Tahoe Rim Trail, Kingsbury Grade

Kingsbury North & the Finish of Thru-Hiking the Tahoe Rim Trial – Day 12

Aug 4, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

And at 8:30 am I started walking the final 7 miles back to the car we had abandoned 12 days prior. In this final stretch of trail I began daydreaming about lunch, beer, and my beautiful bed. It is exciting to finish a backpacking trip and return to the wonders of a normal meal, if not a little sad to be leaving this amazing place I had grown accustomed to. True story: at some point over the past 12 days (and let it be known it was not day 1) I had grown accustomed to the aches, the mid morning snack break, the push up switchback after switchback, and the grandiosity of an omnipresent Tahoe vista…

Sunset From South Camp Peak, TRT

South Camp Peak, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 11

Aug 1, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

Last full day on the Tahoe Rim Trail – Crazy, right?! It seemed like just a few days and couple baby toe blisters ago that I had just started. Time flies when you are having fun… or slowly convincing your body that it CAN make 165+ miles.

The number one thing I “learned” (re-learned?) on this trip is how much a hiking routine helps to get the miles done whilst remaining sane…

TRT Christophers loop

Marlette Peak Campground, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 10

Jul 27, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

It has become a tradition in the last couple of years to take a backpacking trip over the 4th of July weekend. Unfortunately this has meant we missed out on the yearly firework shows, instead “settling” for sunsets and the calmer sierra canyons.

This year though, as Trails and I headed into our 10th day on the trail, we were picking up “The Boys” who were joining us with their mountain bike just in time to bring 4th of July essentials: Whiskey, wine, flags, and enthusiasm…

Relay Peak TRT

Mount Rose Campground, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 9

Jul 25, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

Beginning June 25, 2014 I thru-hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT), circling Lake Tahoe in 12 days. Accompanied by my friend and fellow blogger, Trails, we bravely took on this 165+ mile loop. I will be blogging a day-by-day rundown of each day’s hike, night’s campsite, and my contemplations while beating down miles. Check out my complete trip report for the TRT here – This is day 9. One of the peculiar…

Sunset over Tahoe, TRT

Mud Lake, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 8

Jul 24, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

I talked about the Pacific Crest Trail hikers we had met while the Tahoe Rim Trail overlapped with the Pacific Crest Trail, but what about our fellow TRT thru-hikers? Thru-hiking the TRT has it’s perks, like discovering Lake Tahoe beyond the casinos and ski resorts in a way not many else have on this relatively new trail. And, speaking practically, TRT thru-hikers don’t have to quit their jobs for a 2 week trek. I mean, why not?

Lake Tahoe under Summer Storm Clouds

Watson Lake, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 7

Jul 22, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

Lake Tahoe is known for it’s crystal clear blue waters, a trait it has partially due to an active sediment filtering habitat surrounding the lake. I knew this, but it did not hit me that this would affect water filters until the very beautiful Star Lake (way back on day 1 of hiking) clogged a hardy MSR ceramic filter with silt -And day 1 was only a brief preview of how very silty these lakes surrounding Tahoe can get…

Tahoe Rim Trail Twin Peaks

The Truckee River, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 6

Jul 21, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

The longest backpacking trip I had done before hiking the Tahoe Rim trail had been my 5 day, 50 mile hike around Red Peak Pass. Here on day 6 I was breaking into the new frontier of trip length… and at the end of day 6 we had hiked over 90 miles! WHAT?!

Day 6 was arguable one of our longest days too…

Wildflowers along TRT

PCT Creekside Camp, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 5

Jul 20, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

The mosquitoes I tangoed with at Middle Velma Lake on camp night 4 were only a warm-up. The real deal was to be found on day 5, as we exited the Desolation Wilderness and hiked down the TRT to camp besides an unnamed small creek about a mile after Bear Creek.

I am calling camp on night 5 “PCT Creekside Camp” because we did see the most number of PCT hikers passing through here…

Dicks Pass Tahoe Rim Trail

Middle Velma Lake, Tahoe Rim Trail – Day 4

Jul 20, ’14 · by · in On Adventures

Beginning June 25, 2014 I thru-hiked the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT), circling Lake Tahoe in 12 days. Accompanied by my friend and fellow blogger, Trails, we bravely took on this 165+ mile loop. I will be blogging a day-by-day rundown of each day’s hike, night’s campsite, and my contemplations while beating down miles. Check out my complete trip report for the TRT here – This is day 4. The Desolation Wilderness is the…