Tamarack Peak is actually in Nevada. It’s accessed by heading toward the Mt. Rose ski area. The benefit of Tamarack Peak is that it’s slightly higher in elevation than the peaks closer to Truckee. This peak can also be done with a car shuttle. If you don’t have two cars in the area, it will be easy to hitchhike back up.

The skin track up to the summit is well established, as this is a common lap for people headed to or from the resort, as well as people out for a ski tour before heading to work in Reno. It’s only about 1000 vertical feet from car to summit and less than a mile. After about an hour of work, one is rewarded with views of Lake Tahoe. It’s all downhill from there.

If you’re in a hurry you can play on the gentle slopes leading back to the car. If you’ve dropped a car lower on the road, you can head north of the summit. The main gully is called the Hour Glass. This is avalanche terrain, so know before you go. The big bowl has plenty of fantastic options leading all the way down to Galena Creek.

Ascending to Tamarack Peak. Skier: Dominique Etchegoyhen