Region: Lake Tahoe
Distance: 10 miles
Elevation: 6,200 to 9,000 feet
Vegetation: Pine Forest
Last Visit: September 2018
Granite Chief is the tallest peak on the northwest corner of Lake Tahoe. It's the shortest of the four major peaks I think of as bracketing the Tahoe Basin - Freel (10881'), Rose (10736'), and Tallac (9735') are all taller. But only Tallac boasts a better view from the summit and the hike up the Granite Chief trail is at least comparably nice to the ascent of Tallac. The only thing this hike has going against it is that near the summit you have to pass under and around a ski lift, and the blight of Squaw Valley Ski resort mars part of the view from the summit.
