2019 Summer Trail Blazer Magazine

SPRING 2019 EDITION

Wat e r , wat e r

e v e ry w h e r e Big snowfall means flowing creeks, waterfalls, and pristine swimming holes abound.

Boot Scootin’ Bash at the Beach June 1st Recap

2019 Events & Volunteer Projects

But Who’s Counting?

Visitor Use Monitoring on the TRT

View From The Rim

Tahoe Rim Trail Association

Dear Supporters,

M

ore than 400,000 trail users experienced the Tahoe Rim Trail in 2018. Considering the benefits of time spent outdoors this is encouraging news. Time spent outdoors makes us happier and healthier. We enjoy less stress, a stronger immune system, heightened focus, a smaller waistline, improved memory, and we might even live longer. Time spent outdoors also helps cultivate by Morgan Steel a conservation ethic. Those of us lucky enough to Executive Director enjoy time outside are more likely to make conservation contributions, engage with volunteer restoration or trail projects, support policies that ensure the next generation has access to our incredible natural resources, and work to preserve nature.

While this is wonderful news for our Association, our 400,000 users also present us with a conundrum. What is the carrying capacity of the trail?

How do we provide solitude, protect sensitive riparian zones, balance the needs of wildlife and trail users, manage user impacts with 440,000 boots, hooves, and wheels on the trail?

Our answer is to provide well maintained trails that are thoughtfully designed and educate users on how best to reduce their impact.

As we continue to find balance between getting people outside and preserving this iconic trail system, let’s find the time to not only enjoy the outdoors but also to engage in conservation. Whatever your mantra is, ‘leave it better than you found it’, ‘take only memories’, ‘pack it out’; live it and share it this summer on the trail. You can also visit our website for more tips to minimize your impact or participate in a guided program to learn from the pros.

Thank you for being a part of our incredible community of volunteers, members, and donors who inspire our staff and board everyday with your passion for the trail. Together we can preserve the trail and inspire stewardship.

Trail Blazer is the official publication of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to maintain and enhance the Tahoe Rim Trail system, practice and inspire stewardship, and preserve access to the natural beauty of the Lake Tahoe Region.

STAFF Executive Director Morgan Steel Director of Trail Operations Chris Binder Outdoor Programs Director Lindsey Schultz Development Manager Veronica Palmer Operations & Marketing Manager Justine Lentz Office Administrator Laurie Buffington Youth Backcountry Camp Instructors Julia Kaseta and Devin De Long Sierra Nevada Alliance Trail Ops Fellow Jeff Mattheis

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Dave Schnake Vice President Jim Cline Treasurer John McCall Secretary Michelle Glickert Sustainable Funding Alice Hampton Trail Operations Don Bailey Trail Use Carl Woods Board Members John Singlaub and Roberta Martinoni

Happy Trails,

Morgan Steel Tahoe Rim Trail Association

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TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

The Tahoe Rim Trail Association works in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the Nevada Division of State Parks

The Dirt On Trail Operations S

uccessful trail projects result from the accumulated efforts of numerous individuals and organizations working collaboratively for many years, often behind the scenes and without public acknowledgment.

Last summer TRTA volunteers donated over 2,200 hours in the first of what will likely be three seasons of construction on a trail reroute near Echo Summit, yet the project truly began more than a decade before a single shovel of by Chris Binder Director of Trail Ops dirt could be moved.

The Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) are co-located for about 50 miles between Meiss Meadows and Twin Peaks above the western shores of Lake Tahoe. This section of trail crosses one major highway: US 50 near the crest of Echo Summit. Just west of the summit the trail parallels Highway 50 for about 3/4 of a mile, at some points coming within 100 feet of the road, and for the entire distance exposing hikers and equestrians (bikes are prohibited on the PCT) to the invasive sights and sounds of the major artery between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe. It was clear to trail managers that in order to improve the trail experience in this area, the location of the trail would need to be reconsidered.

After years of informal discussions and fieldwork in the 2000s, an Optimal Location Review (OLR) was initiated in 2010 to identify the best possible location for the PCT/TRT in this area. The OLR process provides a systematic framework for decision-making and functions as the analysis required to establish a purpose, need, and proposed action for compliance documentation under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It took four years and came with a price tag of about $50,000, but the OLR ultimately recommended an alternative trail corridor that would approach the crossing of US 50 in the basin of Lake Audrain rather than parallel to the highway. Another four years and significant additional financial investment were required to complete the compliance documents that resulted in a categorical exclusion from an environmental impact statement or environmental assessment. In June of 2018 the Eldorado National Forest Supervisor signed a decision memo authorizing construction of the reroute. Determining the best possible location and obtaining permission to build a reroute of about 1.4 miles took more than ten years as well as collaboration and investment from numerous agencies and organizations, most significantly the Eldorado National Forest (EDNF), the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA), and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA).

