Mount Baldy (Nevada)

Not the famous Mount Baldy — this one's a quieter, lesser-known summit on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, in the Mount Rose Wilderness above Incline Village. At just over 9,270 feet, it doesn't get the crowds or the name recognition of its Southern California namesake, but the payoff at the top rivals anything I'd seen up to that point.

The trail climbs through forest before opening up onto ridgeline views of the entire lake — all of it, at once, blue water stretching out in every direction with the Sierra crest ringing the far shore. It's one of those hikes that proves the best views don't always come from the most famous peaks.