Hello community of awesomeness! I have recently gotten back into hiking, or more accurately, peak bagging. I am getting in shape, but am quite strong and able. I live in Grass Valley, CA which is between Sacramento and Reno, in the foothills. I'm about an hour from tahoe. I have committed to a peak a week. I would like to be getting as much elevation as possible, but my minimum requirement is 8000'. I've been at it for three weeks and have done; Castle Peak, Sierra Buttes, and Mt. Tallac.

What I'm asking for here is advice on peaks within 2 hours (3 at most) for my weekly summit. I spend tons of time on Summitpost trying to figure out where to go next but find it very difficult to navigate. Do you have any suggestions on peaks that would fulfill my requirements? Also, I am not at this time in possession of more technical gear. It needs to be a hike. Strenuous is fine. Scrambling is fine. Altitude is fine. Lengthy is fine. I'm getting in shape and hope to climb higher, more technical, and more distant mountains as my strength and ability improves. If you are going on any climbs and need a good natured partner, I'd love to meet new people. I hike moderately fast and don't like to stop so much.

Let me know what you know! Thank you so much!

Joiex

Joiex wrote: I spend tons of time on Summitpost trying to figure out where to go next but find it very difficult to navigate. Joiex

?
Joiex meet Pete. Pete meet...on second thought, never mind.
http://www.petesthousandpeaks.com/Capti ... drct3.html
also:
http://www.summitpost.org/lake-tahoe-basin/171175

happy hiking...

Check out the Tahoe-Ogul list of peaks on peakbagger.com. That should keep you busy for a little while:

http://www.peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=5055

Go grab a map - Tom Harrison Maps series or others of different parts of the range - between those and Google Earth you should get a good handle on distances/approach times, both on foot and by car, then research the summits named on them here at SP and on other great sources - our very own Bob Burd's site is superb beta. easy approaches and great views within or near those driving distances might include Conness, North Peak, Tenaya, Shephard Crest etc. Good luck and research the descent before you tackle anything!

sharperblue wrote: our very own Bob Burd's site is superb beta

Sharp,
Thank you. I forgot Big Burd's site:
http://www.snwburd.com/bob/

Mount Rose, Tinker Knob, Pyramid. If you are willing to drive to South Lake, Freel is the highest peak in the Tahoe Basin.

Desolation Wilderness.......many to choose from, a great area. Play around with the site a little more with the search functions. SP is actually an easy site to use, what your asking for is at your fingertips.

All good choices mentioned. Sections of the TRT can be great if you seek raw distance at a sustained high elevation.

Usually what I have done when overloaded with options but not sure what to do is I'll pull out a topo and see what place/ridge/peak etc looks interesting, and work backwards from there to find information on it and possible routes, access points, etc. That's where it has helped to have kept general track of my hiking rates over timw to get a sense on paper, when looking for something new to do, whether I can do it in a day, and whether there's a way I can bail out if necessary.

The SE chutes of Tallac are really fun - class 2/3 scramble. Speaking which... did you top out on Tallac aroun noon this last Saturday? You look very familiar. If not, perhaps I am mistaken... In which case, sorry!

I have climbed more of the Tahoe-Ogul peaks on skiis the last 50 years than during other seasons because of nordic & alpine touring equipment improvements . Ski descents are a lot more fun than walking out. Tahoe area Sno-parks are located near lots of great climbs.