TRT Mile 31 to 54.5

It rains lightly a few times in the night, but never enough to soak our things. We wake before 4:00am, to enjoy Via and hotel breakfast pastries by headlamp. Unfortunately, every time we turn on our headlamps a swarm of gnats appear. We take turns turning on and off our headlamps, in a futile attempt to confuse them.

After packing up, we rock scramble back up to the trail. It turns out that reversing Brian’s path down does not make a pleasant up. Only the gnats appear to enjoy our long struggle. Once on an actual stable trail, Brian immediately rolls his right ankle. My first reaction is that we are done for, but Brian soldiers on.

We hike under headlamp towards Relay Peak. On the way the wind blows, it rains, and it hails. As odd as it sounds, all of these things make the struggle up more pleasant. The dust is knocked down and the temperature remains tolerable.

Glenda Falls

The rest of the long day is mostly downhill. We filter water at slippery but beautiful Glenda Falls. I see in the guide application there is a bathroom at the Mount Rose trailhead 3 miles ahead. We adjust our body clocks according. Unfortunately, when we arrive we find the bathroom chained and out of service. Even more unfortunate, Kevin’s alarm is already alarming, and he has to rush into the trees to execute his backup plan.

Daniel recalls years ago mountain biking this section of the TRT to Tunnel Creek road. He also recalls getting through it much quicker than we are on foot. Lucky for us, today is the 31st, and mountain bikers are only allowed on this section on even days.

Marlette Peak Campground

We finally make camp by 5:00pm. It has been a long day indeed. We hand pump water from a well, and make a couscous dinner.

Tomorrow will be a much shorter 14 miles, but we will have to add a few more to hike down and back to Spooner Lake for water.

TRT Mile 14 to 31

During the night, motorcycles rip through our camp, as if in a rally. Between the car camping noise and the stagnant repulsive water, Watson Lake will not be a contender in our top 40 count down.

We wake, make Via coffee from stinky water, down Pop-Tarts, and head for the spring about a mile away. We dump our garbage water, and filter 16 fresh liters. We will each carry three, and camel up by downing a fourth. It is quite an assembly line production, and takes what seems like an hour, but we are quite pleased when done. This should last us the 17 plus miles.

Today is a lot of up. We are now seeing more trail runners than mountain bikers. What we are not seeing are postcard perfect views of the lake. The smoke and haze have washed away the horizon. To see the lake we would need to return to Tahoe City, wade out knee deep, and then stare straight down. Even then we are not sure we could make it out.

Trail magic

Along this waterless stretch we encounter a few caches of trail magic. They are mostly plastic jugs of water, but a few include other treats like cashews. We have plenty of water, so do not partake.

Mud Lake is off the trail, and significantly down. While I search for what should be a trail, Brian gives up and scrambles straight down. The others, like idiots, follow me. By the time I find a reasonable route down, Brian is already stretched out on a mat by the shore. The shore itself is alive with orange and black butterflies, sitting casually flexing their wings. The wing fanning of the masses appears to be for lounging Prince Brian’s benefit.

Mud Lake

Ironically, Mud Lake’s water is far superior to Watson’s. We filter and fill our bottles yet again. Dinner is various Pasta Sides with tuna.

Tomorrow will offer our longest miles – 24. There are camping restrictions in the area, so our options are few. We will be getting up very early to pull it off. We are sleeping with our headlamps at the ready.

TRT Mile 0 to 14

The night is a battle royale over room temperature. Brian and Kevin, from Sacramento CA and College Station TX, are used to heat, and want the air conditioning off. Daniel and I are melting, and keep turning it on. The back and forth satisfies no one.

We wake early and make horrible hotel pot-in-the-room coffee. We use it to chase down the left over rotisserie chicken. Next down is the left over chocolate milk and orange juice. We are now ready to hit the road. We have a short 14 miles grind up to Watson Lake. We want to beat some of the heat, so we are strolling through town before 6:00am. At this hour, the town is more dead than our legs.

Overlooking Truckee River

We climb up and out of Tahoe City, and into great views of the Truckee River. We can see the ski resorts of both Alpine and Squaw Valley.

As we ascend, the views back of the lake do not match the pictures in my Tahoe Rim Trail smartphone application. The smoke leaves us sorta seeing the water, but unclear where it turns into the sky.

The number of mountain bikers continues to grow at an annoying rate. We tire of shouting “bike back” or “bike front” to warn each other. Hikers have the legal right of way, but most bikers seem legislatively illiterate. We did notice one encouraging trend, a few are actually attempting to use their brakes.

