Mount Tallac Trail

Made it to Cathedral lake in trail runners and gaiters. Snow pack is about 3-5 feet or more and is consolidated enough to walk on without snow shoes, but expect some post holing mid afternoon. I've went up twice this winter and both times were amazing. Bring the right layers as days are short and conditions change rapidly

We hiked about 2.5 miles into the trail on 12/23/2018. Some things to note:

-The road into the trailhead was closed about a mile out. So we had to walk an additional mile each direction to get to and from the trailhead.
-We hiked about 2.5 miles on Mt. Tallac trail, until we got above the tree line. This point was just past floating island lake. Beyond this, the snow is much deeper and requires snowshoes. We didn’t have them so we turned around here.

All of trail is covered in snow/ice, but some of it is compact enough to walk on without snowshoes. We had great views despite not being able to hike the whole trail. The weather higher up on Mt Tallac also looked to be pretty stormy, so it was probably for the best that we turned around. A beautiful hike, and I will definitely be back in warmer weather.

AMAZING HIKE!!

Pros
-Great things to see the whole way up.
-Finding the trail was not too difficult.
-Everyone is very friendly on trail.

Cons
-Very rocky terrain the entire way. Make sure to wear good hiking shoes.
-Very steep and not easy. Make sure to stay hydrated, stretch, and pace yourself. I didnt do any of those and cramped up pretty hard. I was lucky people were nice enough to provide water and energy bars.

Some people brought their dogs. I thought the ground was too rocky and sharp for them. Not a good idea if your dog is not used to that.

Worth it! Just dont be an idiot like me and prepared.

Tough trail, not a warm-up by any means.

Great Hike! Dont underestimate the difficulty level. Took me 5 hours to get up and 3 to get down. Got to the car right as it was turning pitch black outside

Great hike. It was a little longer, but worth every step. The most beautiful hike I’ve ever done. Go early in the morning to be beat the crowds. Brings at least 2 L of water if you’re an experienced hiker. Go all the way to the top! Definitely bring proper gear, food & plenty of water.

moderate to hard hike..harder on descent then cardio on way up as a lot of shale on trail..where as elevation gain is gradual..thighs will feel it on way down..trekking poles not my thing at this stage..but be sure of footing due to rocks..couple spots trail does somewhat disappear..but not hard to rediscover..fantastic weather for mid November and great views..at summit as well as ridgeline at start along fallen leaf lake..couple smaller lakes along way up for h20..but overall I would rate it moderate..and Jessie hope u were ok on descent..

Challenging hike. Wear proper gear and bring food, and water. When hiking in the fall or winter, start early or you will be hiking in the dark. It can take 5 to 7 hours to complete for an average hiker while taking time to appreciate the views of Lake Tahoe, Fall Leaf Lake and the surrounding evergreen forests

Great hike! I was glad I wore my hiking boots for this. The trail is rocky as everyone says but is a gradual ascent and not too steep. Our moving time was just over 4.5 hours total, going at a steady, moderate pace. I recorded it with photos. It took us 2.5 hours to ascend and 2 to descend - due to the rocky trail, be careful to leave plenty of time for the descent, especially in the fall and winter with shorter periods of daylight and cold temps once the sun goes down. We spent about 45 minutes on top and took many photos along the way. So far, this is my favorite Tahoe hike because of the near constant spectacular views!

Amazing! I only give it 4 stars because of lack of trail markers! Pay attention and it is so worth it! This has been on my bucket list and very rewarding! Not as hard as I imagined ! Take nuts for the over friendly chipmunks at the top:)

The rockiest trail ever!!! Amazing views, friendly hikers and so many rocks. Made soup at the top and took in the views!! Take plenty of water and or filter. A few lakes you can filter water from up there. Also take some snacks and trekking poles. Steep incline that’s hard on the knees after ascending/descending. Saw a chipmunk.

One of the most amazing hikes I have done this season and with the most spectacular views too. I highly recommend this hike if your up in the Lake Tahoe area.

Great hike. Make sure to get out early because it gets busy.

Absolutely beautiful trail. Yes, there were a lot of loose rocks covering a majority of the trail, but I didn’t think this trail was as hard as some people have described it. Definitely would do it again!

As others have said, it's a pretty rocky trail. I used my trail running shoes and had no issues. It was warmer than I'd thought it would be, and I could have probably packed more water (there are no places to fill your bottles on the trail). I was glad I didn't bring my dog, though we did see several on the trail, and they all looked very happy. We started at 9:15, got to the summit by 12:45 or so (had a few water breaks in between, and ate for a bit at the op), and got back down by 3. I'd say the actual hiking took us 5 hours, with about an hours worth of stops along the way and at the summit. We saw dozens of other hikers on the trail, but did go for some stretches without seeing or hearing anyone.

