Day Hike in Lake Tahoe - Mt Tallac (Part II)

On a ridge close to the peak

Once we passed Floating Island Lake and then Cathedral Lake where one can stretch the legs and take a breather (be aware of mosquitoes), the terrain started to change.

We were faced with a huge mountain of massive rocks, and a faint trail switching back and forth up.

It had been a while since I last witnessed the desolate look of a nearly treeless mountainside of rocks, pebbles and stones.

I was mesmerized by the scale of the mountain, the texture of the rocks, and its minimalist beauty.

It is also in this stretch where it got steep... very steep. I would even go so far as to consider this section more of a stair/rock hopping section, but on the side of a mountain. (Tip, if you experience vertigo, this is not the best trail to take, consider taking a different route from Glen Alpine.)

As the trail continued to climb, my breathing got even more labored. I tried to use my core and thighs more consciously but nothing seemed to be helping much. Meanwhile, we were treated to an even more spectacular views.

From a distance, the peak of this stretch looked like the summit because you couldn't see anything above. However once I made it to the top, I realized that it was not even close. (emoji) This is the "false summit" as they call it. It is also the turn around point for those who suffer from AMS or just had enough of the work out... I turned right, and continued up.

Soon large patches of snow appeared. They were slushy with the heat and hikers passing. I felt grateful that I carried one hiking pole which helped me better balance.

We had to often stop and look around to determine where the trail was because there were no signs and often times the trail was not obvious. Fortunately we never got lost for more than a minute because we had the offline trail map, and the constant company of other hikers.

We got a small break soon after from nasty climbing and entered an alpine meadow, which gave hope that the final push was not too bad, but that dream was shattered quickly when a couple who passed us delivered the news, "at least 45 more minutes to go! "

The last stretch was a scramble. Rocks, and more rocks; snow and more snow; trail and no trail...

Eventually when the summit emerged, I felt the adrenaline rush. A few hundred feet of rocks and stones became an easy path. I hopped through the rocks and quickly reached the peak.

Stay tuned for summit pictures.