Liberty Peak, Tri-Lake Peak, Lake Peak, Wines Peak Loop in Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, NV

Hike Liberty Peak, Tri-Lake Peak, Lake Peak, Wines Peak Loop Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, NV

Class 3 18.7 miles 6100 gain 9-12 hrs Loop Jul 27, 2022
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Liberty Peak, Tri-Lake Peak, Lake Peak, Wines Peak Loop GPX Track

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The Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail (RCT) runs near many of the high peaks of the Rubies, providing great access to a remote and gorgeous part of Nevada. Many hikers do the trail as a one-way hike over the course of a couple of days, but Chris and I were more interested in using it as a means to get some of the interesting peaks in the range. Our original plan was to just take the trail out to Wines Peak and return the same way, but when we saw the gorgeous northern ridge of Lake Peak, we improvised mid-hike and were quite happy we did. I'll note that if you do this hike as an out-and-back using the trail (excluding the traverse from Lake Peak to Wines Peak), the outing doesn't exceed Class 2.

From the end of the Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway, we started up the RCT and followed its many turns and switchbacks as it led through forest and clearings, wildflowers literally everywhere and blowing our minds. We passed the Dollar Lakes and Lamoille Lake and stopped at Liberty Pass, the saddle separating Liberty Peak from Tri-Lake Peak. Here we decided to go for Liberty Peak first, a straightforward Class 2 ridgeline hike to this gorgeous summit. Liberty Peak really shows off the peaks and lakes of the area. We backtracked to Liberty Pass and headed east to Tri-Lake Peak. There's some Class 2 boulder-hopping and a false summit followed by more ridge hiking to gain the high point.

We stared south in awe at the cliffy-looking north ridge of Lake Peak. Our initial plan of just taking the RCT got thrown out the window immediately. Earlier research led us to believe the standard route to gain Lake Peak's summit was via a loose couloir on the peak's north side, and it looked horrible from here. Of course, Bob Burd had already done the ridge traverse, so we trusted his judgment and joyfully started south from Tri-Lake Peak in an attempt to make the hike into a nice loop. The hike down was very nice, nothing exceeding Class 2 and overall mostly just tundra. Little wildflowers poked out all over the place and the daunting ridgeline ahead loomed above the sparsely-growing trees. Upon reaching the base of the jagged section, we decided it would be best to keep to the left since the crest was just a cliff. We groaned at the knowledge we'd be on white rock under intense sun exposure on this absurdly hot day. Keeping left meant doing a bunch of Class 2 side-hilling with some Class 3 that sort of just sneaks in casually when we had to scramble on interesting mini ledges. It was quite fun. After making it about halfway along the ridgeline, we realized we hadn't actually even done any scrambling along the crest yet. This would actually turn out to be the case for entirety of the scramble, since the pinnacles are unrelenting.

Whereas Bob describes a section where he switches to the west (right) side of the the ridge, I found his route to be far too exposed and dangerous and called it quits, forcing Chris to skip on some potential fun. I just recommend staying on the east side to keep the route Class 3. We watched as the ridge shot up on our right while we were still traversing along the same contour. This meant we'd have to ascend a steep Class 2/3 slope in order to regain the ridge, but it was actually pretty fun rather than annoying. Once back to the ridge, it was Class 2 (still keeping just east of the crest) to Lake Peak.

Wines Peak became visible to the south, our final peak of the day. The descent from Lake Peak pushed us to west of the ridge since the crest had lots of rocky crap. The ensuing side-hilling descent wasn't too annoying along this portion, and we eventually were able to make it back to the ridge and descend to the RCT. From here it was a matter of taking the switchbacks up to Wines Peak's east ridge. A short bit of off-trail hiking got us to its high point.

