Wilderness – Lake Tahoe has so much to offer all year round, but the summer season is off the hook. Do I spend the day in the water, on a beach, on the course of in the mountains? For me, I choose Wilderness 99% of the time. Why? Because in Lake Tahoe basin, there are three very unique wilderness experiences, and then just outside the basin, within 20 minutes, there are two additional wilderness areas to explore that will once again remind you of the solitude of the Wilderness.
Lake Tahoe is home to Desolation Wilderness, Granite Cheif wilderness, and the MT. Rose Wilderness and then, within a short drive, the Mokelumne Wilderness and Carson Iceberg wilderness. Each of these wilderness areas provides something different.
Desolation Wilderness
Desolation, referred to y Nativ Americans as the Devils Basin, is one of the most explored wilderness areas in the world per square mile. With easy access and proximity to the Lake Tahoe recreation area, people travel into Desolation wilderness for refreshing water features, crystal clear water, and a granite experience of the Sierra. Lakes such as Lake Aloha, Lake of the Woods, Dicks lake, and the Velmas draw crowds all summer long.
Still, you can find isolation and true wilderness experiences in desolation if you are willing to look. Desolation has an excellent volunteer ranger program that helps keep the Wilderness clean and signs of life to the minimum. For example, destroying illegal campfire rings, cleaning up trash, and assisting backpackers and hikers find their way, all while providing positive education to the public on maintaining the beauty of the Wilderness.
Day hikers can access several trailheads and get to dozes of lake locations within a five-mile hike. Plus, if bagging peaks are desired, access to Mt Tallac is available from the lake side.
Granite Chief Wilderness
Just to the North of Desolation wilderness, Granite Chief wilderness sits on the backside of Alpine Meadows and Palisade Ski resorts. It features a bit more forest mixed with granite. This rugged area is a favorite for backcountry skiers and backpackers looking for a little more solitude than desolation offers.
The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the area north-south for about 21 miles along the eastern boundary passing through Five Lakes Basin. The Five Lakes Trail crosses near the middle of the Wilderness, and from the Basin, follows Five Lakes Creek for about nine miles to Hell Hole Reservoir. Away from Five Lakes, the Wilderness receives light human use, a great attraction for solitude seekers.
Elevations in the Granite Chief range from 5000-foot valleys to 9000-foot peaks. Summers are typically warm and dry, though nighttime temperatures can be cold and afternoon thunderstorms often build over the mountains.
Mt Rose Wilderness
Sitting on the Nevada side of the lake between North Lake Tahoe and Reno the Mt. Rose experience provides a rugged beauty and inspiring views. Waterfalls, Lake Tahoe views, and peak climbing are prevalent in this lake basin section. The 32,000-acre Mt. Rose Wilderness encompasses most of the high country of the Carson Range. The Hunter Lake jeep road splits the area into two distinct sections: the 7,000-acre northern section and the 25,000-acre southern section, which contains 10,776-foot Mount Rose and most of the major canyons and ridges. Due to its proximity to urban centers (the area almost shares a border with Reno), Mount Rose is one of Nevada’s most heavily used Wilderness. But portions of the interior hide small meadows and remote lakes seldom seen by humans.
The Mokelumne Wilderness
Are you looking for a wilderness area that will entice the mind with geological wonder? The Mokelumne wilderness, an important example of “crest zone” geology, the metamorphic rock capping Mokelumne Peak once covered most of Sierra’s granite. This layer of volcanic rock, sand, and mud can be found here alongside weathered granite as old as the dinosaurs.
The Mokelumne (pronounced moo-ka-la-mi), located at the junction of northern, southern and eastern Sierra botanic provinces, is renowned for its incredible diversity. Elevations range from 4,000 feet near Salt Springs reservoir to over 10,380 ft at Round Top Peak in the north.
The Carson Iceberg Wilderness
The Carson Iceberg Wilderness is a rare section of the Sierra that covers both the East and Western Slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Volcanic towering peaks up to 11,400 feet at Sonora peak combined with forest-lined canyons with raging waterways, deep large alpine meadows, and a combination of reservoirs and lakes that ad mystery to every journey. The Carson Iceberg Wilderness is where we often travel for solitude and wildlife encounters.