We break for a quick lunch. The bagel thins, coated with crunchy peanut butter and topped with banana chips, are surprisingly delicious.

Watson Lake

We had been warned that the water at Watson Lake was wanting, but we didn’t realize how much. Even after filtering, it is quite foul. We are trying to get by on as little as possible.

The evening entertainment ends up being a car show. A guy attempting to park his SUV, plows it hood first into a giant rock. Undaunted, our hero backs around to tilt at this windmill again. This time he backs into a completely different and quite massive boulder. His experiment creates impressive kinetic and sound energy, which curls our spines, but seems not to phase our hero. His buddy shouts out words of encouragement – “That one got me too!”

Tomorrow we will head for Mud Lake, unless of course we get run over by our Mario Cart neighbor.

TRT – Zero Day

We wake with simple goals for the day: resupply and rest. We start by walking to a breakfast cafe at 7:00am, only to discover it opens at 7:30am. We head back to the Inn to sort our supplies, make shopping lists, and stall. We return to the cafe and stuff ouselves with various egg dishes.

We keep up our miles by wandering the aisles of Safeway and CVS. It takes more trips than it should, but we finally get it done.

Thru hiking nutrition

We wander through town people watching and killing time. Brian swims again, and we take our sweet time packing.

Tomorrow will be a 14 mile waterless trek up to Watson Lake.

Tahoe City

TRT Mile 158 to 170.5

Around 3:00am I hear scurrying around my tent. I assume it is a nocturnal rodent, but find my headlamp to rule out racoons or bears. I see nothing, but take the opportunity to pee, before climbing back under my quilt. The noise returns, and I repeat the headlamp scan. Nothing. Later, I hear the noise right next to my head. This time I can see something next to the mesh above my bathtub floor lining. I push through the sidewall and flick the intruder, who turns out to be a very large toad. I am pretty sure I have never been woken up by a toad, and am glad to have that now crossed off my list.

Reflecting lake?

I wake for good before 5:00am and begin packing up in the dawning light. Daniel appears, and we heat water for coffee and oatmeal. Well Daniel has oatmeal. I instead gnaw on a massive sugar grease bomb know as a honey bun.

We are on the trail close to 6:30am. The vortex of a city is sucking us in. Like gravity, the closer we get the harder it pulls. Our elevation profile has some up, but mostly down. The fire haze obstructs our view, but not our forward progress.

TRT/PCT split

We have seen several boy scout troops wearing Philmont shirts. After inquiry, we are told the classic scout adventure land has been closed due to their own fires and threats of fire. It seems a Tahoe Rim Trail permit is the fall back strategy for quite a few Philmont bound troops.

In one encounter with a troop going the opposite direction, we are warned of a bridge construction re-route. The last few miles to town are growing by another and we are frankly not too happy about it. On the way we pass a camp for tree climbers and zip liners, where children scream at pitches upsetting to dogs, and reminiscent of what our burning calves are telling us.

Later we reach the Truckee River in time to be tormented by splashing rafters and tubers, who seem to be enjoying this moment more than we. I do find sick humor in a tiny toddler on the shore, who keeps pushing his face into the river and drinking like a dog. I gently point out to Mom that even trail trash like us filter before drinking. Mom smiles, shrugs, and says, “I don’t know how to make him stop.”

The draw of milkshakes pulls us into town, where we indulge with no more grace than the river drinking boy. Next we stoll to the crowded shore of Lake Tahoe. Dropping our packs, and kicking off our shoes, we stroll fully clothed into the baptismal water. We are born again.

We find and check into the divey Tahoe City Inn, where we shower and start the laundry process. When you need to wash everything you own, it does not leave much to wear to the laundromat. Daniel and I walk through town, dragging a giant plastic bag of hazardous clothing materials, in our long underwear and rain jackets. It is surprising how many people make brief eye contact and say nothing.

For dinner we head to a Mexican restaurant overlooking the lake. The smoke gives a slight reprieve, and we can actually see the mountains on the other side. Knowing we have to climb them on the second half decreases our pleasure just slightly.

We fall asleep early. Tomorrow we will sort gear, buy resupplies, and rest.

TRT Mile 140 to 158

We wake before the sun, and make coffee and granola with powdered milk. We pack and re-find the trail by 6:30am. The boys seem to be hitting their literal stride. We are keeping a good 2.5 mile per hour pace. Daniel, however is starting to feel chaffing on his hip. He tapes it, and never slows down, but is clearly feeling some pain.

