Steve's Mountain Bike Page
Turlock, California

Tahoe Rim Trail and Flume Trail, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

July 2, 2004

Tahoe is probably my favorite place to ride so I had been anxiously awaiting the melting of the snow to ride this year. Tim (UncleMTB) came along for the ride and we had a great time. As always the weather and scenery were spectacular. We took the Tahoe Rim Trail from Mt. Rose to Tunnel Creek Road, then went south on the Red House Flume, up Sunflower Hill, north on the Tahoe Rim Trail down the switchbacks, and then down the Flume Trail to Spooner Lake. The trip was about 30 miles long and the total climbing was about 2,700 ft. However at 7,500 - 9,000 ft. the climbing seemed quite a bit more.

We went at a fairly fast pace and took about an hour off my usual time. I did fairly well, cleaning more than ever, but I still have a long ways to go. I don't have the leg strength and stamina to do all those uphill rock stairs. Although I had no falls there were many close calls. I actually made the majority of the downhill switchbacks. Tim was at the best I've ever seen him. He cleared most everything the trail threw at him. 

At the end of the Red House Flume there is a small, narrow elevated dam you are supposed to walk over while carrying your bike. I have terrible balance and I am afraid of heights. In addition, both sides have several steep steps to go up/down. I can't walk down stairs without a handrail and I certainly couldn't do it while carrying a bike. So Tim carried both bikes across while I inched across on my butt. However, the middle section of the dam was an old wooden board and I got several splinters in my butt and thighs.

The trails were in great shape and although there was a fair amount of decomposed granite, it was less than on many previous trips. Since it was a weekday we only encountered a few hikers on the Rim Trail and only 3-4 groups of bikers on the Flume Trail. Here is the trail map.

Click on an image to enlarge it (photos by Tim)

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