14.8 Miles, 2800’ gain

Day 1! Check out of the hotel about 7am. Grab a good breakfast and maybe a grab n go lunch, enroute to the trailhead at Echo Lakes Chalet. We’re not in a huge hurry because the water taxi doesn’t start until 9am. Park and get on the water taxi at the Echo lakes dock at about 8am (fingers crossed it’s still running.). The water taxi costs $25/person, one way, 4 person minimum. This will also take about 2.5 miles (about 1 hour) off our first day. It’s a beautiful ride and well worth the trip. Exit the water taxi at Upper Echo Lake and start hiking towards Dick’s lake.

Starting elevation at Echo Lakes is 7,400’ and will rise to 9,400’ at the top of Dick’s Pass, about 10.5 miles into the hike. There’s plenty of water along this section of the trail. We’ll walk near Echo Lakes, Lake Aloha, Heather Lake, Susie lake and Gilmore Lake before we start our climb up Dick’s Pass.

Our first climb is just off the dock at Upper Echo Lake, starting at about 7500’ and climbing to 8400’ over about 2.5 miles. It’s not a tough climb. This section of the trail is also part of the PCT. It’s well travelled, rocky and somewhat exposed. We reach the summit at Haypress Meadow where the trail conditions improve as we descend to Lake Aloha and a few other lakes along the trail. Just past Susie Lake we will begin our climb up Dick’s Pass. This climb starts at about 7,700’ and rises to the top of Dick’s pass at about 9,400’ over 3.5 miles. There is a side quest to Dicks Peak. A 1.4 mile out and back trail ascending about 700’ to the top of Dick’s Peak. If we complete that we begin our descent into Dick’s Lake for the night. A 1.7 mile 900’ descent with 18 switchbacks to the saddle above Dick’s Lake. Campsites are near. There’s plenty of Dick’s (Lake) water at the campsite.

Day 1 is about 12.3 miles of hiking (still praying the water taxi is running), not including Dick’s Peak, a good distance for Day 1. We can cut it short, if needed, and stay at Gilmore Lake, below Dick’s Pass but we’ll have to make up the difference in subsequent days to stay on track.

Day 2 starts at Dick’s Lake with our target destination being Barker Pass Rd. area, about 16.5 miles and 1600’ of gain, however from start to finish we will descend about 1000’, from 8400’ at the start to about 7300’ at Barker Pass. To start, we leave Dick’s lake and quickly travel past Fontanellis Lake, one of the more beautiful Lakes on the TRT/PCT that I’ve seen on past hikes. The trail changes from rocks to more of a forested area. A few miles later we descent to Middle Velma Lake area, the last good lake and water source along this section for several miles. This is a good place to filter water as the next reliable water source is 8.3 miles away at Richardson Lake.

Nearly 8.5 miles into our hike we meet the Desolation Wilderness North Boundary. In about another mile of rolling descent we will cross the north shore of Richardson lake, a popular lake for TRT/PCT hikers and OHV users. A dirt road arrives to Richardson Lake from Tahoe’s west shore. It’s the only lake on this stretch of the TRT for several miles, a good water source with about 6.7 miles to the Barker Pass Trailhead. We continue our descent for about another 3 miles and then begin a modest climb through meadows and a few more streams that may provide enough water to filter. Eventually the trail ends at Barker Pass. Cross the dirt road and we’ll find a place to camp out. The Barker Pass to Tahoe City Trail starts here.

• Pretty straightforward section of trail.

• Water at Dick’s Lake, Middle Velma and Richardson lake.

Day 3 starts along Barker Pass and finishes at our campsite in Tahoe City.