Nature
Mount Tallac is a dominant summit southwest of Lake Tahoe in California, within the Desolation Wilderness of Eldorado National Forest, and is among the lake’s most recognizable landmarks. Its recorded name shifted from Chrystal Peak on Whitney Survey maps to Tallac in 1877 on the Wheeler Survey, derived from the Washo word daláʔak, meaning “big mountain.” The peak is known for a cross-shaped snowfield that often lingers into early summer, a feature supported by its alpine climate and Sierra Nevada snowfall patterns. It also appears in Bonanza’s opening sequence, is regarded by the Aetherius Society as one of 19 holy mountains, and draws about 10,000 climbers each year.
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South Lake Tahoe, California · United States
