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Stevens Peak

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Steven's Peak
Stevens Peak

Place Name: Alpine County

Place Description: State: California
Date: 09/18/2018
Elevation: 10,059 Feet
Prominence: 499 Feet
Miles: 6.6
Elevation Gain: 1,543 Feet
Lists: Tahoe-Ogul

  • Difficulty
  • Solitude
  • Kid Friendly
  • Summit Views

Very Fun Three Summit Day

While Steven’s Peak can be climbed from a closer approach using a jeep road from Highway 88, this trip report highlights the traverse from the north side parking lot on Highway 88 tagging Red Lake Peak and Crater Lake Peak along the way.

Overall
3.3

Pros

  • Fantastic summit views
  • Nice cross country hike
  • Combo with Red Lake Peak

Cons

  • Exposed to sun
  • Sandy slog through certain areas
  • Large elevation drop after Red Lake Peak

From Red Lake Peak we started our way to Stevens by heading north down the mountain shooting for the open ridge tops below. Once down, it was easy walking across the flat top with cool views down to Crater Lake below. There was a small up climb that led to flat open plateau that had a rusted old can sitting in a rock pile. I opened the can and inside was a summit register. This is Crater Lake Peak.

We kept following a sporadic use trail and got to the final climb up to Stevens. The rock is very firm up this final ascent and didn’t slide much at all, made for an easy ascent. The true summit is the third one furthest east as you gain the ridge. Summit register is in an old ammo box. The views on this day were amazing. Clear blue skies had us looking over Tahoe and the Desolation Wilderness to the north and to the south we could see all the way to the Dardanelles on Sonora Pass with peaks even beyond that coming visible. The Sweetwater Range was in great view as well. Amazing hike, one of my favorites so far and had a great hiking partner in  my buddy Ryan. Went cross country back to Carson Pass, 3.3 miles circling around underneath the west side of Red Lake Peak and back to the ridge we started on in the morning. Another option would be dropping to the PCT and taking the final 1.3 miles in from the pond. Stats include the entire hike, Elevation gain is much more you drop well over 300 feet on way to Stevens Peak. Completed my 6th and 7th Ogul Peak on this hike.