Mount Tallac

Left the car at the pullout on the north side of Hwy 89, past the (still gated) Spring Creek Rd, and walked to the end of Spring Creek Rd. Couldn't find an obvious trail, and turned back when after half an hour of bushwacking a view up along the winter route showed nothing but more of the same, and not a speck of snow.

Next, I tried to find the trail that is shown on the USGS map connecting Spring Creek Rd to the summer trail at Floating Island Lake, but without success. Headed back to the car, and drove to the official summer trailhead. The road here was gated, too, so I had to walk the paved road a bit over a mile to the trailhead, which I reached at 11am.

Fortunately the summer trail was in great condition, and there was no real snow until above Cathedral Lake. Lost the trail in the basin at 8,200ft, and headed straight up a steep, snow-covered slope to Mt Tallac's south ridge, avoiding cornices to my left, and talus on my right side. Might have needed crampons and an ice axe earlier, but this late the snow was soft enough to kick steps.

Followed the trail (and lost it a few times) along the ridge, most of which was bare. The summit views were as advertised.

Encountered quite a few people on the way down, below 8,200 ft. The basin or the tarns above Cathedral Lake make for a good turnaround point.