June 23, 2020

• Start – Echo summit trailhead (mile 0.0)
• End – Trail Junction to Hwy. 89 (mile 18)
• Daily Mileage – 18 miles

I prefer to feel productive on my first day on trail. That usually means a getting to the trailhead bright and early so I can put in a full day of hiking. Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to happen on the Tahoe Rim Trail.

Before Keith could drive me down to Lake Tahoe, we needed deal with some car repairs (a new clutch). But, the shop didn’t finished the work until just minutes before they closed last night. So, we had to tie up that loose end first thing this morning before we could even begin driving down to Lake Tahoe. Ugh!

We make it to the long drive down to the Echo Summit trailhead around 9:40 am, and my stomach was nervous the entire way down. No matter how many backpacking trips I go on, I still get this tumultuous feeling on the ride to the trailhead.

Perhaps it’s the anticipation of a big adventure. Or worries that I forgot to pack something critical. No matter the origin, it happens every single time. Until I take those first steps on the trail, my stomach feels a sense of queasiness and anxiety.

ECHO SUMMIT

The parking area at Echo Summit was empty, save one lonely pickup truck with a camper on the back of it. When I scanned the rest of the area, I noticed a giant boulder with a plaque in it.

This location – just south of Lake Tahoe – served at the high altitude training center and the U.S. Olympic Men’s track and field trials back in 1968. In fact, four world records were shattered right here!

Well that’s and promising sign. I might not be an olympic athlete, but I certainly could use the good vibes for my trip.

Keith and Finn wished me good luck, as I set off toward the far end of the parking lot to avail myself of the pit toilets. This might be the last toilet seat I get the privilege of sitting on for the next few days. So I figured I better take advantage of it while I can, right?

With that final task out of the way (and my bowels feeling happy again) it was time to set off on the trail and start this thru-hike. I had 120 miles to go until my resupply in Tahoe City, and I was aiming to get there in just six days. I haven’t hiked successive 20 miles day since my PCT section hike of the California desert back in January.

Unfortunately, the TRT didn’t welcome me with flat, easy trail. It seemed to climb upward almost right out the gate from Echo Summit.

In fact, it kind of reminded me of all those times I’d return to the Appalachian Trail after a town stop. I always seemed to find myself slowly chugging up a difficult stretch of trail with an insanely heavy pack full of food!

Today felt just like that experience, with my super heavy bear canister crammed with six days worth of food, as I pushed myself up the first 3-mile climb.

Although my shirt was soaked through with sweat by the time I made it to the top, the difference from the AT were readily apparent. That’s because when I got to the top of the climb, there were actually views!! And not just ordinary views, but spectacular views of the Sierras. And the sound of streams nearby with small patches of snow on the ground. Man, this trail is really something beautiful!

PACIFIC CREST TRAIL VIEWS

If you look at the TRT’s route as a clock dial, I’d begun the TRT’s loop from approximately 7 o’clock position (assuming due north was 12 o’clock and due south was 6 o’clock).

And since I’d chosen to hike the TRT counter-clockwise, the first 10 miles of my day were spent heading south. This initial stretch of the trail is actually part of the 2650-mile long Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), which stretches from Mexico to Canada. And so, perhaps in a non-pandemic year, I probably would have been crossing paths with dozens of PCT thru-hikers as they headed north. Yet, this year, the trail seems pretty quiet.

I did cruise past with some other TRT thru-hikers though. When I said hi, they stopped and quickly warned me that the trail on the eastern side of the lake was super dry this year. They went on and on about how much water they had to carry and how glad they were to be back to a section where water was plentiful.

The conversation felt a bit like they were fear-mongering rather than passing on some friendly advice. Don’t get me wrong, I generally appreciate a friendly heads up about the route that lies before me. But I get a little peeved by the naysayers who want to paint a picture of nothing but hardship ahead.

Seriously, how about sharing some of the positive aspects of the trail with your dire warnings of doom and gloom? I’ve only been out here two hours, guys!

