Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

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RiseToADry
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by RiseToADry »

amigo wrote:Thanks for your replies. I'm surprised to hear that even after Labor Day it's still busy. Should've known. For once, I would like to not to have to make reservations ahead of time and just wing it. Oh well, that's the price to pay to go to beautiful, popular, places.

How does the Piute Pass hike compare with the Bishop Pass and Kearsarge Pass hikes? How would you rate them on wow factor, difficulty and length?
If you choose bishop pass, I would recommend the loop around chocolate mountain when you come back down. It'll add a mile or so more but pretty decent scenery!

Piute pass is nice because you can be at the top of the pass by 9 if you get an early start, which gives you time to explore upper humphreys basin. I would check out the golden trout lakes and Muriel, or head to the north and hit lower deso lake and the humphreys/marmot lake. This whole basin is pretty majestic.

Can't wait for a TR. Cheers!
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by wildhiker »

We have a cabin about an hour from north Tahoe, so we day-hike there a lot. Here are three of my favorite day hikes that give great views of Lake Tahoe, assuming you can do 10 miles round trip and up to 2000 feet elevation gain:

1) Tahoe Rim Trail from near Martis Peak east over Mt. Baldy to near Rose Knob Peak. Take the narrow but paved Martis Peak lookout road from the big bend just a couple hundred yards north of Barker Pass on Hwy 267 for about 4 miles to a very sharp 90 degree bend from eastward to northward just about 1/2 mile before the lookout. Park there, walk 1/2 mile on the dirt road east (or drive this road if you have high clearance 4WD) and pick up the Tahoe Rim Trail. Walk southeast through pleasant forest for a couple miles with peek-a-boo views of Lake Tahoe while climbing, then burst out on Mt. Baldy with a view of nearly the entire lake directly below you and surrounding mountains. From here, the TYT continues east just below the ridgecrest on open slopes with outstanding views the whole way of the Tahoe basin. Really feels like you are walking on the top of the world, with the lake 3000 feet elevation below you. Walk as far as you like and turn back. Even better in mid July (in normal year) when the open slopes are covered in wildflowers.

2) On the east side, from Spooner Lake up to Snow Valley Peak. From the Spooner Lake parking lot on Hwy 28 just north of the Hwy 50 junction (park entrance fee), head up the North Canyon trail fire road, then branch left onto the foot trail headed to Marlette Lake. At the head of North Canyon, the foot trail nearly touches the fire road - head over to the fire road and then back south down it for 1/4 mile to a gated rough jeep road heading east up to Snow Valley Peak. Take this jeep road up to the top with great views - don't forget to walk north to the top of the little knob at the last big switchback, where you can look directly down at Marlette Lake. Intersect the Tahoe Rim Trail just below Snow Valley Peak - take the short side trip up to the top. Then head south on the TRT. For a shorter option, after a couple miles, take the side trail west back down to North Canyon and then down its fire road back to Spooner Lake. For a longer option, take the TRT all the way down almost to Hwy 50, where you pick up a side trail west around Spooner Lake. Even better in early to mid October when North Canyon is full of aspen in blazing fall color.

3) Cascade Lake trailhead to Dicks Lake in Desolation Wilderness. This trailhead is on the south side of Emerald Bay. The trail climbs rapidly up to the top of Maggies Peak, with great views straight down to Emerald Bay and the out over Lake Tahoe. From Maggies Peak, you roller-coaster along a ridge directly into the open granite country of Desolation Wilderness. Dicks Lake makes a good destination. Return the same way.

4) Bonus easy hike: Rubicon trail along the shore of Lake Tahoe. Start at DL Bliss State Park just north of Emerald Bay (park entrance fee) and drive down to the Rubicon trail parking lot just below the campground. Hike south first on a dramatic section of trail that clings to the cliffs directly above the incredibly blue lake, then gets higher with more open views. It runs through a bit of a boring forest section while it drops back down to lake level and then turns into Emerald Bay. Return the same way.

-Phil
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amigo
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by amigo »

Thanks for all the great info. Really looking forward to it :)
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balance
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by balance »

Welcome to the Sierra Nevada!

Considering the places you originally mentioned, I believe Cloud's Rest would have the most spectacular views. 360 degrees and across the Yosemite valley. It's a long day hike, but worth it.

Sure we couldn't talk you into doing a litttle research, renting some rear, and trying an over nighter? The weather should be moderate, no mosquitoes, plenty of company if you're on the popular trails.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by amigo »

> Sure we couldn't talk you into doing a litttle research, renting some rear, and trying an over nighter?

Been there, done that. I tried convincing my friend to camp out in the wild on at least one occasion but he isn't interested. I'm not going with the same friend I went with a few years ago when we backpacked into Ansel Adams Wilderness for a few nights. We'll enjoy it nonetheless. It's simply gorgeous up there.
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balance
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by balance »

Yeah, any hiking in the mountains is nice.

The one time I was on Cloud's Rest, the only other people there were a mom and dad with five kids aged about five to twelve! Pretty cool how they all seemed right at home scrambling around on the rocks.
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by maverick »

Hi Balance,

Welcome to HST!
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: Yosemite, Bishop, Desolation Wilderness trip - need info

Post by balance »

Greetings Maverick

Nice website. Glad I found you folks. It was either this, or go to forum where I could talk about my cell phone. ;)
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