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Mt Tallac (Sierra Nevada) 2007-06-03

Posted by worldofaaron (2007-06-13)

I had the chance a couple of weekends ago to get up to the Lake Tahoe area. I took the hike up Mt Tallac, on the southwest side of the lake, just across the border in California. This is a killer hike! The Sierras really feel different than our Cascades. There's granite everywhere and pines dominate the scenery. Things started to look a bit more familiar when I got up above 7,500 feet & started seeing hemlock and fir. The trail starts out near Falling Leaf Lake at about 6600 feet. After about a mile, it climbs a ridge that has recently burned. This makes for some nice views back toward the lakes and also up toward the peak.

That's Tahoe on the left and Falling Leaf on the right.

Soon it arrives at Floating Island Lake:

Next, the forest begins to thin out in places.

The next stop, at about 2 miles & 1200 vertical feet, is Cathedral Lake.

Now the work begins. The next two miles take you up an additional 2100 feet.
This is the trail just a few feet beyond the lake!

The views provided some nice incentive to keep going.

This rocky slab in particular just seemed really cool where the trail followed it.

After crossing a small stream that uses it as a bed, the trail emerges at the bottom of an impressive bowl.

The way was free of snow, with the exception of about a 60 foot snowfield near the rim. This was a little nerveracking, since a fall during the last 20 feet wouldn't have ended well.
Once at the top, the view to the south and west opens up.

Mt Tallac to the North:

After strolling through sparse tree cover & some snowfields I found myself below an impressive stack of sharp rocks below the peak. I couldn't find the trail, so I just started hopping toward the top.

The view from the top:

On the way down, the light from the sun lit up the surroundings much differently than it had earlier, so I took the opportunity to snap a few more pictures.

The whole set can be found here.

Re: Mt Tallac (Sierra Nevada) 2007-06-03

Posted by jeffstatt (2007-06-13)

2100 feet in 2 miles is a pretty good huff! It's really great that you shared these. Especially love the photo "view from the top".

Where did you guys stay while you were there? I've earmarked Tahoe as a getaway for me and wife for some point in the future

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