The rangers at the Wilderness Information Center were very helpful and set up a beautiful itinerary for us. They said several permit holders had cancelled because of some wet weather in the forecast. You can see backcountry campsite availability in real time at
https://www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/backcountry-availability.htm .
The following boat-in campsites on the east bank of Ross Lake are
accessible from the trail (which is difficult to tell on the map): May
Creek, Rainbow Point, Devil's Junction, Lodgepole, and Lightning Creek.
May Creek and Lightning Creek also have separate stock camps, which
hikers without stock can also use. If you're a hiker and want one of the
boat-in sites, be sure to make that clear when making your reservation /
permit request. Otherwise, rangers generally save those sites for boaters.
Day 1. East Bank Trailhead to Roland Creek camp. 6.5 miles. Left TH at 1 pm or so, at camp by 5 pm. Only one other party was staying there. Privy is in good condition, creek is delightful.
Day 2. Roland Creek to Lightning Creek Stock Camp. 9.5 miles. This trail opens up to the lake about half way through. Lightning Creek Stock camp is by far the most posh and excellent backcountry camp I have ever seen. The privy is brand new, private, spacious, and clean. The lake access for swimming is right at the camp edge. There is a bear box and picnic tables - elegant living. We stayed here 2 nights.
Day 3. Desolation Peak day hike. 13.6 miles. This is a steep trail but the highlight of our trip. Straight up and straight down; your knees and ankles will thank you for using trekking poles in both directions. It is worth it though. It's 6.8 miles up to Desolation Camp from Lightning Creek. There were SO many huckleberries at Desolation Camp - we grabbed handfuls. The 2 campsites at Desolation are smallish and there is no water at Desolation camp, so you have to bring it up from nearer the lake. The rangers are cagey about a spring that is about 2.7 miles down from Desolation camp, when we passed on 8/23, there was a good amount of water running across the trail from this spring and we considered it a good water source. The rangers are cagey for a good reason - if it's dry, there is no other water source. We saw 3 black bears between the spring and the camp. One was right on the trail. Make plenty of noise when hiking to warn them you're coming. It's another mile from Desolation camp to the fire lookout, and WOW, what a view. There had been a few showers that day, so the sky was dramatic chiaroscuro and there were rainbows to the north and east. The fire lookout Jim and 2 NPS workers were living up there, restoring the lookout to its 1930s glory. They offered us lots of conversation and hospitality. (Dana and Reed - you're doing an amazing job!). The trip down was long. A swim in Ross Lake at dusk was refreshing and delightful.
Day 4. Lightning Creek to May Creek stock camp. 7.9 miles. There is only one site (i.e. 1 party maximum) at May Creek Stock Camp, and the creek is just a short walk away. The May Creek boat-in camp (also a single site) is on the lake and accessible to backpackers from the East Bank Trail. It's very large, with a great latrine, picnic table, sunwarmed rocks, and lakeside swimming. But it's exposed to wind, and the lake can get very windy. The privy is not that private, so it's important to have a good flagging system to let fellow campers know when it's occupied.
Day 5. May Creek to TH. 7.8 miles. This was basically the only hot day for us. The trail was quiet and smelled of fir needles - my favorite smell. When we arrived to the TH, we heard a nearby tree crash to the ground with a terrific thump - a reminder that trees falling can be a significant hazard.
This was a delightful trip and the highlight of my summer. With the Desolation Peak dayhike, the total mileage was 45.6.
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