Trail Blazer Summer 2024

Exploring Tahoe’s Happy Places

Our Leader Moves Onward page 3

Saving Whitebark Pines page 4

Operation Bear Can page 12

STAFF

Executive Director

Morgan Steel

Deputy Director

Lindsey Schultz

Communications Director

Anthony Porter

Development Director

Veronica Palmer

Trail Operations Director

Ryan Kuehn

Development Manager

Brooke Clayton

Finance & Admin Manager

Judi Van Fleet

Guided Programs Manager

Angelique Carl

Outreach Manager

Delaney Diamond

Youth Programs Manager

Emily Dawes

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Justin Knowles

Secretary Rebecca Cremeen

Treasurer Larry Sites

Trail Ops Chair Bryan Wright

Trail Use Chair Sharell Katibah

Board Members

Gina Barth, Amy Cornelius, Walid Khiari, John McCall, Theresa Papandrea, Faye Provenza, Tricia Tong, & Robin Soran

VIEW FROM THE RIM

Dear Friends,

After 12 incredible years with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA), it is with a mix of emotions that I share that this will be my last entry in our Trail Blazer newsletter, as I am stepping down from my role as Executive Director this spring. Over the next year, I’m taking a career break to embrace new adventures. Come June, I’ll be jetting off to Europe with my bike in tow, ready to explore new trails and landscapes.

by Morgan Steel Executive Director

It has been my honor and privilege to serve as the Executive Director of the TRTA. Together, we’ve weathered storms (both literal and figurative), celebrated victories, and expanded on the TRTA’s long history of success. From trail maintenance days to community events, from fundraising campaigns to advocacy efforts, each moment has been a testament to the impact we can achieve when we come together as stewards of the Tahoe Rim Trail. Your unwavering support, dedication, and passion for our mission have inspired every trail cleared, trip lead, and milestone achieved along the Tahoe Rim Trail.

As I bid farewell to this chapter of my journey, I leave with full confidence in the capable hands of our fantastic staff and, specifically, our Deputy Director, Lindsey Schultz, who will take over as the TRTA’s Interim Executive Director in May. Lindsey’s dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to our mission make her the perfect leader to guide the TRTA through this transitional phase. With Lindsey at the helm and supported by our exceptional staff, volunteers, and board members, the TRTA will continue to thrive and flourish in the future.

The Tahoe Rim Trail Association has a slate of exciting and essential projects in the works this summer, and in the seasons that will follow. The TRTA will create a more resilient trail and engage the public in the outdoors. 2024 will be a big year on the trail with trailhead kiosks being installed, safety improvements for users crossing highways, more youth backpacking camps, and a huge trail restoration project within Desolation Wilderness. I am excited to return to my home base in Tahoe and see all that Lindsey and this team have accomplished.

As I set off on my new chapter, I carry with me the fondest memories of our shared journey and the invaluable relationships forged along the way. I am eternally grateful for the privilege of serving as your Executive Director and look forward to witnessing the continued success of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.

Thank you for the memories, the laughter, and the shared adventures. Wishing you all my best as you blaze new trails and explore new horizons.

With gratitude,

ANGELIQUE CARL

How did you find it?

HAPPY PLACE: meiss meadows

I hiked through it on the Pacific Crest Trail and thought, THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

What’s special about this place to you?

It is a beautiful alpine meadow with a river meandering through and an old rustic cabin. It feels so remote, beautiful, and rugged. In reality it’s only 10 miles from town, but especially in early summer, the wildflower-gorgeousness is unparallelled.

The Trail Blazer is the official publication of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit 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. Tahoe

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

Krummholz.

German foresters coined this term in the early 20th century, and to an American ear, the word sounds as sturdy and enigmatic as the tree formations it describes. Translated to crooked wood, Krummholz describes the crouched appearance of a tree or shrub to survive on windswept ridges at high elevations. Krummholz formations grow in stands along some of the Tahoe Rim Trail’s highest summits, with gnarled roots so intertwined that you can hardly tell one from the next. This unique shape is the result of blizzards and hurricane-force winds, pushing those trees to their limits. When you see these haunting trees in the Sierra, there’s a good chance that you’re looking at a whitebark pine.

You can double-check your identification skills by looking for clusters of five needles on ascending branches, sappy cones three to five inches long, and bark that looks flaky rather than fissured and is, well, white. If you

by Brooke Clayton Development Manager

see a pale gray bird with black wings in the branches, you’re definitely on the right track. Not all whitebark pines take on a Krummholz formation, but their relationship with a special bird species explains why so many end up this way.

