Fontanillis Lake
Granite Lake
Upper Velma Lake
Fontanillis Falls

After 'discovering' Fontanillis a year earlier, we knew we had to come back. This time from a different trailhead - Bayview instead of Eagle Falls. As it turned out, it is a toss-up as to which route is easier (both got the same rating). The lake itself is fabulous and a worthwhile destination no matter how you get there!

The trailhead for this route begins at the end of the Bayview Campground on Highway 89 between Cascade Lake and Emerald Bay.

After the first mile of climbing up the trail (800' gain), you get to the short trail to Granite Lake. It's a cute little lake and a good close destination for a picnic lunch and a relaxing dip before heading back down. But that wasn't the plan for this trip.

Another half mile further along the trail (and an additional 400' gain), the view opens up to include Granite Lake and Lake Tahoe. On this day, the smoke and haze had settled over the basin in the morning. Luckily, most of it had blown out by the time we returned.

Reaching the saddle between Maggie Peaks, we stopped for a breather and to admire the view west into the Crystal Range and Desolation Wilderness. Another group offered to immortalize the effort with an 'All Member' group photo.

About half a mile after the ridge, there is a point just off the trail from which you can see Snow and Azure Lakes. Maybe we will put them on the schedule for next year. The trail to them is not maintained, but apparently enough hikers go there that there is a trail.

After a few good natured 'ARE WE THERE YET' comments, the map was dug out, gps consulted, and estimates of time and distance offered. Then it was off down the path. Actually, it served more as a breather than a real concern over the veracity of the 'leader' - silly people.

The first glimpse of Fontanillis is as we're descending from a small ridge. It is of the southern end of the long lake that lies along the base of a ridge that extends north from Dick's Peak. Who was Dick, anyway?

After hanging out at the north end of the lake for lunch, a few of us decided to climb a small granite outcrop for a better view of the whole lake - a highly recommended side trip.

After Lunch, we followed the outflow from the lake to enjoy the cascading 'Fontanillis Falls'. There is no trail, but since it is exposed granite all the way down to Upper Velma Lake, it is easy to make your own. The upper portion is more like a water slide that must be huge in the spring runoff.

Ann and I are always on the lookout for plants that we don't know - this one was a Bog Asphodel (Narthecium californicum), a member of the Lily family. Further down, the water narrows through the broken granite and gets a bit more energetic.

The falls terminates at Upper Velma Lake, a sprawling, shallow series of large pools. Rather than trying to cross country the lake around to the right, we kept to the trail that followed around the northern end to catch a trail that led back up the ridge to the Bayview Trail.

On the way back, at Maggie Peaks Ridge, we stopped and ventured out toward Maggie's north peak for a gorgeous view of Eagle Lake and Lake Tahoe (photo below). Maggie sure had a great vantage point from here!