Freel Peak
The peak is on the boundary between El Dorado County and Alpine County; and the boundary between the Eldorado National Forest and the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. At 10,886 feet (3,318 m), it is the tallest summit in the Carson Range, El Dorado County, and the Tahoe Basin. Due to its elevation, most of the precipitation that falls on the mountain is snow.
In 1893, the U.S. Geological Survey assigned the name Freel Peak to what was then known as Jobs Peak. James Freel was an early settler in the area.
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Freel Peak and Lake Tahoe -
Freel Peak seen from Jobs Sister -
Freel Peak, Jobs Sister, and Jobs Peak seen from Hawkins Peak.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Freel Peak is located in an alpine climate zone. Most weather fronts originate in the Pacific Ocean, and travel east toward the Sierra Nevada mountains. As fronts approach, they are forced upward by the peaks (orographic lift), causing them to drop their moisture in the form of rain or snowfall onto the range.
| Climate data for Freel Peak 38.8613 N, 119.9011 W, Elevation: 10,404 ft (3,171 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.2 (0.7) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
34.1 (1.2) |
38.4 (3.6) |
46.5 (8.1) |
56.6 (13.7) |
65.8 (18.8) |
65.1 (18.4) |
59.0 (15.0) |
49.2 (9.6) |
38.7 (3.7) |
32.8 (0.4) |
45.9 (7.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 24.3 (−4.3) |
22.3 (−5.4) |
24.3 (−4.3) |
27.4 (−2.6) |
34.8 (1.6) |
43.9 (6.6) |
52.2 (11.2) |
51.4 (10.8) |
46.1 (7.8) |
37.4 (3.0) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
24.2 (−4.3) |
34.8 (1.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 15.4 (−9.2) |
12.8 (−10.7) |
14.4 (−9.8) |
16.3 (−8.7) |
23.1 (−4.9) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
38.7 (3.7) |
37.8 (3.2) |
33.1 (0.6) |
25.5 (−3.6) |
20.0 (−6.7) |
15.5 (−9.2) |
23.6 (−4.6) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 6.57 (167) |
5.85 (149) |
5.51 (140) |
2.94 (75) |
2.43 (62) |
0.94 (24) |
0.49 (12) |
0.49 (12) |
0.74 (19) |
2.18 (55) |
3.79 (96) |
6.57 (167) |
38.5 (978) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group | |||||||||||||