Desolation Wilderness - 5 day backpacking trip

Desolation Wilderness is a lake carpeted jewel located near Lake Tahoe.  This five day backpacking trip will include a loop through the wilderness.  You will experience some significant elevation gain, but only moderate mileage so that we can enjoy hanging out on the rocky shores adjacent to several lakes.  Afternoon swimming is encouraged!

7/14: You are responsible for booking your flight to arrive at the Reno/Lake Tahoe Airport on Sunday, July 14, 2024. You will also be responsible for bookiing your hotel in Reno and renting a car for transportation to and from the trailhead.  I will set up a group chat on Whatsapp to assist you with sharing a hotel and rental car with other members.

Day 1 (7/15):  Our backpacking trip will begin at Echo Lake.  We'll aim to arrive at Echo Lake by 9:00 a.m.

Our hike begins with a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail and Tahoe Rim Trail that proceeds upward along the rim of the stunningly beautiful lower and upper Echo lakes.  These lakes are surrounded by summer residences that are the envy of all who go there.  The residences are modest in size, so they don't take away from the wilderness experience.  After about three miles, we will enter the actual wilderness featuring a predominantly red fir and lodgepole pine forest. At around six miles, we will arrive at the largest lake in the wilderness - Lake Aloha.  We will continue hiking about 1.5 miles north along the rim of Lake Aloha to find more secluded campsites.  Total mileage for the first day will be about 7.5 miles and 1900 feet in elevation gain.  The lake features many large rocks that protrude out of the water and make for great swimming destinations.

Day 2 (7/16):  We will backtrack about a mile and rejoin the PCT and TRT past a series of lakes - Heather, Susie, and Gilmore before ascending for about three miles to Dick's pass at an elevation of 9,380 feet.  From the top of Dick's pass we will have mostly continous views of Dick's lake as we descend to its shores and find our campsites.  Our total mileage will be about 7.5 miles and we will have a total elevation gain of 2200 feet.  In the afternoon, feel free to enjoy the cool waters of Dick's lake or explore nearby Fontanillis Lake.

Day 3 (7/17):  We will continue along the PCT/TRT for about 2.5 miles to the majestic Middle Velma lake. Because this will be a rather short day, we'll probably spend some time enjoying the views or dipping into the waters of the Middle Velma.  At the junction, we'll proceed on the Velma Lakes Trail for about two miles to a new junction.  Here, we'll proceed north for less than a half mile to a trail leading to the 4-Qs Lakes.  After about a mile we will come to a series of smaller lakes where we will camp for that night.  Total distance will be about 6 miles and total elevation gain will be a little more than 500 feet.

Day 4 (7/18):  We will backtrack for 1.5 miles to the junction with the Velma Lakes trail, but then continue south and up for approximately six miles to the ominously named Mosquito Pass.  At the pass, we will enjoy better views of Lake Aloha as we descend to our first night's campsites.  Total mileage will be about 7.5 miles and elevation gain will be a little more than 1600 feet.

Day 5 (7/19):  After a leisurely morning, it will be time to return to the Echo Lake parking lot for a total of about 7.5 miles.

You'll probably want to get a room for the night in Reno before returning to Atlanta.  Again, you will be responsible for getting a hotel room on Friday night.

7/20 - Return flight to Atlanta.

Anticipated cost for each person:

$11 per person payable to trip leader for 5 day backpacking permit.

Approximate cost of hotel/double occupancy - $125 each person

Rental car fee

This is a D4 event.  If you sign up for this event, the trip leaders may contact you to guage your level of fitness and to determine whether you are able to complete this event at a moderate pace.  The trip leaders have discretion to remove anyone who they believe would not be able to complete the event at a reasonable pace.

The AOC fee of $25 is due on March 31, 2022.  If you cancel after that date, you will not receive a refund unless another member takes your spot and pays the AOC fee for this event.  In addition, any refund you receive will not include the 3% paypal fee.

$25 per person AOC service fee

Does not include airfare, hotel, or transportation to and from Echo Lake trailhead.

The permit fee of $86.00 will be divided equally among participants and paid directly to the trip leader.