PCT
(EAST)

Winnemucca
Lake
Junction

Topo Map
Index

Carson
Gap
to
Lake
Alpine

Local
Weather

Sierra
Weather

To the PCT
Winnemucca Lake
PCT junction
to
Round Top Lake trail junction.
2.14 miles

Carson Pass Management Area
PCT North-South
Carson Pass
to
Winnemucca Lake
trail junction
on the
PCT.

1.04 miles

EAST
Carson Pass
to
Round Top Lake

3.18 miles.

CPMA MAP

NORTH
Carson Gap
to
Round Top Lake
via
Lost Cabin Mine Trail.

3.40 miles.

CPMA MAP

SOUTH
Fourth of July Lake
2.3 miles.

Summit City Canyon
3.61 miles.

Summit City Canyon Map

ROUND TOP LAKE
Round Top Lake is at the center, and the main attraction of the Carson Pass Management Area. Round Top Lake is either the main destination or a way point for Local and Long Distance Backpackers, respectively.

Round Top Lake is in the CPMA and the Mokelumne Wilderness, and both are within the Northeastern corner of the El Dorado National Forest.

The CPMA is a very small and a very busy and beautiful backpacking spot, especially during Summer weekends. These factors combine to make getting local backpacking permits difficult during Summer Weekends. Lots of hikers and backpackers come here during Summer Weekends.

Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hikers find themselves crossing through the heart of the Carson Pass Management Area on our way over Round Top and the Sisters, by one route or the other, while PCT hikes only scrape the Eastern edge of the Carson Pass Management Area on their way through Carson Pass.

The CPMA poses interesting issues for Tahoe to Yosemite Trail hiker who wishes to camp here on their way South, for this area has been restricted to a few designated campsites at Round Top Lake and its other premium campsite locations. Check out my information on the CPMA for how I handle my trips through this delightful area.

Backpacker's Information

Total Miles
of the
Three Routes to Round Top Lake

POST UP!

All backpackers can post text comments about the following section of trail through the comments links on all the trail guide pages.

Registered Members can post up stand alone post about the trail with text, images, maps and videos in the Trails Forum that supplements this section of the Trail Guide.

Check out the Tahoe to Whitney .org Backpacking Trails and Topics forums

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Three Ways from Carson Gap to Round Top Lake

Duration: 13:27

In the video above we hike the PCT route from the Carson Gap through Carson Pass. Turning Right, to the Southwest on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route at the Winnemucca Lake trail junction opens up views across the Carson Pass Management Area revealing the terrain our two other potential routes cross between Carson Gap and Round Top Lake. When we arrive at Winnemucca Lake we pass the trail junction where the "middle" route, the trail coming up from Woods Lake arrives at Winnemucca Lake.

Continuing West to arrive at Round Top Lake we take note of the third route up to Round Top Lake, the Lost Cabin Mine trail coming up from the campground near Woods Lake. This is the most Western of the three routes. Our route up from Carson Pass via Winnemucca Lake was the most Eastern route.

This video covers the Eastern route from Carson Gap to Round Top Lake through Carson Pass and Winnemucca Lake. This is the most lengthy route between these two points. The Woods Lake trail guide page covers the other two routes, of which the Lost Cabin Mine Trail is the most direct and steepest route, while the "middle" route over the footbridge near Woods Lake up to Winnemucca Lake splits the difference in difficulty and distance between the "Eastern" and "Western" routes.

Our next move is from Round Top Lake to Fourth of July Lake on our way down to enter the unmaintained section of Tahoe to Yosemite Trail along Summit City Creek.

Summit City Creek to Bee Gulch
15 min Backpacking Map

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Video Playlist
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Carson Gap to Lake Alpine

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Long Distance Backpackers

Mileage
North
on the
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

From Round Top Lake

Mileage

3.49 miles to the Carson Gap via Lost Cabin Mine trail.

3.9 miles to the Carson Gap via Winnemucca Lake and Woods Lake.

4.57 miles to the Carson Gap via the Pacific Crest Trail through Winnemucca Lake and Carson Pass.

Miles North

Echo Summit to Carson Pass

South Upper Truckee Road to Carson Gap

Map North

7.5 minute topo hiking map North into Meiss Country Roadless Area

comments or questions?

