Tree, Poison Flat, Carson Iceberg Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Your Backpacking Guide to the High Sierras Yellow Flower
Glimpse of West shore of Dicks Lake hiking South to Dicks Pass.
Glimpse of West shore of Dicks Lake hiking South to Dicks Pass. We can see campsites over there...

 

High Sierra
Backpacking

Main
Trail Guide
TRAILHEAD

 

High Sierra
MAGAZINE

 

ALL BLOG

 

 

Trail Guide

Guide Index

Maps Index

Miles-Eleva

Permits

Resupply

 

 
Forums

All Blog

Trails Forum

Topics Forum

 

 

Sierra
Weather

ALL
High Sierra Weather

Weather
Notes

Northern
Sierra Weather

Central
Sierra Weather

Southern
Sierra Weather

 

 

Gear

Gear List

Gettin Started

Layering

Discussion

Testing yourself and gear

Member
Favorite Gear

Gear Reviews

 

 

top of page

 

Backpacking
South up to Dicks Pass

Hiking The Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails through the High Sierras

 

Languages

Translate

 

 

Trail Skills

The trail

Navigation

Camp skills

Paper Maps

Off the trail

Scrambling

 

 

Mountain
Safety

Safety Topics

Safety
Incidents

Mosquito Info

Skeeter News

 

 

Food

Resupply
FORUM

Food

 

 

Planning

40 Days to Whitney

Introduction Tahoe to Whitney

Introduction Tahoe-Yosemite

 

 

Trail Arts

Art of walking

Physical
Preperation

 

 

More
Information

Links

 

News
and
Science

 

Books

 

Trail Stories

 

Photo
Catagories

 

 

Social

Trail Culture

 

Groups

 

Terms and Conditions of Use

 

 

top of page

 

Trail
Guide

Section
INDEX

North
TYT-PCT

Bayview Junction

South
TYT-PCT

Dicks
Pass

Topo
Trail
Map

Trail
Maps
INDEX

Miles
&
Elevations
Miles
&
Elevations
INDEX
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
PERMITS
All
forest-wilderness PERMITS

Local Weather

All Sierra Weather

local
temps

 

all pages

 

Video
South
of the
Southernmost Bayview Trail Junction,
on the
TYT-PCT-TRT
in
Desolation Wilderness

Tree above Dicks Lake

Stark, yet Graceful lines of Dead tree above Dicks Lake

South
Past the Southern Bayview Trail Junction
to
Dicks Pass

Desolation Wilderness
Hiking up the North Flank of Dicks Pass

 

Mileage
The distance from the Bayview Junction to Dicks Pass is 1.65 miles.

Miles East to Eagle Falls and Bayview Trailheads: Previous Guide Page

 

 

Elevations
Rising 910' in Elevation from 8480' at the Bayview Trail junction
to 9390' at Dicks Pass.

 

This and the next page covers this 1.65 mile span of trail between the Bayview Trail junction up to Dicks Pass.

 

 

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

 

 

Comments, Questions, Advice?

Dicks Pass Forum

 

comments-questions-additions

 

Killer Trail Work up to Dicks Pass
typical of the
High Quality Trails in Desolation Wilderness

The Trails

This trail guide pays special attention to the trail itself. From our perspective the trail is not a means, it is an end in itself. It is part of the art, it is the first surface of engagement.

The trail is not just a "surface," it is an important way of measuring of the nature and character of the terrain. It's location, design, and maintenance are all important parts of the "story" and logic of the local terrain we are passing through. May you observe and read it well.

When your observations of the local wind, weather, temps, and humidity are contrasted with the conditions of the trail surface and the tracks on it, much information becomes available.

We seek to understand the logic of the terrain.

Navigation Essay & Information

Trail to Dicks Pass Just past Bayview Junction, Pacific Crest Trail Spring Protection for trail during snowmelt runoff

Armored Trail
Above:
Examples of deeply cut trail bed hiking South of the Southern Bayview Trail junction below Dicks Pass. Very well cleared trail through very rocky terrain, and another example of the "armored" trail strategy necessary to prevent severe damage to moist areas by heavy backpacker traffic. The moist area on the Right has been fully reinforced to preserve any semblance of natural soil retention.

Heavy backpacker traffic will damage wet meadow and trail sections moistened by springs unless properly protected.

Most National Forest trail crews utilize "rock hops" by placing stepping stones across wet trail sections they cannot route the trail around. The incredibly heavy backpacker traffic in Desolation Wilderness requires a more hearty response. This induced Trails to armor-up wet sections of trail with some pretty serious planking.

Desolation Wilderness Crews build "Land Bridges," meaning they construct wooden causeways over extended lengths of meadow or other vulnerable terrain.