Tahoe Loves Its Whitebark

Whitebark pines don’t drop their cones and they don’t open pinecone scales to release seeds either, as many trees do. Instead, these trees developed a symbiotic relationship with the aptly named Clarks Nutcracker, which dismantles cones in seconds and carries up to 90 seeds in their throat pouch at once. In late summer and fall, the birds bury their treasure on remote, windy western slopes that tend to

accumulate less snow. They’ve been known to store up to 30,000 seeds in one season and have the uncanny ability to find them again in winter. However, not all seeds that are stashed are found, allowing a new stand of whitebarks to establish their epic roots.

Those tangled roots are part of what makes Pinus albicaulis special. Their twisted path into the subalpine soil prevents erosion in summer, stabilizes the snowpack in winter, and slows melting in spring. As warming snow filters through the trees’ roots, nutrients and sediment are captured on the slope and kept out of the tributaries leading to Lake Tahoe.

“They’re doing a huge amount to keep Tahoe blue,” said Tressa Gibbard, Program Manager at the Sugar Pine Foundation, a non-profit based in South Lake Tahoe.

Gibbard’s work with the Foundation is to locate trees that show genetic resistance to white pine blister rust, a destructive, invasive, and deadly tree fungus that plagues many pine species throughout Tahoe and beyond. Despite the havoc wreaked by invasive fungi,

Whitebark Pine

How You Can Help Save a Keystone Species

there are trees that have a natural genetic resistance to this fungus, which has been a shining light for conservation efforts. When pine trees with a fungus-resistant trait are identified, the Sugar Pine Foundation collects their cones for analysis, harvest, reproduction, and replanting. Research shows that while there is genetic resistance to white pine blister rust among Pinus albicaulis, it isn’t simply one gene scientists can identify, as is the case with sugar pines, but a combination of several genes that is harder to isolate and replicate. The hope is that eventually, whitebark pine genetic resistance will be established in Tahoe, with help of passionate organizations like the Sugar Pine Foundation.

Recent Challenges

Healthy whitebark pine populations have plummeted in the last years due to a deadly combination of drought, fire, and the subsequent proliferation of pine beetles that attack these trees. In response, the United

States Forest Service listed Pinus albicaulis as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act in December 2022. For all the strength and resilience that these trees embody, the whitebark pine is on a possible path to extinction. But fortunately, nothing happens fast for a whitebark pine.

After the good fortune of being left alone under wind-crusted snow, the seed of a whitebark will take decades to enter the reproductive stage of its life. A single cone takes about two years to produce. The peak of Pinus albicaulis’s cone production is between 100 to 250 years old, and according to research from the United States Forest Service (USFS), some 1,000-year-old trees will still reproduce.

Coexisting With Whitebarks

For this reason, seedlings won’t have a significant effect on trail maintenance or building, but healthy stands of reproductive whitebark pines will present new considerations for the TRTA and other

Whitebark pine data for the Tahoe area on the iNaturalist app.

trail organizations in the area. Trail crews will be trained to identify whitebark pines, and reach out to botanists at the Forest Service if any trail work would affect healthy limbs.

Emma Williams, botanist at the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), gave a pertinent example. When the new North Bowl ski chairlift was being installed at Heavenly Mountain Ski Resort in 2022, surveys revealed that some of the lowest elevation whitebarks in the Basin appeared right at the intersection of the Tahoe Rim Trail and the path of the chairlift, at around 7,400 ft. In order to mitigate any harm to the tree species, a 4:1 planting rule was implemented. For each essential construction project that required clearing a whitebark pine, they had to replant four.

In fact, the California Native Plant Society, Pacific Crest Trail Association, and Whitebark Pine Ecosystem Foundation have created a citizen science project to collect photos of all 5-needle pines along the PCT using the software application iNaturalist.

In the iNaturalist app, you can simply take or upload a photo and tap a button that says, “What did you see?” for help with identification. Not only will the app help identify whitebark pines, but it can also identify white pine blister rust, which is distinctly orange and bursts from the seams of sick trees. When your photo is uploaded, iNaturalist will automatically include critical data about where and when the photo was taken whenever you make an identification.

pines cling to a craggy slope in Desolation

Fate of the Whitebarks

The sad reality for Tahoe’s recreators is that in this lifetime, we are going to see more dead and dying trees. The Basin has been relatively lucky to avoid white pine blister rust at the scale its been seen in places like Montana, but that is changing. Now, it’s important to track that change.

After the official decision on the whitebark’s threatened status, Williams and the LTBMU have received funding to begin a blister rust monitoring and screening project in Tahoe. But these trees could use your help, too.

Doing Our Part

Snapping a picture of the next whitebark or white pine blister rust you see while out on the trail could save hundreds, even thousands, of these important trees. The USFS is working hard to track down white pine blister rust, and it’s also important to know where the fungus has taken hold.