Now all that was left was a nice long trail hike! We headed down from Wines Peak and followed the RCT north as it led through meadows, forest, and up and over a pass at the end of Lake Peak's west ridge. It was a really beautiful trail. We met a junction with the Kleckner Creek Trail where there was water running down from Favre Lake (omg, I was so dehydrated). We continued our ascent to Liberty Lake and then up to Liberty Pass again, completing the loop. On the way back from Wines Peak, the RCT gained about 1500 vertical feet just by getting up and over passes, so keep that in mind. Yet another excellent day in the Rubies!

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Liberty Peak
11032 ft
752 rise
2
Tri-Lake Peak
10865 ft
305 rise
3
Lake Peak
10922 ft
682 rise
4
Wines Peak
10920 ft
800 rise

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Starting up the Ruby Crest Trail.
Starting up the Ruby Crest Trail.
Snow Lake Peak seen on the right.
Snow Lake Peak seen on the right.
Passing Dollar Lakes.
Passing Dollar Lakes.
Another of the Dollar Lakes.
Another of the Dollar Lakes.
View back at crazy wildflower and Dollar Lakes.
View back at crazy wildflower and Dollar Lakes.
The trail ascends above Lamoille Lake, seen below.
The trail ascends above Lamoille Lake, seen below.
Liberty Pass seen center.
Liberty Pass seen center.
Near Liberty Pass, view back. Snow Lake Peak and Lamoille Lake seen left, the trailhead below on the right.
Near Liberty Pass, view back. Snow Lake Peak and Lamoille Lake seen left, the trailhead below on the right.
At Liberty Pass. we headed to the right to go up Liberty Peak.
At Liberty Pass. we headed to the right to go up Liberty Peak.
Class 2 to Liberty Peak.
Class 2 to Liberty Peak.
View back toward Liberty Pass, Tri-Lakes Peak seen left of center. Liberty Lake seen right.
View back toward Liberty Pass, Tri-Lakes Peak seen left of center. Liberty Lake seen right.
Liberty Peak, view toward Snow Lake Peak and Mount Fitzgerald.
Liberty Peak, view toward Snow Lake Peak and Mount Fitzgerald.
Liberty Peak, view toward Favre Lake and Lake Peak. Wines Peak seen on the right.
Liberty Peak, view toward Favre Lake and Lake Peak. Wines Peak seen on the right.
View back toward Liberty Peak as we head up Class 2 talus toward Tri-Lakes Peak.
View back toward Liberty Peak as we head up Class 2 talus toward Tri-Lakes Peak.
False summit of Tri-Lakes Peak ahead. Mostly a pretty chill ridge hike with some Class 2.
False summit of Tri-Lakes Peak ahead. Mostly a pretty chill ridge hike with some Class 2.
Tri-Lake Peak, view down into Lamoille Canyon. Dollar Lakes seen below.
Tri-Lake Peak, view down into Lamoille Canyon. Dollar Lakes seen below.
On the way down from Tri-Lakes Peak, Liberty Lake seen right and Lake Peak seen left.
On the way down from Tri-Lakes Peak, Liberty Lake seen right and Lake Peak seen left.
Along the ridgeline to Lake Peak.
Along the ridgeline to Lake Peak.
Image 18 from gallery
I loved this area. Wildflowers, open ground, and the pinnacles of Lake Peak's north ridge picturesquely stationed ahead.
I loved this area. Wildflowers, open ground, and the pinnacles of Lake Peak's north ridge picturesquely stationed ahead.
Class 2 beneath the start of the ridgeline scramble.
Class 2 beneath the start of the ridgeline scramble.
We kept left (east).
We kept left (east).
Still east.
Still east.
View back at our progress.
View back at our progress.
Class 2/3 side-hilling ascending traverse.
Class 2/3 side-hilling ascending traverse.
Lake Peak ahead. We still kept to the east.
Lake Peak ahead. We still kept to the east.
Progress along the ridgeline.
Progress along the ridgeline.
More side-hill ascending on sometimes loose rock and a random Class 3 move mixed in.
More side-hill ascending on sometimes loose rock and a random Class 3 move mixed in.
It really was actually fun, even though it looks tedious in these photos. Above Chris is where you could potentially get to the crest and continue on Class 4 terrain, but I wasn't liking it. Instead we stayed east here, dropping downa 