When I stopped for my first real break, I did a little mental math and realized I was moving quite a bit slower than I’d hoped. Even though the trail was graded nicely and had switchbacks, I seemed to be poking along well under 3 mph.

I guess I’m more out of shape that I thought from trying to socially distance indoors these past few months of the coronavirus pandemic. Or maybe it’s just my too heavy pack holding me back.

During my break, I also noticed the mosquitos were swarming around me the instant I stopped hiking. This occurred even despite the fact that I’d sprayed picaridin all over myself to ward them off. I guess mosquitoes are one of those drawbacks if you’re planning an earlier season hike while the snow is still melting.

Then, about 7 miles into the day, I crested a hill and was treated to the most gorgeous snow-capped Sierra views. Holy crap, it was beautiful. THIS is exactly why I wanted to hike the TRT.

I’d heard the scenery was second to none, and that’s no lie. These vistas made my heart sing!! And I didn’t even have the epic views of Lake Tahoe yet.

RAIN SHOWERS

Although I could have stood there forever, eventually nudged myself south on the PCT/TRT toward Showers Lake, my first alpine lake of the trail.

As I stood there taking too many photos of it, I felt a few drops of rain on my arms. I looked up at the sky and it still looked blue. But off to my left, I could see some dark clouds just starting to roll in. What the heck?!

I’d scrutinized the weather forecast, and there was NOT supposed to be any rain at all for this leg of my adventure. Every day of for the upcoming week was supposed to be sunny and warm. What was this nonsense?!?

Normally, I wouldn’t give a second thought to rain. I’ve walked through many a rainstorm over the years. But this time it was different. I’m embarrassed to admit I wasn’t really prepared for rain.

In an effort to cut weight while carrying that insanely heavy bear canister, I’d ditched anything that didn’t seem 100% essential to this hike. That resulted in leaving my raincoat and lightweight umbrella back home. Because, you know…that forecast of warm and sunny all week.

Doh! If that decision didn’t kickstart Murphy’s law, I don’t know what would.

As I walked around Showers Lake, the rain droplets seemed small, and I thought maybe I’d escaped unscathed with just a light sprinkle.

But then the thunder started. And there was lightening flashes across the sky. The writing was on the wall by the time I approached a meadow near the Upper Truckee River.

The temperature seemed to drop 10 degrees in as many minutes. And then the rain started up again, but heavier. I was definitely going to get wet out here.

So, I found a flat spot just past the river, and set up my tent to ride it out. The overnight temperatures were supposed to drop down into the 40s tonight, and I didn’t want to risk getting my sole set of clothes soaked this early into my hike.

Plus, it was time for lunch anyway. Maybe the rain storm would pass quickly while I ate.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY

I spent the next hour stretched out and relaxed in my tent. I kicked my shoes off while eating lunch and just listened as the rain pelted my tent with a fury. At least I was dry.

It turned out to be a really solid storm too. I could see lightening illuminating the sky in flashes even through the opaque layer of my rainfly.

An hour later, the rain seemed to be waning a bit. It was still coming down, but it was falling in a light curtain instead of big, fat droplets. Plus, the sky to my west was bright blue again. The storm seemed to be moving out. And so, I decided to risk it and hike.

Back on the trail, I noticed evidence of recent horseback riders ahead of me. Hoof prints trailed off into the distance and piles of road apples dotted the route.

And before long, I was at Carson Pass, looking across a meadow at the Meiss family cabins. This unique landmark shows where the Meiss family settled back in the 1870s (though now the land is owned by the U.S. Forest Service).

This was where my path would diverge from the PCT. That epic trail would continue south toward the Sierras, while the TRT split and turned north again. And so, after just 10 short miles of hiking, I bid adieu to the PCT for the second time this year.

NORTHBOUND

Just beyond the trail junction, I ran into two more TRT thru-hikers named Ryan and Andrew. Unlike my earlier experience, these two hikers were in a terrific mood and wanted to chat about how much they were enjoying the trail.

