Tahoe Trail Guide

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

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Tag: intermediate

Cross-Country Skiing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe

February 11, 2025
| 23 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 23 Comments

Tips for Spring Hiking in the Mountains at Lake Tahoe

March 10, 2024
| 1 Comment
| 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 1 Comment

Hiking South Camp Peak to the Bench (via HWY 50 in East Tahoe)

March 9, 2024
| No Comments
| Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, Winter Trails
Copyright © 2015 Jared Manninen

The trail to South Camp Peak probably isn’t in the top five hiking trails at Lake Tahoe. And, it may not even be in the top ten. However, I would argue that it’s still as exceptional a hike as any at Lake Tahoe. Parking is abundant (free!), the trail is easy to navigate, and there’s…

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Posted in Blog, East Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, East Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, Winter Trails Tagged advanced, day hike, east tahoe, intermediate, spooner summit Leave a comment

Considerations for Spring Hiking and Backpacking at Lake Tahoe

March 1, 2024
| 8 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 8 Comments

Cross-Country Skiing in Challenging Conditions

October 1, 2023
| 5 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 5 Comments

Considerations for Winter Adventure in Lake Tahoe’s Backcountry

September 23, 2023
| 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, 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 4 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

Hiking Cowboy Hat Hill (via HWY 50 in Meyers near South Tahoe)

November 11, 2021
| No Comments
| Blog, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, Winter Trails
Hiking Cowboy Hat Hill affords you views of Mount Tallac

Cowboy Hat Hill is found on few maps. It’s a short, but relatively steep climb that offers amazing views of the east face of Desolation Wilderness, Mount Tallac, Angora Peak and Ridge, Twin Peaks, and a glimpse of Lake Tahoe. At the viewpoint there are granite boulders on which to climb, as well as beautiful…

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Posted in Blog, South Lake Tahoe Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing, South Lake Tahoe Hiking, Summer Trails, Winter Trails Tagged advanced, day hike, intermediate, meyers, short hike, south tahoe Leave a comment

Snowshoeing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe

December 7, 2020
| 2 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 2 Comments
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Top Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

Short and Easy Hikes in South Lake Tahoe
Hiking Rubicon Trail (via Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Hiking Lam Watah Historic Trail (via Rabe Meadows at Stateline, NV)
Hiking the Historic Donner Pass Train Tunnels in Truckee, CA
Kokanee Salmon at Taylor Creek (via SR 89 in South Tahoe)
Hiking Emerald Point (north side of Emerald Bay in South Tahoe)
Hiking Freel Peak (via Forest Service RD 051 near Luther Pass in South Tahoe)
Making an 8-Page Zine From a Single Sheet of Paper
Birds of Lake Tahoe: The Tree Cleaving Pileated Woodpecker
Trees of the Sierra Nevada: The Gentle Jeffrey Pine

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Recent Tahoe Trail Guide Posts

  • Cross-Country Skiing on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe
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  • 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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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

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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?
  • 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?

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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.