Tahoe Trail Guide

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

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Category: Blog

Hiking Round Lake (via Big Meadow Trailhead near Luther Pass in South Tahoe)

March 1, 2021
| 4 Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails
Sunset at Round Lake

The hike to Round Lake is not a secret Tahoe hike by any means. However, it’s definitely a Tahoe local’s favorite (especially for quick overnight backpacking trips). Why? Because it’s so close to town. And, yet, it’s out of the way just enough that you feel as though you were hiking a remote backcountry trail….

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails Tagged big meadow trailhead, christmas valley, day hike, south tahoe 4 Comments

Hiking Dardanelles Lake (via South Upper Truckee RD at Christmas Valley in South Tahoe)

February 28, 2021
| 4 Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails
Copyright © 2018 Jared Manninen

The hike to Dardanelles Lake along the Christmas Valley Trail is a lesser known hike in South Tahoe. This is due to the fact that its trailhead is off-the-beaten-path. Unless you’ve read about it in a guidebook or randomly stumbled upon the trailhead, you’d probably never know it existed. Therefore, you don’t need to travel…

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails Tagged day hike, south tahoe 4 Comments

Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 1): Intention, Types of XC Skis, and Whether to Buy New or Used

February 17, 2021
| 8 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Copyright © 2015 Jared Manninen

“I’m new to cross-country skiing. What type of skis should I buy?” Or, “Since I’m new to cross-country skiing, should I just buy a used set of skis?” People have asked me these questions countless times over the years. As a cross-country ski instructor and xc rental shop employee, it’s my duty to know the…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged buying xc skis, cross-country skiing explained 8 Comments

Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 2): How Much Gear to Acquire, Evaluating Your Commitment, and the Value of Taking XC Ski Lessons

February 16, 2021
| 13 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Copyright © 2017 Jared Manninen

If you would’ve told me years ago that I was going to own multiple pairs of cross-country skis and sets of skis boots, I would’ve laughed. And then had you told me that I’d also own a full wax kit, wax profile, and loads of cross-country ski clothing, I would’ve laughed even harder. Not because…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged buying xc skis, cross-country skiing explained 13 Comments

XC Skiing Explained (Part 4): Classic Cross-Country Ski Bindings

January 2, 2021
| 30 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Copyright © 2018 Jared Manninen

Ski bindings, whether they be for Nordic skis, Alpine skis, Telemark skis, or Randonee skis (Alpine Touring), are the unsung heroes of the world of skiing. Without bindings, our skis would be rendered useless for they are the direct interface between human and technology (skis). Their purpose is to enable us to exert control over…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged classic xc skiing, cross-country skiing explained, gear maintenance 30 Comments

Snowshoeing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe

December 7, 2020
| No Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails
Copyright © 2008 Jared Manninen

Snowshoeing is an enjoyable way to experience Lake Tahoe’s backcountry. There aren’t many techniques involved with snowshoeing. Mostly, you just need to walk slightly wider and pick your knees up a little higher (depending on snow levels). So, snowshoeing is very accessible to many people. This is especially true for people who don’t have the…

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails Tagged advanced, beginner, intermediate, ski tour, snowshoeing basics, south tahoe Leave a comment

5 Reasons to Love Snowshoeing

December 6, 2020
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails

Snowshoeing isn’t necessarily as dynamic as cross-country skiing or other winter snow sports. But that doesn’t make snowshoeing any less enjoyable. Snowshoes simply provide a different type of fun! They also provide a wide range of benefits that other modes of winter travel and snow play don’t. In this article, I highlight the five reasons…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails Tagged snowshoeing basics Leave a comment

Cross-Country Skiing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe

December 5, 2020
| 22 Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails
Snow-flocked trees in a snowstorm on a mountainside

People have been cross-country skiing at Lake Tahoe since the mid-1850s. The incredible Snowshoe Thompson is one of the most notable people to ever ski in the Lake Tahoe region. For 20 years, Snowshoe Thompson transported mail across the Sierra Nevada Mountains. His 180-mile, 5-day round trip journeys extended from Genoa, NV, to Placerville, CA….

