Miles & Elevations: Tahoe Yosemite Trail

Meeks Bay to Echo Summit in Desolation Wilderness: 30.71 miles

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Backpacking Miles

Meeks Bay up to Phipps Pass

Topo Map: Meeks Bay to Lake Genevieve

+2561 feet, 8.88 miles

Location                         Elevation           Mileage

Start: Meeks Bay                6239                     0

                                      +1161

Lake Genevieve                 7400                  4.39

                                          +40                               .38

Crag Lake                         7440                  4.77

                                        +120                              .58

Hidden Lake Jnct                7560                  5.35

                                        +240                    .68

N. side, Stony Ridge Lake   7800                  6.03

                                          --                      .59

S. side, Stony Ridge           7800                   6.62

                                       +560                               1.13

Rubicon Lake                    8360                   7.75

                                        +40                                 .14

Grouse Lake Jnct               8400                   7.89

                                                           +400                                 .94

Grouse Jnct 2                    8800                   8.73

                                                                0                                 .15

Phipps Pass                           8800                    8.88

Total elevation gain, Meeks to Phipps: 2561'

Backpacking Phipps Pass down to Middle Velma Lake

Desolation Wilderness

Topo Map: Phipps Pass to Lake Aloha

- 880 feet, 3.44 miles

Phipps Pass                          8800                     8.88

                                          -720                            2.62

PCT Junction                     8080                   11.5

                                         -160                                .82

Middle Velma Lake                7920                   12.32

Backpacking Middle Velma up to Dicks Pass

Desolation Wilderness

Topo Map: Phipps Pass to Susie Lake

+1430 feet, 4.51 miles

Middle Velma Lake              7920                   12.32

                                          +40                              .10

Velma Lakes Trail Jnct            7960                 12.42

                                            --                                .27

Maggie Peak/Emrld Bay Jnct 7960                 12.69

                                        + 400                             1.17

Fontanillis Lake N. side          8360                 13.86

                                            --                                .67

Fontanillis Al camp #2              8360                 14.53

                                        +120                                .65

Maggie Peak/Emrld Bay Jnct #2 8480          15.18

                                          +910                           1.65

Dicks Pass                              9390                 16.83

Backpacking Dicks Pass down to Susie Lake

Desolation Wilderness

-1590, 2.93 miles

Topo Map: Phipps Pass to Lake Aloha

Dicks Pass                            9390                   16.83

                                        -1090                              1.33

Gilmore Lake Jnct               8300                   18.16

                                         -180                                .59

Hlf Moon/Gln Alpine Jnct      8120                 18.75

                                          -240                     .30

Glen Alpine Jnct 2                 7880                 19.05

                                           -80                                .31

E. side Susie Lake              7800                 19.36

                                             --                                .40

W. side Susie Lake                7800                19.76

Susie Lake to the North side of Lake Aloha

Topo Map: Phipps Pass to Lake Aloha

+320 feet, 1.4 miles

W. side Susie Lake              7800                  19.76

                                         +120                              .56

W. side Heather Lake        7920                 20.32

                                         +200                              .84

N. Lake Aloha/Rubicon Jnct 8120              21.16

North side of Lake Aloha to Echo Summit

End of the Desolation Wilderness

Topo Map: Aloha Lake

Map: Upper Echo Lake                    Map: Lower Echo Lake

- 706 feet, 9.55 miles

N. Lake Aloha/Rubicon Jnct 8120                21.16

                                           +40                            1.42

Lake of the Woods Jnct       8160                 22.58

                                            -80                             .59

Lake Lucille/ Margery Jnct, (L)

and Lake of the Woods (R)      8080              23.17

                                           +240                            .41

Lake Lucille/ Margery Jnct, #2 (L),

and Lake of the Woods #4 (R)   8320            23.58

                                               -80                .76

Traingle/Lilly Lakes Jnct             8240           24.34

                                               -360                        .68

Tamarack Lake Jnct                   7880            25.02

                                                 -80                        .46

Triangle/Lilly 2nd Jnct                  7800            25.48

                                                -280                        .61

Boat Taxi Dock                         7520           26.09

                                                -106                      2.62

Echo Lake Trail Head                 7414           28.71

                                                  -37                      2.00

Echo Summit Trail Head               7377           30.71

Miles and Elevations for the Next Trail Segment SOUTH

Echo Summit to Carson Pass miles and Elevations

Note: The Ups and Downs of the Desolation Trail, and every other High Sierra Trail...

This trail guide, like the High Sierras, divides itself into ups and downs. Your miles are generally done either going up to the top of the mountain, or you are coming down from the mountaintop into the valley that separates you from the next mountain. This means that the mileages and elevations between the peaks and the valleys is going to be important in determining how many miles you can reasonably expect to cover that day. This will be instrumental in planning where you are going to camp every night, and ultimately this information will determine how many days it will take you to cover a given distance. This in turn establishes your proper food load. Between Meeks Bay and Echo Summit in the Desolation Wilderness along the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail there are 32 miles and two major passes, Phipps Pass and Dicks Pass, measuring at 8800 and 9390 of feet of elevation, respectively.

Remember this important rule: Every descent route holds many mini-ascents, and every ascent has many mini-descents within its route. Your mileage will very rarely just go up, or just go down. You are going endlessly up and down.

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