Ralston Peak is a mountain in the Sierra Nevada mountain range to the west of Lake Tahoe within the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado County, California.

Ralston Peak is a very popular mountain to summit for the views of the wilderness area as it lies very near U.S. Route 50.

Starting at the nearest trailhead (Echo Lake), this route is significantly longer than the trail from Camp Sacramento.

[4] 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.