Mileage
South
on the
Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

From Round Top Lake

Fourth of July Lake: 2.3 miles.

Summit City Creek trail junction: 3.53 miles.

Camp Irene: 13.5 miles. (These are hard miles)

Bee Gulch Trailhead, East side of Lake Alpine: 21.07 miles.

All Miles South

Maps South

7.5 minute topo hiking map Carson Pass Management Area

7.5 minute topo hiking map South to Mount Reba

A Long View of this TYT section

30 minute topo hiking map Echo Summit to Lake Alpine

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The Spring Thaw

This is the view West-Southwest while backpacking West to Round Top Lake via the Winnemucca Lake approach from the East during the Spring Thaw of 2009. Note the trail emerging from snow in the foreground right. The trail junction coming up to Round Top Lake from the Lost Cabin Mine trail is just ahead. It turns North (Right) to head down off the mountain towards Woods Lake.

The trail in the foreground continues West (Straight) through the Round Top Lake trail junction up ahead to pass around the Southwestern flank of this mountain, Round Top and The Sisters, on its way down to Fourth of July Lake. The flank of the West-most ridge off the West side of The Sisters is seen descending behind the lake.

Our TYT route South passes the far side of where the trees meet the base of the mountain flank in the distant center-Right of the image above.

The six campsites at Round Top Lake are scattered through those trees along the trail South of the Round Top Lake trail junction.

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail  route Trail wraps around the Western flank of Round Top and the Sisters on its way to drop down into Summit City Canyon hiking past Fourth of July Lake.

Fourth of July Lake is nestled 2.3 miles South of the Round Top Lake trail junction in a small hanging amphitheater slung between and below this mountain, and the peak just to the West, aptly named Fourth of July Peak.

Carson Pass Management Area Map

Round Top Lake Forum Page

comments or questions?

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The last steps hiking up to Round Top Lake on the Lost Cabin Mine trail route.

This route approaches Round Top Lake from the North.

There is a perfectly maintained trail under this snow. Round Top sits in the background. The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route turns Right, to the West, at Round Top Lake.

White bark pine grove on the Northwest side of a frozen Round Top Lake during November.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Above we're hiking "South" by trail direction on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route option from Winnemucca Lake approaching the Round Top Lake trail junction. We're actually hiking West by the compass, and will continue West on the Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail past Round Top Lake.

We can see the trail coming South up from Woods Lake approaching the junction from the Right, the North, as well as the Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route continuing West, up into those trees, which are wrapping around the Northwest shore of Round Top Lake past the junction.

That's where the Round Top Lake Campsites are located.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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The six campsites at Round Top Lake are all located along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail off the Northwest shore of Round Top Lake.

That would be South, past the trail junction pictured above.

The campsites begin as soon as we hike South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through the Round Top Lake trail junction, which is hiking West by the compass.

Our Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail will bend to point Southwest by the compass as it swings around the West flank of Round Top and The Sisters after hiking past Round Top Lake.

Campsites begin within feet of hiking South of the Round Top Lake trail junction.
That's campsite #2 up ahead.

In the background is the Westernmost end of the crestline of Round Top and The Sisters. Our trail will bend around the base of this steep feature until we are pointed South by the compass.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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A Cluster of Campsite Posts
Rounding a bend in the trail just feet South of the Round Top Lake trail junction we come to the main cluster of Round Top Lake campsites.

On the Right are campsites 3 and 5.

To the Left is campsite 6, and 4 is located by the most distant post.

Campsite 2 is just feet behind us. I'm not sure where camp 1 is.

Which campsites do you prefer?

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Campsites 5 and 3 are on the North side of the trail South. We'll get good views of the horizon, and sunsets, from out there.

One faint trail North to two sites.

Looking across camp 3 and 5 posts on the North side of the trail at the post for camp 6 on the South side of the trail, a bit closer to Round Top Lake. The Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail is running from Left to Right, East to West by the compass here.

We can see the flank of the Westernmost Sister rising through the trees. Round Top Lake lays between the tree line and the base of the rising flank of The Sister in the background.

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Camp 4 is the last campsite hiking South from Round Top Lake. It's off the North side of the trail.