Very fine trail work, Tahoe Yosemite Trail below Dicks Pass Small temperate zone above Dicks Lake

Nice stone work on the Left. Examples of fine trail crew work between Fontanillis Lake and Dicks Pass in Desolation Wilderness demonstrate Art and Science well balanced.

top of page

North TYT-PCT: Bayview Junction                                              South TYT-PCT: Dicks Pass

 

More fine terrain and beautiful views up to Dicks Pass

Hiking Plan

A good daily hiking plan starts with a big climb. The cool morning temps help minimize the stress and strains of hiking over the Sierra mountains. Take advantage of this fact.

Getting up before the asscrack of dawn can provide significant advantages for properly-situated long distance High Sierra backpackers.

Therefore my long term hiking plan tries to put each campsite at the base of a big climb. I hope to do as many of the big climbs between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney in cool morning air as possible.

There is a real difference between how we will feel after climbing a thousand feet during a cool morning, and how we feel after climbing the same thousand feet in afternoon heat and sun.

A wise hiking plan will try to cover as many miles and feet of elevation in cool morning conditions as possible.

This tactic will preserve a heck of a lot of energy over the length of our backpacking trip from Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney.

 

The Big Plan

Specifics

Planning Forum

 

comments-questions-additions

Dicks Peak in Sunrise Trail Coming up from Dicks Lake
Above: First Light on Dicks Peak and Pass Upper unmarked Junction down to Dicks Lake hiking South past the third Bayview Trail junction.
View of Dicks Lake climbing to Dicks Pass Dicks Lake Shoreline
Fine crisp September morning in Desolation Wilderness passing South around Dicks Lake. Rocky cove on far side of Dicks Lake. We can see campsites over there.

Rock and Forest hiking South to Dicks Pass

Boulder, towards Dicks Pass
Above: Beautifully jointed granite slab
Tree, Pacific Crest Trail, North side of Dicks Pass

Above: Equal beauty between split between the living and the dead. The snag above continues to accent the terrain long after dying. Eventually it will become soil on rock.

Eventually we all become soil on rock. If we're lucky and good.

Rock on Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, close up

Finely jointed granite, detail.

top of page

North TYT-PCT: Bayview Junction                                                    South TYT-PCT: Dicks Pass

Approaching
Dicks Pass
from the
North

We begin our climb towards Dicks Pass when we departed the Northernmost of the Bayview trail junctions on the Southwestern corner of Middle Velma Lake.

We climbed the ramp up into the lower bowl holding Fontanillis Lake by turning Right, South through the middle Bayview junction above the South Shore of Middle Velma Lake, and now we've climbed up to the Southernmost and third of the Bayview trail junctions, the one that's located on the North edge of the upper bowl, the uppermost of these stepped-bowls holding Fontanillis and Dicks Lake in the valley running North under the North Flank of Dicks Pass.

Our hike South past Fontanillis and bending around under the North shore of Dicks Lake brings us up to this third and Southernmost Bayview Trail junction. It also marks the beginning of the final leg of our climb to Dicks Pass.

Arriving at this Southern Bayview trail junction 2.86 miles South of Middle Velma Lake puts us a bit past the half-way point of the 4.51 miles up to Dicks Pass from Middle Velma Lake.

But we've only climbed 560, a bit more than a third of the 1470 feet between Middle Velma and Dicks Pass.

Our trail South from the Bayview junction now begins climbing into a long traverse up and around a rising perimeter carved into the Northeastern forested wall of this upper bowl, wrapping around the wall above Northeastern Shore of Dicks Lake in a long arc climbing to Dicks Pass.

1.65 miles climbing 910' feet of vertical elevation separate our position at this third Bayview Junction from Dicks Pass.

Just below Dicks Pass pur trail takes more of a "jag," than a switchback, to set itself up to cross Dicks Pass.

 

Phipps Pass to Heather Lake
15 minute topographic backpacking MAP

 

Miles and Elevations

 

Obscured views of Dicks and Fontanillis Lakes filter through the forest lining our trail up to Dicks Pass, opening up stunning views of both Dicks and Fontanillis Lakes in this narrow valley from sweet perspectives, every now and then.

 

comments?

 

Topo Hiking Maps
North


Meeks Bay to Dicks Pass

 

South

Dicks Pass to Echo Lake Trailhead

 

Desolation Wilderness
Trail Miles and Elevations

 

Next page
Dicks Pass

top of page

Top of the World in Desolation Wilderness
ading to Dicks Pass.
Dicks Pass is out of the Left edge of the image, Dicks Peak sits on the Right side.

