Trip Reports

Category

A Triple Summit Day: The Rose-Houghton-Relay Loop

It’s not often that I go out and do a 17 mile hike, but when I do, you know I’m excited about it!  My first really big hike of 2022, this loop hitting 3 mountain summits would take me through some of Lake Tahoe’s absolute best high altitude terrain! Starting with an easy jaunt to Galena Falls, this loop would then take me to the summits of Mt Rose, Mt Houghton, and Relay Peak!  While each mountain on its own...

Lake Tahoe Hiking: Mt Houghton and Relay Peak

Near the north shore of Lake Tahoe there are a pair of mountains connected by a ridgeline that make for an awesome day hike.  Neither Relay Peak nor Mt Houghton is an incredibly prominent or noteworthy peak on their own, but when paired together, this two summit day hike is pretty great! Each standing a few hundred feet above 10,000, these are real mountains with real dangers, but for even moderately fit hikers this is an accessible challenge.  If you’re...

Lake Tahoe Hiking: Summiting Mt Rose

Rising 6,000 feet above nearby Reno and 4,500 above the waters of Lake Tahoe, Mt Rose is the second highest summit in the Lake Tahoe area, and one of the most visible peaks in the northern Sierra Nevada.  In fact, this is the highest mountain in the Sierra north of Lake Tahoe! You might think that such a peak would be a serious mountaineering endeavor, but in this case, it’s actually relatively easy!  The Mt Rose Highway ascends to nearly...

Lake Tahoe Hiking: An Easy Hike To Galena Falls

Just to the north of Lake Tahoe under the watchful eye of the nearly 11,000 foot high Mt Rose, the short hike to Galena Falls is an awesome easy hike in big time alpine terrain!  With less than 500 feet of climbing and just under 5 miles round trip, this is an easy hike doable for most! Starting at the crest of the Mt Rose Highway at nearly 9,000 feet of elevation, this is about as high elevation as you...

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...