We cruise past the tree-lined Richardson Lake without even pausing. We have either become completely jaded by beauty, or we are simply on a mission to get in our 17 miles. We do however stop for a trailside lunch at the outlet stream of Bear Lake. With no lakes to swim in on this leg, we settle for setting our bums in the creek. It is surprisingly good.

Blackwood Creek Camp

We hump it up to Barker Pass trailhead, where we find a parking lot with a pit toilet. Daniel is having a better than normal success in this department.

We arrive at camp early, but ready to be done. We set up, filter water, and cook up bean burritos with the last of the Fritos. Brian is exhausted, and falls asleep without having dinner. Perhaps he is saving himself for Tahoe City tomorrow. However, there are about 14 miles of trail between us and civilization.

TRT Mile 128 to 140

Daniel forgets today is granola and powered milk day, and instead digs into the cinnamon Pop-Tarts. Oh well, nothing a Via coffee can’t wash down.

Our tents are moisture free, so we do not need a drying stop. In fact, with all these alpine lakes, we hope to stop and do the opposite with our clothes and bodies. We make our way along the island-dotted Aloha Lake, back dropped with a spectacular snow sprinkled granite wall.

Looking back towards Aloha Lake

We turn and skirt along the trail ledge of Heather Lake. Daniel and I admire a monster trout, while Brian curses the monstrous mess of loose rocks on the tread. By the time we reach Susie Lake, we are hot enough to get in. The salts and crud melt off our caked bodies. It is wonderful.

Swimming in Susie Lake

Our biggest challenge today, other than remembering to stop swimming and start walking, is Dick’s Pass. The pass is slightly under 9,400 feet, and we are significantly under that at around 7,800 feet.

At 1.2 miles below the summit we meet a woman struggling mightily. We chat briefly. She mentions that her two daughters are ahead, and their goal is the same as ours, Middle Velma Lake. We offer words of encouragement, yet walk away pretty sure we will not be seeing her at the lake.

Dick’s Lake from Dick’s Pass

We take our own snack and water breaks, but reach the vista overlook of Dick’s Lake in time for a lunch of powered hummus, cheese, and sun dried tomatoes on tortillas. Even after our long lunch, the woman behind us never crests the ridge. Will she ever catch up with her daughters?

We press up and over the summit and set our next swim target – Fontanillis Lake. The trail down from Dick’s Pass is mostly packed dirt, which is like shag carpeting when compared to the loose rock on the upside. We reach the lake and repeat our rinse cycle. Swimming, even briefly, cleans the body and the soul.

Swimming in Fontanillis Lake

We push on a few more miles to Middle Velma Lake. We meet the two daughters of the missing woman. They have come to meet us, thinking my floppy brimmed hat looks like their mother’s. The boys find that mix-up quite amusing. The best we can offer the girls is that their mother was alive, if not doing well, sometime before lunch. They seem less concerned than the situation warrants.

For dinner, Daniel and I share instant mashed potatoes, with Thai tuna, and a sprinkling of Fritos corn chips. I am not sure you will want to try this at home, but out here they’re great!

Tomorrow will be a longer day of 18 miles, targeting North Fork Blackwood Creek. It will be our first non-lake stop on this circle the lake trip.

TRT Mile 107.5 to 128

The morning spares us additional rain, but leaves us again packing soaking wet gear. After a quick breakfast, we stroll through miles of wildflowers, which vary from knee high to slightly over the shoulder.

The terrain turns rocky and drier. For lunch we target a guidebook identified reliable stream. We refill water, and spread out gear to dry. While Kevin works on his blisters, I search for a private place to dig a cat hole. What I discover, however, feels more like a crime scene. I find an empty Garcia bear canister, a fuel cannister, a swiss-like army knife with spoon and fork attachments, 2 pairs of Exofficio underwear, and a ripped open Mountain House meal pack. Very strange. I snap a picture and hope my phone will not become part of the state’s evidence.

Crime scene?

We push on towards the highway and Echo Lake. At the Echo Chalet we indulge in hand scooped milkshakes, including mango, mango with peaches, and vanilla malt.

There is no public water available at the Echo marina, so Daniel finds a place to capture and filter water from the lake spillway. We do our best to ignore how disgusting the water appears just above it. Our 21.5 mile day is not getting any shorter, so we press on towards Aloha Lake.

