Your Online Resource for Hiking, Backpacking, Cross-Country Skiing, and Snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe
When I hand first-time cross-country skiers their ski poles (in the rental shop where I seasonally work), I’m often met with disbelief. New customers will say something to the effect of, “these are so much longer than my alpine ski poles” or “are you sure they’re supposed to be so long?” They are a lot…
There are countless variations of classic cross-country ski boots in circulation. The styles range from vintage patent leather shoes designed for use with the 3-pin binding system (NN) and will most likely be found in a thrift store or at a garage sale to high-tech and high-top styles of backcountry boots that feature ankle support…
Traveling to Winnemucca Lake, accessible from Carson Pass, is a favorite activity year-round for locals and visitors to South Tahoe. In the summer, people hike the trail to Winnemucca Lake in order to find Sierra Nevada Wildflowers, to go swimming, and to fish. During the winter, people backcountry ski, cross-country ski, and snowshoe to Winnemucca…
Tahoe Donner Cross Country was founded in 1984 by Glenn Jobe, in partnership with Peter Werbel. Since then it’s gone through a number of evolutions. The most recent major overhaul to the cross country ski area was the construction of a new state-of-the-art ski center called the Alder Creek Adventure Center. This center replaced all…
Washoe Meadows State Park is a fantastic location for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when Lake Tahoe experiences a big snow winter. The park is only a couple of miles from the “Y” (HWY 50/SR 89 intersection) in South Lake Tahoe, and features a great mix between meadow and forest. Also, the majority of terrain in…
Tahoe Trail Guide will be on hiatus from December 21 – January 14, 2019. I realize everyone is busy right now, so I’ll try to keep this “state of the union” brief. But I would be remiss for not acknowledging that December of 2018 marks Tahoe Trail Guide’s two-year anniversary. So, thank you to everyone…
When most people cross-country ski or snowshoe from the Echo Lake Sno-Park, they’ll automatically head toward Echo Lakes. There’s another option, however, if you’re in the mood to change things up and willing to travel off the beaten path. Although this alternative option doesn’t reward you with views looking into Desolation Wilderness like you would…
Cross-country skiing and Hope Valley go together like peanut butter and jelly. Although it can take some time for snow to accumulate in Hope Valley, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better location in the mountains where the terrain is flat for so many miles yet high enough in elevation to actually receive snow. The…
If you’re looking for a spectacular day hike in North Lake Tahoe, look no further than the Mount Rose hiking trail. With a summit elevation of 10,776 feet, Mount Rose is the third tallest peak in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Although the Mt Rose hiking trail is well-traveled and considered by some people to be…
Stevens Peak is an exceptional hike for adventurous people looking to challenge their physical stamina, weather forecasting, and land navigation skills. Throughout the journey you’ll be treated to stunning views of the south end of the Lake Tahoe Basin (and beyond in all directions). Since you’ll be trekking through Meiss Country, you’ll bear witness to…
Red Lake Peak is an exceptional hike that includes on and off-trail travel. Although half of the route to Red Lake Peak is off-trail, those few miles are easy to navigate because they’re across open terrain allowing you to see for miles in all directions. And, those views are incredible! You’ll be treated to glimpses…
The hike to Dardanelles Lake along the Christmas Valley Trail is a lesser known hike in South Lake Tahoe mostly because of its off-the-beaten-path trailhead. Unless you read about it in a guidebook or randomly stumbled upon the trailhead, you’d probably never know it existed. For that reason, you don’t need to travel far from…
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) because it’s not far from town, but out of the way enough to feel as though you were hiking a remote backcountry trail. This relatively easy day-hike features…