Red Lake and Stevens Peak

I woke up around 3 a.m. and the wasn't going back to sleep so I decided to make a sunrise ascent of Red Lake Peak.  The snow and darkness were a bit discouraging as going was slow. With my headlamp lighting the way I didn't have much visibility.  The higher I got the colder it got as the wind got stronger and stronger.

I wandered straight up and over snowy ridges as their was no trail to follow this time of year.  Once the clouds dispersed enough I was able to turn off my headlamp.  The full moon led me on.  I continued to climb uphill with my snowshoes sinking into the powder on each step.  A couple of hours of walking in the dark always makes you anxiously await a glimpse of light on the horizon.  When the first color appeared on the horizon I was nearly at 9,500 feet.  I could look down on hundreds of snow-capped peaks in all directions.

I love the feeling of silence and peace in watching the world wake up from a summit.  Obviously a super early start is required, yet the reward is amazing.  From Red Lake Peak I got to see the first beams of light touch the surrounding summits and illumine my surroundings with color.

I stopped, as long as the cold and wind allowed me to, to take in the beauty.  I then continued on my way heading north on the long rolling saddle between Red Lake and Stevens Peak.  The views were spectacular.  Snow blanketed everything in sight, from Desolation to Hope Valley, down towards Yosemite.   10 minutes was about all the wind allowed on Stevens Peak.  I then ran off the backside of the peak through the powder down towards the inviting basin below me.  I strapped on my snowshoes for the remaining miles to make a loop back to Meiss Meadow/Carson Pass.  An awesome adventure with inspiring views.

Pickett Peak Snowshoe

Hope Valley is a beautiful spot.  Tucked in below Luther Pass, it seems like a totally separate world away from Tahoe's shops and tourism.  Despite the rain and snow in the forecast I headed out to attempt a snowshoe hike of Pickett Peak.  From the junction of Hwy 88 and 89 I quickly found myself unstrapping my snowshoes and throwing them on.  The silence on the trail was beautiful as I continued up the switchbacks and then cross-country straight up to the peak.  The rain turned to snow once I got up close to the summit.  I thoroughly enjoyed the summit, with clouds flying across revealing views of Hope Valley for brief moments before hiding the valley again.  The warm storm allowed me to stay on the summit for a good while and admire perhaps my last snow of the year.