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Round Top Lake
Perspectives

Below we're going to roam around the area around Round Top Lake to check out the weather, views, terrain, wildlife, and its amazing sunsets.

I suggest taking off the pack, taking a break, and then checking out the area around Round Top Lake before finishing the last bit of our hike South through the campsites to begin our descent into Summit City Canyon via Fourth of July Lake.

Well, that's if you are not going to spend a night here. My first suggestion is to spend the night at Round Top Lake. If you can't spend the night here, then do take a break and check it out.

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Round Top dusted with late Fall Snow.

30 degrees at 4 pm, 25 at dawn, Nov 8-9 2001.

Sunset casts a red glow on Round Top Lake's frozen surface.

A clear and very crisp evening.

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Round Top Lake in Snow Conditions

I've enjoyed a triangle route out of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead for many years. In 2010 I brought my friend Ari along for four nights of snow camping as we etched out the following route. Ari really enjoyed it. This terrain is beautiful in Spring and Summer conditions, but quite special during its first seasonal steps towards the Spring Thaw.

The basic route I enjoy tracks from the South Upper Truckee Trailhead up to Round Lake to Showers Lake within the Meiss Country Roadless Area in the Tahoe Basin. From Showers Lake we hike out of the Tahoe Basin through the Carson Gap up to Round Top Lake. We'll return to the South Upper Truckee trailhead again through the Carson Gap and again past Round Lake on our way back down to the South Upper Truckee Trailhead.

I don't suggest trying the short but steep route between the South Upper Truckee Trailhead to Round Lake in snow conditions unless you've scouted it carefully in Summer conditions.

The route described above can be broken down into a number of shorter trips remaining within either the Meiss Country or Carson Pass Areas or even shorter trips tying the various legs of the trip together during Summer or Winter.

In other words, you can do as long or as short a backpacking trip as you desire.

The two maps above cover the terrain for trips remaining within either area, and across both, as I would prefer.

The Meiss Country Roadless Area and Carson Pass Management Ares are good places for experienced backpackers to begin picking up Spring snow backpacking and camping skills. During Spring the temps have risen and the chances of bitterly cold powerful storms decreases.

But we must exercise caution tempered with respect for the power of nature to surprize us. On both sides of the equation, as nature brings both unexpected pleasures as well as pains.

Carson Pass has a web of blue-diamond marked Winter trail routes basically following the trail routes from Carson Pass to Woods Lake and on up to tree line below Winnemucca Lake.

A blue diamond route also moves South from Carson Pass to the tree line below Elephant Back.

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A coyote prowling away on the soft surface of Round Top Lake.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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I nestled in to observe the coyote without it observing me.

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In early June of 2008 I departed the South Upper Truckee trailhead for a Spring snow trip to Round Top Lake.

After arriving at Round Top Lake the next afternoon, I set up camp above the depression Round Top Lake sits within, and I posted myself up in a position where I could observe Round Top Lake, the flanks of Round Top and the Sisters, as well as the terrain bounding the Northern apron of the lake.

I don't camp in the depression in the terrain around the lake. It contains and preserves very cold air, which I camp above.

After observing the large number of birds and small mammals running about enjoying the advent of Spring, I was not too surprised to see a large and rather well-fed coyote dropping down onto the soft-frozen surface of Round Top Lake off the Southwestern flank of The Sisters.

Looking behind me towards the tree and rock cover on the North flank of the Round Top massif I noted that there were many birds, squirrels, and various forms of coyote food running around. But the coyote before me on the lake was sniffing about in locations that were not frequented by its prey. I figure it was checking out the location for signs of other coyotes.

After doing an extensive recon of the semi-frozen surface of Round Top Lake this Coyote headed East, and began a swift climb up the steep snow covered flank of the mountain towards the crest of Round Top itself.

The coyote moved rapidly up the soft snow flank coming off Round Top. I lost sight of the critter when it entered a patch of White bark Pines among snow and exposed boulders, perfect cover that it disappeared within.

Coyote Page

Observing the Coyote on Round Top Lake.

Also See the Video
Coyote Encounter
5 miles South of Round Top Lake, June 2010.
It only has a few glimpses of a coyote I snuck up on
above Round Lake, but a lot of barking and howling.

