Tahoe Trail Guide

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

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Category: Blog

Backpacking in Desolation Wilderness: Echo Lakes to Emerald Bay (Trail Journal & Data)

July 7, 2020
| 2 Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails

During my first summer of living at Lake Tahoe I took a mountaineering course offered through Lake Tahoe Community College’s wilderness education program. The course was a fantastic way in which to learn more about the new outdoor playground that I found myself living in. I moved to Lake Tahoe in the fall of 2005,…

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails Tagged desolation wilderness, emerald bay, multi-day hike, south tahoe, trail journal, trip documenting 2 Comments

Hiking Spooner Lake (via SR 28/HWY 50 in East Tahoe)

June 11, 2020
| 3 Comments
| Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, Winter Trails
The sun setting on Spooner Lake during summer

Hiking the loop around Spooner Lake is entertaining and educational. The views are mostly restricted to Spooner Lake and the neighboring forest. However, the lake is host to an abundance of wildlife and wildflowers. Additionally, there are multiple infographics along the trail to provide for an educational experience. They include information and imagery about the…

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Posted in Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, Winter Trails Tagged beginner, east tahoe, short hike, spooner summit 3 Comments

Hiking Meeks Creek Falls (via SR 89 at Meeks Creek in West Tahoe)

June 5, 2020
| 6 Comments
| Blog, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Hiking, Winter Trails
Two women hiking along the Meek's Creek Trail

The hike to Meeks Creek Falls and around Meeks Creek is easy and provides plenty of solitude. There’s no elevation gain, so it’s perfect for the young and old. Hiking the Meeks Creek Trail as a loop takes you through a couple of micro-ecosystems. You’ll travel along a dirt road, in and out of the…

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Posted in Blog, Summer Trails, West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, West Lake Tahoe Hiking, Winter Trails Tagged beginner, day hike, short hike, west tahoe 6 Comments

Hiking Tahoe Meadows (via Mount Rose HWY/SR 431 near Incline Village, NV)

June 1, 2020
| 6 Comments
| Blog, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails
Hiking trail between a forest and meadow

For hikers in North Tahoe seeking a short and easy trail with quick access and free parking, choose to hike at Tahoe Meadows. Additionally, you’ll find an exceptional selection of Sierra Nevada wildflowers and birds at Tahoe Meadows. Obviously, nature is unpredictable and flowers bloom and birds migrate based on the weather and season. However,…

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Posted in Blog, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails Tagged north tahoe, short hike 6 Comments

Hiking Mount Rose (via Mount Rose HWY/SR 431 near Incline Village, NV)

May 19, 2020
| 2 Comments
| Blog, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails
Mountains of layers of blue

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. The Mt Rose hiking trail is well-traveled and said to be the most popular hiking…

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Posted in Blog, North Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails Tagged day hike, north tahoe 2 Comments

Cultivating Adventure in Your Daily Life

May 17, 2020
| 4 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Mountains with snow and shrubs in the foreground

Many people equate “adventure” with adrenaline-producing activities involving high risk and steep terrain. Or, they believe adventure can only be found through extended world travel and exposure to exotic locales. This is simply not true. It’s like saying that the cosmos is more expansive than the subatomic level of life. As above, so below ……

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged trip documenting, trip planning 4 Comments

Share Your Story: Tips for Documenting and Sharing Your Backcountry Experience (Introduction)

March 5, 2020
| 1 Comment
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Pileated Woodpecker flying out of a tree

In a time where “it didn’t happen if you didn’t get a picture,” there’s pressure to constantly be documenting. We’ve all seen that yahoo stuck behind their camera or device trying desperately to capture an experience at its zenith. But, in their mania, they wind up missing the actual moment. They were either too busy…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged trip documenting 1 Comment

Share Your Story: Is the Creation or Capture of a Perfect Image a Worthwhile Pursuit?

February 12, 2020
| No Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Copyright © 2018 Jared Manninen

All artists struggle with definitively completing a piece of art, whether it be a written work, movie, sculpture, painting, or photograph. The challenge stems from not knowing when to stop working or editing the piece in question. We all believe that if we just added a few more highlights or brushstrokes over here or cut…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged trip documenting Leave a comment

Making an 8-Page Zine From a Single Sheet of Paper

February 4, 2020
| 2 Comments
| Backcountry Skills, Blog
Copyright © 2018 Jared Manninen

Zines (pronounced zeens) are self-published magazines, fanZINES, mini-books, or mini-comics that are often small in size and short in number of pages. The beauty of a zine is that you can create one with nothing more than a pen and a single sheet of paper. Then you just need a ream of paper and access…

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Posted in Backcountry Skills, Blog Tagged trip documenting 2 Comments

Hiking Red Lake Peak (via Carson Pass in South Tahoe)

January 13, 2020
| No Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails
Whitebark Pine and volcanic rock with blue skies and lake

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 see glimpses of Freel…

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails Tagged carson pass, day hike, south tahoe Leave a comment
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The mission of Tahoe Trail Guide is to provide information, education, and inspiration to all people seeking to recreate outdoors.

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Top Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

Overview of Off-Track and Backcountry Cross-Country Ski Gear
Making an 8-Page Zine From a Single Sheet of Paper
Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
FAQs about Waxing Your Waxless Cross-Country Skis
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?
Hiking the Historic Donner Pass Train Tunnels in Truckee, CA
XC Skiing Explained (Part 4): Classic Cross-Country Ski Bindings
Waxing Your Waxless Cross-Country Skis: Step-By-Step Tutorial
Donner Party History: Series Introduction
Hiking Emerald Point (north side of Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)

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Recent Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • My First Experience with Low Heart Rate Training (Part 3): Experience, Results, and Concluding Thoughts about My Trail Running Summer
  • First Experience with Low Heart Rate Training (Part 2): My Goals and Methods of a Trail Running Summer
  • First Experience with Low Heart Rate Training (Part 1): My History of Dabbling in Endurance Sports
  • Cross-Country Skiing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe
  • FAQs about Waxing Your Waxless Cross-Country Skis

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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.
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Popular Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • My First Experience with Low Heart Rate Training (Part 3): Experience, Results, and Concluding Thoughts about My Trail Running Summer
  • First Experience with Low Heart Rate Training (Part 2): My Goals and Methods of a Trail Running Summer
  • First Experience with Low Heart Rate Training (Part 1): My History of Dabbling in Endurance Sports
  • Cross-Country Skiing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe
  • FAQs about Waxing Your Waxless Cross-Country Skis
  • Overview of Off-Track and Backcountry Cross-Country Ski Gear
  • Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 1): Intention, Types of XC Skis, and Whether to Buy New or Used

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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.