On Saturday, June 15th, I successfully combined and lured seven fellow hikers from the Bay Area and Tahoe Hikers Facebook group to join me in South Lake Tahoe for a hike up Freel Peak, the tallest peak in the area, standing at an impressive 10,844 feet. 

Most of the group drove up to South Lake Tahoe on Friday to be well-rested and ready for our early morning hike. We carpooled to the trailhead and parked at Horse Meadow. Although the road was passable, it required careful driving. My Toyota RAV4 handled it without any issues. 

We hit the trail at 7:45 a.m. and found a few other hikers already on their way up. The weather was clear and cool with a light breeze, perfect for hiking. 

The first four miles were relatively easy, with a gentle grade. The views as we climbed were incredible, prompting many photo stops. We encountered a few stream crossings from the melting snow, which were easy to step over. There were also a few patches of snow, but they were totally avoidable. 

We maintained a good pace and took a break at around mile four at Freel Pass, just before the final one-mile climb to the top. After a 15-minute rest and a few photos, we started the most challenging part of the hike. 

The trail was somewhat difficult to follow, but with our navigation tools and some maneuvering around trees, it was manageable. The last mile involved hiking on crushed rock, causing the group to slow down and take their time, capturing more photos along the way. 

Finally, after almost an hour, we reached the summit! 

There were a few other hikers at the top, along with two chipmunks. Crisp high fives, hugs, and congratulations were plentiful as we basked in our accomplishment. After a 30-minute break and lots of pictures, we began our descent. 

We left the summit at around 11:30 a.m. and returned to Horse Meadow by 1:45 p.m. 

It was a fantastic day to hike Freel Peak and bag my 3rd of the Lake Tahoe 6-Peak Challenge. Thank you to everyone who joined me today from the Bay Area and Tahoe Hikers Facebook groups! I have posted all the pictures here, and there is a link to the AllTrails route I took. If you have any questions about my hikes, feel free to message me, and I'll share all my info. If you're interested in following my hikes, you can find me on my Facebook page, Jason’s Hiking Adventures, Bay Area Hikers, Instagram @jasonshikingadventures, Social Hiker, and AllTrails. Thanks for reading! 

All Trails Map: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/alpine-county-hiking-60a70bb