Rubicon Peak

Region: Lake Tahoe
Distance: 3 miles
Elevation: 6,900 - 9,100 ft
Vegetation: Pine Forest
Last Visit: September 2019

Though several nearby peaks are upwards of a thousand feet taller, Rubicon Peak has perhaps the best view of Lake Tahoe of any of them.  The summit is less than two miles from the trailhead, but it's also over 2,000 feet above it, so while this hike isn't far, it can still take a while to get there if your legs aren't in top form.  It's mostly a smooth dirt ramp the entire way up, but the summit is one solid block of bare rock that requires some scrambling to get up.  We elected to keep our dog just below the summit, but particularly sprightly hounds might make it to the top if you take them around the slightly easier route.  Most people seem to just scramble up the northwest face of the summit, but there is a less steep route around the southwest corner.  Start from the sheltered tentsite on the west side of the summit block, then take the smooth ramp up towards the south, pass through a small cleft of rock, then spiral to your left up to the top.

Rules and Regulations

This trail is partly the Desolation Wilderness, part of the Eldorado National Forest.  Dogs can be off leash if under effective voice control. Overnight camping requires a wilderness permit and quotas are in place, so reserve far ahead of a trip on Recreation.gov if you want to backpack.  In theory, even day hikes require a permit in the Desolation Wilderness.  Usually these day-use permits are available from self-registration stations at most trailheads.  The trail to Rubicon peak is an unofficial trail, though, so there is no permit station at the trailhead.  On the other hand given that only a half mile or so actually goes into the Desolation Wilderness I'd be shocked if a ranger ever patrolled it and checked permits.

Trailhead

The trailhead is the end of Highview Drive in a small residential neighborhood just north of DL Bliss state park.  No facilities, just some dirt to pull off into.

Route

Follow the road past the gate, which turns into a single track that climbs with increasing steepness to the peak.  There are no turns or intersections.  The trail is pretty easy to follow.  It get's a big ambiguous near the peak at times, but by then you can see exactly where you're going.  Not much in views until you're practically at the peak.

This is the steep way up the summit block from the northwest corner.  I only found the easier way up later and neglected to take a photo.  Just poke around the southwest side of the rocks, you'll find it.

View to the north west from just below the summit.

Summit panorama to the west and north.

Lakeside panorama.