Overview
Jacks Peak East Ridge and Dicks Peak above Susie Lake
Jacks Peak is located in the heart of the Desolation Wilderness, slightly overshadowed by its big brother, Dicks Peak. Jacks Peak is a worthy summit in its own right, or -- better yet -- makes a fine days outing by combining it with a climb of Dicks Peak. More adventurous folks can use Jacks Peak as the center linchpin in a long traverse across the top of the Desolation Wilderness by traversing from Pyramid Peak in the south, northward along the Crystal Range, down to Mosquito Pass, then up Jacks, Dicks and the long traverse over to Tallac. In winter, the south face of Jacks can harbor some nice corn snow, and provides a great trans-desolation ski tour linkup.
Getting There
Because the peak sits in the middle of the Deso Wilderness, it can be reached from virtually any trailhead. Hikes from the east or south are most common.
| Trailhead Name | Distance¹ | Highway | Access | | Lily Lake | 6.1 | 89 | End of Fallen Leaf Lake Road | | Twin Bridges | 6.7 | 50 | 2 miles east of Strawberry | | Eagle Falls | 12.6 | 89 | 1 mile north of Inspiration Point | | Echo Lakes | 4.8/7.3² | 50 | 1 mile west of Echo Summit | | Mt. Tallac | 9.5³ | 89 | Directly across from Baldwin Beach | ¹ Distances are in miles and are to the trail junction on the north side of Lake Aloha, not to the summit.
² The shorter distance is accomplished by taking the ferry across Echo Lakes.
³ For an extra 0.4 miles the summit of Mount Tallac can be reached.
Hikes from the west start near Wrights Lake and take the trail to Twin Lakes, then over the crest of the Crystal Range between Mt. Price and Peak 9,441, descending into Rockbound Valley at the foot of Jacks Peak.
Routes
| Route | Difficulty | | East Slope | Class 2 | | North Ridge | Class 2-3 |
Red Tape
Permits are required for day and overnight use in the Desolation Wilderness. Day permits are self issue at the trailheads. Overnight permit information can be found at the link below. Also, there is a $3 fee to park at many of the trailheads.
Desolation Wilderness Permits
When To Climb
The peak can be climbed year round. Winter trips obviously take a bit more preparation and are usually done as overnighters.
Camping
Camping is allowed in the Desolation Wilderness with the proper permit. There are several campgrounds on Highway 50 and 89 as well. Call (530) 644-6078 for exact locations and more information.
Mountain Conditions
Eldorado National Forest Information Center
Located four miles east of Pollock Pines on Highway 50.
7887 Highway 50, Pollock Pines, CA 95726
Phone: (530) 644-6048
Winter: Weekdays only. Monday through Saturday as of April 1st.
Summer: 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through October.
Images
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