Dying whitebark pines on Echo Peak. These taller trees are not in the shrub-like Krummholz formation. d Tressa Gibbard

Practicing tree (and fungus) identification makes for an engaging time out on the trail. When it comes to whitebarks, you never know the difference you could make.

Consider the picture above: a stand of dead whitebark pines, taken by Tressa Gibbard on Echo Peak. But are they all dead? That little flash of green on the left side of the photo is the kind of observation that could make a difference. How did it survive whatever its neighbors did not? Each question leads to learning more to save the entire species.

The plight of the whitebark pine is a reminder that when we step onto the trail, we step into a story that is still being written. The question now is whether we can use our human influence to help write a happy ending for this striking, symbiotic, and resilient tree. Check out more whitebark stories in the TRTA’s newsroom, and watch an inspiring video produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology titled “Hope and Restoration: Saving the Whitebark Pine.”

Krummholz whitebark

Wilderness.

REMEMBERING A RIM TRAIL LEGEND

Bob McDowell’s importance to the Tahoe Rim Trail has been clear, ever since the very first day of its construction. He was the first-ever crew leader on the day the TRT broke ground in 1984. The official supervisor from the United States Forest Service, Bob was dispatched to oversee an otherwise entirely volunteer-run effort to build a 150-mile trail around Lake Tahoe. It was not a job he took lightly.

Bob’s friend and fellow TRTA trail builder, Sam Viviano, described what it was like to work under Bob’s supervision back in the ’80s. The first day he met Bob, Sam and his wife Jackie were volunteering on a backcountry camp project near Armstrong Pass.

“We were still in our sleeping bags, and he comes walking up dressed in his US Forest Service regalia,” he said. Sam described Bob’s Smokey Bear hat and the stern face sitting in its shade. A naval veteran and passionate forester, “He was a very, very serious guy,” said Sam, “at first.”

As his passion for the Tahoe Rim Trail project grew, Bob’s professional relationship with the trail also became a personal one. He continued to work for the Forest Service throughout the trail’s construction but also started to spend more and more of his free time volunteering with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. When he wore that Smokey Bear hat, he was negotiating critical agreements and land trades with ranchers, loggers, and even state senators. Yet when he put on a hard hat and started to volunteer his time, he was forming connections that would last a lifetime. “He was a different person in that role than he was in his Forest Service role,” said Jackie.

After some time, the TRT wondrously introduced Bob to fellow trail worker Lynda Kjer! Because of the trail connection, Bob and Lynda married in 1992. She served as the TRTA’s Executive Director for 13 years and Bob continued dedicating his time to the trail’s preservation. Bob supported the TRTA until his health went into decline a few years ago. His early involvement helped ensure the lasting relationship that the TRTA still has with the Forest Service, and solidified his place in the trail’s history.

For those early volunteers who helped build the trail, it was an extremely emotional time to see it completed, and to ask, what’s next? Some people’s involvement ended there, but that was never going to be the case for Bob. He understood that the trail is a living thing, and he watched it evolve and grow alongside his own children and stepchildren. Bob continued to lead trail crews on even more technically intensive projects than the original build and was one of the Association’s best trainers. He was a passionate birder and wildflower photographer. He spent countless hours on the trail watching Tahoe’s winged friends, taking photos, and enjoying the lakes, peaks, and trees he loved so much. Bob and Lynda volunteered to take photos for the TRTA’s Adopt-A-Vista program. When those vistas were purchased, they would hike the donors out to admire the view and even teach some trail history along the way.

Bob was a ceaseless advocate for the TRT: an ambassador, a guide, a master trail builder, and an inspiration to so many. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association and countless individuals were heartbroken when Robert McDowell passed away on February 20th, 2024. He will be greatly missed, but we know that his memory lives on in many ways, and especially in the legacy of the trail that he helped build.

Next time you step onto the trail, awash in Tahoe’s sunshine and the call of mountain chickadees, make sure that you thank Bob. The Tahoe Rim Trail wouldn’t be the same without him.

Bob McDowell on a 1986 work crew.

Bob McDowell on the TRT in 2000.

The Dirt On Trail Operations

Desolation Wilderness Projects

Back in 2015, just a few years into my career as a trail builder, I led a trail crew from American Conservation Experience (ACE) in the Tahoe Basin. I spent most of the summer and fall working on rerouting the Mt. Tallac trail through a large section of talus on the mountain slope. For most of our season, the view was of Lake Tahoe. It wasn’t until the final month or so, once we had finally built a trail to the ridge line, that we could look west towards Gilmore Lake and Desolation Wilderness. At that time, I had no idea what I was looking at, but I eventually learned that the Tahoe Rim Trail runs through Desolation Wilderness as it meanders its way around the rim of Lake Tahoe. It’s an area I have wanted to explore since. As the Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s Trail Operations Director, I have that chance. I am excited that TRTA will focus some serious trail operations power on maintaining and improving the TRT in Desolation Wilderness this year.

by Ryan Kuehn Trail Operations Director

were built. The TRTA’s trail crews will continue the tradition of wilderness trail work from mid-June to the end of August this year, maintaining 19 miles of trail in Desolation Wilderness. Our TRTA trail crews won’t be able to do all this work alone, so we are recruiting volunteers to participate in three Backcountry Camps held throughout the summer. These Backcountry Camps will be an excellent opportunity for volunteers to learn and develop trail skills while camping in one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the country.

New Projects

Building and maintaining trails in wilderness areas is a unique and extremely rewarding experience. Trail crews can’t use the modern tools that make trail building in other locations more manageable like chainsaws to log out trees or rock drills to split the stone into perfectly sized steps. Instead, they use crosscut saws, a tool used since the 1600s, to clear downed trees. As for stone for rock work, crews either find the perfect rock or take the time to shape stone using chisels and hammers, a technique that has been in use since before the pyramids

Celebrating completing a stone walkway in Desolation Wilderness.

As the TRT meanders out of Wilderness areas, our crews can finally access all the fun tools that allow them to take on larger trail projects like reroutes or new trail construction. Although the front country areas of the Tahoe Rim Trail are the most accessible, there are still dangers and risks to getting out on the trail. To improve user safety this year, TRTA trail crews will reroute the TRT as it leaves the Big Meadow Trailhead and crosses HWY 89. If you have ever been to this area, you may have experienced that the curving road, speeding downhill cars, and dangerous road crossing leave much to be desired. The new section of the trail will improve sightlines as trail users cross HWY 89 and improve the user experience by upgrading the current trail to provide a safer and more enjoyable experience for hikers, bikers, and equestrians. This

Volunteers using wedges and handsaws instead of power tools to clear fallen trees from the trail in wilderness.

Creating natural paths in Desolation that will last generations.

Trail Crew staff members work all summer to keep trails open.

Be wary of dead standing trees while on trail, especially with wind and storms.

project will be a significant undertaking for our crews, with weekly trail days scheduled for three months at the end of summer. Volunteers will be crucial to the success of this project, as the TRTA constantly seeks to improve access, maximize experience, and provide world-class trails to the Tahoe trail users. If the passion of our volunteers inspires you, you can join their ranks this summer, as TRTA is excited to offer public workdays for the community to participate in across the Tahoe Basin all summer long.

In addition to our work in Desolation Wilderness and Big Meadow, we will host workdays in Nevada State Parks, Tahoe Meadows, and throughout the TRT system. Our trail season will officially kick off with National Trails Day on June 1st at the 64 Acres Trailhead. If you think that it’s your time to get your hands dirty and ensure world-class trails for generations to come, we’ve got you covered.

These projects are supported by grant funding from the Tahoe Fund and the American Trails Legacy Trails Program, in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service.

CSHAPING YOUNG LIVES

by Emily Dawes Youth Programs Manager

an you think back to a pivotal moment when you were young, where the outdoors lent you a new perspective on life, opening up a world of exploration and curiosity? Many of us had quick access to exciting outdoor places in our youth, and it can change the course of our lives forever. Whether someone enjoys going on a solo hike in the woods, gearing up on a snowy weekend to go skiing, or biking to Baldwin Beach to swim in the famous clear Tahoe water, Lake Tahoe grants both locals and visitors respite under the pinetopped canopy. The TRTA staff understands what a privilege these experiences are and recognizes that, for many kids who grow up here in Tahoe, there may still be barriers to access to outdoor adventures. As the Youth Programs Manager of the TRTA, I feel extraordinarily grateful to be a part of our Youth Backcountry Camp Program to show youth how the adventure out their front door is attainable and ready to be experienced! As we step into the fresh newness of springtime and summer sun, here at the Tahoe Rim Trail Association we are more excited than ever for our summer programming. Our well-loved Youth Backcountry Camps (YBCC) are gearing up for another summer of getting teens out into the backcountry to explore, learn, and forge unforgettable memories. This time of year always reminds our staff of the impacts we will make during the summer, and what led us to choose this line of work. As outdoor educators, youths are seen entering vulnerable internal spaces when placed in these wild outdoor environments. Perhaps it is the peace and quiet that is foreign, challenges facing unfamiliar elements, or pushing physical limits, but this vulnerable space leaves a beautiful teaching moment to help youth expand, learn, and grow. Although there are many physical benefits of getting out and moving in nature, youth may also

experience an increase in confidence and selfesteem through overcoming challenges such as conquering a difficult hiking trail while carrying a heavy pack to Dardanelle Lake. Outdoor experiences provide opportunities for youth to develop essential life skills, independence, and radical self-reliance.

Backpacking in new surroundings grants youth not only a physical vacation from regular life but also a retreat for their developing personalities to gain perspective out in nature. Personally, I often utilize nature as a tool to manage any mental health challenges I may be facing. From hiking and skiing Mt. Tallac, to swimming in my favorite lakes in Desolation, I always leave feeling lighter and more connected to myself and my environment after a backyard adventure. But above all else, my favorite moments have been sharing these adventures with youth who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to experience nature firsthand. To show someone they hold the power to scale mountains, identify a Jeffery pine versus a lodgepole pine, sleep under the stars (and make it through the night), or carry everything they could need right on their back is a true blessing.

In the role of an instructor, we place value not only on backcountry skills but also on building out youth’s tool kits to manage stress and anxiety through mindfulness activities. By nurturing the mental health of youth through outdoor experiences, we empower them to develop coping skills, emotional resilience, and a strong sense of well-being that will serve them throughout their lives. Encouraging regular exposure to nature and incorporating outdoor activities into youth programs and educational initiatives can contribute to a generation of young people who are mentally healthy, emotionally resilient, and connected to the natural world.

Luckily, the TRTA is not alone in the effort to provide resources and opportunities to support youth on their life journey. Our community partners allow us to connect with youth beyond the Tahoe Basin; reaching to Sacramento, Reno, and San Francisco. The TRTA collaborates with other nonprofit, social-service, and youth-oriented organizations to bring the YBCC program to youth who face financial, family, homelife, cultural, language, social, and/or other barriers to the outdoors. These partnerships

help make outdoor education and recreation accessible and welcoming to all youth no matter their background.

This season, we are excited to offer fourday, three-night backcountry adventures on the Tahoe Rim Trail with our partners to youth ages 12-17. Participants will gain natural history knowledge of the Tahoe Basin, learn Leave No Trace Principals and how to be proper environmental stewards, how to use backcountry equipment, expand their mindfulness toolkits, and of course a full agenda of fun and engaging camp games! We are also hosting four public trips; offered on a sliding scale pricing structure to ensure no youth experiences financial barriers to participate in our programs and all can enjoy what our backyard has to offer. Our experienced instructors share their backcountry and natural history knowledge, mindfulness tools and fun team building activities to offer a space for teens to learn, grow and thrive! The TRTA is constantly striving to better our program to promote a safe, exciting and informative experience with lessons youth will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

I know what you are thinking: I wish I could go on a YBCC trip! We all wish we were back in those formative years, experiencing the

cards at night on

wilderness for the first time again. What we can guarantee is that these programs will continue to foster those milestone memories of enjoying the natural world. I may be biased as the Youth Programs Manager, but I can confirm that YBCC is an epic experience. So be sure to get the youth in your life up and out on one of our Youth Backcountry Camp trips; whether it be this summer or next, it is a trip they will never forget!

Left page: Youth jumps into a lake. Top: Kids experience a muddy section of the TRT. Bottom: Youth playing

a YBCC trip.

THE COMPASS

Operation Bear Canister

Can We Call Them Critter Cans Already?

The Good Old Days—Past and Present

Growing up in Tahoe in the 80s and 90s, I saw about a dozen bears through the year 2000, half in the wild and half in town. My most memorable sighting was at Lily Lake near Fallen Leaf Lake, where I was mesmerized by a mama bear and two cubs. I was about 12 years old and had never seen a bear in the wild before. I sat on a rock, a safe distance away, and just stared, appreciating every movement: stepping, sniffing, and interacting with each other and the forest. Flash forward to 2010 after a 10-year Tahoe hiatus, and oh boy, have times changed. I couldn’t believe it. I saw dozens of bears each summer, mostly on residential garbage pickup days and rummaging through unlocked dumpsters. In 2023 I saw a bear nearly every other day between spring and fall. I also came home to a broken window and three bears who took up residence in my home in South Lake Tahoe while my dogs and I were away for two days. Despite the re-entry of humans and dogs into my house after cleaning up the indoor tornado of destroyed appliances, pantries, and floors, the bears continued to try to come back in. The folks at the Tahoe Bear League reminded me that in addition to their superior sense of smell (10 times that of a bloodhound), bears remember the exact location where they found food and will recognize any container that usually holds food. In my case, it was likely just my refrigerator through a crack in our curtains. Instead of refrigerators, backcountry bears are known to target cars at trailheads, trash that has not been properly packed

by Lindsey Schultz Deputy Director

out and disposed of, unsecured food in bear hangs, or containers/bags lacking bearproofing. And sometimes, it’s not just bears! Squirrels and our other rodent friends have been known to “slide” down bear hang ropes and feast without detection, chewing through backpack material, stuff sacks, and gorp bags and effectively ending backpacking trips. This may be old news to you, but the debate of “to carry or not to carry” a heavy, awkward chunk of plastic that keeps bears, their smaller counterparts, and your trip’s food supply safe in Tahoe is officially over.

New Orders, New Practices

Here at the TRTA, we have advocated for using hard-sided bear canisters along the Tahoe Rim Trail for years. Our TRTA-led overnight programs require bear canisters (Critter Cans, as I prefer to call them) and have required them for well over a decade. As of 2022, the law has now caught up to the right side of natural resource protections with Forest Order No. 03-22-11, Desolation Wilderness Food and Refuse Storage Restrictions, and January 2024’s Order No. 19-23-04 Food and Refuse Storage. These orders both state:

“...the following acts are prohibited on National Forest System lands within the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit”...“possessing or storing any food or refuse in Desolation Wilderness, unless the food or refuse is stored in a canister designed to prevent access by bears. 36 C.F.R. § 261.58(cc).”

These orders mean that overnight travel through National Forest System lands in the Lake Tahoe Basin, and all of Desolation Wilderness requires a hard-sided bear canister designed to deter wildlife meddling. For TRT users, in short, this means you must use a hard-sided bear canister if you’re camping along the TRT. Tahoe has accepted that bears can be smarter than humans! Bear hangs are not cool. Sleeping with your food under your pillow is so not cool. Saying, “What’s one time???” is the most uncool approach to recreating in Tahoe’s backcountry today. The only cool thing to do is embrace the canister and put all your favorite stickers on it!

Best Practices

• Store food, trash, and all odorous toiletries in your canister.

• Store your canister at least 100 yards downwind from your tent.

• Store your canister on the ground in the brush or behind rocks.

• Keep a clean campsite and your canister closed and locked at all times. Critters can be sneaky.

• Do not store your canister near a cliff or water source unless you want to go cliff jumping or swimming.

• Do not store your canister between two hard objects or in a crack unless you want to see what ~500 lbs. of weight does to your canister.

• Do not attach anything to the bear canister unless you want to see your canister carried away into the sunset.

TRTA Bear Canister Rental Program

Don’t have a canister? We’ve got you! The TRTA is happy to announce that we have Bear Vaults 450 and 500 to lend through our bear canister rental program. TRTA Members can rent for free, while nonmembers can rent for $10 daily.

Pro Tips!

• Use your canister as a camp stool.

• Hike with a friend and share a canister.

• Fill space with your clothes as your food stock depletes.

• Stick a couple of reflective tape stripes to help you find it at night.

• Turn your canister into a wash basin at least 100’ from a water source.

• Utilize a Bearikade, the most lightweight option, if you’re concerned about packweight.

• If your Nalgene is full of stickers, you can place stickers on your canister for an outdoor gallery!

• And whatever you do, don’t accidentally feed the bears! The backcountry will thank you.

HAPPY PLACE: Cathedral lake

RYAN KUEHN

How did you find it?

In 2015, I was doing trailwork in Desolation Wilderness with American Conservation Experience, and this gorgeous small mountain lake was an oasis for the crew. It was our water source, our swimming spot, and had absolutely gorgeous views.

What’s special about this place to you?

After a hard day of trail work with our group of six crew members, arriving back to camp by the tarn was a perfect place to settle in for the night. I also had to scare away two bears. That was my first time I made a difference for a major trail system. I’ll never forget that spot.

GUESS THE SPOT

Can you guess the location of these available TRT Vistas?

Here is a selection of gorgeous vistas that are available for adoption through the TRTA’s Adopt-A-Vista/Mile Program. Support the work and mission of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association by creating your own happy place and dedicating a small piece of the trail to someone or something that matters to you.

Individuals, families, or organizations can help to ensure the legacy

of the Tahoe Rim Trail by adopting their own vista or mile through a donation to the TRT! Donors have the opportunity to be stewards by giving back to something they love—the trail and the Lake Tahoe Basin. If you wish to participate, visit tahoerimtrail.org/adopt-vista-adoptmile or contact Veronica Palmer, veronicap@tahoerimtrail.org. Learn the locations of these happy places on page 17.

Year after year, the TRT and the Tahoe Basin’s landscapes lure trail enthusiasts with its beauty. The trail facilitates quiet moments alone with a sunset, the roaring boil of a stove, and Type 2 Fun. If you have completed the Tahoe Rim Trail in a single journey or through multiple adventures, you deserve recognition by joining our 165 Mile Club! Check out the new 165 Mile Club members who were also taken by Tahoe’s magic. Then, channel your inner mountain goat to be the next to appear on the 2024 list of inductees. Go to tahoerimtrail.org/165mile-club to learn more and apply today!

