Moon.

5 From Dicks, take the use trail by Fontanilis and follow the stream exiting it as it cascades down the face of a pluton. This is not hard hiking and it is only a few hundred feet of extremely easy cross country at the foot of the granite through a level forest until you rejoin the PTC. This is a short, but very worthwhile detour from the PCT. From there, continue to Upper and Middle Velma (as well as another lake that shows no name on my map).

6 Now climb to Phipps Pass and down to Phipps Lake.

7 Pass Grouse, Rubicon, unnamed, Stony Ridge, and Shadow, (possible side trip to Hidden) on the way to Crag Lake. There are some nice secluded flats near the SE corner.

8 Pass Genevieve and exit at Meeks Bay, Tahoe.
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