Trip Advice: Desolation via Half Moon Lake

[Tom_H]

It sounds like you have one vehicle and need to enter and exit at the same point. You didn't say what days the permit is for. Desolation fills up and pulling a new permit on short notice is difficult. From Half-Moon, you could backtrack to Gilmore, climb Tallac and return to Gillmore for the second night. You could either backtrack or go XC up to the trail through Dick's Pass and down to Dick's Lake and return to base camp at Half-Moon for the second night. Climbing Dick's Peak is a thought. The loop that was mentioned (Gillmore-Susie-Heather-Aloha-Tamarack Trail return to Glen Alpine is a real 2 day possibility, but it would be better to get to the little flats above Heather for the first night.

You mentioned Leavitt Lake. There is a possibility of a 2 day loop from there. Getting to the lake requires 4WD with relatively good clearance. Here are some map links that might give you some ideas.

http://caltopo.com/map?id=0G7P" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://caltopo.com/map?id=6M7I" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good luck with the planning. Please post a TR when you get back!