AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Palisades Tahoe.jpg
Elliotbritton · CC BY-SA 3.0
Granite Chief Wilderness

Washeshu Peak–High Camp to Emigrant Ridge, 4 sights

12 mi · ▲ 4,003 ft · 6 hr

Washeshu Peak–High Camp to Emigrant Ridge, 4 sights is a 12-mile out-and-back in Granite Chief Wilderness near Alpine Meadows, CA. The route reaches Washeshu Peak. It climbs 4,003 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade. It scores 70/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,152 – 8,741 ft · steepest grade: 27%12.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Truckee River Bike Trail 39.19637, -120.19853
Nearest town Alpine Meadows, CA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Washeshu Peak–High Camp to Emigrant Ridge, 4 sights

12 mi · ▲ 4,003 ft · 6 hr

Elevation 6,152–8,741 ft

Out & Back · Granite Chief Wilderness

Trailhead: Truckee River Bike Trail · 39.19637, -120.19853

Weather Aug 3: Clear, high 86°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:12 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Western States Trail, heading NW.
  2. 0.7 miBear left, heading NW.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  4. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  5. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  6. 0.7 miBear right onto Snow King Road, heading SW.
  7. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Red Dog Ridge, heading W.
  8. 1.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  9. 1.5 miBear left, heading SW.
  10. 0.1 miPass Washeshu Peak.
  11. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  12. 0.5 miBear left onto High Camp to Emigrant Ridge, heading NW.
  13. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
  14. 350 ftTurn right, heading N.
  15. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  16. 0.2 miReach Washeshu Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  18. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  19. 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  20. 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
  21. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  22. 1.5 miTurn right onto Red Dog Ridge, heading NE.
  23. 1.1 miContinue straight onto Snow King Road, heading NE.
  24. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  25. 0.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
  26. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  27. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  28. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  29. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Western States Trail, heading E.
  30. 450 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/washeshu-peak-out-back-22-km

Trail surface

57% dirt1% gravel42% unspecified

Weather

ClearTemperature 86°F50°
Precip0%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity22%
Hourly temperature
90°50°
Sunrise 6:04 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:12 PM
Tue 86°61°
Wed 85°58°
Thu 88°58°
Fri 88°59°
Sat 89°59°
Sun 89°57°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.1 mi in (~210 min). Leave by 4:22 PM for the 8:12 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:43 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Truckee River Bike Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Alpine Meadows, California