Echo Lake milkshakes

The trail is annoyingly rocky but flat along and above the shore of Echo Lake. This is a no camping zone, which makes sense as we hike past lot after lot of water only accessible cabins and homes.

After the water taxi trail split, our path steepens and becomes even more rocky. Kevin is struggling with hip pain. His stretches and twists release incredible cracking and pops, but no actual pain relief. Advil and will power are all we have to get him to the summit.

The trek from the summit to the lake is longer than expected. We arrive at 8:00pm, barely beating the settings sun. We pitch tents and make bean burritos in the dark.

Tomorrow will be a much shorter day, only about 12 miles. We hope to have time to relax and enjoy the plentiful alpine lakes.

Aloha Lake

TRT Mile 89.5 to 107.5

I wake to pee in the night and find a crystal-clear star-filled sky. The threat of more rain seems over, but the damage is done. Everything is soaking wet. Inside the tent condensation and contact seepage has significantly moistened my 20 degree down quilt.

We are a tad slow getting around, hoping in vain that our gear will magically dry. Alas, we pack up wet, and head out by 7:30am. We hope to dry things later before the predicted rains return.

The rain has knocked down the Yosemite fire smoke, improving our vistas. The trail becomes more rocky, or technical as mountain bikers like to say. We have plenty of time to discuss it with them, as they pass us in both directions. Kevin knew there would be plenty of mountain bikers, but seems surprised at just how many is plenty. Most are polite and not nearly as annoying as the now threatening clouds.

We break for lunch near a trickle of water, and spread out our gear to dry. Daniel makes us salami and gouda on tortillas, as we squeeze water through our Sawyer filters. Just as our tents and bags approach relative dryness, it begins to rain. We scramble to pack up and begin walking. It rains off and on for the rest of the day.

We stop briefly at Big Meadows campground to enjoy a seated, if pitted, toilet before pressing on 3 more miles. Brian points out more than once that 18 miles is too much for our first full day. He also shares his frustration that we are camping at lakes, but arriving in the rain, and very late in the day.

Round Lake

We find a semi-flat still-kinda-wet site in the trees on the north side of Round Lake. We startle away a doe and her two spotted fawns. Brian, Daniel and I have Indian Curry and rice. Kevin keeps nibbling from his Keto filled bear cannister, but claims nausea, which has me worried.

The sky appears to be clearing, and for now our gear is dry. Tomorrow will be an even longer 21.5 mile day, with more significant elevation. If our gear stays dry, I am hoping for an earlier start.

TRT Mile 81.5 to 89.5

The drive from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Kingsbury Grade South trailhead will be about 3.5 hours. Daniel runs to Jim’s Cafe for takeout biscuits and gravy, and a side of potato wedges with ranch dressing. We eat, pack up, and get on the road before 7:30 am. The forecast is for significant thundershowers, and we hope to start before they start.

We stop in South Lake Tahoe for a pre-hike lunch involving two burgers, a burrito and a salad. For some strange reason the restaurant has bongo drums in the bathroom. We all take advantage of our last flushing toilet, but manage to pass on the drums.

We move the car to the Kingsbury South trailhead, snap a selfie, and head up switchbacks to the actual trail. We turn left onto the TRT, and begin our 12 day clockwise loop. Today’s goal is Star Lake, nine miles ahead.

The trail seems well marked and well used. We pass a variety of day hikers with dogs, and are passed by a variety of faster mountain bikers with GoPro helmets. The views of Nevada require our imagination, given the smoke from the Yosemite fire, and the clouds from the pending thunderstorms. The thunder does eventually come and it drags behind the rain. The storm is persistent but not horrible. After a couple of minor snack breaks, we arrive at the lake and begin scouting out level ground. There are several groups of weekend backpackers, but none doing the TRT.

We pitch our tents in the rain, toss in our gear, and dive in for cover. Brian makes miso soup in his tent vestibule, while we wait out the storm. It eventually eases enough that we can

Star Lake

Star Lake Camp

crawl back out and make dinners. Daniel and Brian are still full from lunch.

Tomorrow our goal jumps from 9 miles to 18, ending at Round Lake. The forecast is for even more rain, but we hope having double the time will make this planned double doable.

If you Google TRT, you are as likely to find Testosterone Replacement Therapy as you are the Tahoe Rim Trail. I never considered the correlation, let alone the causation between them. But perhaps I should.

Starting tomorrow, my three sons and I will begin a 170 mile circumnavigation of the largest alpine lake in North America.

TRT Map