 little and heading toward the center left of this photo.
It really was actually fun, even though it looks tedious in these photos. Above Chris is where you could potentially get to the crest and continue on Class 4 terrain, but I wasn't liking it. Instead we stayed east here, dropping downa little and heading toward the center left of this photo.
View back at our progress.
View back at our progress.
The Class 2/3 slope ascent to rejoin the ridge.
The Class 2/3 slope ascent to rejoin the ridge.
View back at the Class 2/3 slope.
View back at the Class 2/3 slope.
Final Class 2/3 bit to gain the ridge.
Final Class 2/3 bit to gain the ridge.
Along the ridge, Class 2 to the summit of Lake Peak.
Along the ridge, Class 2 to the summit of Lake Peak.
View back, almost to the summit.
View back, almost to the summit.
Lake Peak ahead.
Lake Peak ahead.
View back along the ridge crest, Favre Lake and Liberty Lake seen left.
View back along the ridge crest, Favre Lake and Liberty Lake seen left.
View down toward Castle Lake.
View down toward Castle Lake.
Wines Peak ahead.
Wines Peak ahead.
Some light side-hilling to avoid the rocky crest as we descend from Lake Peak.
Some light side-hilling to avoid the rocky crest as we descend from Lake Peak.
View back toward Lake Peak.
View back toward Lake Peak.
We joined the RCT and headed up to Wines Peak, ahead.
We joined the RCT and headed up to Wines Peak, ahead.
A bunch of switchbacks. We're almost at Wines Peak's east ridge, where we briefly left the trail to get to the summit.
A bunch of switchbacks. We're almost at Wines Peak's east ridge, where we briefly left the trail to get to the summit.
Wines Peak summit, view south. King Peak seen on the right in the distance.
Wines Peak summit, view south. King Peak seen on the right in the distance.
Close-up to the north at the many peaks of the Rubies. North Furlong Lake below.
Close-up to the north at the many peaks of the Rubies. North Furlong Lake below.
Wider shot of everything. On the right is Lake Peak. Left of center is the pass the RCT will take us too shortly. Ruby Dome and Mount Gilbert far left.
Wider shot of everything. On the right is Lake Peak. Left of center is the pass the RCT will take us too shortly. Ruby Dome and Mount Gilbert far left.
We backtracked of Wines Peak and followed the RCT.
We backtracked of Wines Peak and followed the RCT.
View back toward Wines Peak.
View back toward Wines Peak.
We ascended to a pass and on the other side were these ridiculous switchbacks that we were tempted to cut, but didn't. Also, holy views.
We ascended to a pass and on the other side were these ridiculous switchbacks that we were tempted to cut, but didn't. Also, holy views.
Beautiful trail.
Beautiful trail.
The RCT wound around through meadows and forest. The Ruby Dome group is visible in the distance.
The RCT wound around through meadows and forest. The Ruby Dome group is visible in the distance.
Gah, I loved this area.
Gah, I loved this area.
Junction with the Kleckner Creek Trail, finally some water!
Junction with the Kleckner Creek Trail, finally some water!
View back, we came from the center of this photo.
View back, we came from the center of this photo.
Passing Favre Lake, Lake Peak seen center.
Passing Favre Lake, Lake Peak seen center.
Liberty Lake.
Liberty Lake.
View back as we continue along the RCT past Liberty Lake. Lake Peak seen top center.
View back as we continue along the RCT past Liberty Lake. Lake Peak seen top center.
Gorgeous lighting and wildflowers as we ascend to Liberty Pass.
Gorgeous lighting and wildflowers as we ascend to Liberty Pass.
Image 58 from gallery
Back at Liberty Pass, a shot down into Lamoille Canyon.
Back at Liberty Pass, a shot down into Lamoille Canyon.

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Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!