The TRTA broke ground on the Echo Summit Reroute in early August last year and held 21 public work days on the project, including two overnight trail work camps. We’re hitting the project hard again this year, with 33 public work days scheduled, including another Labor Day weekend camp. Our partners are also planning to get some dirt under their nails in 2019. The PCTA is providing a youth crew supplemented with their own volunteers for two weeks and funding the LTBMU’s trail crew to assist with tree removal and blasting. The EDNF also plans to contribute a youth crew funded by a windfall grant. Thanks to an effort spearheaded by the TRTA and PCTA, 2019 should also see the (re) opening of the large parking lot at Adventure Mountain at Echo Summit as a summer trailhead, providing about 140 more parking stalls for trail users wanting to access the TRT, PCT, and Pony Express Trail.

If you’re looking for a fun and exciting trail project to dig into, consider joining us for a workday or contributing a donation to the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. We’ve still got two years of hard construction to go before we’re done, but considering the time, effort, and money that have already gone into bringing this dream into reality you might say we’re already in the home stretch.

A N N UA L C E L E B R AT I O N Save the Date, Spring 2020!

The Annual Celebration is moving to the spring in 2020. Keep an eye out for more details later this year!

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

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Lindsey’s Compass Trailside Dine and Dash

o t i u q s o M The

As the Sierra melts out this trail season, you can look forward to many things: brimming alpine lakes, fields of wildflowers, rushing brooks, lush green meadows, snow-capped peaks, and everyone’s perennial favorite, mosquitoes. Though they only weigh 2.5 milligrams each, what they lack in size they make up for in numbers. There are over 3,000 species of mosquitoes, 200 of which can be found in the United States. Upward of a dozen by Lindsey Schultz varieties are commonly found in the Lake Outdoor Programs Director Tahoe region.

Broadly, there are two types of mosquitoes. Univoltine species which have one brood (hatch) in a year and multivoltine varieties which have two or more broods in a year. In the spring and summer, Tahoe is home to the Aedes species, a day-biting, univoltine mosquito that thrives in high alpine environments. These mosquitoes lay their eggs on grass and dirt in flood zones during the summer. Then these eggs hunker down all winter until the snow melts in the spring. Four to six weeks after the last of the snow succums to warming temperatures, it’s hatching time for these flying blood suckers. Aedes make up 90% of Tahoe’s mosquitoes.

Fortunately, they are not vectors for disease and are considered a nuisance at worst. After July, we say bye to our Aedes frenemies.

Once summer is well underway, Tahoe’s multivoltine varieties take flight. These dawn and dusk biters lay their eggs in standing water providing a food source for many aquatic species (they do have some redeeming qualities). While Aedes mosquitoes provide us with red, 4

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

itchy welts, some of Tahoe’s multivoltine species can be a real cause for concern. Although small in number, the Culex tarsalis mosquito is the primary vector for the West Nile virus, a disease that can be transmitted from birds to mosquitoes and on to humans.

Like us, mosquitoes enjoy living in Tahoe and don’t anticipate leaving.

For outdoor recreationalists or backyard BBQ aficionados, here are my tips and tricks to finding harmony among the buzz.

Mosquito Precautions *Use insect repellent. Safe and effective options include DEET, picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) *Treat your outdoor clothing and gear with a permethrin insect repellent spray before heading out. You can also buy pre-treated clothing. *Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants, and other skin protective clothing. This makes it more difficult for mosquitoes to reach your skin and the heat and CO2 they are attracted to. *Keep your skin (and especially your feet) clean and free of fragrant lotions, perfumes, colognes, or soaps as mosquitoes are attracted to these odors. *Dogs can be affected by mosquitoes just the same as humans. Stick to repellents specifically made for dogs and consult your veterinarian for recommendations.

Pro-Tips If mosquitoes are testing your patience, put on an extra layer of sun protection and step into the light. Mosquitoes prefer shady, humid areas.

Speaking of humidity, don’t camp in shady, wooded areas with high moisture. Avoid lakes, creeks, and meadows. Sound familiar? It should! Leave No Trace principles suggest choosing a campsite at least 200 feet away from water.

If your biome, like mine, is especially attractive to mosquitoes you may want to plan your trips on the trail for later in the summer or the fall when the day-biting mosquito population has dropped.

Consider enjoying dawn and dusk, peak mosquito-feasting hours, in the comfort of your tent.

g n i y fl r e h t O r Ou Friends (?)!

When you see a high population of dragonflies, be grateful. Dragonflies are mosquito-eaters!

Never apply potent bug repellents like DEET to waterproof gear or plastics. The chemicals can damage the material.

Yellow Jackets, a.k.a. meat bees mostly nest in the ground. If you create a vibration on the ground, yellow jackets may feel threatened and can attack. Otherwise, they mostly just want your sugar and protein.

Mosquitoes are attracted to some humans over others but it has nothing to do with diet, or hair/eye color. A recent study suggests mosquitoes are attracted to certain microbes that live on your skin.

Your unique microbial makeup may or may not attract mosquitoes.

The Yellow Jacket population can be devastated by hard freezes, a period of at least 4 consecutive hours of air temperatures below 28°F, in April and May. The mix of warmer days causes the bees to come out of hibernation and get caught in the hard freeze overnight.

s t c a F g n i t s e r e Int The life cycle of a mosquito

Photo Credit Toogee Sielsch

Dragonfly

Yellow Jacket

Photo Credit Tahoe Institute for Natural Science

Photo Credit Toogee Sielsch

Only female mosquitoes bite (suck actually) but blood is not their primary food source. Mosquitoes feed on nectar but need the protein in blood to grow their eggs.

After the big 2016/17 winter, Tahoe experienced a higher than average population of Aedes mosquitoes following a buildup of unhatched eggs resulting from previous low snow years.

Many thanks to El Dorado County Vector Control’s Toogee Sielsch, Vector Tech II, whose insights on the ins and outs of Lake Tahoe’s mosquito population inspired this article. If you have more questions about the fascinating, albeit slightly annoying lives of mosquitos, you can contact El Dorado Vector Control at 530-573-3197.

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

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Staff Picks

Trail Meals & Snacks Veronica’s Pick Guaco Tacos I typically try to keep backcountry meals as simple and as light as possible but sometimes you need to treat yourself and kick it up a notch. This meal is great for the first night out on the trail since it requires fresh foods and heavier ingredients.

Ingredients: Chicken in a foil packet Tortillas Packet of taco seasoning Cheese stick Avocado Directions: Heat chicken in a pot with a little bit of water.

Sprinkle with taco seasoning and simmer until water is evaporated and meat is heated through. Meanwhile, mash avocado (in a Ziploc bag to save a dish). Scoop chicken into tortillas; top with avocado and cheese stick ripped into small pieces.

Chris’ Pick Spicy Salmon Pasta Wrap This meal is a grown-up throwback to everyone’s favorite meal as a kid. It’s light in your pack but heavy on cheesy/spicy flavor and packs plenty of protein and calories to keep you warm throughout a cold night in your tent. Ingredients are easy to find, cheap, don’t squish easily, and will survive until the last night of your week-long backcountry adventure. Repackage the mac and cheese in a plastic baggie so you don’t have to carry the cardboard box. For hot sauce, Tabasco makes the tiniest bottles you’ve ever seen (order a 3-pack online), or just stop by Taco Bell for a few packets.

Ingredients: Mac and Cheese Dinner Salmon in a foil packet Hot Sauce Tortillas (Go for the biggest size that will lie flat in your bear keg) Directions: Boil water and cook the pasta. Drain, add the cheese packet, and break up the salmon fillet mixing everything thoroughly. Add hot sauce to taste and wrap it all up in a convenient tortilla. Makes two large tortillas worth, which is enough for two weekend backpackers or one thruhiker.

Justine’s Pick Creamy Chicken Carbonara Pasta This meal is a take on Chicken Carbonara omitting an egg based sauce for something creamier. I like this meal as it’s easy to make and very filling. Everything will keep so there’s no rush to cook this meal on night one. I switch out the typical fettuccine style pasta for this dish with something that will pack easily, is a little sturdier, and is able to fit inside a backpacking pot like shells or rotini.

Ingredients: Chicken in a foil packet Pasta Powdered buttermilk Grated Parmesan Cheese Dried herbs (Parsley and Basil) Salt Pepper Real Bacon Bits Directions: At home mix all dried sauce ingredients into one Ziploc baggie. This will save you time and space in your pack. Boil water and cook pasta until al dente. Drain a little water but reserve a decent amount to help emulsify your sauce and pasta. Stir dried sauce ingredients with your cooked pasta and add your chicken. Cook on low heat until chicken is warm and everything is coated and mixed together.

Tahoe Rim Trail Photo Contest

Do you have the perfect photo taken on the Tahoe Rim Trail that is calendar worthy? Let’s see what you got!

We are hosting a photo contest this trail season to outfit a 2020 Tahoe Rim Trail calendar. Twelve top photos will be selected. For added fun, we’ve added categories to help narrow down your favorite submissions.

Contest Categories Boots, Hooves, and Pedals

People in Nature

In spirit of our many diverse user groups, show us adventures from your time recreating on the Tahoe Rim Trail. Let’s see those action shots.

Tell the story of human connection with the Tahoe Rim Trail. We want to see YOU out there.

Landscapes, Nightscapes, and Snowscapes Let’s see your favorite landscape photos.

From snowscapes to fields of wildflowers, all scenic photos are welcome.

Entrants, submit your high resolution (2.0 MB or higher) photos between May 1 to September 1.

Visit our website for contest guidelines and instructions

Kat’s Pick (TRTA Volunteer extraordinaire) Backpacker Noodle soup It’s easy to make Top Ramen during any backpacking trip but adding the beef bone broth & miso gives it more richness. The bone broth also adds 10 grams of protein.

You can add the ramen seasoning package but I don’t (too salty and full of things I can’t pronounce). I add dehydrated vegetables and it becomes a filling meal. Adding Salmon Jerky also gives it texture.

Ingredients: Lono Life Beef Bone Broth in .53oz packages Miso paste Noodles (fresh noodles or packaged Ramen brand) Salmon Jerky Dehydrated Vegetables Directions: Make your noodles, add 1 beef bone broth package and about 1 teaspoon of miso paste. Mix miso paste well (otherwise you get clumps). Add Salmon Jerky and any dehydrated vegetables before serving.

Laurie’s Pick Breakfast Smoothie I’m a big fan of having a breakfast that is filling and will keep my energy level high all morning on the trail. I have also been trying to cut my pack weight, especially on longer trips. The stand-by of instant oatmeal (2 packets!) can be yummy with some enhancements such as freeze dried blueberries or strawberries, chopped pecans, wheat germ, flax seed meal, and hemp hearts. That’s still not enough to keep me going until lunch on high mileage days though, so I’ve started bringing dry smoothie mix to make it a breakfast that really keeps my energy up.

Prep at home and bag up for mornings: Pulverize freeze dried (not just dehydrated) fruit of choice (blueberries and bananas, etc.) in a blender or food processor Powdered peanut butter (you can find it online) Powdered milk Protein powder Anything else you can think of to add calories and yumminess… get creative!

Morgan’s Pick The snack that gives back: Tahoe Trail Bar! I have carried Tahoe Trail Bars all over - from my Sierra stomping grounds to the snowy north island of Japan. Nothing is better for a quick, no-cook trail meal. I keep these bad boys (specifically the Peanut Butter Chocolate version) permanently stocked in my bike and ski bags. They don’t mind getting smashed when I crash, they soak up the heat in the brain of my pack without melting, and stay surprisingly chewy below 10 degrees! Occasionally, I’ll forget I have one and find this nugget of pure gold awaiting my rumbling stomach. Best yet, I feel good when I buy them because Tahoe Trail Bar is a long-time TRTA supporter.

Directions: Amounts will depend on the size of the water bottle you want to mix it up in. Add water and shake vigorously until mixed, then enjoy!

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

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But Who’s Counting?

V i si tor U s e Mon i to ri n g o n t h e Tah oe R i m T r ai l One of my favorite characteristics of the Tahoe Rim Trail system is that it provides a diverse range of trail experiences.

Everyone from dog walkers to ultraby Chris Binder marathoners, from Director of Trail Ops families carrying young children to hardcore backpackers, can find a part of the TRT that is suitable for the type of activity they want to engage in. Much of that diversity is shaped by the landscape, but trail managers also play a crucial role in building and managing trails to provide a varied range of trail experiences. Though the Tahoe Rim Trail is one continuous path, the regulations, construction and maintenance standards, and character of the trail vary greatly from mile to mile. This allows countless opportunities for trail users to seek out the experiences they choose to have on the trail. Providing these opportunities presents a challenge for land management agencies and organizations like the TRTA who must weigh numerous factors that influence the experiences a given portion of trail can provide. One of the major components of this complex mixture is the social factor. As all devoted trail users know, a trail experience can be defined by who else is out on the trail.

TRT Sys•tem (/’TRT sistəm/) - n.

All trails that the TRTA helps manage and maintain, including trails that are not part of the official TRT. Managing for a desired social experience requires answering difficult questions: How many people are likely to use a given section of trail at a given time? How does that number of people contribute to the overall experience of an individual trail user? How can we educate 8

potential trail users so that they can choose the time and place that will provide the degree of solitude appropriate to the experience they desire to have? Useful answers to these questions require hard data, the kind of data that just a few years ago were difficult and time-consuming for a small organization like the TRTA to collect. A trail survey, in which an army of volunteers descends on trailheads for one or two days in a season, requires a massive, coordinated effort and can yield helpful information on demographics and user preferences. However, such surveys provide only fragmentary information on overall visitor use numbers and temporal trends, a pinhole snapshot of what is actually a full-length film.

Recognizing the value of consistent, accurate data led the TRTA to invest in a fleet of infrared trail counters that can be placed at strategic points along the trail in any season and provide useful, if not infallible, data, recording each and every time a trail user (or bear, deer, etc.) passes the sensor. Though we had deployed such counters in the past, there were never enough of them to build a comprehensive visitor use monitoring program. Thanks in large part to a few key donations and grants, the TRTA was able to purchase more than two dozen counters in 2016. Now, with three seasons of coordinated data collection and analysis under our belt, the time has come to share some lessons we’ve learned since we started keeping count on the trail.

Lesson One: Time And Place Are Everything As with all holidays, Labor Day weekend in Tahoe is a busy time. The TRT between Mount Rose Summit Trailhead and the Galena Waterfall was especially busy last year. On Sunday, September 2, 2018, that 2.5-mile section of trail accommodated nearly 1,200 trips, mostly small groups hiking from the parking area to the waterfall and back. On the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend in 2017, the TRT along Echo Lakes hosted nearly 1,000

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

trips, again mostly small groups hiking from the parking area along the lakes and back.

Statistics like these give the impression that the trail is a crowded place, and sometimes it is undeniably so. Yet on that same Sunday in 2018, just 2 miles away from Galena Waterfall on the shoulder of Mount Houghton, only about 50 trips occurred. Similarly, on a Thursday in September after Labor Day, 2017 the same trail along Echo Lakes mentioned earlier only saw about 65 trips.

Vis•it (/’vizit/) - n.

A single outing on the trail. If you hike on the trail three times in one season, you have produced three visits.

It doesn’t take a fleet of trail counters to tell us that Echo Lakes and the Galena Waterfall trail are busy, but the trail counters help us quantify just how busy they are and compare that information with other trail segments. The counters also help us identify nearby locations that might offer a similar experience with more solitude or time periods in which it would be best to hike or ride a section if we want to avoid crowds (or simply find an open parking space).

By far, the busiest sections of the trail system are those immediately adjacent to the Brockway East, Mount Rose Summit, Van Sickle, and Echo Lakes trailheads. Less busy, but still highly trafficked areas are those reached through the Tahoe Meadows, Kingsbury North, and Big Meadow South trailheads. On average, and over time, these seven locations are consistently the busiest.

It’s not unexpected that the more remote trail locations see fewer trips, but the scale of the difference may surprise you. Places like northern Desolation Wilderness and the middle of Mount Rose Wilderness consistently see 10-20 times fewer users than adjacent trail sections on the same day. Several locations, such as the trail east of Meiss Meadows near the southern junction with the Pacific Crest

Trail, are reliably lonely and never saw more than 100 trips a day at any point in 2018, even on sunny holiday weekends.

Trip (/trip/) - n.

A single pass in front of a trail counter (a single person may make multiple trips in one day, passing one counter more than once or passing multiple counters) Everyone knows that holidays bring out the masses, but now we know that Labor Day Weekend brings out about 1/3 more trail users than the Fourth of July. If you’re looking for the least crowded summer holidays you should plan to hit the trail on Father’s Day or Columbus Day (they are less busy than average weekends in July and August). Most trail traffic occurs in July (nearly a third of the total for the whole year), but only about 7% occurs in October, which might help it score points as the most desirable month to hike the TRT if you like solitude and, usually, decent weather.

Off-peak months are slower on the trail, but not dead. Somewhere between 30% and 40% of total trail use occurs between the beginning of October and the end of June.

Lesson Two: What Goes Up, Keeps Going Up Trends in our counter data collected over time help inform what the trail, and trail experience, might look like 5, 15, or even 50 years. With robust data from the past three trail seasons and small but usable datasets going back as far as 2007, use trends are available for seventeen locations on the trail.

Not surprisingly, sixteen of those locations indicate that use is going up. The remaining location, Barker Pass North, showed virtually stagnant use numbers between 2008 and

2016, which is a surprising result that demands further investigation. As with user numbers in busy locations, what is surprising about the data are not their direction but their scale. Ten sites showed percent increases in the double digits over the past four to ten years and five sites showed increases of more than 100% in that same time frame. Also of note is that the least busy locations show the lowest increases in use while the busiest sites see the greatest increases. In other words, the busy parts of the trail are getting disproportionately busier. For example, average daily trips in the summer season have doubled on the Galena Waterfall Trail between 2007 and 2018.

The counter data further suggests that the total number of trail users appears to be increasing, on average, by about 5.5% annually. This is an important benchmark and speaks to a potentially ominous future for trail infrastructure such as parking and restrooms, as well as campsite availability and resource damage on and near the trail. Without funding for infrastructure improvements, trail maintenance, and new construction that increases at a similar rate as use, it is unlikely that the trail and the trail experience will continue to exist in the condition they do today.

Lesson Three: Solitude in Oakland Representative sections of about 70% of the trail have been monitored by trail counters for total numbers of visitors. By adding up all the counts and making some educated guesses, the TRTA estimates that there were about 440,000 visits to the Tahoe Rim Trail in 2018. At last official estimate, about 425,000 people live in the 56 square miles that make up Oakland, California, the nearest city to the TRT that has about as many residents as the trail has annual

visits. No one expects solitude walking down the streets of Oakland, but most, if not all visitors to the Tahoe Rim Trail do expect some degree of escape from the bustle of city life that is synonymous with crowds. Seemingly endless multitudes, once considered a feature restricted to urban centers, are becoming more and more common on our hiking, biking, and riding trails. If you’ve ever attempted to climb Half-Dome in Yosemite National Park in July or hike the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on Memorial Day, you know that trails can be just as crowded as a downtown sidewalk.

So what are some concrete takeaways for those who want to enjoy the scenery without having to wait in line to take a selfie at a viewpoint? If you are up on the north shore, try climbing to Painted Rock rather than Picnic Rock, or check out Relay Ridge instead of Galena Waterfall.

On the South Shore? Check out the east side of the Daggett Loop (you might have skipped it on your thru or section hike anyway) or head south from the Stagecoach trailhead rather than queuing up to see the Van Sickle Waterfall. If you’re down in Meyers check out the trail north from Grass Lake Spur towards Freel Peak or south from Echo Summit towards Meiss Country instead of joining the throngs who turn Echo Lakes Road into a parking lot in the summer. If you’re keen on a wilderness experience avoid Lake Aloha and see how high Phipp’s Creek is running instead. The only thing I ask is that you not post online all of your pictures, stories, GPS tracks, or coordinates of your amazing adventures on the less-traveled parts of the TRT. Let’s keep some secrets just between us.

TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

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Outdoor Opportunities

Tahoe Rim Trail Challenge For the past six years, hundreds of community members have taken on the Tahoe Rim Trail Challenge and have logged thousands of miles hiking, biking, and riding along the Tahoe Rim Trail. We are thrilled to welcome back the Trail Challenge for its seventh year and hope you consider joining in on the fun.

We are excited to offer more bonus challenges this year and have added a team leaderboard!

Join the exclusive Trail Challenge Facebook group for live updates on trail conditions and photo sharing opportunities. Be sure to track all your challenges as we will be updating our leaderboard regularly.

Sign up at tahoerimtrail.org!

2019 Hike Schedule July

• •

Backpacking 101 Hue Hunt Wildflower Hike

August

• •

Birds, Views, Falls Hike with TINS Tree Identification Hike with Sugar Pine Foundation

September

• •

Full Moon TRTA Member Hike Fall Photography Hike

November

•

#OptOutside Family Hike

Register on our website today!

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TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

Boot Scootin’ Bash at the Beach In honor of National Trails Day, we hosted the Boot Scootin’ Bash at the Beach on Saturday, June 1st.

The event showcased the passion the regional community has for its trails and recreational resources as community members and businesses joined us on the South Shore to raise funds for this summer’s trail building projects around the lake.

The Nevada 4H camp was transformed into a westernthemed campout complete with cowboy boots, country dancing, and bolo ties. Guests enjoyed a BBQ dinner, s’mores by the fire, lawn games, and bluegrass music by the Sierra Sweethearts. The night concluded with a raffle of items donated by local businesses.

Thank you Supporters!

With support from over 200 guests and funds from event sponsors Basecamp Hotels, Pilot Brands, Tahoe Endurance Runs, Smart and Final, Mighty Tidy Tahoe, and media support from the Tahoe Tribune, the Association raised over $5,000!

We had such a great time celebrating and are busy planning for next year.

Save the date for June 6, 2020!

PLANNED GIVING

leave your legacy The Tahoe Rim Trail is one of the most

can include retirement plans, real estate,

iconic

long-distance

insurance policies and much more. It’s a

recreation trails in the world. At the Tahoe

great way to ensure that the TRTA’s work

Rim Trail Association, our mission is to

will be carried on in the future. If you

maintain and enhance the Tahoe Rim Trail

have left a gift to the TRTA in your will, we

system, practice and inspire stewardship,

would like to know so we can recognize

and preserve access to the natural beauty

your generosity. If you would like more

of the Lake Tahoe region. The future

information about how the TRTA can

is counting on all of us to ensure that

benefit from your planned gift, please call

the trail is accessible for generations to

Morgan Steel at 775-298-4485 or email

come. You can make that happen. Make

morgans@tahoerimtrail.org.

and

beautiful

a lasting impact : include the TRTA in your will or estate plans. These types of gifts

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

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CUT Weight AND FEEL GREAT Tips for Your Next Backpacking Adventure

Every trail user knows lighter gear equals more enjoyment.

However, cutting weight can often mean cutting comfort.

Thruhiking more than 4,800 miles has by Veronica Palmer given me plenty of Development time to experiment Manager with gear and experience the benefits of hauling around less weight. The easiest way I found to cut weight is to hike with a partner and invest in lightweight versions of the “Big Three.”

My first backpacking adventure was hiking the Appalachian Trail. I know what you’re thinking, “way to start small.” I spent one or two nights backpacking prior to hiking the AT, but mostly with borrowed gear. The AT was 12

my first time heading out with a kit I had put together myself. I was just out of college and didn’t have the money to invest in the best and lightest backpacking gear. After piecing together various items from REI garage sales and other discount retailers, I was ready. I vividly remember hiking through the Georgia mountains with an enormous pack and thinking, “I’m going to die” with every step. The weight of my backpack felt like it was crushing me. I was determined not to quit and go home so that left me with only one option, drop pack weight. It became my mission to purge items from my pack I no longer deemed necessary at every town stop. As I hiked, I daydreamed of things to get rid of. In one town I bought a properly fitting pack and I finally got my gear down to a weight I could manage. It wasn’t perfect, but I was able to finish my hike.

When my husband and I decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail for our honeymoon, I resolved to make major gear changes for the

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

adventure. This time I had a better idea of what kind of gear worked for me and we decided to invest in some key pieces together. We started with the “Big Three.” These are the three items you carry backpacking that tend to be both essential and are the heaviest (other than food and water) and therefore the easiest place to cut weight: tent, sleeping bag, and backpack.

There are so many options to choose from and they all have pros and cons. The trick was to figure out what we really needed from each of these items and what bells and whistles we could live without.

First, the tent. We determined that the most important features for us were to each have access to our own door and for it to be fully enclosed to keep bugs and critters out. With those two stipulations, we found the perfect tent for us. It was a non-freestanding tent made of a lightweight fabric called Dyneema Composite Fiber that assembles with trekking poles. By using our trekking poles instead

with only one, we shared it. The important thing to realize when sharing gear is that your personal risk can go up if you and your partner get separated. Since your kit will not have everything you need to be self-sustaining, you will need to take extra precautions to make sure you don’t get separated or that you divide your gear in a way so you can both make do with the things you each have.

of tent poles we were able to cut significant weight from our packs and use a piece of gear we were already carrying for a dual purpose.

Next, we saved major weight with our sleeping bag choice. We decided to go with a twoperson sleeping quilt. This is not for everyone and requires a willingness to snuggle up to your stinky hiking partner. The quilt we found is made for two people but weighed the same as my husband’s 20-degree solo sleeping bag.

Collectively we lost the weight of an entire sleeping bag. This was huge!

The cook system we chose to share is not the lightest weight option out there. We used a small canister stove with a pot large enough to cook a meal for the two of us. A lighter weight option we could have chosen is an alcohol stove. Alcohol stoves, however, are not ideal in the West. The lightweight or homemade versions of these stoves do not have an on/ off switch which creates a higher risk for accidentally starting a fire. For this reason they are not permitted on the TRT. The big thing we learned about sharing our cooking system was that eating out of the pot is a great dual purpose for one person, but the second person

needs to carry their own bowl to eat from. If your hiking partner is anything like mine, when you both try to eat out of the pot at the same time, you might not get any food!

The rest of the gear we shared included little things that add up quickly: water treatment, trowel/poop kit, first aid kit, navigation, and camera. The key is to think about every item that you each carry and think “will they need to use this at the same time I’m using it?.” If the answer is no, then you only need to carry one.

There are a lot of specialized brands and lightweight options available but there is not the one perfect item for everyone. At the end of both of my thru-hikes, I could sit down with 20 different hikers, each carrying the perfect gear for them and not one person’s kit would be the same. If you find narrowing down the choices overwhelming, check out the website of one of our amazing Business Members, OutdoorGearLab.com, for side-by-side gear reviews before your next trip.

The last big thing we invested in was a new backpack for each of us. This swap saved us a lot of weight but it comes with a caveat; you need to make sure you have trimmed enough weight in your overall kit before switching to a lightweight backpack. Lightweight backpacks are not designed to carry over a certain amount of weight and don’t provide the cushion or weight distribution that heavier packs do. If your overall pack weight (food and water included) isn’t under the recommended limit, the weight savings from the pack will be negated by an uncomfortable pack.

Along with sharing a tent and sleep system, we looked at the remainder of our gear and considered how we could trim weight by sharing additional items. If there was an item, no matter how small, and we could get away

Summer Backpacking Adventures For the youth in your life aged 14-17, join us August 18-21 for Youth Backcountry Camp.

Get a Taste of the TRT August 20-23 trekking from Mt. Rose to Tahoe City.

Visit our website for more information and to register

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Volunteer News & Opportunities Multi-Day Trailwork Camps The TRTA has been hosting multi-day, overnight volunteer trailwork camps for nearly 30 years. Traditionally we’ve referred to all of these excursions as Backcountry Camps, but recently we’ve noticed that name doesn’t always convey the diverse experiences offered by different types of camps. For the 2019 season we are rolling out new nomenclature for our volunteer trailwork camps that we hope will help everyone find the camp that is the right fit!

Frontcountry Camps

Backcountry Camps

Wilderness Backpacking Camps

The least strenuous of our multi-day trailwork camps, frontcountry camps are accessible and fun! Camps are held in locations where all participants can drive to the camping area and car camp. You can choose to pitch a tent or sleep in your RV or camper.

Three delicious meals a day are provided by our volunteer camp chefs. This is the glamping version of a trail crew work camp!

The classic TRTA work camp, backcountry camps have been our tradition for nearly 30 years. Volunteers are shuttled into the backcountry on forest roads and will hang hammocks or pitch tents under the stars. Three delicious meals a day are provided by our volunteer camp chefs. Enjoy all the fun of a camping trip without having to backpack into the camp location.

For our most energetic volunteers, wilderness backpacking camps combine all the fun of a backpacking trip with the satisfaction of working on a trail crew! These camps are the best way to experience some of the most remote and beautiful portions of the TRT. Participants should plan to carry all of their own food and gear, as well as tools, for several miles to reach the camping location. No catering here – everyone cooks on backpacking stoves. Equestrian support may be available for some wilderness backpacking camps.

We’ll be hosting a frontcountry camp at Echo Join us for two backcountry camps out Summit over Labor Day Weekend, August 30 – of Marlette Campground in the Spooner September 2.

Backcountry, June 20 – 23 and July 4 – 7. Enjoy a great panorama vista over Lake Tahoe for fireworks on the July 4th camp!

Enjoy the beauty of Desolation Wilderness as we continue work near Middle Velma July 1619 and July 30 – August 2.

For more information and to register for a trailwork camp visit tahoerimtrail.org/volunteer ACTIVE GUIDES

TRTA Volunteers, Save the Date!

