Mt. Price Loop in the Desolation Wilderness

We were backpacking in the Desolation Wilderness in October a year ago. It was so nice that I wanted to repeat it this year, with a condition that we will make a loop trip rather than hike and return on the same trail. After looking at several options, I found the Tahoe Backcountry web page with a description of the hike to the top of Mt. Price. The hike starts at the Wrights Lake and in part goes off the trail, cross-country. Our two day itinerary was:

Day 1: Wrights Lake, Island Lake, Mt. Price, Lyons Lake: 5.2 miles
Day 2: Lyons Lake, Lyons Lake trail head, Wrights Lake: 10.7 miles
Total: 15.9 miles


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On the way to the wilderness we stopped at the Pacific Ranger District to pick up the overnight permit. Ranger there said that there is a Snow Advisory above 5500 ft. for the evening, and I imagined ourselves sitting in the tent looking at the single snow flakes falling on the trees. With that thought we drove to the Wrights Lake and started to hike at noon. The day was sunny and windy, a good day for hiking.

At the Island Lake we stopped to rest and look-up the way, which from this point goes cross-country. Mt. Price is in the center of the picture, the second small peak from the left. The route goes up the slopes to the right side of the peak and then traverses to the pass at the left.

Going up we have seen a flock of funny looking Sooty Grouse, which hid in the tall grass and under the rocks when we came closer.

By the time we got to the top of the mountain, it was surround by dark clouds and the temperature significantly dropped. The plan was to traverse to Mt. Agassiz and then descend to Sylvia Lake, but the traverse was invisible under the dark clouds and the slopes leading to Lyons Lake were still clear. We choose to go down and camp at the Lyons Lake.

Our overnight camp was on the gully overlooking the lake at the left side of the dam that crosses the lake right to left. We rushed to the sleeping bags because of the cold and wind. Soon after that the thunderstorms started, and were followed by the snowfall.

In the morning the world outside looked very different then yesterday. It was still dawn when we got up, and the snow was swirling around the tent. We started to descend along the Lyons Creek to the main road. For the most part, the Lyons Creek Trail trail was visible under the 4 inch cover of snow.

Things cheered up when the sun came out, and there was more people on the trail - two groups were walking down from Sylvia Lake to the trail head.

Here is the view at the Wrights Lake at the end of the trip, and more pictures in the Picassa Album.