I would do a run up every now and then after finishing work at the echo lake chalet in summer. Epic trail run!
Lauk75 - Jan 22, 2014 11:04 pm Date Climbed: Jan 18, 2014
Great day
No need snowshoe anymore, only a few snow fields will wet your shoes.
trexkerry - Dec 15, 2013 1:28 am Date Climbed: Dec 14, 2013
Snowshoeing Fun
Went up the Ralston Trail, deeper snows above 8,000 feet made snowshoes a must. Actually a warm day, no jacket, only wore gloves on summit where winds were maybe 5 MPH. Ran out of Powerade on descent and ate some fine powdery snow to keep my mouth from feeling dry. Trip report here.
bigbadgoo - Dec 9, 2013 1:25 am Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2013
Bagged it
Nice short trail to the top, was WINDY up there!
AceSierra - Aug 8, 2013 5:47 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
From Fitty
From what I remember, the trail is junk in some spots. Wasn't the most fun hike I've done. Fantastic view of Desolation though.
Ze - Apr 23, 2013 9:54 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2012
Ralston Peak
via Pyramid Peak and Lake Aloha
WayneFry - Mar 3, 2013 12:21 pm Date Climbed: Feb 23, 2013
East Ridge (Winter Traverse)
Climbed with a team of five from Echo Lakes. Very scenic and well worth the effort. A straight forward route that gets more interesting as you near Cup Lake and the ridge begins to narrow. Our descent route was off the NE ridge of Ralston and across the lakes.
soslaw - Jan 20, 2013 10:15 pm Date Climbed: Jan 20, 2013
SW Ridge
Ski descent south bowl. Short approach makes this a popular peak for the backcountry ski crowd. Harvested a little corn down low.
Marmaduke - Aug 26, 2012 11:43 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2012
2X
Hiked with my wife on the way to Lake of the Woods to camp. On our return she insisted the trail leading up the northwest ridge was the trail back to our car. As I told her it wasn't and there we were on Ralston again the next day, Oh well. It was worth it, I smiled for a long time until she asked me to stop.
Scott Armstrong - Jun 21, 2012 12:47 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2012
From Camp Sacramento
Took the "death slog" south face trail from Camp Sacramento. Very steady, tiring climb. Was disappointed there wasn't a summit register but the views were fantastic.
Perfect fall day to hike. Fantastic panoramic view as always.
tyler4588 - Jun 28, 2011 8:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2011
Summer Snow
We started from the Pyramid Creek trailhead, climbed Horsetail Falls, then up the face of the ridge from Lake of the Woods. Lake of the WOods was entirely frozen over, and the hike up the peak itself required snowshoes. Awesome views, lots of fun, sketchy snow bridges.
calipidder - Feb 28, 2011 6:18 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2002
Spring hike
Nice hike, trail clear at bottom, icy snowy slopes on the top. Used crampons last stretch for some simple traction.
lukenhampton - Jan 23, 2011 10:54 pm Date Climbed: Jan 22, 2011
Beautiful Winter Climb
We were blessed with amazing weather and clear skies. It was a much easier climb than expected. We summited in a little over two hours. Beautiful views from the top with a cloudless sky. We could see a lot of the Coastal Range, even further south than Mt Diablo.
fedak - Aug 27, 2010 8:51 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2010
Ridge Traverse from Echo Chalet
Followed the use trail from the Echo Chalet backpacker lot to Becker Peak. Then followed the ridgeline from Becker to the start of the talus field past Talking Mountain. (Lots more boulder scrambling along the ridge than I was anticipating- but that was far preferable to the chaparral on the south slopes) Opted to swing south around Cup Lake before gaining the Ralston plateau. Returned via the PCT proper.
Igooooor - Aug 3, 2010 8:11 pm Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2009
Dropped our packs on the way up, lost them on the way down
Me and a buddy hiked in from 50 into the desolation and did the peak on the way out. We decided to leave our packs by the trail and just do a peak without them.
Well, on the way back we took a different way down and missed the trail our packs were on. This is easy in Deso since much of a trail is granite with only rock towers to mark the way. We were following random rock towers closer and closer down to the top of horse tail falls...
Eventually we found our trail and our packs but that was an exciting detour and a good lesson to not make the same mistake again. Next time I separate from my pack, I will make sure i know exactly how to find it.
winemanvan - Mar 16, 2010 10:53 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 1973
Climbed Many Times
This is one of the 1st Sierra Peaks I climbed. My friends and I climbed it and road our sleeping pads down the snowfield. Once in 1977 my friend and I were climbing toward the summit and we heard the rapid deceleration of an aircraft, then a crash. We were sure a plane had crashed into Desolation. When we hiked out a couple of days later, we learned that a Dentist had crashed his Cessna into the middle of Highway 50.
littlefrantz - Jan 15, 2010 1:56 am Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2010
Fun ski
Fun chutes of north shoulder, and great bowls coming down to the lake.
bryangast - Jan 7, 2010 11:34 pm Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2007
cab - Jul 21, 2014 11:19 am Date Climbed: Jul 19, 2014
Ralston Peak TrailLast peak of a long day after doing a loop of Pyramid, Agassiz, and Price earlier.
BenStone - Feb 11, 2014 3:31 am
Summer FavoriteI would do a run up every now and then after finishing work at the echo lake chalet in summer. Epic trail run!
