At Monument Pass, the trail crosses the spine of the range. Views remain equally as expansive as before, but now looking west toward the Sierras and Lake Tahoe. Dominating the horizon ahead is a huge craggy mountain with snow that remains throughout the summer. This is Freel Peak, the highest summit in the Tahoe Basin (10,886 feet).

With this mountain and its neighbor, Jobs Sister, in your sights, continue southward through sunny forest to Star Lake. This picturesque pool sits beneath the imposing cliffs of Jobs Sister, collecting crisp meltwater from its perennial snowfields.

Beyond Star Lake comes a climb to the often-windy west shoulder of Freel Peak, with a commanding view of the mountains you have yet to cross. The following miles through boulder-strewn forest continue a gradual but noticeable progression into the rockier, granitic landscape of the Sierra Nevada, where more shimmering lakes and snowy peaks await.