Steve's Mountain Bike Page
Turlock, California

Tahoe Rim Trail: Mt. Rose to Mt. Rose
Lake Tahoe NV, September 2, 2006

I've been doing some new rides at Tahoe this summer and I realized I hadn't been above Marlette Lake the entire season. Since this ride can only be done on an even day, I decided to do a big 32 mile loop solo starting and ending at Mt. Rose. The Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) from Mt. Rose is certainly the most ridden section since it is the drop-off for shuttle rides down The Flume trail. The ride starts at 8,700 ft, goes up to about 9,000 ft., gradually down with a few ups to about 7,500 ft. on The Flume trail, and then south to the end of Marlette Lake. That first 15 miles is fairly easy since it is mostly downhill or flat. But the next 17 miles back to Mt. Rose is fairly grueling since it is uphill nearly all the way. You do get a bit of a respite from the climbing with about two miles of downhill, which includes the numerous switchbacks on the TRT above the Marlette Lake overlook.

As a newbie I tried a bit different loop from Mt. Rose and it really killed me. So I was a bit apprehensive about the return climbing. However, except for that big stretch of sandy uphill with the switchbacks in the middle, most of it was quite rideable. In fact the 9.2 mile uphill return on the TRT to Mt. Rose only took a half hour longer than the trip down it. And that was despite having to stop dozens of times for people coming at me. I still suck as much as ever going down those switchbacks. But it was a perfect day, perhaps 65 - 75 degrees, and I managed to get off The Flume trail early enough to avoid all but one group of three riders coming at me. Once again a spectacular day of riding at Tahoe! Here is a map of the route. 

Click on an image to enlarge it

img_2923.jpg (178572 bytes) img_2925.jpg (138644 bytes) img_2926.jpg (131278 bytes) img_2933.jpg (188217 bytes) img_2935.jpg (109067 bytes)
Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe Rim Trail The Flume Trail The Flume Trail
img_2936.jpg (128034 bytes) img_2937.jpg (176603 bytes) img_2939.jpg (171579 bytes) img_2941.jpg (187963 bytes) img_2945.jpg (178663 bytes)
The Flume Trail The Flume Trail The Flume Trail Marlette Lake Tahoe Rim Trail
img_2946.jpg (159686 bytes) img_2956.jpg (127245 bytes) img_2958.jpg (171808 bytes) img_2960.jpg (202221 bytes) img_2961.jpg (172318 bytes)
Tahoe Rim Trail Marlette Lake, f
Lake Tahoe, b		 Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe Rim Trail
img_2962.jpg (192028 bytes) img_2968.jpg (274320 bytes) img_2970.jpg (212304 bytes) img_2972.jpg (224050 bytes) img_2974.jpg (206585 bytes)
Back to Mt. Rose
(Tahoe Meadows)		 Rider on TRT Long sandy
uphill		 Nice drop Tahoe Rim Trail
img_2975.jpg (200003 bytes) img_2976.jpg (113655 bytes) img_2979.jpg (151895 bytes) img_2983.jpg (168447 bytes) img_2987.jpg (175352 bytes)
Tahoe Rim Trail Lake Tahoe Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe Rim Trail Making stairs
look easy
img_2993.jpg (194013 bytes) img_2999.jpg (181530 bytes) img_3003.jpg (210151 bytes) img_3004.jpg (228040 bytes) img_3008.jpg (143429 bytes)
Tandem A boy and
his dog		 Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe Rim Trail Tahoe Meadows
on the return


Marlette Lake and Lake Tahoe, click on image for larger picture


Marlette Lake, click on image for larger picture


Tahoe Rim Trail, click on image for larger picture

[ Home ]