Current Desolation Wilderness Conditions

[MMI]

Totally new to HST, but have been reading your posts to gain valuable information from time to time! Thank you! Writing to inquire if anyone has information on current trail/camp conditions in the Desolation Wilderness. Planned for a 6-day trip, starting on Aug. 1st: Upper Echo (taking the boat taxi) --> Aloha --> Gilmore --> Dick's --> Schmidell --> Clyde --> Upper Echo. Particularly concerned about snow conditions on the descent from Dick's Pass to Dick's Lake and all stream crossings, particularly between Dick's Lake to Schmidell and then Schmidell to Clyde. We'll be traveling with our 3 kids (ages 5, 10, 12) and so appreciate any information and insight! Our kids have been backpacking since they were 4 years-old (even our now 5 year-old - we took to Little Lakes Valley and Twenty Lakes Basin last year), and we just did a 4-day loop over the July 4th weekend in the Emigrant Wilderness out of Crabtree to Gem where we hiked in snow and crossed some 2-3' deep streams - my husband carried our 5-year old . Thanks ahead of time for any and all help!
- Mia

[Tom_H]

Hi, Mia! Welcome to HST!

I can't answer your snow question with precision, but I imagine it will be getting fairly clear by then.

I will offer a couple of possible things to include on your trip, though. From Dicks to Fontanilis is short and there is a beautiful long flow over the granite pluton out of Fontanilis. You can follow the stream down the granite then XC a very short distance back to the trail.

A day hike climb of Mt. Tallac from Gilmore offers an astounding view of all of Tahoe from 3000' directly above the lake. Gilmore is a good base camp for that climb, but shortly after the snow is gone the grasslands around Gilmore can be a mosquito haven, so be prepared.

There is a very good out of the way camp site on Susie Lake. Cross the stream at the outlet, continue on the trail, then when the trail turns away from the lake, follow the edge of the lake several hundred feet until you come to a little peninsula with a couple of nice flat camp spots. There is good fishing in Susie.

If there is still snow covering the trail just above Heather, be careful as it can be steep and slippery. Ditto if there is still snow on the trail along the side of Heather.

Here is a map that covers much of your intended route.

Have great fun and be sure to post a detailed trip report with lots of pictures when you get back!!

PS. If you ever decide to do a longer version of this route, you can continue on to Genevive, XC due west (possibly using the previous trail which is no longer maintained) to the General Creek trail, which then runs into the PCT. This map will give you some ideas.

[MMI]

Thanks so much, Tom_H, for the info! If the kids are feeling good, we'd love to push on towards Susie to camp. We could take an extra day at Gilmore and we make the trek up to Mt. Tallac, too! Thanks also for the little tidbit on Fontanillis. It sounds beautiful. We'll definitely try to add it our adventure =). We did a trip from Meeks Bay to Eagle Falls last year, very similar to the map you provided, just a condensed version .
After some digging around, there's still snow on Dick's Pass, reportedly hard compact snow. The Rubicon river on our route is crossable at this point (multiple crossings), but of course, recommended to try and ford them earlier in the day than later. Big thanks once again!

[Tom_H]

If there is any way you can take two vehicles, the route shown in my first map passes around twenty lakes, making it scenic the entire distance. It also gives opportunity for drinking water, fishing, and swimming (if one can withstand the cold!). There is plenty of parking at both Echo and Meeks Bay.

Some ways to enjoy the snow that the kids will like are:
-scrape down to clean snow, fill cup, pour Kool-Aid powder on top, mix, instant snow cones!
-take lightweight fry pan and lid, mix up store bought cheesecake, Jello, or pudding, bury in snowbank to chill, enjoy!