East Bank Ross Lake, Lake Hozomeen & Desolation Peak — Saturday, May. 27, 2023

Went on a 3 day / 2 night backpacking trip over MDW. Started at East Bank TH, and walked 27 miles with 4,475gain to Hozomeen Lake. Day 2 was about 20mi and 6k gain from Hozomeen Lake to Desolation Camp/Peak. And Day 3 was hike out from Desolation Camp which was approximately 22 miles and 2,475gain. Beautiful camps and views, but a permit is required, so be sure to check availability before. 

TL;DR: Trail is in great condition and views are worth the effort. Only a few sections that are a little bushy, and few blowdowns closer to Hozomeen Lake, but nothing that you can't get around. Plenty of water sources along the way, but does get toasty in the sun. Flies were buzzing during the day, and encountered a lot of ticks in one area, so be sure to do a check if you're passing through. 

Road/Parking:
Completely paved road and cleared up to East Bank TH. Got there around 8:30am and only a handful of cars were in the parking area. There is a pit toilet available here.

Trail Conditions:
Cleared and easy to follow. A few sections are a little overgrown as things are blooming and thriving. If you go to Hozomeen Lake, you'll encounter a few blowdowns that require a little maneuvering around. Only one is really large but you can hop up on top and over. East Bank trail pops in and out of shaded forest and drier exposed sections. The trail to Hozomeen is mostly shaded and woodsy. The only snow encountered was at 5800ft on the ascent to the peak from Camp. It's patchy and easy to navigate through and around, and mostly melted out at the top, but no snow at Desolation Camp itself. 

Water Sources:
Didn't have any trouble with collecting water. Plenty of cross streams and creeks. The driest section is the climb up to desolation peak. There are about 3 little trickles of snow melt streams still flowing (thankfully) that were easy to collect. I'm not sure if these would dry up once the snow fully melts, but I was happy to have these as it was a slog of a climb in the heat of the day. If you're unsure, I'd recommend stocking up before making the climb, especially if you're camping, there's no water sources at Desolation Camp (aside from snow melt right now). 

Bugs/Animals:
The mosquitos weren't too bad. I did get a few bites, but I've been in much worse conditions, so they're around but not swarming. There were a lot of buzzing flies as we were walking, the ones that circle your head for miles and miles... yeah those are alive and well. Also, TICKS!! between my partner and I we had 5 ticks crawling on us, and one latched on. It was a dry, rocky area as you head towards Hozomeen, and the split to Desolation Peak. We weren't near any brush, just standing out in the open when we noticed them crawling on us, so beware. The most ticks I've ever encountered in WA. Saw a couple of deer. Heard wolves howling at Hozomeen, and an owl hooting there as well, but no sightings or signs of them nearby otherwise. 

Other:
I was surprised how little views you have on East Bank trail itself. I imagined you'd be seeing the lake quite a bit, but it's really only a smaller section towards the end that's more exposed. So expect lots of forest miles, but the views at Hozomeen and Desolation Peak are worth it! Also dipped into Hozomeen lake, and the temps were really refreshing after a long day. Highly recommend. 

Happy Trails!