Dicks Peak behind the low in the ridgetop West of Dicks Pass. Pass out of view to Left. View Southwest hiking South up to Dicks Pass.

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South to Dicks Pass on the Tahoe Yosemite Trail through Desolation Wilderness

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Bayview Junction

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Hiking to Dicks Pass

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Passing South by the Southernmost Bayview Trail junction puts us on this long arcing climb up the densely forested Eastern wall of the basin holding Dicks Lake.

Phipps Pass to Heather Lake
15 minute topographic backpacking MAP

South Desolation Wilderness
30 minute backpacking MAP

Meeks Bay to Echo Summit
Backpacking Miles and Elevations

Our climb higher passes above the North to the South end of the lake reveals a shifting range of pleasing views as our perspective on Dicks Lake rotates and rises.

Dicks Pass Forum

comments-questions-additions

Dicks Peak

Looking Southwest from above the Northwest side of Dicks Lake.

The morning is the best time to climb. I'm hiking South to Dicks Pass in the cool morning shade!

Here we can see the gap between the low rise in the dark ridgeline and Dicks Peak in the back-Right. That gap holds a lake draining down to Fontanillis Lake.

Dicks Pass is out of frame to the Left of the low dark rise in the middle-Left of the image.

View West

Climbing higher we get stunning glimpses of Dicks Lake's Western shore through the dark dense forest. Note the coves with associated campsites.

Sunrise lighting up the West side of Dicks Lake with the Eastern side under shadow.

Campsite on West Shore of Dicks Lake

Next to the cove above Dicks Lake's Western shore I could make out a fine campsite.

The Cannon hand-held camera's little telephoto works pretty well.

Climbing Higher through dense forest on East side of Dick Lake

Climbing higher and further South.

West shore of Dicks Lake, Desolation Wilderness.

I'm trying to beat the sun to Dicks Pass.

Dicks Peak

The South end of Rockbound Valley sits West beyond Dicks Peak.

The massif holding Dicks and Jacks Peaks makes up the Eastern wall of Rockbound Valley, the Crystal Range the Western wall of Rockbound Valley.

MAP 30 MIN MAP

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video
Dicks Pass #2
Approaching Dicks Pass from the North

Dicks and Fontanillis Lakes from final approach to Dicks Pass

The Southbound backpacker's climb up to Dicks Pass is mostly a long, gradual traverse under nice forest cover.

The traverse ends where the trail doubles back in a "button hook" move, then another gentle traverse brings us into the open terrain that crosses Dicks Pass.

The actual the North-South gap in the mountains is West of, and below the marked position of Dicks Pass on the maps. I mention this because most mountain passes are at the low point in a gap in a range of mountains.

The trail to Dicks Pass from the North crosses the pass as marked on the maps, then drops down to the lowest point of the gap in the crestline to drop off the West side of Dicks Pass.

We do pass through the actual low spot of the gap between Dicks Peak and Dicks Pass, but this feature is unnamed on the USGS maps.

The route of the trail through Dicks Pass is logical, I'm just curious about why the named location of Dicks Pass on the maps is above the gap on the mountain, and not at the low point in the gap.

Past Bayview Trail Junctions
South
to
Dicks Pass

Desolation Wilderness

North side of Dicks Pass

mileage on this piece of trail

The distance from the Bayview Junction South to Dicks Pass is 1.65 miles while rising 910' in Elevation.

A longer perspective

North
Dicks Pass to Meeks Bay trail head (Tahoe to Yosemite Trail): 16.83 miles

North
Dicks Pass to Pacific Crest Trail-TYT junction: 5.33 miles

South
Dicks Pass to Echo Lake trailhead: 11.88 miles

Notes on local, and local long distance backpacking trips

On the trail guide pages to the North we just passed two trail junctions sporting trails leading East to the Bayview Camp and Eagle Falls Trailheads on the West shore of Lake Tahoe, and one trail West to Camper Flat in Rockbound Valley.

These Bayview and Eagle Falls Trailheads on the West shore of Lake Tahoe can be used to begin backpacking loops South on this Tahoe to Yosemite Trail that turn North for the return leg of the trip through Rockbound Valley to Camper Flat, via Mosquito Pass on the North Shore of Lake Aloha.

On the South side of Dicks Pass we encounter the next series of three trail junctions in quick succession. This next series of junctions also offers two routes East out to West shore Lake Tahoe Trailheads, and one trail West, but the trail West dead-ends at Half Moon and Alta Morris Lakes.

The trails East bring us out of Desolation Wilderness either over Mount Tallac or hiking down to Glen Alpine. We can begin our local or looping backpacking trips in the Desolation Wilderness from any of these four trailheads along the Western shore of Lake Tahoe.

Phipps Pass to Heather Lake
15 minute topographic backpacking MAP

South Desolation Wilderness
30 minute backpacking MAP

Meeks Bay to Echo Summit
Backpacking Miles and Elevations

Amazing view
from just
North of Dicks Pass

Dicks and Fontanillis Lakes from Dicks Pass on the Tahoe Yosemite Trail, Desolation Wilderness

Northwest View: Dicks Lake in foreground, the pinched form of Fontanillis lake behind,

Two Squirrels and a Chipmunk
on the
North Side of Dicks Pass


Squirrel	Squirrel

Chipmunk

North: Fontanillis to Dicks Pass 1 South: Dicks Pass

Approaching Dicks Pass on The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

You begin your climb towards Dicks Pass from Middle Velma Lake when traveling Southbound through the Desolation Wilderness on the Pacific Crest, Tahoe to Yosemite and Tahoe Rim Trails. Middle Velma Lake is the low point between Phipps Pass and Dicks Pass.

Heading South from the Third, the Southern Bayview Junction to Dicks Pass

Passing the Bayview trail junction puts us a bit past the half-way point up to Dicks Pass from Middle Velma Lake.

1.65 miles climbing 910' feet of vertical elevation separate the Bayview Junction from Dicks Pass.

Obscured views of Dicks and Fontanillis Lakes clear as the forest lining the trail up to Dicks Pass thins out as our elevation increases.

Northbound PCT hikers

The overall features for this piece of terrain for Northbound hikers are contained between Dicks Pass and the Pacific Crest Trail junction just North of Middle Velma Lake.

The PCT-TYT junction is 5.33 miles North of Dicks Pass.

We descend 1430 feet over 4.51 miles from Dicks Pass to Middle Velma Lake.

The PCT junction is .82 miles North of Middle Velma Lake, where Northbound PCT hikers will stay on the main trail where the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail turns East towards Meeks Bay.

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Topo Hiking Map North
Meeks Bay to Dicks Pass

Topo Hiking Map
Phipps Pass to Susie Lake

Topo Hiking Map South
Dicks Pass to Echo Lake Trailhead

Miles and Elevations

Next page: Dicks Pass

Backpacking North Trail Guide

Dicks Pass 1
to
Fontanillis Lake