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The Castle Peak and Basin Peak Loop

On a brutally hot Labor Day Weekend, Loralei and I were up in Tahoe to escape the heat.  The hope was the higher we went, the cooler it would be.  To that end, we planned on a double summit hike of Castle Peak and Basin Peak, a pair of 9,000 foot mountains a bit north of Tahoe itself.  While it was cooler at 9,000 feet than it was at lower elevations, this was still a very toasty outing! Miles/Elevation: 8.9...

Lake Tahoe Hiking: Summiting Granite Chief

The namesake of an entire wilderness area, Granite Chief is one of the highest and most visible peaks of the Granite Chief Wilderness, and the northern Lake Tahoe Basin.   At just over 9,000 feet, Granite Chief isn’t the biggest mountain, but with a trailhead elevation of only about 6,200 feet, a journey to the top is a tough day!  Starting from the Palisades Tahoe resort in Olympic Valley, this hike will take you to the highest reaches of the ski...

Lake Tahoe Hiking: Pyramid Peak

With a name like Pyramid Peak, a mountain better look the part, and this one definitely does!  Located in the Desolation Wilderness just a few miles from Lake Tahoe, Pyramid Peak is one of the most visually impressive and prominent peaks in the entire Lake Tahoe area. While the summit elevation is just a touch under 10,000 feet, the starting elevation of the hike to the summit is only at about 6,000!  The 4,000 foot ascent to the summit is...

Lake Tahoe Hiking: Summiting Mt Tallac

If you’ve ever been in South Lake Tahoe and looked up, chances are you’ve seen Mt Tallac.  Towering above the communities around the south shore of Lake Tahoe, Tallac is one of the most visible and impressive mountains in the Lake Tahoe area. Reaching an elevation of 9,739 feet, Tallac is not the highest mountain in the area, but due to its close proximity to the population centers of the area, and the impressive, dramatic, face of the mountain, it’s...

Hiking In Yosemite: Clouds Rest

Towering 1,000 feet above the summit of the iconic Half Dome, Clouds Rest is the tallest feature surrounding Yosemite Valley.  While it isn’t as visually shocking as Half Dome or El Capitan and isn’t nearly as famous, the hike to the summit of Clouds Rest is one of the absolute best hikes in Yosemite National Park!  Plus, isn’t Clouds Rest just an awesome name for a mountain!? Starting from the higher elevations along Tioga Road far above Yosemite Valley, this...

Hiking In Yosemite: The Upper Yosemite Falls Trail

It’s not often that you see one of the world’s tallest waterfalls, but in Yosemite Valley, it’s just another of the park’s awe inspiring features!  However, hiking to the top of one of the world’s largest waterfalls, that would be something special!  Turns out you can do that here too on the Upper Yosemite Falls Trail! Climbing steeply 2,700 feet from the valley floor to the top of the falls, the hike to Upper Yosemite Falls is one of Yosemite’s...