The BackCountry - Backcountry Guidebook - Backcountry Skiing at Freel Peak

Home » Guidebook » Backcountry Skiing at Freel Peak

Backcountry Guidebook

TheBackCountry.net is the online extension of our retail store. We carry all the top brands of backcountry gear from bikes to climbing gear. Our goad is to be your favorite store!

Disclaimer!
These maps were not created with GPS accuracy. The recommended routes on these maps may be dangerous and even deadly depending on many variables such as current avalanche danger, weather, snowpack depth, skill and experience level, and time of day. If you are not an expert and experienced backcountry skier, snowboarder, snowshoer, or climber, we highly recommend you hire a professional guide to take you into the backcountry. We recommend excellent local guides and backcountry skills classes from www.alpineskills.com. You take FULL responsibility for yourself and your party when using these maps. There are inherent risks in going into the backcountry to ski, snowboard, snowshoe or climb. Those using this guide do so entirely at their own risk, and the author disclaims any liability for injury or any other damage by anyone traveling in the areas described. Please be patient if our guidebook recommendations end up being wrong for you. We don't know who you are! We are just showing you where we like to go enjoy the backcountry. Have a great time and please be safe!

Backcountry Skiing at Freel Peak

Location: South Shore - Lake Tahoe, CA
Duration: 4 - 5 hours
Elevation Change: 3,681’ - from 7,200’ to 10,881’
Recomended Map: Freel Peak, California

Skiing Freel Peak is generally something you do for your tick list, or just to get away from everyone. With 4 miles very low angle terrain between your car and the mountain, Freel Peak doesn’t get skied very often. Bring some kicker skins, and you can save lots of time cruising to its base. Bring adjustable poles, as you’ll need to push a bit during the skate back from Horse Meadows to you car. The good news is the climb doesn’t really hit you like the typical struggle of climbing 3 or 4 thousand vertical feet. This is a really nice tour into a quiet valley that houses our highest peaks just above. These peaks are Freel, Job’s, and Job’s Sister.

To ski the south side of Freel Peak; park in a small plowed pullout on Hwy 89. It is located 2 miles north of Hope Valley and the hwy 88 intersection. The pullout is marked “gate” on the topo, and lies on the east side of the road. This is where you would drive into Horse Meadow during the summer. Follow the snow covered fire road as best you can. Within a mile or two, it becomes easier to just aim for Freel Peak. You will gain 1, 500’ during the trip to Horse Meadow, but it sure won’t feel like you climbed much. Resist climbing up any real slope until you are sure you know which peak Freel is. Peak 10,562’ lures you up its south ridge quite easily. I have made this mistake and enjoyed the tour, but Freel Peak fell just out of reach because of the mistake. The ridge in-between is slow going.

Freel Peak’s south side is usually hardened from sun and wind, but the adjacent east facing runs on peak 10,562’ may be better. If the snow isn’t great on either, you’ll have a really nice, wide, 2,000’ patch of real estate to figure it out. Don’t rule out a powder day or perfect corn snow, both which can exist when you least expect it. This is a higher and dryer environment than the rest of the peaks in the Tahoe Basin. When you get back down to Horse Meadow you still have 1,500’ left to descend. The problem is that it stretches out for 4 more miles. Oh well. Wax your skis and enjoy some good conversation time with your ski partners.

Job’s Peak 10,633’ and Job’s Sister 10,823’ can be reached in the same day if you are the fast and light type. Visiting all three summits is about 9 miles one-way, with 5000’of climbing and 1700’ of descending. From Job’s Peak, you will have an additional 3,500’ to descend over 7 more miles. Don’t bring your biggest skis for this one. You might try waxless skis if you ski well on them. Tell us out it goes for you on our message board.

Since you don’t go back to Freel that often, there are 2 other marathon days worth considering. One is a 1,700’ descent of Job’s Sister’s north side down to Star Lake. There is mellow terrain to hike back up in-between Freel Peak and Job’s Sister. The second marathon tour is the descent of Job’s Canyon, beneath the steep north face of Job’s Peak. You’ll need to leave a car in the foothills above Minden, NV.

Oh yeah. You can see Lake Tahoe quite well from the top. You will also get a great view of the Carson Pass area and the Steven’s/ Red Lake Peak Duo.


	The only way to hear about monthly sales and closeouts!