Maybe it’s my nerdy engineer mindset, but one of my favorite aspects of trails is looking back at the metrics for the things I encountered on trail. Although the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) was a bit of a shorter trek at 171 miles, I did find enough interesting items to geek out on during the adventure.

I began my journey at Echo Summit (on the south side of Lake Tahoe) and thru-hiked the TRT counterclockwise. This direction is less popular, but it allowed me to have a more social hike because I crossed paths with the bulk of hikers traveling the opposite direction. And then, when I got to Tahoe City on day 6, I resupplied and added a hiking partner (i.e., my 13 year old son) for the remainder of my trip.

In additional to hiking against the current, it’s also worth noting that I hiked pretty early in the season (late June and into the beginning of July). So, my experiences – particularly with the weather, water sources, and wildlife – may be atypical when compared to other TRT thru-hikers in 2020.

OVERVIEW

• Official distance of the TRT in 2020: 171 miles
• Highest point: 10,338′ (Relay Peak)
• Lowest point: 6,240′ (Tahoe City)
• Permits required: 1 (Desolation Wilderness)
• States the trail passes through: 2 (California & Nevada)
• Miles that the TRT overlaps with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT): 50

MILEAGE

• Total days for my thru-hike: 9
• Overall average miles per day: 19
• Longest distance hiked in a day: 28 miles (Day 3)
• Shortest distance hiked in a day: 13.9 miles (Day 6 into Tahoe City to resupply)
• Miles spent hiking the TRT solo: 121
• Days spent hiking solo: 6
• Solo average: 20.1 miles/day
• Miles spent hiking the TRT with my son: 50
• Days it took us to hike those 50 miles: 3
• Daily average for that stretch: 16.6 miles/day (I’m so very proud of him!)
• Finn’s longest day on the TRT: 18 miles!

FOOD & WATER

• Days of food I shoved into a bear canister: 6
• Weight of my empty BV500 bear canister: 2 lbs, 9 oz.
• Times I resupplied: 1 (Tahoe City)
• Weight I cut when I swapped the bear canister for my new Ursack in Tahoe City : 2 lbs, 2 oz.!!
• Longest water carry: 18 miles (The spring below Relay Peak until Watson Lake)
• Most water carried: 3 liters (~6.6 lbs)
• Worst water source: Spooner Lake
• Best water source: Pretty much all the rest of them!
• Days in a row that I ate the same exact breakfast: 9
• Days that I ate the same exact dinner: 2
• Cups of coffee consumed: 10
• Favorite meal: Dehydrated refried beans with chili cheese Fritos

WEATHER ON THE TRT

• Days with some rain: 2
• Time getting pelted with small hail: 15 minutes
• Number of days I encountered minor snow on trail: 8
• Highest temperatureL 82°F
• Lowest temperature: 37°F
• Highest UV index: 11.4 (Extreme)

WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS

• Bear sightings: 0
• Snake encounters: 1 (a very small garter snake)
• Marmots spotted on trail: 2
• Noisy woodpeckers that woke me up at 5 am: 1
• Peregrine falcons seen up in a tree: 1
• Types of wildflower spotted on trail: Too many to begin to count

TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS

• Big waterfalls visited: 3 (Galena falls, McCloud Falls, unnamed falls near Heather Lake)
• Epic snow bridges over a stream: 1
• Ski resorts passed through: 2 (Heavenly, Diamond Peak)
• Days with breathtaking views: Every single one of them!!
• Favorite Lake: Heather Lake
• Busiest section of trail to traverse: Dick’s Pass to Lower Echo Lake
• Least maintained stretch of trail: Northern end of the Desolation Wilderness (lots of big blowdowns)

OTHER PEOPLE ON TRAIL:

• Hikers I provided minor first aid to in a single day: 2
• TRT hikers I saw carrying fishing rods: 4
• Day hikers I shamelessly chastised for cutting switchbacks near Brockway Summit: 2
• Hikers I stumbled upon answering nature’s call with their pants around the ankles: 1
• PCT thru-hikers I met on trail: 3
• Mountain bikers flooding the 9.5-mile section between Tunnel Creek and Tahoe Meadows: 100+

ODDS & ENDS

• Number of times I tripped and fell on trail: 1
• Number of stealth sites I camped in: 6
• Number of primitive campgrounds I used: 2 (Marlette Peak and Watson Lake)
• Number of nights I spent off the trail & getting a real shower: 1 (while resupplying)
• Number days hiking with no cell service anywhere on trail: 1
• Pit toilets visited: 4
• Times I was able to dump my trash: 2 (Spooner Lake Trailhead & Tahoe City)
• Baseweight of pack: < 13 lbs
• Heaviest pack weight (with bear canister, food, water): ~ 28 lbs
• Items I intentionally didn’t pack and regretted on my solo section: 1 (Rain jacket)
• Items I accidentally forgot to pack for the 2nd part of hike: 2 tent stakes (for the rainfly)

So with all that, the magic question is – would I recommend this trail to other thru-hikers out there? Absolutely! Mile for mile, this might be the prettiest trail in America. There are stunning panoramic views of Lake Tahoe and the Sierras. The trail is well-maintained and marked. The distance is ideal for a 10-14 day hike. As one friend put it, this trail is the Neiman Marcus of hiking trails – stylishly luxurious and beautiful.

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Want to read more like this??

Check out some of my other posts with similar information, including:

• My Appalachian Trail Thru-hike… By the numbers
• My Tahoe Rim Trail Packing List (solo)
• My TRT Trail Journal (a day-by-day account of my thru-hike)