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails Tagged advanced, beginner, cross-country skiing explained, intermediate, ski tour, south tahoe 22 Comments

Snowshoeing Basics: Overview of Modern Snowshoes

December 4, 2020
| 2 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails
Copyright © 2019 Jared Manninen

Snowshoes, or some version of them, have been around for thousands of years. For most people today, however, their use is less about survival and more for recreation. Although the technology used to make contemporary snowshoes is superior to those of antiquity, the goal is the same. They are designed to enable a person to…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails Tagged gear maintenance, snowshoeing basics 2 Comments

Jared Manninen’s Cross-Country Skiing VLOG

December 3, 2020
| 6 Comments
| Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails
Man cross-country skiing in rainy weather

Welcome to my series of cross-country skiing video blogs (VLOGs) for the winter of 2020-21 at Lake Tahoe. These short films are a bit less formal than my other informational and educational videos. Basically, I create these on-the-go videos while cross-country skiing in the backcountry and at groomed xc ski areas. After returning home, I…

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Posted in Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, North Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, Winter Trails Tagged backcountry travel considerations, cross-country skiing explained, trail journal, trip documenting, trip planning 6 Comments
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Top Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

Hiking the Historic Donner Pass Train Tunnels in Truckee, CA
Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe
Best Day Hikes of Lake Tahoe
Hiking Emerald Point (via north side of Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Hiking Rubicon Trail (via Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Vikingsholm: A Brief History (Nordic Castle at Emerald Bay)
Hiking Cascade Falls (via Bayview Trailhead near Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Birds of Lake Tahoe: Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
Hiking Mount Rose (via Mount Rose HWY/SR 431 near Incline Village, NV)

Backcountry Skills Articles

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    • Trip Planninng
    • Trip Documenting
    • XC Skiing Explained
    • Snowshoeing Basics
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  • History
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  • All Tahoe Trail Guide Articles (published chronologically)

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Recent Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Hiking Round Lake (via Big Meadow Trailhead near Luther Pass in South Tahoe)
  • Hiking Dardanelles Lake (via South Upper Truckee RD at Christmas Valley in South Tahoe)
  • Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 1): Intention, Types of XC Skis, and Whether to Buy New or Used
  • Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 2): How Much Gear to Acquire, Evaluating Your Commitment, and the Value of Taking XC Ski Lessons
  • XC Skiing Explained (Part 4): Classic Cross-Country Ski Bindings
Nothing says you care quite like the gift of a ... Nothing says you care quite like the gift of a ... stick 😆
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Osprey building a nest 😍
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Still keeping the dream alive, one patch of snow a Still keeping the dream alive, one patch of snow at a time 😆
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Watch my latest (17th) cross-country skiing VLOG of the 2020-21 winter at YouTube.com/JaredManninen
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Current mood. ... with a week left of working at t Current mood. ... with a week left of working at the cross-country ski center 🤡
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American White Pelican sporting a breeding horn.
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Morning conditions were firm and fast while the af Morning conditions were firm and fast while the afternoon was hot and sloppy. Overall, though, it was a great day to be xc skiing in the backcountry ❄😊❄
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Popular Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Hiking Round Lake (via Big Meadow Trailhead near Luther Pass in South Tahoe)
  • Hiking Dardanelles Lake (via South Upper Truckee RD at Christmas Valley in South Tahoe)
  • Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 1): Intention, Types of XC Skis, and Whether to Buy New or Used
  • Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 2): How Much Gear to Acquire, Evaluating Your Commitment, and the Value of Taking XC Ski Lessons
  • XC Skiing Explained (Part 4): Classic Cross-Country Ski Bindings
  • Snowshoeing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe
  • 5 Reasons to Love Snowshoeing

Lake Tahoe Trails

  • Tahoe Trails Overview
  • All Summer Tahoe Trails
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  • All Winter Tahoe Trails
    • North Lake Tahoe XC Skiing and Snowshoeing
    • South Lake Tahoe XC Skiing and Snowshoeing
    • East Lake Tahoe XC Skiing and Snowshoeing
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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 © 2016-2020 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.”