Desolation Wilderness
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Secret Lake Desolation Wilderness |
July 20, 2014
Despite a threat of afternoon thunderstorms in the western Sierra today,
I must do something. Having not yet visited my favorite trailhead this
year, I make it up here by 9 a.m., finding that there are but two
parking spaces remaining. If this lot were full, the walk would be
two miles longer.
There are heavy clouds overhead, with just a little bit of sunlight here and there. No mosquitoes seem to be around in the meadow this morning, which is unprecedented.
Some of the usual flower suspects also are missing today
At the critical junction I must choose a venue. Managing to overcome a desire to wimp out because of the weather, I decide to try for a previously unvisited feature, so I take a right turn onto the Grouse Lake Trail.
This no-nonsense route is fairly steep
Looking north
Looking northwest
A group of four male backpackers approaches. Their two dogs, each carrying some supplies, are having a bit of trouble with their footing at a creek crossing.
Easy does it
At the top of the steep climb, Grouse Lake appears in its usual spot. I head to the right around the 'back' side.
It is almost eerily quiet here today
Perhaps the fishing is good
As per the plan, it is time to leave the trail. The upcoming
200-foot scramble is unavoidable.
I manage to find a route requiring no hands-on effort
Grouse Lake
Atop the wall is a little pond that would be much more photogenic if the sun were shining.
This unnamed tarn is on the map
My GPS says that I should continue south. That entails negotiating a little talus jumble, but I find a way through with minimal scrambling. Below is the destination, a pretty blue tarn nested in the rubble.
Secret Lake
Although I see no benefit in trying to access the rocky shore, I climb down some anyway for a closer view.
Although the outlet has dried up, this still qualifies as a lake
The sky is rumbling now, and black clouds are moving in. Back on Hike #16 to nearby Gertrude Lake, I was compelled to walk the last two miles drenched to the core, and I narrowly avoided a hailstorm. Back then, though, I had a camera that wasn't afraid of a little water; so all was well. Today, I am armed only with a primitive poncho that is too small to cover all my fragile stuff and myself as well; so I will forgo a lunch break and start back straightaway.
The unforgiving rocks await me again
This time, my choice of routes through the boulders is poor. Twice
I encounter a virtual dead-end and must find another way. This
exercise serves as a great reminder that competent talus-hopping
requires two strong arms, and currently I am lacking one of those.
My balance is off, and I cannot lift myself up or grab handholds on my
right side, Getting through this small rocky area takes twice as
long as would normally be the case.
Heading back
I am traversing a bench of sorts, several hundred feet above Grouse Lake. According to the map, it is level going northward over to the main trail at Hemlock Lake; so I will try that. Presently I reach the beautiful little meadow that I have written about previously.
Today there is little time to enjoy this verdant spot
Normally, I cross this area at right-angles to today's path, on the way to Smith Lake.
Smith Lake drainage
As much as I would like to visit scenic Hemlock Lake again, going all the way over there would entail some extra distance; so when I encounter a use trail heading downward, I follow it.
Path of least resistance
Back on a real trail
Grouse Lake
Minor thunderclaps persist, and a couple of raindrops already have
landed. The only thing on my mind now is getting back without getting
wet, if possible. Yesterday, a couple of long-distance runs over
by Marlette Lake were canceled due to a severe hailstorm.
Following some backpackers
The meadow behind Wrights Lake
The footbridge across South Silver Creek is a welcome sight, for it is but
a short distance from the now-full parking lot. As I leave, the
vacated space is immediately refilled.
Wrights Lake is just around the corner
§: Well, I managed to avoid the rain this time, and I am able to cross
another destination off my bucket list. Being a fair-weather hiker,
I always am a bit put off by inclement weather, largely because it makes for
relatively rotten photographs. Having better rain gear would help, so I
will get some. And if it weren't for this debilitating California heat wave,
I could be more selective in my choices of hiking dates.
In retrospect, however, the weather had the seeming effect of subduing everyone's behavior. I will say that this was the quietest walk I can remember.
| Scenery |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Adventure |  |
| Solitude |  |
