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Overall Summary: TOP
(To save space, all trail names are listed without the word "Trail"-- e.g., Rockbound Trail is Rockbound.)
| Trail Name | Number | Updated | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayview | 17E04 | 05-26-2013 | Trail clear and in good condition until unstable snow about 1/4 mile below saddle between South and North Maggies Peaks. Patchy snow on trail up to Azure Lake junction. South Maggies Peak snow free. |
| Blakely | 16E07 | 05-22-2013 | Schmidell Lake Basin is still full of snow, and the trail to it on the north-facing slope below Lake Lois is covered. The area between Schmidell and Rockbound Pass looks pretty snowy also. |
| Eagle Falls | 17E03 | 05-02-2013 | Trail clear to Eagle Lake. Trail clear of snow 1/2 mile above Eagle Lake, then becomes snow covered. |
| Glen Alpine | 17E06 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Grass Lake | 17E06 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Grouse Lake | 16E01 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Half Moon Lake | 17E31 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Lake Doris to Rubicon | 16E08 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Lake Lucille | 17E09 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Lake of the Woods to Lake Aloha | 17E40 | 06-08-2013 | Large tree across trail, lots of snow and mud, but able to follow footprints to trail on other side. Clear to Aloha after halfway point. |
| Lake of the Woods to Ropi Lake | 17E11 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Lyons Creek Trail | 16E13 | 06-01-2013 | Trail snow free until 1/2 mile before Lake Sylvia. Often wet and muddy. Lyons Creek crossing before Sylvia Lake junction about 15 feet across and up to knee-high depth. |
| Lyons Lake | 16E13 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Mt Tallac | 17E33 | 05-30-2013 | Several trees across trail between Mt. Tallac trailhead and Cathedral Lake. Trail mostly dry to Floating Island Lake; almost no snow on trail to Cathedral Lake. Snow still fills Cathedral Bowl. Tallac summit accessible with high caution due to snow bridge and slip hazards. The main steep stretch requires bypass of main trail to the alternative route at the north end. |
| Pacific Crest | N/A | 05-22-2013 | PCT in the saddle between Middle Mountain and Phipps Peak, heading south, is occasionally snowy and very wet. Area around the outlet of Middle Velma Lake is soggy but passable. |
| PCT to Aloha | 17E39 | 06-08-2013 | Echo to Lake of the Woods clear of snow until last 50 ft. to LOTW post. From PCT to Lake of the Woods, initial flat part muddy with some snow. At the lake, east shore snowy and muddy, west shore free of snow. Two trees down on PCT approx. 1/2 mile south of Lake Aloha. |
| Ralston | 17E41 | 06-13-2013 | Very good. No trees down on trail. Minimal snow patches toward top, easily navigated. No sign at main trail junction with trail to Ralston Peak (at top of descent to Lake of the Woods). Snow at top of descent to LOTW looks passable with extreme caution; ascent from LOTW would be a challenge. |
| Ralston Peak | 17E42 | 06-08-2013 | From Ralston trailhead, peak trail is clear of snow until 1/2 mile from the top. From Lake of the Woods, impassable due to 5-6 ft. of snow. |
| Red Peak | 15E08 | 06-12-2013 | Van Vleck to Lake No. 3 clear with minor snow patches and snow bridge hazards above 8,000 ft. Nine trees across trail. Water crossings doable without getting feet wet. Trail diverted at gate around bridge construction in progress. |
| Rockbound | 16E08 | 05-23-2013 | Trail open and accessible to Rockbound Pass. A couple of downed trees and a few patches of snow between trailhead and Maud Lake; otherwise clear. Stream crossing below Maud was easy as the water is not high. Trail around lake snow covered, but melting. Sm |
| Rubicon | 16E30 | 05-26-2013 | Trail clear of snow from Loon Lake to Rockbound Lake and Rubicon Reservoir. Several trees across trail. No high water until just before reservoir. The slabs near the Rubicon are open. The Rubicon Valley is essentially snow free downstream of China Flat, but the cirque of Clyde Lake is snowy. |
| Schmidell | 16E28 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Tahoe-Yosemite | 17E01 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Triangle Lake | N/A | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Twin Lakes | 16E12 | 05-15-2013 | Lots of water on trail, but generally in good shape. Beyond junction with Grouse Lake trail, Twin Lakes trail becomes obscured with unstable snow. Outlet creek from Twin Lakes easy to cross, lakes mostly melted, waterfall flowing strong. Unstable snow above Twin Lakes. Island Lake snow and ice starting to melt. |
| Tyler | 16E09 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Velma Lakes | 17E34 | 05-22-2013 | Middle Velma Lake is free of ice, and the popular camping spots on the south side are mostly clear but often wet. The PCT near Middle Velma is snow covered. The trail west from Middle Velma Lake is about half covered, very wet and sloppy, with down trees. |
Unmaintained Wilderness Trails
(Subject to clearing once every 10 years or less, as crew scheduling allows.)