Heer Purewal #3075

Julie Goldsberry

Matthew Douglas

Morgan Mack

Rachel Harrigan

Beth Bates

John Barnes

Karla Trotta

Olivier Barsalou

Shawne Peters

Shelby Jasmer

Wyatt Barnes

Debbie Kadziauskas

Julie Holmes

Jim Crompton

Kerry Lee

Jana Lombardo

Lucy Lombardo

Landon Rosenthal

Scott Tanner

Gian Bonello

Knut Synstad

Monica Miller

Alice Taylor

Rayna Wilde

Jeffrey West

Daelyn Wilde

Lori Reineck

Scott Reineck

Amy Hagin

Allison Oestreich

John Hill

James Parsons

Lupine (Dog)

Rita Holder

Ronnie Dexter

Sarah Patzman

Yavon Hudgins

Josh LaPlante

Christopher Denu

James Stolis

Amanda Backholm

Jenni Backholm

Ian Layzer

Brandi Benson

Kristen Smith

William Jackson

Kayci Prevost

Serafina Collom

Mika (Dog)

David Cunningham

Mathew Olsen

Chris Goodall

Karen Young

Sarah Zuckerman

Jeff Boldt

Rebecca Boldt

Tyler Born

Trevor Born

Mike Costa

Stephanie Dillon

Adam Simpson

Micki Eubanks

Shannon Kelly

Mary Lambeth

Amy Warner

Jessica Buckingham

Ronan Macnew

Justin Fancher

Kevin Tinto

Oliver Loos

Sarah Marquis

Riley (Dog)

Sean E Smith

Hannah C. Snyder

Stephen Miller

William Murphy

Angela McCall

Lori Marsh

Jim Wootten

Mark Hopkins

Kelsey Mato

Joe Mato

Becky Fox

Robert Fox

Jamie McAlister

Lawrence Wippman

Jeffrey Davis

Zen Rhees

Wesley Bakewell

Alexander Kingsbery

Michael Momber

Abigail Uhler

Craig Uhler

Bobbie Keill

Joseph Hall

Stasia Lynn

Jared Nichols

Kayla Murchison

Jorge Dueno

Anne McGuffey

David Cohen

170 miles. 5 days. More thunderstorms in 5 days than the entirety of my PCT thru hike in 2014. The TRT was by far the most well maintained trail I have ever thru-hiked. Appreciate all of the efforts by the TRTA. Alexander Kingsbery #3162, Portland,OR

Nancy Alvarez

Hilary Klopp

Janet Stoddard

Richard Kendall

Pete Gang

Steve Thomsen

Roman Furberg

Diane Ramírez

Ben Berry

Dan Reich

Tony Weils

Alexander Pedersen

Davis Masten

Christopher Ireland

Evelyn Siguenza

Richard Daileader

Ruthanne Zouboukos

Sasha (Dog)

Quinn Perry

Joseph Hennig

Jeffery Chavarria

Cally Wingfield

Lynn Golden

Michael Allerdyce

Annie Millard

Randy Millard

Jeff Erhart

Timothy Clark

Aaron Pritchett

Alan Barrett

Mary Barrett

Daniel Williams

Tom Perkins

Britni Maffesoli

Valerie Cotta

Alex Henderson

Jason France

Nathan Yu

Matthew Horner

William Granger

Laura Lawrence

Lynne Johnson

Andrew Thach

Alexander Patananan

Alison Sterley

Ali Williams

Matthew Owen

Chris Kallies

Mark Wynne-Wilson

Cheryl Lloyd

Paula Billman

David Billman

Jorge Herrara

Danielle O’Farrell

Avery Masri

Dana Sailor

Ethan Kuster

Craig Leeds

Marc DeSantis

Laurel Kuykendall

John Lynch #3232

HAPPY PLACE: Cal/Neva loop

VERONICA PALMER

How did you find it?

We live close by the Van Sickle Bi-State Park and this is a great short loop with incredible views.

What’s special about this place to you?

When my kids were very young it was really hard for us to get outside with them and go on adventures. This semi-short loop was the perfect trail to get on some dirt and in the sunshine with a baby strapped on. When my oldest was big enough to walk on his own, this continued to be the perfect length/ difficulty for him while still beautiful and interesting for us. We have done this loop so many times and it never gets old.

EMILY DAWES

How did you find it?

HAPPY PLACE: dicks Lake

In 2020, I was backpacking with friends to Aloha Lake and truly fell in love with swimming in those alpine lakes.

What’s special about this place to you?

Well, I love Desolation, and I feel it’s the most rugged section of Tahoe. And I love swimming so much, and that area will give you the best days of playing in the water. The skiing in the area during the winter is magical, but very challenging. But magical. Indeed.

