TR: 5/24 - 5/25/2013 Lyons Lake, Desolation Wilderness
Posted: Sat Jun 01, 2013 12:40 pm
I already had plans for the Memorial Day 3-day weekend so I decided to play hooky on Friday to sneak in a quick overnight backpacking trip to the local mountains. I've been watching conditions feverishly for an early season trip and decided on the Lyons Creek trail starting at the Lyons Creek trail head (6,700 ft.) off of Wrights Lake Road about 20 miles west of South Lake Tahoe via Highway US 50.
The trail parallels Lyons Creek east, uphill, the first 4 miles and then crosses it to the north bank where I scrambled the last mile and 600 ft elev. up to Lyons Lake. I was on the actual trail probably less than half the time. Since the mileage was so short I chose to investigate any feature I felt worthy. When I reached Lyons Lake (8,400 ft.), I found a flat shelf with no snow on it about 100 yards west of the lake and set up my tent. I scrambled to the mild, mostly snow free, ridge to the northwest and followed it up to an unnamed peak at about 9,100 ft. The winds successfully chilled me and I hurried back down to camp, stuffed some food in my belly and threw on some warm clothes and relaxed between some boulders until the stars came out.
The trail was in great shape considering how early in the season it was. A couple of wet muddy sections, but nothing too crazy. Maybe 2-3 small blow downs that were easily negotiated. A pretty large snow bank that caused a little confusion at the creek crossing, but that was about it. Lyons Lake was still about 80% frozen and as expected, the northeast slopes still had quite a bit of snow clinging on.
The temps were in the mid-60s during the day with a light breeze building to strong winds with gusts by night fall, but subsided shortly thereafter. When I woke up at 5:30 a.m. my key chain thermometer read 22F, brrr (I'm glad I threw my gas canister and water filter in my bag with me.).
On the way in, I only saw one 4-person backpacking group heading in and 2 day hikers heading out. Totally different story heading out the next morning. I probably crossed 20 day hikers and 3 backpacking groups. I was home by 1 p.m. to get ready for a family Memorial Day camping trip on the coast!
Lyons Creek near the trail head:
Small meadow:
A bit farther up. In warmer weather this would be fun to splash around in:
Heading up with Pyramid Peak in the distance:
Lyons Creek:
Lyons Creek:
The final push up to Lyons Lake:
Small peak I scrambled up:
Lyons Lake outlet:
Lyons Lake:
Home for the night:
As the sun set behind the mountains it immediately cooled down:
The trail parallels Lyons Creek east, uphill, the first 4 miles and then crosses it to the north bank where I scrambled the last mile and 600 ft elev. up to Lyons Lake. I was on the actual trail probably less than half the time. Since the mileage was so short I chose to investigate any feature I felt worthy. When I reached Lyons Lake (8,400 ft.), I found a flat shelf with no snow on it about 100 yards west of the lake and set up my tent. I scrambled to the mild, mostly snow free, ridge to the northwest and followed it up to an unnamed peak at about 9,100 ft. The winds successfully chilled me and I hurried back down to camp, stuffed some food in my belly and threw on some warm clothes and relaxed between some boulders until the stars came out.
The trail was in great shape considering how early in the season it was. A couple of wet muddy sections, but nothing too crazy. Maybe 2-3 small blow downs that were easily negotiated. A pretty large snow bank that caused a little confusion at the creek crossing, but that was about it. Lyons Lake was still about 80% frozen and as expected, the northeast slopes still had quite a bit of snow clinging on.
The temps were in the mid-60s during the day with a light breeze building to strong winds with gusts by night fall, but subsided shortly thereafter. When I woke up at 5:30 a.m. my key chain thermometer read 22F, brrr (I'm glad I threw my gas canister and water filter in my bag with me.).
On the way in, I only saw one 4-person backpacking group heading in and 2 day hikers heading out. Totally different story heading out the next morning. I probably crossed 20 day hikers and 3 backpacking groups. I was home by 1 p.m. to get ready for a family Memorial Day camping trip on the coast!
Lyons Creek near the trail head:
Small meadow:
A bit farther up. In warmer weather this would be fun to splash around in:
Heading up with Pyramid Peak in the distance:
Lyons Creek:
Lyons Creek:
The final push up to Lyons Lake:
Small peak I scrambled up:
Lyons Lake outlet:
Lyons Lake:
Home for the night:
As the sun set behind the mountains it immediately cooled down: