Tahoe Trail Guide

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

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Category: West Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing

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

10 Tips for Spring Cross-Country Skiing in the Backcountry

April 29, 2023
| No 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
Snow-covered trail to Winnemucca Lake with Round Top in the distance and blue skies overhead

People call me weird and bizarre. Some even say possessed. They look at me as if I’d lost all connection with reality as I sit eating my lunch at the local sandwich shop while still wearing my cross-country ski boots. Later in the day, I call my best friend to tell him about my latest…

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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 advanced, backcountry xc skiing, beginner, cross-country skiing explained, intermediate, ski tour Leave a comment

5 Reasons to Love Spring Cross-Country Skiing

April 28, 2023
| 4 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
Snow-flocked trees and cross-country ski tracks near Hope Valley

When springtime rolls around and normal people are tending gardens, cleaning garages, and planning summer hikes, we mountain folk are still cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, alpine skiing, and snowboarding. Ultimately, there are many reasons to love spring cross-country skiing. But here are just a few that I like to point out to people. “How can that…

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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 advanced, backcountry xc skiing, beginner, cross-country skiing explained, intermediate, ski tour 4 Comments

Jared Manninen’s Outdoor VLOG

April 1, 2022
| 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 outdoor-related video blogs aka vlogs! These short films are slightly less formal than my other informational and educational videos. Basically, I create these on-the-go videos while hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe. Once I return home, I perform some minimal editing to the footage. Then, I publish…

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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

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

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

Cross-Country Skiing in Challenging Conditions

November 15, 2020
| 4 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
Copyright © 2017 Jared Manninen

The mountaineering adage of “there’s no bad weather, only bad gear” holds true in many ways in cross-country skiing. But you could take that statement even further. Not only does choosing the correct cross country gear to run in challenging conditions help. But, modifying your attitude and technique will surely contribute toward having a quality…

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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 Tagged advanced, backcountry travel considerations, backcountry xc skiing, beginner, cross-country skiing explained, intermediate, ski tour, trip planning 4 Comments

Considerations for Winter Adventure in Lake Tahoe’s Backcountry

October 23, 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 © 2016 Jared Manninen

Traveling through Lake Tahoe’s backcountry is always rewarding. The experience never fails to offer stunning views and plenty of character building opportunities. However, winter adventuring in the Lake Tahoe region presents additional obstacles you must overcome in order to return home safely. And, these obstacles come in the literal and figurative variety. The following considerations…

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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 advanced, backcountry travel considerations, backcountry xc skiing, beginner, cross-country skiing explained, intermediate, ski tour, snowshoeing basics, trip planning 2 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

Beginner’s Mind: Becoming a Student of Sport

November 15, 2019
| No 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
Snow banks along a river running through a snowy forest

“Beginner’s mind” is a phrase that was used often during my dozen years of active training in the Japanese martial art of Aikido. The phrase originated with Zen Buddhism and denotes an approach to learning or, in a broad sense, experiencing life with an open mind and a willingness to embrace the new, unknown, and…

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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 trail journal, trip documenting Leave a comment
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Hiking the Historic Donner Pass Train Tunnels in Truckee, CA
Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
Kokanee Salmon at Taylor Creek (via SR 89 in South Tahoe)
Overview of Off-Track and Backcountry Cross-Country Ski Gear
Hiking Mount Tallac (via Mount Tallac Trailhead at SR 89 in South Tahoe)
Best Day Hikes of Lake Tahoe
Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 1): Intention, Types of XC Skis, and Whether to Buy New or Used
Hiking Emerald Point (north side of Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Hiking Cathedral Meadow (via SR 89 near Fallen Leaf Lake in South Tahoe)
Hiking Winnemucca Lake (via Carson Pass in South Tahoe)

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A lovely Great Horned Owl 🤗 . . #birdsoflaketah A lovely Great Horned Owl 🤗
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It almost feels as if summer is finishing just lik It almost feels as if summer is finishing just like it started ... with daily afternoon rain storms 🤗
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A dreamy day out there today 🤗 . . YouTube.com/ A dreamy day out there today 🤗
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It's a cool thing when you don't have to make a pr It's a cool thing when you don't have to make a production out of stopping by some birding hot spots while running errands around town.
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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.

Popular Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Deepen Your Outdoor Experience By Documenting Your Nature-Related Observations
  • Best Day Hikes of Lake Tahoe
  • 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

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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.