Desolation Wilderness Backcountry Camp July 18 – July 21 2022

Join the TRTA as we reconstruct the PCT/TRT deep in Desolation Wilderness. Our work will focus on constructing stone steps and armoring drains to combat erosion.

What to Expect

This Wilderness Backpacking Camp in Desolation Wilderness requires a 5.5-mile climb to the campsite while carrying all your gear, food, and supplies to camp out and work for four days. Bear-proof food storage, such as a bear keg, is required (bear hangs are not allowed). This is an authentic wilderness camp, and volunteers should have some backpacking experience. A short questionnaire will be required before participation can be confirmed. Meals will be prepared on backpacking stoves. This camp is rated Most Strenuous (but most rewarding!).

 Please email your interest to KristineK@tahoerimtrail.org or follow the link to sign up.

Schedule

Participants will meet the crew on Monday, July 18th, at the TRTA office in Stateline, NV, and be shuttled to the Bayview trailhead near Emerald Bay at 6:45 am. Volunteers may meet the crew at Bayview TH at 7:45, but overnight parking at the trailhead is NOT recommended due to recent bear activity (several cars have been damaged in the past few years) and a fee of $10.00. It is recommended that those meeting the crew at Bayview are dropped off/picked up. We’ll pack our gear 5.5 miles and over 1000 feet up to our camp location near Middle Velma Lake. We’ll camp out for three nights, spending our days repairing eroded sections of the trail by installing and armoring drainage features and building stone steps. There will be plenty of time after work for exploration, fishing, swimming, and enjoying the beauty of Desolation Wilderness. We’ll return to Bayview by the afternoon of Thursday, July 21st, and shuttle the crew back to the TRTA office. There is a strict cap on the number of participants on this crew to respect the US Forest Service’s group size limit in Desolation Wilderness.

Please note! Our camp and worksite are at a high elevation, approximately 8000 feet. If you will be traveling from low elevations or are not accustomed to strenuous activity at high elevations, we recommend you arrive in the Tahoe area several days in advance to acclimate to local conditions.

What to Bring

All volunteers must dress appropriately for each day of work, including long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and sturdy, closed-toe shoes. You should also bring everything you need for four days in the wilderness, including lightweight camping and cooking gear, warm clothes, etc. Plan to bring containers for at least 3 liters of water, sunglasses or other eye protection, sunscreen, medications, and other personal items. Don’t have all the fancy stuff? Just let us know; we have the gear to loan out. The TRTA provides food (on request), safety equipment such as hard hats and gloves, tools, and experienced crew leaders.

Who to Bring

Wilderness Backpacking Camps require previous backpacking experience, preferably at altitude in the Sierra Nevada. This is not an appropriate opportunity for people looking to spend their first night in a tent. Minors aged 16+ are welcome so long as a parent or legal guardian accompanies them. Please fill out the Parent/Guardian Permission Form in such a case Parent/Guardian Permission Form.

Come out and help build some great trails!

Thank you to our generous supporters!