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 Dicks Lake revealing to the observant hiker 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 Northeast Shore of Dicks Lake.
South shore of Dicks Lake.

The morning is the best time to climb. I'm hiking South to Dicks Pass in the cool morning air and its attendant shade! Here comes the Sun!

But I'm on the run to hit Dicks Pass while its still cool.

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 on the Left side of the semi-shadowed, low-peaked ridgeline in the middle-Left of the image. Dicks Pass is part of, on the line of that ridge running off down to our Left to Dicks Pass.

top of page

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.
Cove on West shore of Dicks Lake.
Sunrise lighting up the West shore of Dicks Lake with the Eastern shore still under shadow. We passed a series of trails leading up to those campsites as we were climbing away from the South end of Fontanillis Lake up to and even South of the Southern Bayview trail junction.

Campsite on West Shore of Dicks Lake

Around the coves along Dicks Lake's Western shore we can make out fine campsites.
Campsite on West shore of Dicks Lake.

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

top of page

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. The Western shore of Dicks Lake is already heating up.

Not going to happen.

 

Dicks Peak

The South end of Rockbound Valley sits West beyond Dicks Peak.
Crystal Range on West side of Dicks Peak and Lake.

The massif holding Dicks and Jacks Peaks makes up the Eastern wall of Rockbound Valley, a Northern Spur off the Crystal Range, running North from Dicks Peak, pictured above, composing the massive ridgeline making up the Western wall dividing Rockbound Valley on its Western flank from that of our route up from Middle Velma to Dicks Pass.

MAP                      30 MIN MAP

top of page

 

Video
Dicks Pass #2
Approaching Dicks Pass from the North

Dicks and Fontanillis Lakes from final approach to Dicks Pass

top of page

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 begins another gentle, shorter, traverse bringing 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 as we 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, as is typical.

Past Bayview Trail Junctions
South
to
Dicks Pass

Desolation Wilderness

North Flank 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
Pacific Crest Trail-TYT junction above Middle Velma
5.33 miles

 

North
Dicks Pass
to
Meeks Bay trail head
(Tahoe to Yosemite Trail)
16.83 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 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 flank of Dicks Pass we are going to 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 five trailheads along the Western shore of Lake Tahoe.

We started out of Meeks Bay Trailhead and have so far passed the trails East out to Eagle Falls and Bayview Camp Trailheads, and West into Rockbound Valley.

Next, we find the trails East out to the Tallac and Glen Alpine Trailheads along the West Shore of Tahoe, and a bit further South we find the trail West into the South end of Rockbound Valley.

This series of trail junctions opens up a wide variety of local backpacking loops around the North Desolation Wilderness.

 

Check the Maps and Mileages to Plot your Own

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

 

 

 

High Sierra Weather Information
Always Check
THE

Weather

Local Temp and Snow Reporting Stations
Click the Big Red Dots.

 

Tahoe Basin Weather All High Sierra Weather

 

Lake Tahoe Basin 7-Day Weather Forecast

 

 

top of page

 

Amazing view
from just
North of Dicks Pass

View North
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.

top of page

 

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

Alex on Pacific Crest Trail above Dicks Lake Squirrel below Dicks Pass
Squirrel Squirrel
Chipmunk below Dicks Pass, Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Chipmunk

top of page


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.

 

comments?

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

Bayview Junction

North and South, the trail guide compass.

Backpacking South

Trail Guide

Dicks Pass

Backpacker Forums

Post it on
TahoetoWhitney.Org
The Backpacker's Forum.

Welcome to Tahoe to Whitney
The link above brings us to the Front Page of the High Backpacking Trails and Topics Forums. Below we break the forums down into its basic categories:

High Sierra Trails High Sierra Topics

Anyone can post text comments in the existing forums, but only members can post up new topics, along with images, maps, and formatting.

Become a Member

As we addressed some gear issues on the page above,
these forums are pertinent:

TahoetoWhitney
GEAR
Forum
TahoetoWhitney
BACKPACKER'S
Forum

If you have experiences, comments, questions, trip reports, trail conditions updates or pictures and/or videos of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail from Meeks Bay to Lake Genevieve, and camping around Lake Genevieve and up the valley, post up your images, experiences, notes, and advice here as an unknown hiker or as a member:

Section
Meeks Bay to Echo Summit
Segment
Fontanillis to Dicks Pass

North TYT-PCT: Bayview Junction                                               South TYT-PCT: Dicks Pass

Trailhead

Contact
Alex Wierbinski

top of page

Frosted Backpack

Backpacking Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney

Your guide to the High Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails

Snug tent after Snow Storm
© Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Crown Jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail