Echo Peak #2
Peak · 10,885 ft · Yosemite corridor
Echo Peak #2 is a 10,885 ft summit in the Yosemite corridor of the Sierra Nevada, situated above the Echo Lakes basin. Exposed ridgeline with afternoon wind funneling off the high country.
Wind dominates the afternoon window; mornings are calmer but brief. The 30-day average wind of 12 mph clips to 33 mph gusts by mid-day, especially when pressure systems move through. Temperature swings from freezing to near-freezing across seasons. Crowding stays minimal. Head here early and descend before 2 p.m.
Over the last 30 days, Echo Peak #2 averaged a NoGo Score of 32, with temperatures hovering near 24 degrees Fahrenheit and wind averaging 12 mph. The week ahead shows typical late-season volatility: wind will spike and drop with passing systems, while crowding remains sparse. Watch the daily forecast for wind direction shifts that can double gusts on exposed slopes.
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About Echo Peak #2
Echo Peak #2 sits at 10,885 feet in the high Sierra roughly 90 minutes east of Sacramento via US Route 50, near the Echo Lakes trailhead west of the Lake Tahoe rim. The peak marks the northern anchor of the Echo Lakes chain and overlooks glacially-carved cirques that feed the two-lake system below. Access is primarily via the Echo Lakes trail (a maintained summer route that closes under heavy snow) or direct ascent from the saddle between Echo Peak and its neighbor to the south. The peak is in the Yosemite corridor boundary but operates under Sierra Avalanche Center hazard forecasts, not Yosemite Park rules.
Conditions at 10,885 feet shift sharply with season. The rolling 365-day data shows a minimum temperature of 12 degrees Fahrenheit and a maximum of 38 degrees; winter snowpack typically lingers into early summer, while late-season storms arrive without warning. The 30-day average wind of 12 mph understates afternoon exposure; gusts regularly hit 33 mph once thermal circulation kicks in around 1 p.m. Crowding averages only 3 on the 10-point scale, making this a low-traffic peak even during weekend windows. Early mornings (before 10 a.m.) offer the most stable conditions; afternoon ascents into wind-loaded slopes carry avalanche risk when snowpack is present.
Echo Peak #2 suits peakbaggers, ski mountaineers, and parties with avalanche training and mountain-weather discipline. Summer scramblers find exposed rock and minimal exposure if wind stays south. Winter and spring visitors must assess snowpack instability; the ridge lies in terrain prone to wind-slab formation and cornicing. Water is limited; plan to carry 2 liters minimum. Parking at the Echo Lakes trailhead fills on good-weather weekends, but overflow is rare given the base popularity of 0.2. Experienced parties time ascents to summit by noon and clear the ridge before afternoon thermal winds peak.
Nearby alternatives include Echo Peak #1 and the Tamarack Lake approach to the south, both lower and less exposed. The Desolation Wilderness boundary sits directly west, offering lower-elevation peaks and lakes if wind or snow forces a retreat. Comparison to Cathedral Peak (in the Yosemite high country proper) shows Echo Peak #2 is windier, colder on average, and more avalanche-active during transition seasons. If afternoon wind is forecast to exceed 25 mph, lower-elevation day hikes in the Echo Lakes basin itself are safer and remain accessible.