Incline Peak (Washoe County, Nevada)

 

Winter in the Lake Tahoe basin is without a doubt one of the most magical sites on the face of the earth. Any chance I get to explore this winter wonderland, I jump on. The meetup group decided to snowshoe to the summit of Incline Peak this morning. I've only been to the top of this 9,500 foot mountain once before, and it was this past summer to watch the Independence Day fireworks all around Tahoe from above. I remember it being a steep climb, which should make it a very interesting on snowshoes.

After meeting at Sierra Summit, we carpooled to the Incline Lake pull-off just beyond Tahoe Meadows. This early in the season, there is only a couple of feet of snow, but in a couple of months, the Mt. Rose Highway will seem more like a tunnel through snow piled up on either side 6-10 feet high. 

We meet up with a couple of others that chose to join us a the trailhead and then set off into the snow-covered forest. The first part of the trail is well-worn and drops down to the Incline Lake basin. It's easy going at first, but soon, the trail disappears and we are forced to cut our own path down a steep incline. Luckily, it's only a few yards through snow-covered rocks and trees before we drop down to what we believe is the trail.

I have vague memories of the trail and as we cross a bridge over a slow-flowing stream, I'm confident we are on the right path. I always love the site of running water carving a channel through the white blanket. While snow fields can seem hopelessly permanent in their desolation and void, the running water brings hope to the scene and forces one to realize the impermanence of everything.

Pushing on, the trail begins the steep climb. As it swings out west of the summit, we approach a beautiful ridge that overlooks Lake Tahoe to the south. Patches of low-hanging clouds linger over the frigid lake waters, but the overall view is stunning. To the west, Rose's Knob juts out of the landscape like a spear through the blanket of snow. It's a magnificent view and I wish I could see this every day of my life.

Finally reaching the summit, the panoramic in all directions is something out of an art gallery. Slide Mountain and Tahoe Meadows below it span the entire breadth of our view to the northeast. To the south, an even more divine view of the mighty lake Tahoe fills us with awe. This is the same view I had for the fireworks five or so months ago, but as different as night and day. Instead of fireworks to draw my eyes, the blue waters of the lake and the white snow caps of the surrounding mountains grab my attention. 

We take some time to absorb the church-like quality of this place while eating some lunch. I recently acquired a small double-walled thermos and I've found that it is ideal for keeping a lunch-sized serving of vegetable soup just hot enough for a winter hike. While it's a pretty nice day and warmer than expected, it's still later December and there is a chill in the air. Warm soup is just what the doctor ordered to keep the body and soul warm.

The trip down the mountain is much easier, but prone to tumbles by many in our group. The loose powdery snow can be difficult. I note that I am one of only two people on this trip not using poles, and yet, I haven't fallen once, while many of my comrades have taken a few falls. I do see the value in poles for snowshoeing, but so far, I haven't really needed them. As we reach the cars, I note the distance. We've hiked just short of 4 miles. It's shorter than some of our recent treks, but the elevation gain was much greater. As always, it's a great group of people and I'm honored to have gone on another adventure with them.