TR: Duck, Pika, Purple, Ram and Virginia Lakes
Posted: Tue Jul 23, 2019 4:32 pm
My one-way from Duck Pass TH to McGee Creek TH was nixed when the Caltopo showed a snowy McGee Pass and frozen Tully Lake. So I did a loop, staying north of Tully Hole. On the drive, I picked up two PCT hikers at Echo Summit and took them into Tahoe. I then took the road that directly drops to Minden, which was longer than my usual route over Luther Pass, but in addition to helping out the PCT hikers, I filled up with much cheaper gas! At Mono Visitor Center I got my permit plus a lecture on why I had to move my food from the Ursack to the bear can and ill-advise that crampons were not needed. Overall it was a mixed-bag trip- not my normal backpacking style, but a pleasant mix of backpacking, day-hiking, pondering each night what I would do next and a mixed of solitude and crowds. But as they say, any day backpacking beats a day scrubbing floors.
7/17. Emerald Lake TH to Pika Lake. 4.3 miles, 4 hours, 1720 feet gain.
I had a difficult time finding the trailhead, having to wait for an open parking space. I then just took the first trail south (not aware that I was on the Emerald Lake trail), lost the trail in snow, veered left and picked up a use trail which then ran into a much larger trail just below the Arrowhead Lake junction. Other than mud and a few snow patches, I quickly made it to Barney Lake early enough to continue over the pass. There were snow patches, but all could be detoured or walked on when not steep.
On top of the pass I met a couple who had turned back, saying that the snow gully on north side of Duck Lake was very dangerous and impassable. I headed to Pika Lake, where I found a great campsite up on the ridge between the two lakes. Just as I arrived, so did three young fellows, who had twice crossed the snow gully, once inbound and now outbound. They said it was short but scary; a “fall-you-die” thing. Evidently getting onto the footprints from the melted out sides was the most difficult. After setting up I tried fishing Pika Lake (not even sure there are fish in Pika Lake). After dinner and evening photographs I was tired and went in the tent. Thankfully there were no mosquitoes.
7/18. Pika Lake to Ram Lake. 7.1 miles, 6 hours, 1950 feet gain (plus about an hour fishing/hiking).
I awoke early and fished Duck Lake for about half an hour, not getting a bite, but saw a fish trapped in a little pool on the shore. There was a light frost on the grass down by Duck Lake, which may explain why there were no bugs; which may explain why fish were not feeding on the surface of the lake.
I packed up and left at 9AM deciding to try to detour the snow gully. At the high point of the trail, I hiked off-trail easily traversing and went over the buttress for only a 175-foot extra gain. There were snowfields on the final climb but I could scramble up talus and then traverse the nearly flat snow on top, with only sun cups being tedious. A nice easy drop down a grassy valley ended in a 150-foot steep drop the last tenth mile to intersect the trail.
Crossing the outlet of Duck Lake, I met two fellows who said the fishing at Purple Lake was “hot”. The PCT was in great shape and full of JMT and PCT hikers. I reached Purple Lake early enough that I decided to go up to Ram Lakes. Passing a small side creek to Purple Lake there were tons of fat fish, evidently spawning.
Once off the PCT, I was alone. The Ram Lakes trail was in better condition than in 2010, but the two creek crossings required wading and to my surprise, I was swarmed by horrible biting blackflies. There were a few snow patches and lots of muddy and swampy sections, but overall it was easy to follow. I was becoming tired, regretting I had not just taken the PCT to Lake Virginia. Oh well, here I was. The last bit to the upper Ram Lake was tricky, over lots of little cliffs. But I pretty much followed a faint use-trail. The three Ram Lakes are not like what is shown on the map! The upper two lakes are connected and a creek with a waterfall connects the middle and lower lake. The metric contours do not show all the little cliffs.
After much indecision, I finally settled on a nice sheltered campsite at the western edge of the upper lake. At 3PM I set up camp, took a bucket bath in the lake that still had a large snowfield floating on the water (brrr!) and washed clothes. There were a few baby mosquitoes but they did not bite. I walked around taking photos and fishing the remainder of the afternoon. I only saw one small fish between the lower and middle lake and caught nothing. But it was a beautiful setting and weather was perfect.
7/17. Emerald Lake TH to Pika Lake. 4.3 miles, 4 hours, 1720 feet gain.
I had a difficult time finding the trailhead, having to wait for an open parking space. I then just took the first trail south (not aware that I was on the Emerald Lake trail), lost the trail in snow, veered left and picked up a use trail which then ran into a much larger trail just below the Arrowhead Lake junction. Other than mud and a few snow patches, I quickly made it to Barney Lake early enough to continue over the pass. There were snow patches, but all could be detoured or walked on when not steep.
On top of the pass I met a couple who had turned back, saying that the snow gully on north side of Duck Lake was very dangerous and impassable. I headed to Pika Lake, where I found a great campsite up on the ridge between the two lakes. Just as I arrived, so did three young fellows, who had twice crossed the snow gully, once inbound and now outbound. They said it was short but scary; a “fall-you-die” thing. Evidently getting onto the footprints from the melted out sides was the most difficult. After setting up I tried fishing Pika Lake (not even sure there are fish in Pika Lake). After dinner and evening photographs I was tired and went in the tent. Thankfully there were no mosquitoes.
7/18. Pika Lake to Ram Lake. 7.1 miles, 6 hours, 1950 feet gain (plus about an hour fishing/hiking).
I awoke early and fished Duck Lake for about half an hour, not getting a bite, but saw a fish trapped in a little pool on the shore. There was a light frost on the grass down by Duck Lake, which may explain why there were no bugs; which may explain why fish were not feeding on the surface of the lake.
I packed up and left at 9AM deciding to try to detour the snow gully. At the high point of the trail, I hiked off-trail easily traversing and went over the buttress for only a 175-foot extra gain. There were snowfields on the final climb but I could scramble up talus and then traverse the nearly flat snow on top, with only sun cups being tedious. A nice easy drop down a grassy valley ended in a 150-foot steep drop the last tenth mile to intersect the trail.
Crossing the outlet of Duck Lake, I met two fellows who said the fishing at Purple Lake was “hot”. The PCT was in great shape and full of JMT and PCT hikers. I reached Purple Lake early enough that I decided to go up to Ram Lakes. Passing a small side creek to Purple Lake there were tons of fat fish, evidently spawning.
Once off the PCT, I was alone. The Ram Lakes trail was in better condition than in 2010, but the two creek crossings required wading and to my surprise, I was swarmed by horrible biting blackflies. There were a few snow patches and lots of muddy and swampy sections, but overall it was easy to follow. I was becoming tired, regretting I had not just taken the PCT to Lake Virginia. Oh well, here I was. The last bit to the upper Ram Lake was tricky, over lots of little cliffs. But I pretty much followed a faint use-trail. The three Ram Lakes are not like what is shown on the map! The upper two lakes are connected and a creek with a waterfall connects the middle and lower lake. The metric contours do not show all the little cliffs.
After much indecision, I finally settled on a nice sheltered campsite at the western edge of the upper lake. At 3PM I set up camp, took a bucket bath in the lake that still had a large snowfield floating on the water (brrr!) and washed clothes. There were a few baby mosquitoes but they did not bite. I walked around taking photos and fishing the remainder of the afternoon. I only saw one small fish between the lower and middle lake and caught nothing. But it was a beautiful setting and weather was perfect.