Amazing views from start to finish. Highly trafficked. Very glad I did it, but honestly, I don’t need to do it again. The rocks and steps became quite the mental challenge along with the physical. I’ve done half dome a couple times and Yosemite falls- this was beautiful, but you don’t need to drive yourself nuts to get the payoff of the views. Plus all the people and a couple annoying drones at the top sort of kept me from giving a 5 star rating. Even with all that said- you gotta do it at least once- just take plenty of food & water for 6-7+ hours of hiking!

I love Mt. Tallac. I've hiked it annually since 2013. Just hiked it today 10/27/18. The vistas are phenomenal and the reward at the summit helps you forget all the irritation you've experienced from the ascend. Not gonna lie though, this trail is entirely covered with rocks and loose gravels. After a while it can get really annoying as it makes it that much more difficult to ascend/descend when it doesn't need to be. Be prepare to get your bum kicked for the greatness that awaits you at the top. Head out early and take your time. Wear good shoes, have fun, and be careful.

hiked 06/22/2018

I am in better than average shape and it was hard, but definitely worth it. trail is rough on feet and dog paws. teenage kids griped less than me, but I was cramping. water alone wasn't enough! Cytomax should have been consumed.

Once at the top,views are comparable to Christopher's loop near Marlette. Enjoyed running into a group of highschool girl graduates with their Dad's from San Jose "Grads with dads"

This is NOT a hike!! It is a CLIMB. The rocks and incline are very difficult to navigate. Labeling it as a hike is very misleading. The views were nice, but you must be fit and have some mojo. This mountain kicked my butt.

Beautiful views of Fallen Leaf Lake, Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Peak, Echo Peak and Fallen Peak.

This is a pretty tough hike, but well worth it. The view of Lake Tahoe from the top is unmatched. It took us about 6 hours including stopping for lunch and enjoying the view at the top. Excellent scenery all the way up. You will need to be somewhat conditioned to complete this. Don't try this with grandma.......unless of course she is a bad a$$

generally: moderate distance, moderate-difficult trail, with amazing panoramic views of lake tahoe and surrounding desolation wilderness, best done on a clear day; trail mostly of loose gravel and large rocks making for difficult footing
trailhead: small parking lot with additional roadside parking (no passes/fees)
trail conditions: loose gravel and rock the first few miles, then large rocks/shale the remainder of the way
scenery: views the entire way up, initially in the forest with some views of lake tahoe and fallen leaf lake, pass by floating island lake and cathedral lake and then views of the surrounding mountains and lake tahoe toward the top; aspens with bright yellow folliage currently!
difficulty: hard given difficult footing, considerable elevation gain starting at elevation, took about 5 hours with stops for picture and lunch at the top
saw about a dozen people on the trail on a week day

Difficult but worth it! Amazing views at the top

This hike is amazing. The views from the top are SO beautiful. One of the things I would warn you about is hiking with dogs. I had both of my dogs with me, both very experienced hikers, and once we summited all the pads on their feet were completely ripped off. I think it was in part due to the rocks being super hot and being so jagged and sharp. Just use caution when hiking with your pups and if you have dog boots bring them!

Great short hike. Did it over the weekend; started at 0620 and got back down by 0945 (jogged down). The views were phenomenal. Be aware that, as everyone has pointed out, miles 3-8 or so are largely talus or loose dirt with lots of rock.

I have hiked this trail twice, both times I summited. Bring a lot of water as there are no creeks or any other “safe” sources (people skinny dip in the lakes).

Its a great trail and very scenic. Very fun and not very difficult. It took me about 5 hours round trip, the skies were clear and there were no disruptions. Stay out of the sun if you can as it is pretty brutal in July and August.

For the steep rock section, if you have the energy and are acquitted, I recommend going straight down the face. It is faster and takes a lot less time. Just have “respondent” ankles as I say, make sure your ankles quickly adapt and turn if a rock is loose.

No need for tekking poles or any special skills, just perserverance and water! Have fun and goodluck!

There’s nothing more I can say about the view from the top - it’s outstanding.

However, don’t underestimate the challenge of this trail. I’m relatively fit, and it took me 3 hours up and 2.5 hours down.

I was quite surprised to see the types of people attempting this climb, and their level of preparation. As a minimum I’d recommend:

- Good shoes. Yes, you can do it in trainers, but they don’t offer your foot or ankle any protection, and this is rough terrain
- Suitable clothing. You wouldn’t go to the gym in jeans and a sweatshirt, so why try to do a 7 hour walk up a mountain in them? Hiking pants or shorts, and a wicking t shirt.
- A bag big enough to carry the items below
- A warm layer, and a waterproof one if it may rain. It gets cold once you near the summit.
- A whistle to get attention if you’re hurt or lost
- A torch if you’re walking near sunset or the days are short
- WATER. You need about 3 liters minimum. Imagine you were going to the gym for 7 hours and think about how much you’d drink. I saw people with 500ml for the day - that’s going to hurt!

Definitely a difficult one! But so worth it!

with being used to.sea level elevation this was one of the hardest hikes I have done but so amazing from the top. definitely a must at least once!!!

Amazing worth every step