ski touring in Desolation Wilderness, 4/12 - 4/14/2025

[Harlen]

I couldn't stand to miss the clear, still weather that has been hanging over the Sierra for the past week and more. Wolfie and I skied in to Desolation, and all around Lake Aloha, coming out midday yesterday.

The conditions are an interesting mix of dreadfully icy morning surface skiing, perfect for falling and then sliding long distances (if that's your thing), and then after about 10:30, the hard icy snow becomes the most wonderful, silky surface for sliding on skis. I saw a large group of people (12) climbing up Pyramid Peak, and another set of 8 skiers making their way up the face just south of Mt. Agassiz. The avalanche risk seems negligible (but better to get the story from one of the professional sites), wet snow instability is the concern on these warm days.

Warm days, warm (30-ish) nights, and from the snowpark TH, you cross 50' of melted out pavement, and then don your skis, and it is all still skiable snow from then on. Hurry though, it must be melting fast.

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Looking down on the frozen Echo Lakes.

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Wolfie, with Jacks and Dicks Peaks in the background. Note that it was hard for dog paws late in the day due to post-holing. He would walk behind my skis to avoid it.

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This is on Lake Aloha, and it is a beautiful place to ski tour around. Have fun.