Tahoe Trail Guide

Your Online Resource for Hiking, Backpacking, Cross-Country Skiing, and Snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe

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Category: Backcountry Skills

Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe

May 1, 2023
| 7 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Hiking, Winter Trails
Copyright © 2016 Jared Manninen

People would have you believe that Lake Tahoe in the spring is paradise. The days are becoming longer and the sun seems to be a little warmer. You’ve weathered fierce winter storms and now you’re ready to hit those famed Tahoe hiking trails. You’re looking forward to visiting your favorite peaks, finding unique and vibrant wildflowers,…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Hiking, Winter Trails Tagged advanced, backcountry travel considerations, beginner, day hike, east tahoe, intermediate, multi-day hike, north tahoe, short hike, ski tour, south tahoe, trip planning, west tahoe 7 Comments

Tips for Spring Hiking in the Mountains at Lake Tahoe

April 30, 2023
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Hiking
Snowy mountains and a verdant meadow

Lake Tahoe locals and visitors alike tend to drop their guard during the spring. We’ve made it through the punishing winter. Now we’re looking forward to the longer days and warmer sunshine of summer. The roads are bare. The trailheads are free of snow. So that first hike of the season is going to be…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Hiking Tagged backcountry travel considerations, beginner, day hike, east tahoe, intermediate, multi-day hike, north tahoe, short hike, ski tour, south tahoe, trip planning, west tahoe Leave a comment

Considerations and Reasons for Doing a Big Year

April 27, 2023
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, Natural History
Birder looking through binoculars in the forest

Take what I’m about to recommend in this article with a grain of salt. Don’t get me wrong. I totally recommend that you participate in at least one Big Year during your lifetime. Just know that this recommendation comes from someone who’s both obsessive and compulsive. I’m also very competitive. And I love to collect…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, Natural History Tagged Birds of Lake Tahoe, lake tahoe wildflowers, trip documenting Leave a comment

The Cross-Country Skiing Experience: Immersing Yourself in Winter

February 2, 2023
| 4 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Snow-flocked trees in the middle of winter

Without question, there are many ways in which to enjoy winter. There’s an entire snowsports industry dedicated to playing in the snow, after all. You could go downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice skating, or sledding. Although that’s an abridged list, you get the point. You have options during the winter for dealing…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged backcountry xc skiing, classic xc skiing, cross-country skiing explained 4 Comments

Discussing the Goal of Becoming a Better Cross-Country Skier and Embracing Backcountry and Groomed Terrain in Pursuit of that Goal

November 29, 2022
| 2 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Fresh groomed cross-country ski tracks in the forest

November of 2022 marked the beginning of my ninth cross-country ski season. Now, when I talk about a season I don’t just mean skiing on the weekends. Or, only during the best possible snow conditions. I’m talking about consistently logging upwards of (and sometimes over) 100 days of xc skiing every winter in every imaginable…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged backcountry xc skiing, classic xc skiing, cross-country skiing explained 2 Comments

Considerations for Cross-Country Skiing During the Fall and Early Winter

November 16, 2022
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Snow-flocked pine trees and cross-country ski trail

Whenever the first snowfall of the season hits, my excitement for the upcoming cross-country ski season usually goes through the roof. In fact, once the snow accumulates to a depth of at least 2-3 inches, I’ll often grab a set of xc skis and take a short tour around the neighborhood. Make no mistake, though,…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged cross-country skiing explained, ski tour Leave a comment

Wildfires and Smoke at Lake Tahoe (Considerations for Traveling in the Tahoe Backcountry during Summer)

April 5, 2022
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, Local History, Natural History, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Hiking
Copyright © 2018 Jared Manninen

Living at Lake Tahoe and being surrounded by the Sierra Nevada Mountains is like living in a dream. There’s plenty of sunshine in the summer and powdery snow in the winter. The finest outdoor recreation is literally outside your front door. And, despite the massive influx of visitors that come to Lake Tahoe during the…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, Local History, Natural History, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Hiking Tagged backcountry travel considerations, east tahoe, north tahoe, south tahoe, west tahoe Leave a comment

Invest in Technique More than Gear

March 30, 2022
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Groomed cross-country ski tracks and pine trees

Gear is specific. Technique is universal. Now, I agree that your potential can be limited based on your gear’s capabilities. So, investing in quality gear is definitely worth it when diving deeper into your chosen endeavor. I also agree that buying new gear contributes to the long-term sustainability of the industry in which you’re participating….

