Velma Lakes basin (or Desolation in general) this weekend
Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2011 1:00 pm
Hi everyone,
I've seen the couple of reports that members have posted of their trips into Desolation thus far, and I also just called the Pacific Ranger District Station and the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center for any more recent updates about the conditions up there, to varying opinions. One guy said that all he knows is there's snow up there (go figure), while another woman was more helpful:
-You need snowshoes to get into the Velma Lakes past about the first mile
-The road to Wrights Lake isn't open yet
-Getting to the top of Horsetail Falls is fine, but after that she's not sure
-Horsetail and Loon Lake are the only open entry points into Desolation thus far
My question to the well-traveled masses here is this: do you think I really need snowshoes to get into Lower Velma Lake? And if I do make it up there, what are the chances that it'll be open?
Other trips I'm considering are Loon Lake to Buck Island/Rockbound and Horsetail Falls to Desolation Valley/Lake of the Woods. Or to expand outward, Kibbie in NW Yosemite and some of the lakes north of I-80 are also options. Any thoughts? Other suggestions? Looking to do an overnight backpack on July 3-4. On the one hand, the conditions will make it much easier to get a permit over the holiday weekend than would otherwise be possible, and the mosquitoes should also still be pretty tame. On the other hand, snow/wet/ice/no fish.
All input, no matter how tangentially related, is welcome!
Thanks,
Matt
I've seen the couple of reports that members have posted of their trips into Desolation thus far, and I also just called the Pacific Ranger District Station and the Lake Tahoe Visitor Center for any more recent updates about the conditions up there, to varying opinions. One guy said that all he knows is there's snow up there (go figure), while another woman was more helpful:
-You need snowshoes to get into the Velma Lakes past about the first mile
-The road to Wrights Lake isn't open yet
-Getting to the top of Horsetail Falls is fine, but after that she's not sure
-Horsetail and Loon Lake are the only open entry points into Desolation thus far
My question to the well-traveled masses here is this: do you think I really need snowshoes to get into Lower Velma Lake? And if I do make it up there, what are the chances that it'll be open?
Other trips I'm considering are Loon Lake to Buck Island/Rockbound and Horsetail Falls to Desolation Valley/Lake of the Woods. Or to expand outward, Kibbie in NW Yosemite and some of the lakes north of I-80 are also options. Any thoughts? Other suggestions? Looking to do an overnight backpack on July 3-4. On the one hand, the conditions will make it much easier to get a permit over the holiday weekend than would otherwise be possible, and the mosquitoes should also still be pretty tame. On the other hand, snow/wet/ice/no fish.
All input, no matter how tangentially related, is welcome!
Thanks,
Matt