Trip Report
Super Rose to Toads - Dreaming of Singletrack Around Lake Tahoe
Monday September 10, 2018 10:05am
Not climbing related. But it is adventure related. And considering Mike. just did a bike packing show for Santa Rosa RIM club, i'm guessing there is some climber MTBr overlap here...

Anyway, while putting up Tahoe new routes if still an ongoing an fun activity, I realized in 2016 that one of the BIG "first ascents" in Tahoe would require a bike... creating the first legal singletrack around The Lake. Today 115 of 130 miles is in and we are chipping away at the permitting for the last 15.

You can read a story about a ride of the existing stuff here we did last week.

Key gear - moving fast and light:
 Canyon Exceed 7.0 23-pound hardtail
 Katadyn BeFree water filter (usually only had to carry one water bottle)
 no backpack or fanny pack (just little bags on the frame)

top left corner top right corner
Credit: Chris McNamara
bottom left corner bottom right corner

And see the mega trails around the lake here and see how The Lake Trail concept lines up with The Tahoe Rim Trail and other trails.

On a side note, a great resource for this has been climbing and MTB legend Max Jones who owns Tunnel Creek Cafe, Flume Trail bikes and led the creation of the Flume Trail. So i'm just part of a strong tahoe lineage of climber/bikers.
top left corner top right corner
Credit: Chris McNamara
bottom left corner bottom right corner


  Trip Report Views: 2,437
Chris McNamara
About the Author
Climbing Magazine once computed that three percent of Chris McNamara’s life on Earth had been spent on the face of El Capitan – an accomplishment that left friends and family pondering Chris’s sanity. He has climbed El Capitan more than 70 times and holds nine big wall speed climbing records. In 1998 Chris did the first Girdle Traverse of El Capitan, an epic 75-pitch route that begs the question, “Why?”

Outside Magazine called Chris one of “the world’s finest aid climbers.” He is the winner of the 1999 Bates Award from the American Alpine Club and founder of the American Safe Climbing Association, a nonprofit group that has replaced over 5000 dangerous anchor bolts. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and serves on the board of the ASCA and the Rowell Legacy Committee. He has a rarely updated adventure journal, maintains BASEjumpingmovies.com, and also runs a Lake Tahoe home rental business.

Comments
Reeotch

climber
4 Corners Area
  Sep 10, 2018 - 10:07am PT
Hell yeah!
A mountain bike bump . . .
Ney Grant

Trad climber
Pollock Pines
  Sep 10, 2018 - 10:58am PT
Quite a feat on your around-the-lake ride! And thanks for advocating for all MTBers on getting an all-dirt trail around the lake. That would be a dream...
looking sketchy there...

Social climber
Lassitude 33
  Sep 10, 2018 - 11:09am PT
Inspiring to say the least.
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Author's Reply  Sep 10, 2018 - 11:23am PT
We're holding a fundraiser with Rebecca Rusch for another section of the trail this Thursday in South Lake Tahoe. Stop by if you are around. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rebecca-rusch-blood-road-movie-screening-on-ski-run-tickets-49923913770

Or you can always donate to the project here http://www.tamba.org/donate/

radair

Social climber
North Conway, NH
  Sep 10, 2018 - 05:39pm PT
Thank you, Chris, for your work on this project! I did a number of sections of the TRT many years ago and was always intrigued by the possibilities squelched by the Wilderness areas. Very cool to see this link up around the lake.

Equally as impressive is that you've only been MTBing for 3 years?!
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Sep 11, 2018 - 06:37am PT
Very nice!
Nick Danger

Ice climber
Arvada, CO
  Sep 11, 2018 - 06:58am PT
Boffo performance, Chris, and thanks for that kind of service to the community. Mike, very nice story and pics. Mtn bikes and climbing are totally sympatico.
steelmnkey

climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
  Sep 11, 2018 - 08:43am PT
Very nice. Thanks for all your effort Chris!

And Mike O. You beast!!
splitclimber

climber
Sonoma County
  Sep 11, 2018 - 08:52am PT
Great trip reports Chris and Mike. It is really cool to see all that you and TAMBA are doing up there.
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Author's Reply  Sep 11, 2018 - 11:15am PT
Jody, That would be an awesome challenge. Also would be cool to to road bike around, MTB on single track, then hike/run the Tahoe Rim Trail. That will be quite the Trifecta. See map below

Road in Orange, Tahoe Rim Trail in Yellow and proposed MTB trail in Blue

Flip Flop

climber
Earth Planet, Universe
  Sep 11, 2018 - 12:29pm PT
All is forgiven. Supertopo is God
t-bone

climber
Bishop
  Sep 11, 2018 - 03:36pm PT
Huge thanks Chris for putting in the work for a western connector trail. We looped the lake a couple of years ago by way of pony express- wrights lake rd- rubicon. A singletrack option replacing the Rubicon will truly make the route world class!
Our route:
wilbeer

Mountain climber
Terence Wilson greeneck alleghenys,ny,
  Sep 11, 2018 - 03:52pm PT
Good work all,looks like quite a loop.

Hope I get there someday.
Chris McNamara

SuperTopo staff member
Author's Reply  Oct 2, 2018 - 02:31pm PT
Epic ride, t-bone!
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