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged backcountry xc skiing, cross-country skiing explained Leave a comment

Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 4): Can I Use One Set of XC Ski Boots for All of My Cross-Country Skiing Needs?

November 28, 2021
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills
Crusty snow and snow-capped mountains with blue skies

New cross-country skiers looking to buy gear for the first time consistently ask me two questions. The first is whether or not they can buy one set of skis to use on groomed and backcountry terrain. My answer to that question is “technically yes, but functionally no.” Click the following linked text to read my…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills Tagged buying xc skis, cross-country skiing explained Leave a comment

Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 3): Can One Set of Classic Cross-Country Skis Work for Groomed and Off-Track XC Skiing?

November 15, 2021
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Snowy meadow and mountains in overcast sky

The question of whether or not there exists one set of cross-country skis that’ll allow you to ski in all conditions is on the mind of every person buying their first set of skis. And, for good reason. People want to maximize their fun while spending the least amount of money. They don’t want to…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged buying xc skis, cross-country skiing explained Leave a comment
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2020 Frank Wells Last Best Place Award - Jared Manninen

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Top Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
Hiking the Historic Donner Pass Train Tunnels in Truckee, CA
Hiking Rubicon Trail (via Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Hiking Cascade Falls (via Bayview Trailhead near Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Lake Tahoe Wildflowers: Big Yellow Wildflowers with Big Green Leaves called Woolly Mule’s Ears and Arrowleaf Balsamroot
Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe
Hiking Emerald Point (north side of Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Hiking Winnemucca Lake (via Carson Pass in South Tahoe)
Hiking Freel Peak (via Forest Service RD 051 near Luther Pass in South Tahoe)
Hiking Mount Rose (via Mount Rose HWY/SR 431 near Incline Village, NV)

Backcountry Skills Articles

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  • All Tahoe Trail Guide Articles (published chronologically)

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Recent Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
  • Hiking Steven’s Peak (via Big Meadow Trailhead in South Tahoe)
  • Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe
  • Tips for Spring Hiking in the Mountains at Lake Tahoe
  • 10 Tips for Spring Cross-Country Skiing in the Backcountry
Another beautiful day in the neighborhood 🤗 . . Another beautiful day in the neighborhood 🤗
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Enjoying the views during my first commute back to Enjoying the views during my first commute back to the summer office 🤗
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By request! Some shots of the Upper Truckee River By request! Some shots of the Upper Truckee River for those who are considering a tube down the river. All I can say is that it's cold, deep, powerful, and spilling onto most banks. And there are some newer downed trees at various locations 🤗
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Photo 1 - Washoe Meadows State Park
Photo 2 - HWY 50/Elks Club Dr.
Photo 3 - HWY 50/Motel 6
Photo 4 - Venice Dr. at Cove East
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If you want some motivation to pursue a big goal this year, watch my May 2023 newsletter at YouTube.com/@JaredManninen 😊
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Another beautiful day out there 🤗 . . Watch my Another beautiful day out there 🤗
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Watch my last two XC Ski VLOGs (52 and 53) at YouTube.com/@JaredManninen to see where I've been playing 😊
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Fun Vintage Lake Tahoe Map
Self-portrait of Jared Manninen
Jared Manninen has been a Tahoe local since 2005. He began building Tahoe Trail Guide (c. 2017) in order to inspire people to embrace the outdoors as a place in which to learn and play.

Popular Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
  • Hiking Steven’s Peak (via Big Meadow Trailhead in South Tahoe)
  • Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe
  • Tips for Spring Hiking in the Mountains at Lake Tahoe
  • 10 Tips for Spring Cross-Country Skiing in the Backcountry
  • 5 Reasons to Love Spring Cross-Country Skiing
  • Considerations and Reasons for Doing a Big Year

Lake Tahoe Trails

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Although I encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone, you need to know your limits and when to turn back. Tahoe Trail Guide and its contributors are not liable for property loss or damage, personal injury, or death. Always consult multiple sources when venturing into the backcountry. Always be prepared for the worst case scenario. Your safety is your responsibility. Tahoe Trail Guide copyright © 2016-2023 by Jared Manninen. All rights reserved.  This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Per the Associates Program Operating Agreement I must disclose the following statement: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases” when you buy something via an Amazon.com advertisement.