| Trail Name | Number | Updated | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| McConnell Lake | 16E06 | 05-22-2013 | Trail ford of the Rubicon above Camper Flat is easy wading, probably no more than 18" deep, very low for this time of year. Patchy snow in valley containing 4Q Lakes; north-facing slope up to Horseshoe Lake is snow covered. |
| Red Peak Stock | 16E31 | 06-09-2013 | Between Lois Lake and saddle on the Crystal Range, trail completely snow covered. South of the saddle, patchy snow and water on trail. |
Non-Wilderness Trails
(Immediately adjacent to wilderness boundary.)
| Trail Name | Number | Updated | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Angora | 17E37 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Bassi Creek | 15E19/15E20 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Bloodsucker | 16E14 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Highland Lake | 15E21 | 05-22-2013 | Trail between Horseshoe Lake and Zitella Lake is snow covered. |
| Loon Lake | 16E30 | 05-24-2013 | One tree across trail about 1/2 mile from Loon Lake trailhead. No snow as far as Spider Lake. |
| Pyramid Creek | 17E25 | 05-10-2013 | From trailhead to base of Horsetail Falls is completely free of snow. Pyramid Creek flow is declining and well below high water mark. Two trees across trail beyond wilderness boundary. Small patches of snow above Pitt and Avalanche Lakes. |
| Shadow Lake | 15E22 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
| Twin Lakes TH to Rockbound | 16E16/16E18 | 06-04-2013 | Spring conditions; snow melting rapidly. |
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SUBMITTED REPORTS: TOP
Submit a Trail Conditions Report
| 11 | 06-16-13 | 17E39 | Tree_Across_Trail | Two trees downed on PCT approx 1/2 mile south of Lake Aloha | N/A |
| 10 | 06-14-13 | 17E25 | Other | Sign at trailhead needs to be repaired- it has fallen off the support. Box holding day permit applications at the wilderness boundary is empty. | N/A |
| 9 | 06-12-13 | 15E08 | Other | Van Vleck to Lake No. 3- access clear with minor snow patches and snow bridge hazards above 8000'. Nine trees across the trail were marked- 5 within wilderness boundary and 4 outside boundary. GPS coordinates and photos of trees across trail are available upon request. Trail is in need of maintenance- water bars, erosion, trees across trail, and lopping/small saw cutting of young lodegpole pines on trail. Water crossings are doable without getting feet wet. Trail diverted at gate around bridge construction in progress. | N/A |
| 8 | 06-09-13 | 16E31 | Other | Trail covered completely by snow between Lois Lake and the saddle on the Crystal Range. South of the saddle, I was able to follow some sections of the trail but some sections were covered by snow or streams, at lower elevations. | N/A |
| 7 | 11-30--1 | 17E40 | Tree_Across_Trail | from lotw to aloha, huge tree across trail that needs attention, tons of snow and mud but able to follow footprints to meet up with trail on other side....these conditions exist for only the first half the length of the trail. after that its clear to aloha | N/A |
| 6 | 11-30--1 | 17E42 | Unstable_Snow | ralston peak from lake of the woods, tons of snow(5-6 feet high) impassable. | N/A |
| 5 | 11-30--1 | 17E39 | Other | echo lakes to lake of the woods trail, trail clear of snow until last 50 feet to lotw post....a little muddy at that point....lotw trail from pct to the lake, initial flat part muddy and a little snow but able to maneuver around, once start going up hill the conditions are fine....conditions at the lake, east shore snowy and muddy, west shore free of snow. | N/A |
| 1 | 05-04-13 | 17E37 | test | N/A |
Trail Conditions Disclaimer: Desolation Wilderness Volunteers provides this information free of charge as a public service to users of Desolation Wilderness, California and its immediate surroundings. While we have read and screened the information provided here, neither we nor those submitting the information make any claims or guarantees as to its accuracy, and assume no responsibility for the safety of those using it as part of their trip planning process. Backcountry travel involves risks and potential dangers, all of which can be found in the area covered by this trails conditions page. It is the responsibility of the users of these reports to be aware of the risks involved in any backcountry activity and to assess for themselves whether they are up to the challenge of facing these risks. By providing this information we make no suggestion or representation, expressed or implied, that these trails will be in the same condition as described when you visit them or that they will be safe for your passage.