What: 2019 Volunteer Party Who: TRTA Volunteers When: November 10, 2019 Where: Camp Galilee, Glenbrook, NV

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Alan Catron Anna Lijphart Ben Simonian Brad Wishek Carl Woods Connie Webb Cindy Morgan Debbie Matuk Ellen Goldsmith Ita Abarzua-Kostan James Mueller Jennifer Coon Jim McNamara Jim Mrazek Jo Ann Cobb JoAnne Goena John Ferguson John Prelip John Regin

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

Joseph Salonga Kate Huckbody Kristen Hackbarth LaTrenda Easton Laurie Buffington Liz Waters Loretta Low Matt Taylor Maureen Welsh Meryl Lowell Michael Kreisel Naomi Silvergleid Nettie Russi Paula Messano Ro Martinoni Scott Liske Sharell Katibah Sharon Marie Wilcox Steve Hale Tom Fullerton Tricia Tong

ACTIVE CREW LEADERS Aaron Daniel Bill Doherty Bill Hager Bob Anderson Bruce Levy Charlene Summers Cheryl Bailey Chris Strohm Chuck McVicker Clay Grubb Dave Hennig Dave Schnake Dave Stevenson Don Bailey Doug Johnson Ed Smith Gina Silvernale Jackie Ferek

Jerry Heitzler Jim Backhus Jim Crompton John Clausen John McCall John McKenna Kelly Rowell Larry Davis Mark Wynne-Willson Michelle Edmonson Mike Kuckenmeister Patrick Pevey Paul Krieg Paul Sinnott Phil Brisack Randy Collins Shannon Foley Steve Smith Sue Hughes

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Isabel Abarzua-Kostan Isabel Abarzua-Kostan (aka Ita) grew up in southern Chile and spent a lot of time playing in the outdoors as a child and young adult.

Between college semesters, Ita would come to Lake Tahoe and work at Squaw Valley Ski Resort. While there, she fell in love with Lake Tahoe and also fell in love with her future husband, Pete, a vagabond like herself. After moving back to the Tahoe area in 2003 and raising two wonderful children, Anaiya and Joaquin, she was ready to get back out into the woods. She found that the Tahoe Rim Trail was a perfect place to return to her outdoor roots.

Since becoming a TRTA Guide, she has gone on many backpacking adventures including the John Muir Trail, Lost Coast Trail, and beyond with her trail family.

Having known Ita as a TRTA volunteer for the last 3 years, we wanted to hear more

about how Ita got started as a trail guide and what keeps her coming back year after year.

According to Ita, she got involved with the TRTA after completing the 2016 guided TRTA Thru Hike as a participant. Ita keeps coming back because she loves the sense of community the Association has to offer. “Volunteering for the TRTA is a great way to give back to the trail and the open spaces I love so much,” she says.

In the three years that Ita has volunteered with the TRTA, she has served as a volunteer guide where she helps people familiarize themselves with the trail and experience the outdoors.

She can be found guiding our day hikes and providing illuminating trail wisdom about the seasonal flora and how to hike with a dog. Ita has also supported our participants in their long segment hiking pursuits helping them reach their hiking goals. During our winter

season, Ita can be found leading participants on what is often their first snow camping experience. She loves introducing people to a night sleeping in the snow in the middle of winter because there’s nothing quite like it.

When asked what her favorite section of the TRT is, Ita replied, “Desolation Wilderness is definitely breathtaking but a less busy section with striking views of Lake Tahoe and Marlette Lake is the Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit segment. Long but rewarding.”

Ita, we appreciate everything you bring to the Tahoe Rim Trail Association and we hope that your continued presence on our guiding team is a long and rewarding one.

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Join a Trail Crew This Season Volunteer workdays take place most Tuesdays and Saturdays June through October. Dig in and build a legacy.

No experience is necessary!

Details and registration at tahoerimtrail.org/volunteer

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TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

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Views we love Mt. Houghton (at the top) Vista “In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.� John Muir

Business Members Thank you to our Business Members who support our efforts to fulfill our mission, from trail building and maintenance programs to inspiring stewardship for the young and young at heart. For more information on becoming a Business Member, contact Veronica at veronicap@tahoerimtrail.org.

FREEL PEAK $10,000+

Dave and Lisa Stevenson recently adopted the vista at the top of Mt. Houghton. Dave had a hand in the construction of the spur trail to the top in 2014 and wanted to dedicate this vista to all trailbuilders past and present who help build and maintain the Tahoe Rim Trail.

For information on how to adopt your own vista and dedicate it in honor or memory of a special person or event in your life, contact Veronica at veronicap@tahoerimtrail.og.

MT. ROSE $5,000-$9,999

MT. TALLAC $2,500-$4,999

MT. BALDY $1,000 - $2,999

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TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association

PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL ASSOCIATION SHOP OUR TAHOE COLLECTION AT WWW.PARKSPROJECT.US

IN REMEMBERANCE

ED Laine

Long-time South Lake Tahoe resident Ed Laine passed away at the end of 2018. Ed spent over seven years volunteering for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association helping to photograph each section of the trail in its early years.

This was no easy feat. It involved lugging heavy camera gear along remote sections of the trail. The Association is forever grateful for Ed who dedicated his time and talents to capturing such a historic piece of our history through his lens.

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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No 200 Reno, NV

128 Market St. Suite 3E PO Box 3267 Stateline, NV 89449

Return Service Requested

Trail Blazer

The Official Publication of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association

NOW AVAILABLE! Tahoe Rim Trail mountain bike jerseys Check out new 2019 TRT apparel and gear: tahoerimtrail.com/shop