Desolation Wilderness
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Maud Lake Desolation Wilderness |
June 30, 2012
Trails branch northeast from Wrights Lake into four different areas of Desolation Wilderness. One of those heads toward my favorite spot in the northern Sierra. The three routes with which I am familiar all are dead ends; that is, they do not cross the Crystal Range. In contrast, today's trail does lead up and over Rockbound Pass into the depths of the wilderness, making it popular with backpackers.
Starting out
A short distance from the trailhead is a lake that isn't especially beautiful at all; but that's the name they gave it:
Beauty Lake
Many of the usual floral suspects are out today. I had better photograph them before the breeze comes up.
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| Mountain Onion | Wooly Sunflowers |
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| Camas Lily | Mountain Pride |
After crossing a flower-filled green section, I emerge from the trees and get a first view of the landscape ahead.
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| Last of the shade | Rockbound Pass is way up there |
Instead of continuing straight across the vast expanse of granite slabs, which looks from here like a viable route but probably isn't, the trail dips down to a lower point in order to cross a creek. This is the only running water around today. Downstream, daredevil kayakers navigate a world-class run on this creek; but opportunity for that activity probably already has come and gone for this season.
Jones Fork of Silver Creek
Over to the left on this great expanse of granite are some big blackish discolorations, where spring runoff sometimes cascades all over the place. The area is bone-dry today, however.
I won't get lost here
At the far end of the rock valley the climbing starts in earnest; but it is only a few hundred feet upward to the destination.
That's "Little Pyramid Peak", 9441'
Preview of the coming attraction
At lakeshore I find a tent. Next to it is a hammock containing two young campers enjoying a music player of some kind. They wave as I pass by.
I continue past the lake while warding off a few mosquitoes. I really would like to climb another 700 feet to Rockbound Pass and peer down the other side at Doris Lake and whatever else is to be seen there. Unfortunately, despite having walked less than five miles, my feet already are complaining, which fact could be a holdover from the beating I gave them last week at Yosemite Falls. Also, I have a six o'clock dinner date in Davis; so I will forgo a visit to the pass, give my heels a rest, and munch on some buffalo wings.
Maud Lake
According to one trail guide, this lake's name was changed to "Maude" in the 1990s. If so, why? And by whom? The original name still shows up on both the topo sheets and Forest Service maps, so "Maud" it remains. In any case, there certainly was no necessity of a change. In fact, there is not another Maud Lake in all of California.
The lake is overlooked by Peak 9163
As I head back, the walk is no more exciting in this direction. I do encounter my first hikers on today's outing — about thirty of them, and all but two are sporting backpacks.
It's a long way back
I won't be getting lost here, either
After what seems like an interminable amount of walking, I reenter the verdant environs of Wrights Lake. I am virtually running now, because doing so seems easier on the feet. The return lap will take just two hours; so I will have no trouble keeping my dinner date.
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Back at Beauty Lake
§: A hiker friend recently asked whether I ever became bored on the
trail. I had answered him "No"; but today I came pretty close near the end.
More running water or a visit to Rockbound Pass itself would have provided some
interest to this otherwise mundane walk. Unless one is backpacking to Lake
Schmidell or the like, I find no compelling reason to venture in that direction.
The other trails around Wrights Lake are far more rewarding.
Maud Lake
Wrights Lake
Desolation Wilderness