MT. HOUGHTON and Relay Peak ⛰️🌲Hiking the Sierra Nevada - Episode 4 

MT. HOUGHTON and Relay Peak ⛰️🌲Hiking the Sierra Nevada - Episode 4
Perhaps my favorite hike in the Carson Mountain Range, The Mount Houghton and Relay Peak Trail was a big hiking adventure. On this episode watch as I discover a mysterious helicopter, hike to 2 mountain peaks sitting over 10,000 feet above sea level, and see a frog city at an alpine pond.
Chapters:
00:10 - Trail Stats and Information
00:29 - Manzanita
01:33 - Fault Lines at Lake Tahoe
02:30 - Connector Trail
03:17 - Road or Trail?
03:53 - The Carson Mountains
05:13 - South Side of Mt. Tamarack
06:11 - 39 Trillion Gallons of Water
06:42 - Tahoe Tessie
07:10 - Chipmunks and Woodpeckers
08:03 - Helicopter
09:09 - Tahoe Rim Trail
11:58 - John Greenleaf Houghton
13:30 - Mount Houghton Ascent
14:15 - Mount Houghton Summit
15:32 - Hiking Relay Ridge
16:51 - Relay Peak Summit
17:37 - The Two Towers
19:41 - Third Creek Pond
21:21 - Bloopers
I did the trail path recommended by Alltrails, but note there are various ways to hike to the peaks. From the trailhead take a left. This is a bike path with a lot of traffic so be cautious. Soon the sandy bike path will dump you onto a dirt road. As you walk look to the left to see an awesome view of Lake Tahoe.
As the road steers right you'll get the first glimpse of Relay Peak. You'll continue up the road for about 2 miles until you reach Third Creek Pond. Lots of little frogs are here so watch where you step if you decide to visit.
On the right you'll jump on the Rim to Reno trail. You'll go through random pockets of wooded areas and meadows that seem to alternate and take turns. Eventually the trail opens up completely and there are some really cool rock formations on the left. On top of the ridge you will also be able to see them at a different angle.
Continue up and go through a handful of switchbacks with modest elevation gain. At around 5 miles you’ll arrive at a sign which is the spur trail to Mount Houghton. Here you will encounter many more switch backs and an intensifying elevation gain. Be sure to bring your jacket because here the wind increases and it begins to get colder.
After you reach the summit climb back down and hike across relay Ridge. This will take you all the way to the Relay summit. You can walk a bit further and catch a beautiful glimpse of Lake Tahoe.
On your way down you will come across 2 strange buildings. The majority of the way down is back along the road you came up on. The elevation loss is very gradual and easy on the knees.
📍Mount Houghton and Relay Peak Trail
🥾 11.1 Miles
⌛️ 6 Hours
⛰️ 2,277 Ft.
💪 Moderate to Hard
➡️⬅️ Out and Back or Loop
🤫 Many Humans
5/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
👍 Highly Recommend
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Tennessee Native Currently Living in Nevada. I wear floral shirts. I make outdoor adventure travel videos to inspire you to go outdoors!
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