Wright's lk Rd. Wheelin, winching, backpacking trip

A couple friends invited me for a two night winter backpacking trip to try to bag Pyramid Peak in Desolation Wilderness, we made it into Lyons Lake the second day out of our backcountry base camp. Tried to drive up the Wright's Lake Road a little bit too far, went in a little under three miles. Should have paid more attention to a couple ruts and limbs in the ditch. All three of us got stuck at least once. With my stock tired truck, I got turned around by some dirt, making my way out, then got stuck in the sugar snow, hanging up because snowmobiles had the center packed down and when we hung up or scraped too much, we'd spin out wheels and be there as the center was pretty hard. One friend had traction boards, chains, strap, pulley and most important, a winch. Someone tried to go in after we left out vehicles, his clue should have been our three Tacos parked along the road. Someone with way bigger tires and clearance did make it past the TH we went up, but they had a little issue in one spot. Snow where hung up was maybe 20" or more, little further close to 24". Where we camped around 30". Lyons Lake was 5 miles from the Trailhead, 8400' elev. Sorry left out we snow shoed all of that.
Duane

 

Looks like a good time.

 

We were loving the being stuck, mostly gave my younger friend a chance to use the tools he has been packing. When he was pulling his winch cable out, the Allen screw that keeps it attached to the spool was loose and allowed the cable to come off, so he spent 20 minutes maybe to rethread the end. He used his snatch block once. Lucky he had enough cable and straps, but we had dug the white truck out and I knocked down the middle snow, so that friend made it close enough to where all my other friends cables weren't needed. Snow was very loose after going over it a few times, unlike the snow at Sawmill Lake a week ago. (See that trip)
We were able to slide and glissade some after leaving Lyons Lake.
Duane

 

Was up there at Lyons for an overnight in the fall with a few buds. We hit Pyramid from Sylvia which is definitely not an easy approach and probably worse in the winter depending on the route. Were you able to make it up to Pyramid? Looks beautiful and cold!

 

Our getting stuck for a couple hours set us back, otherwise we might have gone in further the first day. All of us made it to Lyons Lake, one friend wanted to hit the ridge to the north so we waited about 80 minutes for him to round trip it. They want to go this Spring, both my friends had been up in the area recently. I bagged Pyramid Peak maybe 20 years ago from Lake of the Woods.
Duane

 

I've backpacked into Lyons Lake. Great spot. Looks nice with snow on the ground.

 

Two of us walked across Lyons while our other friend went up the ridge to the north. Old cracks across the ice. Had lunch up there and filled our water bottles below the small dam. Don't know when they want to go again this year, maybe right after most of the snow melts.
Duane

 

I went in one June and should have brought snow shoes. Clear and sunny. Several feet of snow. Knee deep in some spots. Came in from Echo Lake. Camped at Pyramid Lake. Hiked to the Peak. Great trip. 4 days. Long time ago. Hiked up Horsetail Falls once, in snowshoes. That was some day.