On July 2-3, 1977 I backpacked with Gil Beilke, Roger Getz and Roger Brown on a 16 mile round trip in the Desolation Wilderness. We left Lone Pine about 6 p.m. Friday, stopped for supper at Jack-in-Box in Bishop, and made camp along a dirt road at the Carson Pass/Markleville junction.
Saturday we left about 7 a.m. and made the Wright Lake trailhead into the Desolation Wilderness about 9 a.m. after moving the car back to the trailhead parking area at the south end of the lake. It started sprinkling as we hiked. Just as we arrived at Grouse Lake it let loose a real downpour of hail that lasted about 5 minutes or so.
We continued up the trail and had lunch about 11:15 at Smith Lake. We then headed cross country to Lyons Lake. As we climbed the large blocks of talus another squall with lightning hit us. A bit scary as we were near the ridge. After the weather broke again, we headed over the ridge (no real problem) and dropped down easy slab like rock to Lyons Lake by about 1:30.
In a short while we were at Lake Sylvia along with many other people. Gil and Roger Getz hiked up the hill north of the lake and found many beautiful campsites among trees and meadow. About 3, we all moved up to a nice campsite on the edge of a meadow - outstanding views.
Gil, and the two Rodgers left about 4 and climbed Pyramid Peak (1500 feet up - no problems). I stayed in camp, took pictures and explored the meadow area. They returned about 6:30 or so and we had supper. The weather had broken up some and it looked like it might clear, BUT, in the morning we woke up in the clouds.
We got up about 6:30 and after breakfast and waiting a while on the clouds to lift, decided the weather was not going to improve much so decided to hike out. We headed down the Lyons Creek trail. We missed the turn off to Bloodsucker Lake and ended up down on the road. We hiked up the road to the car - except me, I turned off at the South Fork Silver Creek bridge and hiked up the creek over mostly easy terrain - following several trails - to the car. We all made the car about 1:30. After lunch, we headed home, arriving in Lone Pine about 6:45. It was a nice trip, even though cut short.
Desolation Wilderness Route Map 1977
