Wednesday Ramblings: Barker Peak (almost)

dog hikers

Five of us headed off during a high wind advisory to try to climb Ellis Peak from Barker Pass at Tahoe. But Barker Pass Rd had not opened for the season and we ended up trying to drive up a jeep road that was parallel to it. Bumping along, we came to a fallen tree blocking further progress. So we parked and hiked up the rest of the way. Going was okay for a while but became very steep in places.

thru hiker

At Barker Pass we came across a helicopter landing pad and four huge propane tanks. We couldn't figure out what they were for. Deciding that Ellis Peak would be too far and windy, we went West on the Barker Pass Rd for a short way to PCT/TRT (Tahoe Rim Trail) trail head. There was a toilet, maps, and picnic tables. The wind was howling so the outhouse was welcome relief. We had not see anyone else the entire day but at that place there came a truck (used the jeep road) with a couple of guys exploring, and then a group of hikers and their hiking dogs.

PCT/TRT

Tahoe Lunch View

We knew that the higher we went, the worse the wind would be so we headed north on the trail through gorgeous high country. Flowers were in blooming in abundance, coating the hillsides and blowing in the wind. Windfalls, rock outcroppings, and tortured trees with backdrops of snow-covered mountains (Crystal Range?) delighted us. We had reached a ridge on the side of Barker Peak which the trail had skirted. As we were struggling to stay upright, we decided to go to the leeward side and hunker down for lunch behind a large fallen log. Big blue Lake Tahoe was in front of us and we could also see the TRT as it headed by some large rocks and on to Twin Peaks, where it left the PCT. After a leisurely lunch we braved the wind to climb higher on Barker Peak but soon it became too strong so we headed straight downhill through the mule's ears to pick up the trail at some distance below. Each downward step brought a diminished wind.

After returning to Barker Pass, we headed the other way on the road to see where the Ellis Peak Trail took off. Oh well - that hike will have to wait until a future date. We had hiked 8.2 miles with an elevation gain of 1,880 feet as high as 8,115 ft.

We are not sure of our plans for next week as quite a few people in our little group will be busy with other commitments.