So I decided Friday afternoon to see if I could hike from South Lake Tahoe to Tahoe City in a day. About 40ish miles. However along the way I decided that it would be a bit to ambitious and with a cold front moving in a bit risky. So instead I hiked to Tahoma. Still a solid 30 mile day hike. I started at just after 4am so I could watch the sunrise up on Mt. Tallac.
Then I proceeded north on the PCT through Desolation Wilderness before exiting the PCT at Richardson Lake and getting a bit lost on fire roads(adding on about 2 miles) before hiking down the Rubicon OHV Trail to Tahoma.I made it to Tahome around 2pm. All in all it was an awesome hike. However I am certainly feeling it today. It would be cool to make the hike all the way to Tahoe City in a day though. It will take a bit more preparation and probably a bit lighter pack. Mine weighed about 25-30 pounds as I wasn't sure if I would spend the night up there. The scenery was quite spectacular as my pictures try to capture.
Wildlife encounters:
About 30 min into the hike I glanced up the trail and my headlight settled on a pair of 2 beady eyes staring at me in the middle of the trail. I stopped dead in my track as I tried to figure out what creature this was staring at me. The eyes were close together about about 3 feet above the trail surface. Debating whether I should try and get my camera out to take a picture I opted to not and instead make noise in case it wasn't a friendly creature that would not appreciate a flash in its eyes. Upon making noise the creature turned to the left and sprang up and off the trail. The silhouette was unmistakably that of a mountain lion. That certainly got my blood pumping. I was on edge for the next 30 minutes and making sure to be plenty noisy.
My second encounter came just after 6am as I was climbing up towards Dick's Pass. I was strolling up the trail when I noticed a small furry creature ambling along just ahead of me. I made my way a bit closer and figured out it was a fat porcupine out for a morning stroll just as I was. I followed him up the trail for a few minutes before he veered off and down the side of the mountain.
Pictures
http://picasaweb.google.com/pvparsel/82830MileDesolationHike#
Map of my hike
you're a crazy bastard mountain man puddin' pop. thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteDude sick hike, definitely badass. A couple years back I scrambled to the top of Dick's Peak as a day hike during a backpacking trip up around there. Pretty sweet views! Dick's Lake has some nice trout in it as well.
ReplyDeletewell booger, My Dick's Stream has some nice 'trout' in it as well.
ReplyDelete