TRIP REPORT: West Lake Tahoe, Desolation Wilderness, Meeks Bay to Crag Lake, July 2011

High Sierra Backpacking Report

Details

July 7 to July 10, 2011

Meeks Bay to Crag Lake in the Desolation Wilderness.

Related Information

Map: Desolation Wilderness

Click along the trail route for detailed maps. Click those maps for trail guide pages.

Miles and Elevations: Meeks Bay to Echo Summit

Forest Service: Desolation Wilderness

Trail Guide: Tahoe Basin Trailheads

Admin: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

This valuable trip report submitted by Jeff L reveals the conditions from Meeks Bay to Phipps Pass, covering elevations from 6239 to 8800 feet.

Meeks Bay is the trailhead for beginning the classic 181 mile Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route. Jeff and his daughter were not planning on hiking the TYT, but were out for a long Summer weekend hike in decidedly Springtime conditions.

Jeff's report reveals the soggy conditions, the dense mosquitoes rising out of the mositure, the heavy runoff in the rivers and creeks, and gives us a look at the heavy snow still packing Phipps Pass.  

Here's Jeff's report:

Alex,

I just returned from a weekend trip (7/7/11 to 7/10/11) with my daughter from Meeks Bay to Crag Lake.

All clear to Lake Genevieve. Spots of snow from Lake Genevieve to Crag Lake, but no impediment to the trail.

Trail is very wet in many places and, as you can guess, mosquitos are ravenous.

Crossing of stream that empties from Shadow Lake urges caution due to water speed and volume. As of this weekend, you can wade across, water about mid thigh level, or go about 30' upstream to find a large tree fallen across the stream that you can walk across, but be careful as a fall would spell trouble.

Once past Shadow Lake (which looks pretty swampy at this point) snow will block the trail in many spots to Stoney Ridge Lake. You can find your way, but again, be careful if carrying heavy packs.

We had heard that the trail out of Stoney Ridge Lake is almost completely covered with snow and Phipps Pass is not passable, without snow equipment, and dangerous.

The wood bridge at Meeks Creek below Lake Genevieve was easy to use. The water was a good two +  feet below the bottom of the bridge. I talked with a guy on the trail who said last week water was coursing over the top of this bridge. No problems for us.

BTW I saw three dads with their three boys on the same trail/trip as us. The boys seemed to be between 6-11 yo. Also, another family, who was there ahead of us, had brought their 4-5 yo son along. Additionally, on our day hike to Stoney Ridge Lake we passed a father and son trudging through the snow, I imagine headed to Stoney Ridge, as we were heading back. The son seemed in his early 20's. Each had heavy packs.   

Hope this helps a few readers.

Jeff L.

This is a valuable report. Note Jeff's description of the creek draining from Shadow Lake. This indicates that low elevation creeks which are normally easy fords at this time of year are very dangerous. Additionally, we can see through Jeff's eyes that the medium elevation passes, such as Phipps Pass, are still packed deep with snow.  

Thanks a lot Jeff!

Jeff did not have time to register and post up an article, so he sent me his trip write up, and I am more than happy to post it up.

If any of you have done some scouting trips and have trip reports about current Sierra conditions, or other information you would like to share you can post it up yourself, or send me your notes and I will post it up for you.

Alex