Lyons Lake, Desolation Wilderness CA

“Well, with the Lake Tahoe fire 80 percent contained, and too many opportunities for ORV encounters in the Plumas County alternative, the Mrs. felt a little easier about heading up to Desolation Wilderness for a quick overnighter. It was a toss up between Twin Lakes and Lyons Lake and Lyons won out after we picked up our wilderness permits and had a chat with the ranger who assured us the hike was outstanding. However, he mentioned the place was reaching max quota for the night with 14 people (including us) signed up. Grooooaaaan, but we’re usually pretty good about stealth camping and avoiding the crowds.

The trailhead was a quick 1.5 hour drive from home and only three twisty miles and up 2,000 feet (to about 7,500 feet) from the highway. Temp was a pleasant 70 degrees with sunshine, a few wispy clouds and a gentle but constant breeze out of the northeast but the number of cars parked at the trailhead seemed to confirm the ranger’s story. Only fifty yards down the trail the bountiful myriad of colorful wildflowers began. Lupine, aster, Indian paintbrush, fields of phlox and Queen Anne’s Lace were all in abundance. It was excellent. The trail, which had been a running a stream only a few weeks earlier (according to trail reports) was now bone dry and followed gurgling Lyons Creek the entire way, weaving to and fro but never out of earshot. It was a gradual climb and at 1.5 miles, we passed the turnoff for Bloodsucker Lake (so named because of the leeches within). Four miles into the hike came the split for Lyons and Sylvia. Sylvia Lake is located on the backside of Pyramid Peak, and impressive pointed peak that dominates the wilderness, but we opted for Lyons as we heard/read it was more scenic.

In the next half-mile to a mile, we climbed 800 feet alongside cascading Lyons Creek until we reached the lake – a classic Sierra granite bowl ringed by crumbling peaks and large, glaciated slabs. We saw a few folks but as it turned out, they were all dayhikers and hit the road nearly as soon as we selected a suitable campsite. Only a solo older man camped on the other side of the lake and enshrouded behind rocks remained. I was ecstatic to see the rainbows jumping as the stocking program in Desolation has been put on hold (I thought because of impacts to endangered spotted frogs but was informed by rangers it is because of cost to fly in the fish). It also was good to see Rosey doing so well on the trail, particularly the steeper sections as she is going on 10 and not nearly the sprite pup she once was.

I laced up the pole and circumnavigated the lake, Rosey tagging along at my heels, and fished different holes to try and entice some dinner while the Mrs. basked in the sun on a rock outcrop, read, napped and took a dip in the chilly but tolerable waters. I received several strikes but landed nothing and could see the lunkers through the clear water taunting me. As I hopped to different granite outcroppings, I went through the whole bevy of lures to no avail, even opting the Powerbait route in a desperate attempt to verify my ability. Again, nothing. As the sun began to set, I switched back to a lure that seemed to hold the most interest, some sort of mayflyish job tied like a fly. And then, like some sort of blessing from the sportfishing god, they began to hit. I landed four in a 10 minute span, I estimate 15” to 17” rainbows. But for some reason, I released them all (one apparently couldn’t believe it as it just floated there, acting dead, and as I went to retrieve it with my pole thinking I would have to eat him after all, he miraculously sprang to life with the touch and made haste for depths). I must have emptied the fishing luck chalice because I had nothing for the remainder of my casts. And such is the way of fishing.

No matter. Dinner was a tasty instant split pea soup with chicken, corn and onion and the wind mercifully kept the bugs a bay. Following a cup of tea, a decision was made to sleep under the stars and I grew tired reading a few pages from The Spy Who Loved Me, finally nodding off. I awoke to what resembled a 40,000 watt lightbulb in my eyes and that was, in fact, a full moon, casting its luminescence over the Sierra white granite like a stadium ready to rumble. As I pulled my stocking cap over my eyes, the distinctly irritating sound of a mozzy echoed in the ear and I realized the wind had died and the bugs were out. Arrrrggghh. I buried my head in the sleeping bag and dozed off, at one point, somehow, awakening from dream of being bitten to slap my cheek and have my dream confirmed with a mighty splat. The moon woke me up a few more times that night with its brightness but thankfully, the bugs eventually left us alone.

We awoke in the early a.m. and a decision was made to do a 2,000 foot scramble up one of the nearby peaks for some views. We ate breakie, packed it up, stashed our packs and made the climb over massive boulders and scree fields. It was well worth the effort as the gandeur from on high was outstanding. Several hidden and unnamed lakes came into view and we could even see across the dusty and dry Central Valley all the way to Mt. Tam in the Bay Area, around 150 miles away.

The hike out was a pleasant as it was in. A totally excellent one nighter that satiated.

Will post pics tonight.
last edited: 7/02/07 5:11:33 PM”

“Nice report, rosey!! B-Son and I went to Sylvia (and Pyramid) about this time last year - the wildflowers were superb then, too!”

“I have a few photos up on my webshots site. click my name and it will take you to the link.”

“Nice pics! I looked back at my album from last year, and it was actually a month later - a good indicator of the difference in precipitation this year.”

“I was surprised there was even water flowing into the lake still. It is bone cry up there now. Pyramid had narry a snowfield on it...”