Freel Peak via Armstrong Pass (Alpine County, California)

 

I'm in Reno again for work, but this time, I decided to add a couple of extra days on top of work responsibilities for some adventure. My first stop is to climb Freel Peak on the southeastern corner of Lake Tahoe. At 10,886 feet, Freel is the tallest peak in the entire Tahoe Basin and while I've climbed many peaks on the other corners of the lake, I've never really done much on this part. 

I actually rented a big Jeep Rubicon because one of my adventures next weekend will take me to the very remote Boundary Peak along some rugged old mine roads. That said, it turned out to be a good vehicle for getting my friend Nick and I to this trailhead as well. Turning off highway 89 onto a dirt forest service road, we very early on encountered a section that was pock-marked with very large divots, measuring between three and six feet across and in some cases as much as two feet deep. Given that there were approximately 15 of them on this small section, I'm not sure anything other than a high clearance 4x4 could have made it through this section. The presence of a couple of cars before this section leads to me believe others thought the same thing. Following the road for approximately four miles into the forest, we arrive at the Horse Meadows Trailhead, where a collection of trucks and other beefy vehicles have been parked. 

After getting our gear together, we head out across Willow Creek and up into the mountains. The first section of this trail is a stead up hill and recent rains have washed lots of debris down the trail for up higher. It's something of an obstacle course jumping over branches, rocks, and whatever else the water could carry. 

At the junction with Armstrong Pass, we missed our turn and after a while realized our mistake. The intention was to follow the Tahoe Rim Trail from this section. This forced us to bushwhack a a little bit to get over our intended trail. Luckily, bushwhacking in this region is quite different than in Georgia. In this dry climate and at approximately 8,500 feet, the kudzu, poison ivy, and other strangling green vines and flora can't take hold. It's much more pleasant than other off trail adventures and soon, we're back on our intended trail.

From here, we follow the western shoulder of the Freel Peak complex for a couple of miles before heading up the steep desolate final slope. At the junction with the spur trail that leads us to the top, we stop for a short break and chat with some mountain bikers riding the TRT. After a few minutes, we begin our ascent. As we make our way up this steep section, we encounter a few other hikers coming down from the peak. As hikers do, they say hello we wish each other a good hike.

As it turns out, the peak we had been looking at and thinking was Freel, is actually a sub-peak to Freel, which makes more sense as to why we are headed the direction we are now. The ascent is fairly steep and very dusty, but manageable. Nick tells me that summiting this peak will be the highest point he's every been to. I didn't realize that. In years past, he's done nearly as much adventuring as I have, but family responsibilities and health issues have put something of a damper on that in recent times. As for me, I've been considerably higher than this peak. I've summited Mount Whitney at 14,505 feet and though I was unable to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania last summer due to acute mountain sickness, I still reach approximately 15,500 feet. So, this little guy isn't that much to me, but I still wanted to do it.

Once at the top, I sign in on the register that someone has placed in an military-style ammunition case. There is also a sign here erected by a local boy scout troop, acknowledging the elevation and the summit. I take a couple of minutes to take in the view, which is fantastic. To the east Jobs Peak and Jobs Sister rise to nearly the same height as Freel and the trail to Jobs Sister is incredibly gorgeous as it stretches out across the sandy ridge. 

Nick arrives a few minutes after me and similarly takes in the view. We get some water and when he's ready, we begin our descent. The return trip is uneventful, though it is heating up and I end up having to stop to get pebbles out of my shoes a couple of times. Next time I hike out here, I'll have to consider some of those ankle-length gators.

As we return to the Jeep, I offer Nick a fist bump and congratulate him on reaching and returning from his highest point yet. That said, next weekend, we may shatter his record as we make an attempt to summit Boundary Peak, the highest point in the state of Nevada. Total distance for today's hike was right at 10.5 miles and it was totally worth it.