Desolation Wilderness – Mexico to Canada 2023 (and beyond)

PCT Section Hike – Sierra Nevada – Day 5

October 31, 2026Ian

Echo Lake to bail out point – about 15 miles

PCT Mile 1093.4 to 1097.7 + side trail to Fallen Leaf Lake

July 5, 2026

Sluggy would join us today! He is yet another one of Buffer’s hiking buddies that she hosted last year at their house. He’s from the UK and is also section hiking the PCT over the years. This year he came for 45 days and started his hike with us.

Shawn dropped us all off at Echo Lake and we decided to take the boat across the lake to skip a couple of miles at the beginning because they are somewhat boring miles.

We entered the wilderness and a couple of minutes later we ran into a ranger who checked our permits. In the three years I’ve been hiking this trail, this was the first time I’d ever had a permit checked. I had mine though!

A couple of miles later we hit Aloha Lake. This is such a beautiful way to enter this section. I camped here at the end of my 2024 section hike and now I was doing it in reverse. We stopped for lunch and soaked our feet in the cold water.

We passed a few more lakes as we started to head towards Dick’s Pass. I don’t know why exactly, but I wasn’t feeling it today. I had done this section before and knew there was a bail out point at Glen Alpine Trail junction, so I decided to take it instead of continuing on with Sluggy and Buffer. I think I was just ready to be off trail and start the process of getting home. I took this side trail about 10 miles out to Fallen Leaf Lake and then walked the road out to the highway to meet Shawn for a ride.

As I got down out of the mountains, I passed the old Glen Alpine Springs Inn, which operated in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It has been preserved and has a cool history, which you can read below. After that I reached Fallen Leaf Lake where there is a marina with food and drinks.

The next day, Shawn and I headed up to Barker Pass in the afternoon to resupply Buffer and Sluggy and also provide trail magic to whatever hikers happened to be coming through at the time. It’s so much fun to see their reactions when they aren’t expecting trail magic. That’s what makes it magic!

PCT Hikers enjoying the chairs, food, and drinks we brought to Barker Pass

This was the end of my section hike and I enjoyed it very much. It was a very different experience for me: hiking with dedicated hiking partners and also being so close to resupply and having a dedicated trail angel in Shawn. I slack packed and just generally went with the flow of however I felt. About 60 miles total with great views and good friends.

I’m already planning for next year’s hike. I’m thinking I may go back to the desert since I’ve done the mountains for the last 3 years. Thinking maybe around April from Agua Dulce, CA to Tehachapi where I can walk the LA Aqueduct. I’ll update here when plans start to come together.

PCT Section K Southbound – Day 4 – Desolation Wilderness camp to Lake Aloha 7/18/24

July 26, 2024Ian

Thursday, July 18, 2024

17.5 miles – PCT mile 1116-1099.5

I woke up sore, specifically my shoulders. Legs were actually fine. Now I was heading into Mordor for mosquitos, apparently. Also, Dick’s Pass, the highest pass I would cross on this hike (9000+ ft) was looming in the afternoon.

As I came out of mosquito hell, I started to get into the lakes section of the Desolation Wilderness and it was pretty spectacular.

Dick’s Pass was a 1500 foot climb and was a bit daunting, but you just have to take it one step at a time. I did it in about an hour. I bonked pretty hard at the top, as I had waited to eat lunch, so my body was completely out of fuel, but the views were great.

Looking down on Dick’s Lake from whence I came

The entire trail down from Dick’s Pass was NOT my favorite. If you’re a fan of sharp rocks stabbing your feet though, have I got a trail for you!

God damn rocks

The rest of the day wound up and down past a couple of smaller lakes and then opened up to Aloha Lake (Lake Aloha? I’m not sure what the proper order is) where I would find my favorite campsite of the trip. Great neighbors, including two Sobo hikers that were continuing into the Sierra further south and also a couple and their friend, and their dog (Doug), who had hiked in from Echo Lake to basecamp and day hike. Fantastic swim in Aloha Lake to end the night.

PCT Section K Southbound – Day 3 – Five Lakes to Desolation Wilderness bush camp 7/17/24

July 26, 2024Ian

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

21 miles – PCT mile 1137-1116

This was the longest distance I have ever hiked in a single day. 21 miles.

I woke up early, checked that my water was full, and headed straight up hill. It’s always best to get big climbs out of the way early, I’ve found.

Once I got to the top of the ridge, it was a lovely day and I just enjoyed the breeze and easy trail.

After a while I did have to sit down and do some foot care, as the outside of my left heel, which is always the first place to blister no matter what it seems, started to blister. This and the outside of my right heel were the only two blisters I would incur on this trip, so I think the new toe-sock liner combo I tried worked out pretty well.

Top to bottom: toe-sock liner, regular sock, leukotape, ibuprofin, blister bandages, sit pad

A little while later, I came to the junction of the PCT and the TRT (Tahoe Rim Trail). From here, the TRT joins the PCT until just south of Echo Lake, where I would end my section hike, so I would be on both trails for the remainder of this trip.

I would also reach the other end of the Granite Chief Wilderness.

Then it was lunch time and I found a wonderful little creek to lounge by.

After lunch, I passed several hikers who had good news for me: trail magic just down the hill! I honestly didn’t even think I would run into any trail magic on this trip, so it was a wonderful surprise. First, I walked through an idyllic field of Wooly Mule’s Ears again.

As I descended down to a trail head parking lot, I saw some Nobo hikers surrounding a couple of coolers of soda. Trail magic! Thank you trail angels!

I knew I had another climb to get to my goal, 5 miles ahead and 3 miles past Richardson Lake in the Desolation Wilderness. With about 3 hours left of daylight, I put on some climbing music (metal) and put my head down to power through.

Those last 2 miles were ROUGH. They were flat, but mentally challenging, knowing this was my longest day ever and that I was almost at the end of it. I collapsed at camp and it was all I could do to set up my tent and force down a protein bar for dinner. I didn’t even brush my teeth this night. Just lay flat on my back and fell asleep quickly. There was no breeze and all was silent.