Desolation dayhike on November 12?

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windknot
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Desolation dayhike on November 12?

Post by windknot »

Hey guys, I want to do a dayhike to fish Floating Island and Cathedral Lakes this Sunday but the forecast for the Tahoe area shows rain/snow as "likely." I really want to make one last trip into the Desolation this year, and since it's a relatively short hike do you think it'll still be doable or should I start making fishing plans elsewhere?

Thanks!
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Post by madeintahoe »

Windknot....The weather is supposed to be better on Saturday..if you can hike that day it may be better for you. Saturday still looks good but they say Sunday there is a chance of snow..I don't know how high the snow level will be. The last snow that we got has been quite high between 9 & 10K feet. The Freel Peak area got quite a bit & the Carson Pass area..but looking towards Mt.Tallac...there is hardly anything & I doubt there is any snow at those lakes right now. November 7th and there is no snow in my yard. The temp for Sunday says 43 at lake level.

Have a wonderful hike...thats a beautiful hike, I have not done that hike in years
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Post by windknot »

Thanks for the info madeintahoe. Even if it does snow on Sunday do you think the trail will still be hikeable?
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Post by madeintahoe »

Hi Windknot

Now they say the weather will be better on Sunday! There is a chance of snow on Saturday now. Tomorrow Friday is supposed to be pretty nice. The temperature only got to 46 today.

It really depends on how much snow..if any falls how that trail will be...Im assuming you are starting at the Mt. Tallac TH? Across form Baldwin Beach. If it does snow and dump :crybaby: ..im not sure if they plow that road..do you have 4WD? I would hate getting stuck back in there.
If you can go tomorrow that would be a good day.
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Post by windknot »

Thanks for the heads up and yeah we're planning on starting at the Mt. Tallac trailhead. Does this bode better or worse than the original forecast of snow showers on Sunday? What do you think the chances are of the trail/road having too much snow to do it? My friend who's driving has a Honda Element, not sure those have 4wd or not, and we can't do the Desolation hike before Sunday. :( Wish we could since you're right, Friday looks like the best day.
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Post by madeintahoe »

Hi Windknot

We received at our home at the 6300 feet elevation about an inch of snow so far...it is now a wet slushy rain/snow mix. It says Sunday will be mostly sunny and 43.
I don't know how much more snow this storm will bring today...but im sure the higher elevations have received more.

I probably would not drive into that road unless I had 4WD and even with that I would not do it unless there was little snow. You could always park right at the beginning and walk in..I don't remember how far it is back to the TH....it would add milage onto your hike..but should not be bad as it is not that far up to Floating Island.
Good luck if you decide to go
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Post by windknot »

Thanks. Do you mean park off hwy 89 or the paved road that leads to the dirt road? I've never been there, I'm just going off Schaffer's Desolation Wilderness hiking guide and a topo map. Parking off that paved road looks like an added half mile to the 1.7 mile hike to Floating Island, parking off 89 lookes like an extra mile to the hike. Since that would be basically hiking on the road though it looks like it'll be doable. We have chains but no 4wd. Do you think the actual trail will still be hikeable with that amount of snow on it?
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Post by madeintahoe »

Hi Windknot

The snow at out house is just about gone...But there looks to be a lot in the higher elevations, Tallac & Freel are covered and Echo peak which I can see from my house is covered with snow and that whole ridge that Echo sits on...that is about the 8200 feet elevation. It is supposed to get down to 12 degrees tonight and early morning.

I would think the trail would be covered with snow..as you will be going up higher. I don't know how experienced you are with snow hiking and keeping on the trail in snow conditions...do you have snow shoes?

If you do decide to go....I would just park right when you make the left turn off of 89 onto the road that goes to the TH..park right there at beginning of that road going in. If you have chains on you may be able to drive in depending on how much snow is going to be there. yes it looks like it is 1 mile from highway 89 to the TH. Floating Island looks to be around 7200 or 7500 feet?? which is about 1000 feet higher then my house..so there is probably going to be snow at the elevation..I just don't know how much. Im sorry im not more help..if I lived closer to the TH I would have drove to check it out for you..Im sorry
Even if you decide to drive up here and find out there is to much snow..it is still going to be beautiful and you could always just hang around the Lake all day :D
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Post by windknot »

Hey madeintahoe on the contrary I'm grateful for all your help. Floating Island is at 7200 and Cathedral is at 7500 so yeah I think we'll be expecting snow up there. :angry: I don't have snow shoes but I do have limited experience hiking in the snow, the latest being a climb up to the peak of Mt. Lassen this last summer. Not sure about the three others in my group (we're part of a college fishing club) but we'll probably give it a shot as long as the snow doesn't look too bad.

If the Mt. Tallac trail turns out to be too slippery tomorrow then we'll just head to the Little Truckee to fish instead. Really looking forward to one last Desolation hike though.

Thanks again for all your help and advice!
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Post by madeintahoe »

Windknot..you all be safe and have a wonderful time! Yes, if the conditions are to bad..the Truckee River is so close. Could you please post back here with how the conditions were..I sure would be interesed to hear how it all went.
Take care & have fun :D
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