TRAIL BLAZING CROSSWORD PUZZLE

Finish the Crossword?

Send a picture of your completed puzzle to info@tahoerimtrail.org and receive a 10% discount code for Tahoe Rim Trail merchandise.

Hiking in the winter, bring these

Deciduous tree with pale complexion

Finished the TRT? Join the 165 ____

Highest peak on the Tahoe Rim Trail

Ski resort in both CA and NV

Good luck finding a photo of this forest myth

___ Hike taking you around the entire Tahoe Rim Trail in one go

Namesake of the caped crusader’s sidekick, found in Tahoe

City in Oz and a bay in Tahoe

This actor starred in a 2022 sequel flying fighter jets, filmed in Lake Tahoe

Bear Can, Bear Bag, and Bear ____

Igneous, Sedimentary...

1. A thru-hiker from the Shire to Mordor

2. Name for a dead standing tree, or an obstacle in your plan

4. South American region and popular outdoor brand

6. The Compass author

7. Bright red berry in Tahoe that you can fit on your thumb

8. Tahoe’s Local Hawkeye, Jeremy

9. Highest Mountain in the Continental US

11. Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association

14. Highest peak in the Tahoe basin

Locations of available vistas from page 14:

A: Heather Lake Vista in Desolation Wilderness

B: McFaul Creek Vista on the Spooner to Kingsbury section

C: Painted Rock Vista on the Tahoe City to Brockway section

TRTA EVENTS

May 18: Annual Awards Dinner, Tahoe City

June 1: National Trails Day Workday & Beach Cleanup

August 1–31: Raise the Rim Challenge

September 14: Trail Fest Carnival, The Hangar Taproom

October 10: TRTA Volunteer Party

Trail Talks:

June 10: Getting in Trail Shape, Barton Health

June 12: How to Complete the TRT, Incline Village

June 18: How to Complete the TRT, Reno Library

Guided Hikes & Courses:

June 12: Sugar Pine Discovery Hike

June 15: Map and Compass 101 Skills Course

June 28: Summer Exploration Series: Botany & Birds

June 28: Backpacking 101 Skills Course

July 18: Caldor Forest Recovery Hike

July 20: TRTA Pride Hike & Workday

Getmoreinformationandregisterattahoerimtrail.org

HAPPY PLACE: Sunset Rock

How did you find it?

Daggett Loop is one of the first places in Tahoe I discovered, and it’s in my top list of places to see incredible landscapes.

What’s special about this place to you?

Views of the lake. I love that I can look out at Lake Tahoe and see Carson behind me. I feel isolated but connected to the two parts. I feel like I’m on the precipice between desert and mountain worlds.

BROOKE CLAYTON

Bob Anderson

Cheryl Bailey

Don Bailey

Phil Brisack

Stephen Brown

Randy Collins

Jim Crompton

Aaron Daniel

Larry Davis

Bill Doherty

Michelle Edmonson

Jackie Ferek

Shannon Foley

Clay Grubb

Bill Hager

Sue Hughes

Doug Johnson

Mike Kuckenmeister

Jim Large

Bruce Levy

Donna Maher

John McCall

John McKenna

Chuck McVicker

Jamie Nowitzky

Patrick Pevey

Dave Schnake

Paul Sinnott

Dave Stevenson

Chris Strohm

Charlene Summers

Bryan Wright

Mark Wynne-Willson

GUIDES

Alan Catron

Anna Lijphart

Barb Todd

Carl Woods

Colleen Gervasi

Connie LeLouis

Debbie Matuk

Dori King

Ellen Fletcher

Ellen Goldsmith

Faye Provenza

George Olesinski

George Prince

Business Members

TRTA Business Members are essential partners that help us fulfill our mission. These partners help ensure the Tahoe Rim Trail remains just as phenomenal in the future as it is today and help us inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. For more information on becoming a Business Member, contact Veronica at veronicap@tahoerimtrail.org.

Ita Abarzua-Kostan

Jamie Nowitzky

Jan Nishikawa

Jennifer Coon

Jim McNamara

Jim Mrazek

Jo Ann Cobb

John Ferguson

Joseph Salonga

Karin Regnstrom

Kate Huckbody

LaTrenda Easton

Laurie Buffington

Lizzie Flower

Loretta Low

Matthew Taylor

Maureen Welsh

Melissa Johnson

Michael Kreisel

Michelle Beaupied

Raelynn Noel

Sharell Katibah

Tom Fullerton

Tricia Tong

Our sincere thanks to all of the incredible volunteers out on the trail this year!

Aletha Nelligan

Lawrence Souza

Michael Groff Carol Nageotte

Trail Blazer

Official Publication of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association