Coyote Page

I've always tried to set up my schdule to camp at Round Top Lake during Summertime Tahoe to Yosemite and Tahoe to Whitney backpacking trips.
Round Top Lake is also one of my favorite Winter backpacking destinations, as well as during Spring and Fall.

The reasons are the combination of terrain, truly remarkable views, the abundance of wildlife, and the way the grasses and trees fit into all the above. And the Sunsets.

Our longs views into the setting Sun of the Western horizon sometimes put amazing masses of moisture between us, the setting Sun, and the horizon.

Spring Showers wrapped within a melody of light, fog, and clouds. The ridge behind the sunrays is the Kirkwood Ski Resort.

This was such a cool experience. I was getting peppered by showers, crazy beams of light, animated clouds and living fogs.

A vortex of energy making all its expressions dance.

I was expecting a big dude in white robes and beard to poke its head through the show...

Backpacking to Round Top is rewarding, especially at sunset. We get such a grand sweep of the horizon from here.

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What
Have You Seen
at
Round Top?

If you have notes, pictures, videos and such about your trips and experiences at and around Round Top, I invite you to Register to be able to easily post-up your own stand-alone pages in the Carson Gap to Lake Alpine Trail Forum.

These pages easily feature uploaded pictures through a rich-text editor, as well as easily embedding videos and maps. Unregistered hikers can post text-only stand-alone pages in the Trail Forums or across the Home Page of the Backpacker's Forum.

Share your Knowledge and Experiences!

Registered Hikers can easily upload inline pictures and embed videos and maps in their postings.

Registered Hikers can set up single-pages, or an interlinked sequence of pages describing days, sections, or themes of your trips.

The more informative posts will be featured on the related trail guide pages, all are linked in, and your custom photos and accounts of side trips will make this a better trail guide.

All posts in the Carson Gap to Lake Alpine Trail Forum are easily accessible from the related trail guide pages. So add to our information about this section of trail for all backpackers and hikers to draw from.

Things can change very rapidly in the Sierra, or not at all for a very long time. Let's stay, and keep each other posted!

If you have general thoughts on backpacking, gear, backpacking locations in and out of the Sierra, or anything else related to backcountry travel, check out the Backpacker's Forum (a total catch-all) and the Backpacker's Trail and Topics Forums, where specific topics are addressed.

Round Top Lake Forum

Round Top Lake Forum Page

Comments-Questions?

All of the images above feature the natural colors recorded by my camera without any alteration.

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Lake Tahoe sits to the North through the Carson Gap, which is visible as the low ridge arm in the middle distance.

Red Lake Peak rises to the Northeast of the Carson Gap on the far Right of the image, Little Round Top caps the Tahoe Rim Ridgeline to the Northeast, to the Left of the Carson Gap.

We're scouting around to the East of Round Top Lake to get this view, scrambling over to where the East end of the shelf in the mountain below The Sisters holding Round Top Lake runs down to Winnemucca Lake.

May 2002.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Round Top behind my perch. Note coffee cup, journal, book, and butt pack.

This, my friends, is the perfect seat nature made for me to enjoy life. Well, one of them. When I say "perch," I mean a rock that provides not just one fine angle of support, but many. The perspectives from this rock offer as many good points of view as it does positions of comfort. Every now and again I would swich positions from uprigh to reclined, then sit upon the rock, each time gaining a new perspective of the surrounding beauty from a new position of comfort.

Besides offering great seating and views, the natural shape of the terrain shelteres us from the wind while it collects the ambient heat of the Sun. Note how the pedastal/seating rock is in a rock bowl well below the height of the surrounding rock. We are protected from the winds while we collect the heat of the Sun.

I took occasional notes and read from my book and watched as light, clouds, and mists with an odd patch of rain here and there cascaded across the sky. I adjusted and evolved through multiple angles of repose, each with unique perspectives of the surrounding terrain.

During this trip I decided to spend a second night at Round Top Lake, rather than depart the next morning. My typical pattern is to arrive late in the afternoon and depart early the next morning. Round Top Lake and the surrounding mountains and sky were so beautiful that I decided to stay a second night.

