Echo Peak from Angora Trail Hike
	Trip Date:  11/01/2016 Distance: 12 Miles Vertical Gain: 2200' Group Size: 5.75 Hike Rating:  Easy   Moderate    Hard    Strenuous	GPX for this trip
	Start Coordinates:   N 38 52.777 W 120 04.247     End Coordinates:   Same as Start Coordinates   Car Shuttle Req'd:   No Parking Directions:   Drive all the way to the west end of Fallen Leaf Lake Rd, and turn onto Glen Alpine Rd up to the small firehouse on the left side of the road.  There are four spots across the road from the firehouse, and the trail can be found just to the east of the building. Hazards of Note:   All of the trail to the top of the peak from the Angora Lakes is a scantily-marked use trail often visible only by cairns. Crowd Factor:   Moderate at the start, and then exceptionally crowded at the Angora Lakes during the summer.  Once headed up toward the peak, you will  most likely run into nobody except for a few at the peak. General Notes: The first mile and a half of this hike is along the Angora Lake Trail (also known as the Clark Trail,) and gains significant elevation along the way.  The trail then ends at the Angora Lakes parking area, and you can follow the dirt road up past the first lake, Lower Angora, on your left until you reach the Angora Lake resort on the east shore of the Upper Angora Lake.  Find a use trail very close to the eastern side of the lake heading south, and then head up the rocky south side of the lake until you reach a large depression of sandy granite forming a large bowl about 400 feet about the lake.  From here, you will look for cairns to guide you up the next 1000' of elevation gain, until you finally reach the ridgeline about 500 feet south of the peak.  Follow the well-worn path to the peak from here, and then head back down the same way to complete this relatively short but very strenuous trek to the peak. If you go past Echo Peak you will enter Desolation Wilderness, and in that case you will need a day permit and the group size limit is 12.
	It might be a little hard to spot at first, but look for this sign just to the east of the Fallen Leak Lake firehouse and you will head due south over a small bridge and head up the Angora/Clark Trail
	A picture of the trailhead sign and bridge during the summer shows that it will be much easier to spot with everything green surrounding the location.
	Be sure to turn back along the way up to get changing perspectives of the area and the lakes you will soon tower above, including this early one of Fallen Leaf Lake.
	Lower Angora Lake is quite peaceful once the summer crowds have disappeared for the season.
	Looking west across Upper Angora Lake shows the type of terrain that now exists between yourself and the destination of Echo Peak shown here, about 1200' feet above this spot.
	On the very steep use trail to the top, you gain elevation quickly as you can now see by how high above Angora Lake we soon find ourself.
	Even further up now, we get a view not only of Angora Lake but Fallen Leaf and Lake Tahoe in the distance.
	On the way to the ridgeline be sure to stay to the south of the peak, shown here from just about 500' below the top because the terrain immediately below it can be serious trouble.
	Once at the top you can actually see five bodies of water.  A small tarn on the left below the peak, Upper and Lower Angora Lakes, Fallen Leaf Lake past that and then Lake Tahoe furthest out.  Angora Peak is the light brownish one in the middle and you can see the scar from the Angora fire on the far right.
	The stay at the peak on this November day was spectacular, with hardly any wind and views all around that can't be beat.
	Our group met up with another hiker who actually has used this website in the past for ideas and adventures in the Tahoe area.
	Phil, who's birthday was on this day, enjoying the amazing view of Lake Tahoe off to the east.
	To the west is the gorgeous Crystal Range, with Pyramid Peak furthest left, as well as Agassiz, Price, Little Pyramid and pat of Jack's Peak visible in this shot.
	This shot of the group heading back down the use trail shows just how steep this trail really is.  It's a challenge on the way up for certain.
	Finding this roadsign on the way back down was an unexpected and unexplained incident.
	Almost back to the Angora Lakes, but the elevation gain/loss is significant all of the section from the peak back to Angora.
	GPS track of the hike, starting at the bottom left and heading up to the top of the pass in the upper right.