Mt. Tallac Summit (El Dorado County, California)

 

For a couple of weeks now, I have been hoping to hike up this scenic mountain that is often sited as having some of the best views of Lake Tahoe, but unfortunately, weather has not been kind. Last weekend, it rained in Reno, which meant snow in the mountains around Tahoe. Not being familiar at all with the trail, I was very hesitant to attempt the hike on fresh snow and so I put it off. And with that first snow, came the fear that the rest of my hiking adventures this year would be limited to the lower elevations.

As luck would have it though, it got warm enough through the week to melt of the vast majority of the snow that fell. And so, I set out early this morning to conquer another peak. The trail to Mount Tallac starts between Camp Richardson and Emerald Bay, on the southwestern section of Lake Tahoe. The trailhead is well marked and simple to find. At the parking lot, I registered for a free wilderness permit, as instructed by the signage. The trail enters the federally protected Desolation Wilderness area very quickly after leaving the trailhead.

The trail almost immediately encounters the small Floating Island Lake on its west side, and shortly thereafter, the much larger Fallen Leaf Lake. In fact, much of the trail in this section travels along a ridge overlooking this large lake.

 

A little further on, we take an abrupt turn at the tiny Cathedral Lake, which is quite serene. From this point on, the elevation increases much faster. This should have been obvious to me, knowing the trail gained 3500' over a short five miles, and seeing Tallac looming above the trail through this section. Onward and upward, I go.

It's a brisk fall morning here in the South Lake Tahoe area, and the weather report predicts a storm this evening, which explains the overbearing wind blowing through the forest. I suspect it will get much stronger as I continue to gain elevation. As I'm starting to get a little cold, I throw on gloves, a stocking cap, and my wind breaker.

Continuing on up the very steep trail comprised mostly of loose gravel, the wind continues to get stronger. Eventually, I reach a bend in the trail where the grade starts to level out and I enter the a lush (or at least it probably was a few weeks ago) meadow overlooking some more lakes and mountains in the distance, all part of the Desolation Wilderness. While the trail is a bit easier in this section, the wind has not subsided at all. In fact, I think it is a bit stronger. I'm thankful for the occasional tree to help break it a bit.

 

Above me, I can see the trail will again enter another section of steep grade through some sharp rocks, as it approaches the summit. I push hard through this section in order to get through it. Reaching a ledge overlooking Tahoe, the trail itself pretty much dissipates and I'm left to scramble up and across some sharp rocks a few dozen yards to reach the peak.

 

Standing on the very top of Mt. Tallac, I can say the reports of the view were not false. This is by far the most majestic view I have encountered of the vast alpine lake below. However, standing at full height up here is all but impossible, as the wind is gusting to what has to be 80mph or more. If not for locking myself against some of the rocks, it would likely be enough to blow me over.

At 9739 feet, Mount Tallac is not even in the top ten as far as the tallest peaks around Tahoe, but it still made for a great hike. And while the final elevation isn't that high, getting there was something else. This is one of the steepest trails I have ever hiked, but it was well worth it in the end.