Top Trails: Lake Tahoe. Mike White

you have a dramatic view straight down into privately owned Frog Lake, as well as west toward Castle Peak and east to the distant Carson Range.

Indefatigable super-hikers may elect to continue their journey to Warren Lake, though a reasonable assessment of the trip will lead most recreationists to conclude that a visit to the lake is best done as a two- to three-day backpack. From the saddle, follow the trail on a winding descent across mostly open slopes dotted with conifers. At 4.4 miles reach the crest of a minor ridge and a faint junction with an old trail from the vicinity of Frog Lake. Veer west and continue the descent for 0.6 mile to the bottom of Coon Canyon. From there follow an undulating 1.5-mile traverse around the head of North Fork Prosser Creek basin to a saddle due south of Warren Lake. Beyond the saddle the trail plummets more than 1,000 feet in a mile to reach the south shore of Warren Lake. 10

       MILESTONES

1 0.0

      Start at Pacific Crest Trail Trailhead

2 0.2

      Veer right at Glacier Meadow Loop junction

3 0.3

      Veer right again at Glacier Meadow Loop junction

4 0.5

      Turn left (north) at Pacific Crest Trail junction

5 1.0

      Turn right (northeast) at Summit Lake Trail junction

6 1.7

      Turn right (east) at Warren Lake Trail junction

7 2.0

      Summit Lake

8 2.3

      Return to Warren Lake junction, turn right (north)

9 4.0

      Frog Lake Overlook

10 7.5

      Warren Lake

      TRAIL 4 NORTH TAHOE

      Castle Peak

      TRAIL USE

      Hike, Dogs Allowed

      LENGTH

      9.6 miles, 3 hours

      VERTICAL FEET

      ±2,205

      DIFFICULTY

      – 1 2 3 4 5 +

      TRAIL TYPE

      Out-and-back

      SURFACE TYPE

      Dirt

      FEATURES

      Canyon

      Mountain

      Summit

      Wildflowers

      Great Views

      Photo Opportunity

      FACILITIES

      Restrooms

      Picnic Tables

      Water

      A climb to one of north Tahoe’s highest summits provides summiteers with an expansive view of the northern Sierra, which on clear days includes distant Lassen Peak in the north and the coastal hills to the west.

      Best Time

      Mid-July–early September is the prime time for an ascent. Though this is a favorite winter ascent of backcountry skiers and snowshoers, most of the lingering snowbanks across the trail have disappeared by mid-July.

      Finding the Trail

      West of Donner Summit, take the Castle Peak/Boreal Ridge Road exit from I-80. Drive to the frontage road on the south side of the freeway and proceed east 0.3 mile to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) parking area. The large parking lot has trailer parking, pit toilets, and running water in season.

      Logistics

      Two alternatives will shorten the trip. The first option is to park near the start of the Castle Valley Road, just north of the I-80 ramps, and walk the road to Castle Pass. With a high-clearance vehicle, the second option is to drive the Castle Valley Road to a parking area near the Hole in the Ground Trailhead. From there a shorter hike along the road leads to Castle Pass.

      Trail Description

1 From the parking lot follow a well-signed gravel path to a stone bridge over a seasonal stream and continue on dirt track through lodgepole pines, western white pines, and white firs. Soon encounter a junction with the Glacier Meadow Loop, 2 where you veer right and continue eastbound toward the Pacific Crest Trail. After a short distance you come to a second junction with the Glacier Meadow Loop, 3 where you veer to the right again. Pass by a shallow pond, where mountain hemlocks join the mixed forest, and then make a short descent to the Pacific Crest Trail junction, near the edge of a grass- and willow-filled meadow, 0.5 mile from the trailhead. 4

Head north on the PCT around the fringe of the meadow and pass through a pair of large culverts,