Once I decided to stay I went back to camp and re-divided up my food supply to accomodate the extra time on trail. My standard policy is to pack an extra day's food for every five day period between resupply spots. As this particular trip was a four-night, five day snow trip I had already packed calorie-rich daily rations, and supplemented my menu with abundant high-nutrition split pea and black bean soups. I had enough food for the extra evening on the trail.

This decision, and the ability to accomodate my food needs for the extra day, opened up a whole day to walk around and explore the area around Round Top Lake and the surrounding shelf on top of the mountain its situated on. To find the rock pedastal that fit me so perfectly, and sit in it.

Though much of the meadow and forest ground was covered with deep snow, much of the granite terrain to the North of the Round Top Lake bowl had collected enough heat to melt itself out of Spring's snowy grip. This thermal reality made for great scrambling.
Little sections of snow-covered meadow and soil surrounded by exposed granite created a delightful jigsaw puzzle fit between rock and snow as Spring Sun and warmth gradually pryed open more and more of the mountain terrain out from under the Winter snows.

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We're looking North, over the Southwest edge of the Tahoe Rim mountains wrapping around the Meiss Country Roadless Area, into Christmas Valley.

The dark ridge arm descending towards Lake Tahoe in the far middle-Left foreground is the Eastern flank of Christmas Valley rising above the East side of Meyers.

That's down by the trailhead of the The South Upper Truckee, the Southernmost of the three Lake Tahoe Trailheads described on this trail guide.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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The trajectory of Winter into Spring into Summer changes every season.

Though the timing of these seasonal transitions change, the beauty of the process remains constant. What changes is the character of the seasons. The character of this endless cycle of seasonal transitions change with the changes in their timing.

At one time these changes brought a cycle of harsh and mild Winters, of fierce and gentle Spring Thaws, leading to moist and dry Summers.

Now the changes in timing are pushing Spring and Fall deeper and deeper into Winter, pushing a series of dry Summers that are deeply changing the character of the Sierra Nevada, and the rest of the West Coast of the USA.

This cycle always brings scenes of serenity. Now the character of that serenity is getting a dry complexion.

A peaceful moment observing The West Sister draped in snow remnant viewed in and above Round Top Lake, July 16, 2009.

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Bleached white bark snag before East Sister, beginning to reflect the direct light off the setting Sun off its reflective white surfaces.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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Bleached Whitebark snag taking on sunset red colors at Round Top lake.

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Sunset hues brighten White bark Pines. Round Top in background.

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Mornigh light on my fine campsite.

Fine campsites surround Round Top Lake, but we can only use the ones on the Northwest shore.

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Round Top Lake is a fine four-season backpacking location for short trips, and a great place for a break or camping on long distance backpacking trips.

Camping at Round Top Lake

Because of its special beauty, I must recommend camping at Round Top Lake, despite its overcrowded state on Summer Weekends.

comments or questions?

Hiking South on the Tahoe to Yosemite trail from Round Top Lake.

Beyond the thin stand of whitebark pines and campsites on the Northwest shore of Round Top Lake our trail South crosses exposed terrain as it wraps around the Northwest flank of Round Top and the Sisters.

Melissa Coray Peak rising from behind the flank of The Sisters on the far Left of the image and the sheer flank of Thimble Peak juts skyward on the far Right side of the image above. I think that's the top of The Cornice ski run, or somewhere close to it.

Many Winter nights I've watched the Kirkwood snowplows grooming the flank under Thimble Peak.

We can see the trail is turning Southwest as it follows the bend of the circumference of the mountain around to the Southwest. Hikers on the Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail coming up from Winnemucca Lake have been hiking West by the compass. Now the trail is taking on the Southwestern line it will roughtly follow all the way down to Camp Irene.

Here at the Round Top Lake trail junction we are standing at 9360 feet. Camp Irene is the low point of our next section of trail at 5280 feet. We will lose these 4080 feet over the next 13.13 miles by first dropping down into Summit City Canyon on our way to drop even deeper into the great canyon of the North Mokleumne River.

Carson Pass Region
CPMA 15 min Backpacking Map

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High Sierra Backpacking Trail Guide NorthWoods LakeEast

Carson Pass PCT

High Sierra Backpacking Trail GuideSouth

Fourth of July Lake