Route Suggestions for Desolation Wilderness

[c9h13no3]

I hate to ask this, but have read some reviews of this area in Sept…some say mosquitoes were atrocious. Has this been your experience? We are three females that HATE mosquitoes and they LOVE us.

Maybe they’re a tick worse than the rest of the Sierra, but you’ll be fine. In September, the mosquitoes will be isolated to a few areas.

[Nozmo King]

Mosquitoes shouldn't be bad in September. I've backpacked in Desolation at least a dozen times. Yes, it's heavily used, but if you get more than 5 miles from the trailhead, it's not bad. I was on the JMT over Kearsarge Pass two years ago in August & it was way more crowded than anything I ever experienced in Desolation. Anyhow, I think it's a great destination with lots of beautiful lakes & trails of moderate difficulty but not ridiculous.

[Scmr143]

Thank you!

[maiathebee]

Mosquitos are season and time dependent. A few weeks after the snow melts they hatch and then after that they are biting and swarming until it dries out too much for them. This is true everywhere in the Sierra Nevada and there is nothing particularly bad about Desolation Wilderness in particular. Basically if you camp at a meadow/swampy area (e.g. Middle Velma) at peak mosquito time, you are gonna only be in your tent. Come to the same spot two weeks earlier or a month later and there will be zero mosquitos. The timing of the hatch depends on snowpack and snowmelt rates, which vary every year.

[Scmr143]

Got it…thank you!

[SSSdave]

Three nights means a single day out and back destination with a layover to day hike further. Am guessing you will have a rental vehicle. There would be few mosquitoes in Desolation by late August. Will suggest the Glen Alpine Trailhead at 6540 feet at the south end of Fallen Leaf Lake along route 1216. Trailhead parking may fill on weekends early September.

https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=38.8855 ... =15&b=f16a

Take the 17E33 Mount Tallac Trail. Caltopo map temporarily switch Base Layer from Forest Service to MapBuilder Topo to see mileage. The first mile is along a gated 4WD road to Glen Alpine Springs. From there, it is 3.4 miles up 1400 feet to reach the heavily traveled Pacific Crest Trail junction at 7940. Forested Gilmore Lake at 8360 is up another 420 feet and 0.8 miles on the PCT then spur trail 17E33.2 for a total of 4.2 miles 1820 feet.

View towards Susie Lake and the snowy Crystal Range from topo point 8242, northeast of Susie Lake:



A good idea of what that area looks like is with Google Earth using the 7/29/2021 Historical Imagery. From that base camp, on the layover day, one could day hike to the top of Mount Tallac, that has best Lake Tahoe views mid afternoon. Or explore areas due east of the PCT/17E33.2 junction with superb morning views west. Or day hike to Susie and Heather Lakes. Or take the PCT towards Dicks Pass for high views. There are spectacular wind formed Sierra juniper trees in some areas.

This new website has plenty of more info for Gilmore with images:

https://backcountryemily.com/blog/gilmorelakebackpack

[Scmr143]

Appreciate this very much!