They’d begun near Spooner Lake three days ago, and they were hoping to make the entire TRT circuit in 12-14 days. This was the first long distance backpacking trip for them, and their packs were huge in comparison to mine (but then again, I bet they remembered to bring rain gear)!

A few miles later, I was passing another large alpine lake named Round Lake. I’d read that the Forest Service’s posted warnings against drinking from this lake due to some harmful algae in the water. Luckily, I’d filled up at the North Truckee River right before lunch, so I didn’t have to worry. Nonetheless, the lake sure looked pretty when I passed by.

There were plenty of day hikers and mountain bikers just after Round Lake. And more than one of them stopped over the next half mile asking me, “How much further to the lake?”

They all looked exhausted, and I’d soon find out why. The next few miles I was cruising downhill on the route they’d invariably had to work their way up. It was super pleasant hiking and I was starting to feel my second wind as the sun started to re-emerge.

My next major landmark today was Big Meadows. It appeared sooner than I expected, and looked – well – like a big meadow. The trail cut through a flat expanse and I was sailing right along.

At the far end of the meadow, as I approached Big Meadow Creek, there was a small footbridge. And when I looked down, I spotted about a dozen 6-9″ trout swimming in the brook. What a treat!

Then I was crossing Highway 89 and working my way over to the Big Meadow trailhead, where there was a large paved parking lot, trash cans, and even a real bathroom.

There was even a 0.5-mile side trail to the Luther Pass Campground from the parking area. So, I could potentially camp there for the night. As tempting as it might be to have a picnic table and toilet nearby this evening though, I didn’t really want to spend my first night on trail in a campground or around a bunch of people.

Plus, it was only 5:45pm. Too early to stop for the day, considering how late it was when I hit the trail. I’d only hiked 16 miles, so far. And that seemed a bit short given the fact that the sun would be up for 2.5+ more hours yet. I could make a few more miles at least.

I did, however, take advantage of the area near the trailhead to lounge for a bit on an extended break and spread out my rainfly. It was still soaking wet from lunchtime. But the sun was back out again and I knew everything would be fully dry in a matter of 10 minutes if I laid it out.

So while the sun did its business, I passed the time reading the nearby map and message boards near the trailhead. One sign in particular caught my attention. I guess it was a good thing I had that heavy bear canister after all!

MY FIRST NIGHT

After my short break, it was time to hit the trail again. There was a nicely built wooden bridge over Grass Lake Creek, and I couldn’t help but think about all the money and effort that went into building this trail.

I know the Lake Tahoe area has some serious wealth, and I’m pleased to see that some of it had made its way out to the backcountry. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association must have a lot of dedicated volunteers keeping this gem of a trail in such phenomenal shape. From the bridges to the trail maintenance, I’d give this trail an A+ overall.

I trekked a few more miles uphill with my eyes on the next major water source. I eventually got to a short side trail with a tributary from Grass Lake Creek. There were some nice stealth camping spots about 0.2 miles back from this trail junction, and they seemed to be an ideal spot of the night. Flat and soft, and not too far from water. Sweet!

As I set up my tent for the evening, I took inventory of my body. I’d hiked 18 miles today, and everything seemed to be holding up pretty good. There were a few minor aches and pains in the feet, but not too bad.

Of course, the real verdict will come tomorrow when I get up. I fully expect my shoulders to be groaning from the weight of that heavy bear canister. But, I’d do my best to eat two more meals out of it (tonight’s dinner and tomorrow’s breakfast) so I can lighten my load a little more before I had to hoist my pack back on.

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DAY 1 OVERVIEW

Highlights

• This trail is simply stunning. It’s beautifully maintained, easy to navigate, and I’m so happy I chose to hike it this year.
• Snow in June! There was traces of snow beside the trail. And snow-capped mountains in the distance. Oh, it was such a nice treat to see!

Challenges

• My failure to pack rain gear definitely came back to bite me in the tail. Note to self: trust your gut when packing; do NOT rely on the weather forecast!!
• I’m not really sure a frameless pack and a bear canister is a good combo. I might be maxing out the weigh capacity of my Gossamer Gear G4-20 pack.

Photo of the Day