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Tree, Poison Flat, Carson Iceberg Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Your Backpacking Guide to the High Sierras Yellow Flower
Ducks on South side of Stony Ridge Lake.
Ducks on marsh above Stony Ridge Lake

 

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The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

Backpacking past Stony Ridge Lake

Hiking Meeks Bay through North Desolation Wilderness, The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

 

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Trail guide section index

North
Stony Ridge Lake

South
Stony Ridge Lake
Topo map

maps index

miles & elevations Miles & Elevations Index Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit All forest-wilderness Permits all pages

Video
View from the Middle-South Side of Stony Ridge Lake, Desolation Wilderness

  Rock, forest, and Water.  
   

Hiking to the South side of Stony Ridge Lake. Duration 1:07.

Meeks Bay to Dicks Pass
15 minute Backpacking Map
Desolation Wilderness
30 minute Backpacking Map

Meeks Bay to Echo Summit
Backpacking Miles and Elevations

Comments

 

Desolation Wilderness

Meeks Bay to Stony Ridge Lake

 

Backpacking to Stony Ridge Lake

Elevation
7800 feet
+1201' rise over Meeks Bay trail head elevation

Mileage
6.62 miles North of Meeks Bay trail head

2.26 miles South to Phipps Pass

comments?

miles and elevations

 

Stony Ridge Lake campsite.
Stony Ridge Lake campsite.

About half way between the North and South sides of Stony Ridge Lake we find this very well used campsite area between the trail and the lake.

Meeks Bay to Dicks Pass
15 minute Backpacking Map
Meeks Bay to Echo Summit
Backpacking Miles and Elevations

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Backpacking on the South Side of Stony Ridge Lake, Desolation Wilderness

Looking North along West shore of Stony Ridge Lake.
Looking North along West shore of Stony Ridge Lake.
Rocky forested terrain.

 

Heading South to the South end of Stony Ridge Lake.
Heading South to the South end of Stony Ridge Lake.

Looking almost directly North across Stony Ridge Lake.

Bits of marsh grasses begin to indicate the boggy conditions on the Southern side of Stony Ridge Lake we find as we hike up to the head of this narrow valley. The drainage off the mountains around the head of this valley appear to drain too quickly for a lake to form, and too slowly to form a well defined creek. Thus the terrain above Stony Ridge Lake is boggy.

The next page South on the guide explores the marshy South side of Stony Ridge Lake.

Meeks Bay to Dicks Pass
15 minute Backpacking Map
Meeks Bay to Echo Summit
Backpacking Miles and Elevations

Comments

Hike NorthCenter Stony Ridge                                                                               Hike South: South Stony Ridge Lake

Desolation Trail
Climbs
up to
Phipps Pass

After Passing the marshy zone on the South side of Stony Ridge Lake we begin the 2.26 mile 1000' ascent of intermediate difficulty up to Phipps Pass on a series of well graded switchbacks on firm trails with a soft surface.

If we are going the distance to Yosemite or Mount Whitney, we can make good time through this moderate difficulty section.

If we are doing a Meeks to Echo Lake backpacking trip, at say 10 miles a day, we can stop and enjoy all of these beautiful views during a three day, 30 mile traverse of the Desolation Wilderness.

In late September of 2009 it took me six nights to get from Meeks Bay to Ebbetts Pass, taking the Pacific Crest Trail route South from the Carson Gap. Here on our first significant climb out of Meeks Bay is where we first feel pressure from our hiking plan. Every mile not hiked today will add to the daily total down the trail. Every mile that strains us now will slow us down later.

A balance must be struck.

comments?

Topo Hiking Map: Meeks to Dicks Pass     Topo Hiking Map: Genevieve to Phipps Pass

Miles and Elevations

Next page: Stony Ridge Lake 3

Backpacking North

Trail Guide

Center
of
Stony Ridge Lake

North and South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail in Desolation Wilderness.

Backpacking South

Trail Guide

South Shore
of
Stony Ridge Lake

Backpacker Forums

TahoetoWhitney.Org

Stony Ridge Lake, Desolation Trail, Desolation Wilderness
Have any experiences, comments, questions, or pictures about backpacking Stony Ridge Lake? Share 'em!
Section: Tahoe to Echo Summit
Segment: Stony Ridge Lake

North: Center Stony Ridge                                                                                 South: South Stony Ridge Lake

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Alex Wierbinski

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Backpacking Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney

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