Hiked July 16th-17th with an overnight at Lightning Creek Stock Camp. We were able to secure a permit online ahead of time and have it remotely issued after answering some logistical questions for the rangers. This allowed us to get an early morning start, 5:30, which made for a much more pleasant walk in due to the heat in the afternoon.
The trail itself was free of any major obstacles and the major runoffs seem to have subsided. The largest creek crossing is Roland Creek and you can easily get across without getting your feet wet. This does mean that access to water is limited during extended sections of the route, so plan accordingly.
Ripe blueberries lined most of the trail. As such, there were several parts that had large amounts of bear scat present, namely at the very beginning near the trailhead and also closer to Desolation / Lightning Creek area. The backcountry rangers also confirmed that the bears in the area were very active at that time. The deer were also a frequent sight. There were tracks along the whole route and we spotted several along the way that were not particularly shy.
The trail is perfectly located where wildlife would prefer to travel or feed, with bears being most active around dawn and dusk. Be cognizant of your surroundings, follow the rules regarding food storage & handling, and be deliberate when traveling around blind turns on the trail. We’re visitors in their home and it is our responsibility to learn the practices necessary to keep each other safe.
The campsite was neat, had plenty of good tent placements, a bear box, and a vault toilet. It was right on the water and the temperature was perfect after a long hike in. Burn ban was in effect but there are well placed fire rings along the lakeside for safer times. Bugs were not a concern while hiking, but the flies were absolutely horrendous at the camp. We had to use our head nets while staying fully covered and there were dozens on the tent fly / netting once we moved inside. The mosquitos were not very active but it hardly mattered.
We attempted the Desolation trail in the afternoon but bailed part of the way up due to fatigue from the walk in and the overwhelming heat later in the day. We would plan for a second night, or to take the boat one way, if we were to try it again in the future. The walk out the next day was pleasant and the slope over Hidden Hand Pass is more gradual when walking south.
Total distance ended up around 37 miles. The hike in was about 5.5 hours on fresh legs and it was about 6 hours out. No phone service at any point but satellite connections were easily achieved in lakeside locations. Very few other hikers on Wednesday with many more arriving on Thursday, along with a couple of large youth groups. Parking was readily available at the trailhead and the facilities were clean and stocked, as was the one at the campsite.
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