Pictures & Words: Lyle Such
Camera: Canon 5d MkIV
Day 1
Not the most appealing of names for a wilderness area. We bagan the hike after a long hunt for a parking space near the trailhead.
We quickly climbed past Eagle Lake, which is where the majority of day-hikers end up. Once we were clear, the crowds disappeared.
The trees in this area added a unique beauty and otherworldliness, especially at night.
We were past the wildflower bloom, but there were a couple of stragglers.
Several sections of this trail were in heavily wooded forests, providing much appreciated shade.
After reaching the highest point for the day, the terrain opened up and started to look more desolate.
We took a short lunch break under this distinct looking tree.
We passed a few lakes on our hike. It was so tempting to jump in and enjoy the cool waters, but we had to get to camp.
Tree trunk forming an arch. We found a lot of trees bending over in the forest.
I could have stayed the entire day in this spot taking pictures.
We had a couple small water crossings. Nothing dangerous, but still, falling in would have been very inconvenient.
The marker to our lakes. Our permit required us to hike through to the west side of the Desolation Wilderness, where not many people go. We were camping at the 4Q Lakes, a small chain of very isolated alpine lakes.
Getting later in the day, exhaustion was setting in.
We explored the area around the lakes, and finally settled on a campsite. There were no people to be seen.
Braving the cold waters. We missed the bright, warm sun, but the water was still very refreshing and it was nice to be clean after a long day of hiking.
With all the fires going on in Northern California, the skies were a strange shade of grey-orange. As the sun got lower, it started turning into an orange, then red dot.
The sun through the cloud of smoke off on the horizon.
Day 2
Early morning the next day, the smoke was heavy in the atmosphere.
Hiking into the strange orange glow.
There wasn't much of a trail, but rocks were sometimes left to make a path.
Closely following the cairns. It would be pretty easy to get lost out here if you weren't paying attention.
Very interesting rings of moss.
We found a great campsite at Fontanillis Lake. We were next to the lake, at the top of a waterfall, and overlooking Upper Velma Lake and Lake Tahoe off in the distance.
Smoke clouds were circling in the sky.
We had to go for a swim. This water was much colder than the 4Q Lakes, being a much larger and deeper lake.
The water would go from glassy to choppy with a quick gust of wind. Staying under the water and out of the wind kept us warm.
Day 3
The sun rising behind the smoke was beautiful.
Final day, we woke up to some bear poop about 30 feet from our tent. Luckily the bear didn't find us!
Glassy morning.
We hiked the long way back down to Emerald Bay.
This was the last spot before we were back into the crowds of Lake Tahoe.