Mariel (age 11), Rich and I had a lovely and challenging hike today! We started off at 9:15am in 55 degree sunny weather. Gorgeous day the whole way, not too hot, a bit buggy in places. The hike above Cathedral Lake was difficult - steep and rock hopping over large, sharp boulders and steep loose shale. The trail was difficult to find in many places and we got lost on the way back. The top was amazing! The views were completely worth the hike and everything others have posted about the views were true. Spectacular views of Lake Tahoe, Desolation Wilderness, Emerald Bay, and Fallen Leaf Lake. We took 8.5 hours to do the entire hike and went through all of our water (one camelback per person). Used a lot of sunscreen and bug spray. All had hats and sunglasses. We saw 6 marmots, many, many chipmunks, heard a grouse. We are sore but glad we did it!
Marmaduke - Jun 28, 2010 12:41 am Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2010
Clear Day
Started at 6:30am and was at the summit at 9:30. Took longer than expected. Fantastic views. Great hike. Nobody hiking on the way up (3 had started at 3am & were up there when I arrived), but many going up on my way down.
Ascended the NE ridge and skied the NE bowl. Great fun and the views are hard to beat.
bc44caesar - Mar 28, 2010 12:10 am Date Climbed: Mar 27, 2010
Northeast Ridge/Cross Couloir
Climbed the Northeast Ridge to the summit, then skied the Cross Couloir. Variable snow in the couloir, but there was knee-deep powder in a lot of places and great snow in the bowl below!
CWessels - Mar 21, 2010 7:20 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2010
Snowshoe Fun
Set out to tackle the NE Ridge, but got off-route quickly and ended up freestyling some unknown ridge to the base of the couloirs. Found the NE Bowl to gain the summit, eventually. Amazing views up top, and perfect weather!
winemanvan - Mar 16, 2010 10:34 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 1976
Easy walk
Easy hike, great views.
granjero - Mar 3, 2010 9:24 pm Date Climbed: Apr 9, 2006
Pow Turns in Babycham
Unbeatable views, excellent turns.
biz - Feb 18, 2010 6:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
jacks, dicks, tallac
This was a fun solo traverse of some major peaks in desolation wilderness. Started and finished at Lake of the Woods.
bryangast - Jan 7, 2010 9:57 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2008
Day Hike
perfect day.
SKI - Dec 30, 2009 9:21 pm Date Climbed: Feb 27, 2009
My mother still has on her wall the photo of me and the group of college girls I met on top of Mt Tallac. Others talked about a group of college chicks hiking up the trail. Sure enough they summited when I was still there and I was the official photographer. The group shot with me in the middle was a classic.
Deltakyp - Aug 15, 2009 11:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2002
Inspirational beginnings
Climbed with a few friends after moving to the area. Hiked via Glen Alpine trail after camping there, peaceful hike with great views and served as a stepping stone to other great peaks: Pyramid, Lassen, Shasta, Whitney.
WML - Jul 30, 2009 1:45 am Date Climbed: Feb 27, 2009
unconventional assault, fail
We attempted to climb up the cross, and were not so successful. Attempted an eastside chute, and not so successful again. Made another attempt near the cross, and yet again were foiled by poor snow conditions. Happens.
This hike was very easy. Of course, I am in good shape at this point in the season. It was quite hot; and I went through all my water. It was 10 miles round trip from the car. The trail is probably over 9.6 miles round trip from the Tallac Trailhead. It was 101 in Reno, so Tallac was still hot. There was a group of 30 people from Sacramento that hiked that day, and the summit was very crowded. Overall, a beautiful place, but better with more solitude.
snowclimber12 - Jul 7, 2009 12:13 am Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
great view
fun hike and a great view of the south lake tahoe area
Partner and I climbed (trad style), the East rock columns of Tallac, via the large snow slope that runs to the base of the Tallac Trailhead on the North-East side of the mountain.
Fantastic rock of at least 2 pitches!
Can be done alpine style, trad style or mixed if conditions are right for ice..etc!
Michael Graupe - Jun 29, 2009 7:07 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
Desolation Grand Loop
Dayhike from Glen Alpine TH. Continued on to Dicks Pk, Jacks Pk and then Pyramid Pk before returning to the car which made for a very long day in a great area which I hadn't visited yet. Some Photos.
cbarry1014 - Jul 3, 2010 11:46 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2010
We Made It!Mariel (age 11), Rich and I had a lovely and challenging hike today! We started off at 9:15am in 55 degree sunny weather. Gorgeous day the whole way, not too hot, a bit buggy in places. The hike above Cathedral Lake was difficult - steep and rock hopping over large, sharp boulders and steep loose shale. The trail was difficult to find in many places and we got lost on the way back. The top was amazing! The views were completely worth the hike and everything others have posted about the views were true. Spectacular views of Lake Tahoe, Desolation Wilderness, Emerald Bay, and Fallen Leaf Lake. We took 8.5 hours to do the entire hike and went through all of our water (one camelback per person). Used a lot of sunscreen and bug spray. All had hats and sunglasses. We saw 6 marmots, many, many chipmunks, heard a grouse. We are sore but glad we did it!
