Ultimate 4wd destination: Leviathan Peak
Leviathan Peak is a high mountain peak at an elevation of 2.732m (8,963ft) above the sea level, located in Alpine County, in the U.S. state of California.
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, southeast of Lake Tahoe, the road to the summit is unpaved. It’s called Leviathan Peak Road (Forest Road 31057). 4WD vehicles only. The peak has transmission facilities (Leviathan Peak Communication Site established in the 1960’s) and an old abandoned fire lookout, known as Forest Service Leviathan Fire Lookout. The road is usually impassable from late November to early April.
The views at the summit are outstandingly remote. Located within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, the road to the summit is 2.25km (1.4 miles) long starting from California State Route 89 (Robert M. Jackson Memorial Highway), south of Monitor Pass. Over this distance the elevation gain is 216 meters. The average gradient is 9.6%.
Pic: David Goulart