Eldorado NF
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Lovers Leap Loop Eldorado NF |
September 21, 2012
Today, I was going to do a loop hike up Ralston Peak that included the Echo
Lakes boat taxi; but I had failed to do my homework, which would have revealed
that Echo Lakes Lodge closes up right after Labor Day. The alternative
route to Ralston from US-50 doesn't appeal to me, so here I am more or
less across the street.
Parking at Lovers Leap Campground will cost you five bucks unless you have a National Parks Pass, as of course I do. From there, a trail follows an old road of historical interest.
Monk's Rock
This trail is comprised of sizeable rocks, making it difficult on the feet.
I hope it was in better condition than this when a toll was levied
Lover's Leap hovers about a thousand feet above
On the cliff face a man and woman are taking a shortcut to the top.
Trying to make it without resorting to those ropes
According to one authoritative guide, Lovers Leap has the
second-best selection of concentrated free climbs in
California. And you can spell it as "Lover's Leap" if
you like; but both the topo map and the Forest Service
brochure dropped the apostrophe a long time ago, as usual.
Eventually the boulders go away, and the trail becomes more friendly. Just past this point, at an open space, I can see and hear Pyramid Creek rushing beside the highway, and there is a bridge to a parking lot containing several vehicles. I didn't know about that one.
Easier walking
The trail starts uphill in earnest, but continues generally eastward toward Camp Sacramento. Not wanting to go over there, I watch for a presumed spur route to the mountain top. One does appear presently; but it is an older, abandoned path. I don't care, however, as long as it leads in the right direction.
Always a sucker for adventure
Within ten minutes I regain the main trail, saving a little distance and having some fun in the process.
US-50 below, and Freel Peak in the distance
It doesn't take much longer to reach the summit. The hilltop offers little of interest, but there are some informative views.
Strawberry Lodge
I can see the entirety of the area covered last week during my unlikely conquest of the highest point in Desolation Wilderness:
Rocky Canyon and Pyramid Peak
Nobody is atop the mountain at the moment
Rather, I cannot see anyone over there, anyway, because the summit is nearly four miles away. There was a car at the parking area, however.
I presume that the overhanging rock is Lovers Leap itself
I do have a lover, but I don't believe that I'll take the big plunge at this time; I might fall on those rock climbers and ruin their day!
Breaking camp a thousand feet below
After munching some gorp beside the precipice, it is time to see whether a trail might go down the other side of the mountain. I don't have a map of this area; but I do find a route with no effort whatever, and it is in pretty good condition.
I'll follow this path and see what happens
A different sort of trail marker
It still is green near the creek which no longer exists
Oops. This idea doesn't seem to be working out well. The trail goes
downhill all right, but it is leading ever-westward, away from the
trailhead. It probably terminates at Sciots Camp, another summer homea
complex. Rather than incur a potential slog along Highway-50, I opt to
plunge down into the forest; at least I'll be traveling in the right direction now.
Only a couple hundred feet to go
This detour also terminates after about ten minutes, when I run into a dirt road. Once again I have saved another little bit of distance and generated a little more excitement.
It should be easy going from here
A trail leaves the road again, then runs right into a group of cabins. Shortly, I encounter a paved road which takes me back to the trailhead within fifteen minutes.
Back to civilization
§: The two elective trail detours made the trek more interesting,
which was good, because there wasn't much else of interest here to start with.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Personality | |
| Solitude |  |
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September 2021: This entire area has burned, but the structures in Strawberry were saved. |
