Desolation Wilderness 7 Summits Loop Hike
Starting from Glen Alpine Road near Fallen Leaf Lake, this demanding high-country loop enters the southern Desolation Wilderness beneath Angora Peak and sweeps south and west through granite terrain toward Ralston Peak. The climb gradually opens views across the Echo Lakes country, Fallen Leaf Lake and the surrounding Sierra ridges before turning toward the more rugged crest of the Crystal Range.
Beyond Ralston Peak, the route reaches Pyramid Peak and then follows the exposed mountain backbone north across Mount Agassiz and Mount Price. From this elevated traverse, Lake Aloha and its maze of granite islands and neighboring alpine lakes spread out below. The route continues along the crest to Jacks Peak and Dicks Peak, passing above the lake-filled interior of Desolation Wilderness and offering expansive views across its glacially sculpted basins.
From Dicks Peak, the loop turns east and descends toward Half Moon Lake and Gilmore Lake, returning to forest and lake country before climbing once more to Mount Tallac. The final summit overlooks Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake and much of the route’s rugged interior, after which the trail descends Tallac’s southern and eastern slopes and returns through the Glen Alpine area to the starting point.
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- Distance: 38.6 Km
- Elevation gain: 2,956 m
- Maximum elevation: 3,034 m
- Elevation loss: 2,956 m
- Minimum elevation: 1,995 m
- Moving time: 10 h 33 m
- Moving speed: 3.6 Km/h
- Maximum speed: 21.9 Km/h
- Total time: 11 h 14 m
- Global speed: 3.4 Km/h
Interactive trail map
Trail profile
- Distance: 38.6 Km
- Elevation gain: 2,956 m
- Maximum elevation: 3,034 m
- Elevation loss: 2,956 m
- Minimum elevation: 1,995 m
- Moving time: 10 h 33 m
- Moving speed: 3.6 Km/h
- Maximum speed: 21.9 Km/h
- Total time: 11 h 14 m
- Global speed: 3.4 Km/h
About this trail
Name: Desolation Wilderness 7 Summits Loop Hike trail, distance, elevation, map, profile, GPS track
Start: Glen Alpine Road, El Dorado County, California, United States (38.87704 -120.08029)
End: Glen Alpine Road, El Dorado County, California, United States (38.87713 -120.08049)
Coordinates: 38.83295 -120.17530 38.90596 -120.07700
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United States > California > El Dorado County
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