Tahoe Adventure: Desolation Wilderness

DESOLATION

WILDERNESS

I know, I know. These two foreboding words strung together sounds like a

promising title of an adventure gone awry, where the protagonist ends up

mauled by a bear and bit by a rattlesnake, but it is, in fact, a legitimate place on

the map. If you Google map it right now (and I'll do it with you), you will see that it is a vast area of, well, desolation and wilderness. Patches of green and a chain

of blue, located southwest of Lake Tahoe, is Desolation Wilderness,

designated and protected by the US Forest Service as wilderness*.

And if you must know, you could hike from just south of Lake Tahoe

through this wilderness all the way to Yosemite.

Gasp with me now: "Raaaaad."

There are ~80 named lakes, plus some unnamed ones, which,

if you were the bucket list type (or even if you're not),

you should be scribbling now to vow to

visit all of them in your lifetime.

* Which means thou shalt not burn campfires, use motorized vehicles,

or fly a specific distance overhead, among other things.

I had first heard about Desolation Wilderness years ago at a timeshare visitor center where,

as The Dutch was haggling to up the value of the Visa card one is rewarded with upon

attending a timeshare presentation (which we didn't buy), I was captivated by an aerial

of an uninhabited are of lakes, cliffs, dense forests, waterfalls, and more lakes.

"What is this place?!", I demanded.

"Desolation Wilderness," was the reply.

I've back-pocketed the idea since and like most things in my life that took their time

but eventually materialized nonetheless, I finally set foot in this place that has captured

my imagination for many years now.

Thanks to a serendipitous event put on by the Alpenglow Mountain Festival (I'm telling you,

it pays to follow these things on Facebook and subscribe to their mailing lists),

I got my introduction to Desolation Wilderness from Mike Mullen. Mike led our small

group that day to a ten-mile round-trip hike to two lakes -

Lake Genevieve (pictured above) and Crag Lake.

And something needs to be said about Mike and his passion for this place. Although living

in San Francisco now, he grew up in the area and only after moving away did he realize that he

had a calling to needed to document in photographs all 80+ lakes. (Side note: he received his

calling at a party. Note to self: go to more parties.)

Mike was the best guide one could hope for - knowledgeable, down-to-earth and super enthusiastic -

and not a speed hiker (lol). He shared the most awesome chocolate chip cookies with us and

offered to filter water for anyone who needed it. And if they were giving away ambassadorships

to the place, he has definitely earned it. (I keep suggesting that he start putting dibs on the

unnamed lakes and have them name it after him). You should follow him on

Instagram (lakesofdesolation) and seriously, check out his photos of the lakes here.)

IF YOU GO

From Reno, head west on 80 then south on 89 towards Homewood. From the Bay Area, head west on 80 to Lake Tahoe/Truckee, then take 89 south.

To hike up to Lake Genevieve and Crag Lake, start out at the Meeks Bay Trailhead, a stone's throw across the street from Meeks Bay Resort and Marina. Park on the side of the road. The hike is 5 miles round-trip with a 1,500 ft. elevation gain, only to be attempted by those in good physical condition. My guess is that if you can hike 7 miles painlessly, you could do this 10 miler.

Permits are required for both day hikers and overnight backpackers. Day hikers could fill out one at the trailhead. Information about overnight permits could be found here.

The trail starts out flat and is peppered with wildflowers this time of the year. There's plenty of shade, but I still recommend starting early and slathering on that sunscreen. There's also water at the start of the hike so I recommend long-sleeve hiking shirts and pants, and bringing bug spray to keep mosquitoes at bay. Before the first climb comes, you will reach a fork. Go right to start going up. Going straight will lead you to a creek. At the end of the first uphill, you will be rewarded with a peek of Lake Tahoe and a gushing waterfall.

Depending on your pace and with breaks, this hike could take about 5 hours to complete so make sure you're in fit condition to attempt this hike. There are trail runners around so if that's your poison, you're also welcome.

For more information on Desolation Wilderness, check out:

1. Mike Mullen's website, Lakes of Desolation

2. U.S. Forest Service website here

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