Freel Peak
Carson Range, above Tahoe · near South Lake Tahoe · Sierra Nevada / Yosemite
Mountaineering
At a glance
- Grade
- nontechnical
- Elevation
- 10881
- Best season
- July–October; a spring snow ascent is possible earlier
What is here
- Terrain
- alpine-rock
- Amenities
- Armstrong Pass / TRT approach · No permit for a day hike · Highest point around Tahoe · Great Basin panoramas
- Best for
- The high point of the Tahoe basin, no ropes needed
- Features
- Highest peak in the Tahoe basin · Non-technical class-1/2 walk-up · Sweeping lake & Great Basin views · Quiet Carson Range setting
Worth knowing
- Hazards
- Exposed, weather-prone summit ridge · Loose talus on the upper slopes · Afternoon storms in summer · Snow lingers on the approach into early summer
- Beginner friendly
- Yes
Guides, rentals and operators
- Guided trips
- No
Mountaineering detail
- Skills
- scrambling
- Style
- walk-up
- Altitude
- 1
- Route notes
- The highest summit in the Lake Tahoe basin — a non-technical class-1/2 walk-up through the Carson Range to a broad crest with a commanding view over the lake and out across the Great Basin
- Beta note
- ~10,881 ft; Class 1–2 walk-up; the roof of the Tahoe basin
- Intl tip
- The roof of the Lake Tahoe basin — a satisfying non-technical class-1/2 walk-up through the quiet Carson Range, usually via Armstrong Pass and the Tahoe Rim Trail. No scrambling or exposure, just a long climb to a broad, windswept crest with sweeping views over Tahoe and out across the Great Basin. A fine conditioning hike and a peaceful alternative to Tahoe's busier summits; a gentle snow ascent early season. Bring layers for the windy summit ridge.
- Directions note
- Standard approach via Armstrong Pass from Fountain Place Rd — directions link points at the peak, not the trailhead
The guide
Freel Peak is the roof of the Lake Tahoe basin, and reaching its summit is a satisfying non-technical objective — a class-1/2 w…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Freel Peak — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 38.86, -119.9