Maggies Peaks - Closed for the Season? No way!

Maggie's South Peak is a very popular hiking destinations in the Tahoe area. It is an easy marked path from Inspiration Point (a view point at Emerald Bay) to the top. During the summer months hundreds if not thousands of people visit this peak every year which offers a nice view to Lake Tahoe. During the winter, the peak is in it's "tourist hibernation time" and visitors are way less frequent than during the time when the hiking path is snow-free and open. However, for me this is the right time to pay it's two summits a visit.

I start my tour at the Inspiration Point on Highway 89, right across the Bayview Campground. There is plenty of snow to put on the skis right next to the car. First I more or less follow the summer hiking path towards Granite Lake. Shortly before the lake I turn north to get to Maggie's North Peak northeast ridge and follow it to get to it's top, where I take a short break.

In order to get to the higher south peak, I pretty much follow the connecting ridge. On the way down to the saddle between the two peaks, at an altitude of around 8400 ft, I have to take my skis off for a few hundred yards, not only because there's no snow on the ground, but also because it is way to steep and rocky. After this short intermezzo I then keep my skis on and follow the very scenic ridge to the top of Maggie's south peak.

After a lengthy break I ski down Maggie's Peak northeast slope to Granite Lake, which turns out to be the perfect spring snow and from there ski back to the car along the ascending route.