Marmaduke - Jun 28, 2010 12:41 am Date Climbed: Jun 26, 2010
Clear DayStarted at 6:30am and was at the summit at 9:30. Took longer than expected. Fantastic views. Great hike. Nobody hiking on the way up (3 had started at 3am & were up there when I arrived), but many going up on my way down.
justing - Apr 13, 2010 11:41 pm Date Climbed: Apr 10, 2010
Fun skiAscended the NE ridge and skied the NE bowl. Great fun and the views are hard to beat.
bc44caesar - Mar 28, 2010 12:10 am Date Climbed: Mar 27, 2010
Northeast Ridge/Cross CouloirClimbed the Northeast Ridge to the summit, then skied the Cross Couloir. Variable snow in the couloir, but there was knee-deep powder in a lot of places and great snow in the bowl below!
CWessels - Mar 21, 2010 7:20 pm Date Climbed: Mar 20, 2010
Snowshoe FunSet out to tackle the NE Ridge, but got off-route quickly and ended up freestyling some unknown ridge to the base of the couloirs. Found the NE Bowl to gain the summit, eventually. Amazing views up top, and perfect weather!
winemanvan - Mar 16, 2010 10:34 am Date Climbed: Jul 23, 1976
Easy walkEasy hike, great views.
granjero - Mar 3, 2010 9:24 pm Date Climbed: Apr 9, 2006
Pow Turns in BabychamUnbeatable views, excellent turns.
biz - Feb 18, 2010 6:25 pm Date Climbed: Aug 2, 2008
jacks, dicks, tallacThis was a fun solo traverse of some major peaks in desolation wilderness. Started and finished at Lake of the Woods.
bryangast - Jan 7, 2010 9:57 am Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2008
Day Hikeperfect day.
SKI - Dec 30, 2009 9:21 pm Date Climbed: Feb 27, 2009
Waist-deep powderAhhhhh! Frusturating!
wyopeakMike - Nov 22, 2009 12:09 pm
summit group photoMy mother still has on her wall the photo of me and the group of college girls I met on top of Mt Tallac. Others talked about a group of college chicks hiking up the trail. Sure enough they summited when I was still there and I was the official photographer. The group shot with me in the middle was a classic.
Darren9 - Nov 7, 2009 3:03 am
training for the vertical worldUsed the steep E gully that terminates nearly at the summit as a snow climbing training route for a Rainier team, fun time.
haishan - Sep 29, 2009 3:41 am Date Climbed: Mar 15, 1998
SW corn slopesGreat ski tour down the mellow side... have been stormed off the NE face a couple times since, will keep coming back.
sourstraw - Sep 25, 2009 7:58 pm Date Climbed: Sep 22, 2009
Beautiful!Wonderful climb on a beautiful day!
Deltakyp - Aug 15, 2009 11:22 pm Date Climbed: Jul 5, 2002
Inspirational beginningsClimbed with a few friends after moving to the area. Hiked via Glen Alpine trail after camping there, peaceful hike with great views and served as a stepping stone to other great peaks: Pyramid, Lassen, Shasta, Whitney.
WML - Jul 30, 2009 1:45 am Date Climbed: Feb 27, 2009
unconventional assault, failWe attempted to climb up the cross, and were not so successful. Attempted an eastside chute, and not so successful again. Made another attempt near the cross, and yet again were foiled by poor snow conditions. Happens.
hgrapid - Jul 18, 2009 11:04 pm Date Climbed: Jul 18, 2009
Hot and crowdedThis hike was very easy. Of course, I am in good shape at this point in the season. It was quite hot; and I went through all my water. It was 10 miles round trip from the car. The trail is probably over 9.6 miles round trip from the Tallac Trailhead. It was 101 in Reno, so Tallac was still hot. There was a group of 30 people from Sacramento that hiked that day, and the summit was very crowded. Overall, a beautiful place, but better with more solitude.
snowclimber12 - Jul 7, 2009 12:13 am Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
great viewfun hike and a great view of the south lake tahoe area
adventuretactical - Jul 5, 2009 8:35 pm Date Climbed: Mar 19, 1996
Mt. Tallac East rock columnsPartner and I climbed (trad style), the East rock columns of Tallac, via the large snow slope that runs to the base of the Tallac Trailhead on the North-East side of the mountain.
Fantastic rock of at least 2 pitches!
Can be done alpine style, trad style or mixed if conditions are right for ice..etc!
Michael Graupe - Jun 29, 2009 7:07 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2009
Desolation Grand LoopDayhike from Glen Alpine TH. Continued on to Dicks Pk, Jacks Pk and then Pyramid Pk before returning to the car which made for a very long day in a great area which I hadn't visited yet.
Some Photos.