A and I made a last minute change and decided to do this back route instead of from the more popular Tallac Trailhead. We were not disappointed! The trail was lovely and quiet, enough traffic to feel safe (mostly backpackers). Gilmore Lake is a lovely place to take a break. It was fun only seeing the view of Lake Tahoe until the top, and the views of southern peaks was terrific. That said, you must like rocks to do this trail. Rocks of every size, boulders to scramble over, tiny rocks to slide on, and millions of mid sized rocks that make up most of the trail.
If you come this way, arrive early! The parking lot was almost full at 8am on a Saturday.