Lauk75 - Jan 22, 2014 11:04 pm Date Climbed: Jan 18, 2014
Great dayNo need snowshoe anymore, only a few snow fields will wet your shoes.
trexkerry - Dec 15, 2013 1:28 am Date Climbed: Dec 14, 2013
Snowshoeing FunWent up the Ralston Trail, deeper snows above 8,000 feet made snowshoes a must. Actually a warm day, no jacket, only wore gloves on summit where winds were maybe 5 MPH. Ran out of Powerade on descent and ate some fine powdery snow to keep my mouth from feeling dry. Trip report here.
bigbadgoo - Dec 9, 2013 1:25 am Date Climbed: Sep 28, 2013
Bagged itNice short trail to the top, was WINDY up there!
AceSierra - Aug 8, 2013 5:47 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
From FittyFrom what I remember, the trail is junk in some spots. Wasn't the most fun hike I've done. Fantastic view of Desolation though.
Ze - Apr 23, 2013 9:54 pm Date Climbed: Sep 18, 2012
Ralston Peakvia Pyramid Peak and Lake Aloha
WayneFry - Mar 3, 2013 12:21 pm Date Climbed: Feb 23, 2013
East Ridge (Winter Traverse)Climbed with a team of five from Echo Lakes. Very scenic and well worth the effort. A straight forward route that gets more interesting as you near Cup Lake and the ridge begins to narrow. Our descent route was off the NE ridge of Ralston and across the lakes.
soslaw - Jan 20, 2013 10:15 pm Date Climbed: Jan 20, 2013
SW RidgeSki descent south bowl. Short approach makes this a popular peak for the backcountry ski crowd. Harvested a little corn down low.
Marmaduke - Aug 26, 2012 11:43 pm Date Climbed: Aug 25, 2012
2XHiked with my wife on the way to Lake of the Woods to camp. On our return she insisted the trail leading up the northwest ridge was the trail back to our car. As I told her it wasn't and there we were on Ralston again the next day, Oh well. It was worth it, I smiled for a long time until she asked me to stop.
Scott Armstrong - Jun 21, 2012 12:47 am Date Climbed: Jun 14, 2012
From Camp SacramentoTook the "death slog" south face trail from Camp Sacramento. Very steady, tiring climb. Was disappointed there wasn't a summit register but the views were fantastic.
GMAN54 - Sep 18, 2011 8:00 pm Date Climbed: Sep 19, 2011
Fall HikePerfect fall day to hike. Fantastic panoramic view as always.
tyler4588 - Jun 28, 2011 8:17 pm Date Climbed: Jun 27, 2011
Summer SnowWe started from the Pyramid Creek trailhead, climbed Horsetail Falls, then up the face of the ridge from Lake of the Woods. Lake of the WOods was entirely frozen over, and the hike up the peak itself required snowshoes. Awesome views, lots of fun, sketchy snow bridges.
calipidder - Feb 28, 2011 6:18 pm Date Climbed: May 18, 2002
Spring hikeNice hike, trail clear at bottom, icy snowy slopes on the top. Used crampons last stretch for some simple traction.
lukenhampton - Jan 23, 2011 10:54 pm Date Climbed: Jan 22, 2011
Beautiful Winter ClimbWe were blessed with amazing weather and clear skies. It was a much easier climb than expected. We summited in a little over two hours. Beautiful views from the top with a cloudless sky. We could see a lot of the Coastal Range, even further south than Mt Diablo.
fedak - Aug 27, 2010 8:51 pm Date Climbed: Aug 26, 2010
Ridge Traverse from Echo ChaletFollowed the use trail from the Echo Chalet backpacker lot to Becker Peak. Then followed the ridgeline from Becker to the start of the talus field past Talking Mountain. (Lots more boulder scrambling along the ridge than I was anticipating- but that was far preferable to the chaparral on the south slopes) Opted to swing south around Cup Lake before gaining the Ralston plateau. Returned via the PCT proper.
Pics and commentary are here.
Igooooor - Aug 3, 2010 8:11 pm Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2009
Dropped our packs on the way up, lost them on the way downMe and a buddy hiked in from 50 into the desolation and did the peak on the way out. We decided to leave our packs by the trail and just do a peak without them.
Well, on the way back we took a different way down and missed the trail our packs were on. This is easy in Deso since much of a trail is granite with only rock towers to mark the way. We were following random rock towers closer and closer down to the top of horse tail falls...
Eventually we found our trail and our packs but that was an exciting detour and a good lesson to not make the same mistake again. Next time I separate from my pack, I will make sure i know exactly how to find it.
winemanvan - Mar 16, 2010 10:53 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 1973
Climbed Many TimesThis is one of the 1st Sierra Peaks I climbed. My friends and I climbed it and road our sleeping pads down the snowfield. Once in 1977 my friend and I were climbing toward the summit and we heard the rapid deceleration of an aircraft, then a crash. We were sure a plane had crashed into Desolation. When we hiked out a couple of days later, we learned that a Dentist had crashed his Cessna into the middle of Highway 50.
littlefrantz - Jan 15, 2010 1:56 am Date Climbed: Jan 3, 2010
Fun skiFun chutes of north shoulder, and great bowls coming down to the lake.
bryangast - Jan 7, 2010 11:34 pm Date Climbed: Sep 8, 2007
WindyEasy getting up, got a bit lost coming down.