Segment 3: Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit

Segment Length: 23.1 miles

Start Elevation: 8,740 ft.

End Elevation: 7,150 ft.


High Point: 9,214 ft. (Snow Valley Peak)

Mileage sign at Tahoe Meadows.

At 23.1 miles, this segment from Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Summit is the longest of the three that I have run so far. However, with a higher start elevation than end elevation, I was very excited to not have to run uphill all day (see Segment 2).  Starting at Tahoe Meadows the trail winds along the top of the ridge with great views of Lake Tahoe on one side and the Carson Valley on the other. 

View of the Carson Valley from the ridge.

 All of the climbs and descents are relatively gentle for the first 9 1/2 miles to Tunnel Creek Road. I wasn't trying to run particularly fast but I ended up making it to Tunnel Creek in under an hour and a half. Its amazing how quickly you can cover ground when the trail isn't climbing straight uphill. 

Mileage marker at Tunnel Creek.

Feeling like I was ahead of schedule I decided to stop for a snack and hang out with a couple mountain bikers who had caught up to me. It seems like I get the same reaction from pretty much everyone I run into on the trail when I tell them what I am doing. Its always something like, "Oh, cool. Wait...What?!?" I talked to those guys for a few minutes before they headed down Tunnel Creek Road toward Incline Village and I headed on my way.

One of the Twin Lakes.

Only 1/2 mile after Tunnel Creek I reached Twin Lakes. I only found one lake, but judging by the name I'm sure there was another one near by. It was actually a pretty cool spot with all of these randomly placed white boulders everywhere. Learning from my last run, I drank all of the water that I had and filtered more before leaving Twin Lakes. I was glad that I did as the trail climbed for a solid 2 miles back to the top of the ridge.

Abundance of Lupin.

Once on top of the ridge, the trail flattened out again and traversed across mountain sides of the thickest wild flowers I have ever seen. The huge snow year has provided lots of extra water late into summer, and there are literally entire mountains colored purple with Lupin. Of all my time hiking in the mountains I have never seen anything like it. 

Endless fields of Lupin near Snow Valley Peak.

Marlette Lake with Tahoe in the distance.

With roughly 9 miles left Marlette Lake came into view. I had been banking on being able to refill my water bottles at Marlette but that didn't work out so well. I didn't realize it, but without taking a several mile side hike this was the closest I would I get to the lake. This was unfortunate considering I only had 16 ounces of water left with 9 miles still ahead, including a climb over Snow Valley Peak (9,214 ft.).

A lone tree on Snow Valley Peak.

I slowed my pace a little for my ascent of Snow Valley Peak to avoid getting too dehydrated. I didn't want to risk cramping up again like I almost did on my last run. If there is one thing I am learning it is that the Sierras are very dry and you can get in trouble quickly. Its not like what I am used to in the North Cascades where you cross a creek every couple of miles. From now on when I find a water source I am going to drink until I can't drink any more, because chances are I won't see another drop for miles. Luckily, I had just enough water to get me to the summit of Snow Valley Peak. From there it is a brutal, but easy, downhill cruise for the final 5 miles to the Spooner Summit Trail Head.

Mileage marker at the Spooner Summit Trail Head.

Hitching a ride from Spooner Summit back to Mt. Rose ended up being surprisingly fast and easy. Thanks to Jose for driving me from Spooner to the intersection of Hwy 28. Thanks to Oscar for driving me from there to the bottom of Mt. Rose Hwy. And thanks to Murray for driving me to the top of Mt. Rose. It was a long day on the trail and it was a relief not to have to spend more than a couple minutes on the side of the road!

Segment 2: Brockway Summit to Tahoe Meadows

Trail map at the Brockway Trailhead

Segment Length: 19 Miles

Start Elevation: 6,900 ft.

End Elevation: 8,900 ft.

High Point: 10,338 ft. (Relay Peak)

Mileage sign at the trailhead.

After taking some time to rest my knee and working 7 days a week for 2 months straight, I finally got a morning off to tackle my second segment of the Tahoe Rim. This segment, from Brockway Summit to Tahoe Meadows at the summit of Mt. Rose Highway, turned out to be the most punishing 19 miles I have ever run. Hands down.

9,000 ft. Only the toughest trees and baddest trail runners survive beyond this point.

Starting at 6,900 ft., the trail climbs for 15 straight miles to the summit of Relay Peak, the highest point on the Tahoe Rim Trail at 10,338 ft.  Some parts of the climb are steeper than others and there are a couple brief flat spots, but overall it is a relentless ascent for the entire 15 miles to Relay. The first 7 miles climbs steadily to the head of the Martis Valley at roughly 9,000 ft. At this point the climb mellows out a bit 

Head of the Martis Valley. Still plenty of snow.

and the trail traverses the ridge toward Rose Knob with beautiful meadows and incredible views of Lake Tahoe. The 2-3 miles along the top of this ridge was by far my favorite stretch of the Tahoe Rim that I have run so far.

Steep meadows and amazing views along the ridge near Rose Knob.

Mud Lake

At the 11 mile mark I reached Mud Lake. Mud Lake was my only source of water for 19 miles and its a good thing I didn't blink. Mud Lake is more like a mud puddle, and it is a couple hundred feet below the trail. I scrambled down to the lake and filtered some nice, warm water from the insect larva-infested pond. It was better than nothing though, and I would have been in trouble without it.

Mt. Rose Hwy in the distance. Unfortunately it wouldn't be that easy.

After Mud Lake it gets brutal. The trail is very rugged and exposed, and it dips down a couple hundred feet just to make sure that the final push to Relay Peak thoroughly destroys you. There is one point where you reach the top of the ridge only to turn the corner and realize you still have 400 vertical feet and another mile to go. At this point all you can do is put your head down and keep charging. Despite being pretty exhausted, I stubbornly managed to run every step of the 15 mile climb to Relay Peak. 

Mileage marker near the summit of Relay Peak.

 From the top of Relay it is either 4 miles down the gravel road or 4.7 miles down the trail to Mt. Rose Hwy. Even though both are considered to be the Tahoe Rim Trail, I decided to take the trail and run the extra .7 miles. Unfortunately, taking the trail adds an additional climb and my legs had already decided that they weren't going to climb anymore. I started feeling a twang in my hamstrings as if they were about to explode into severe cramps, so I took a few minutes to sit down and work it out. A couple guys that I had just passed caught back up to me and asked me where I had started running. Astonished that I had run from Brockway they started hooking me up with water and almonds and trail mix and all kinds of good stuff. The older guy was named Hans and apparently he owns a natural foods store in Reno and has bicycled around the world 4 times. He invited me to take a tour of his store the next time I'm in Reno and I might have to take him up on that. The extra calories were a life saver, and after a few minutes of rest I was able to coast the final 2 miles to the trail head at Mt. Rose Highway.

Mileage sign at the Mt. Rose Trailhead.

Thank you, Tori, for giving me a ride back to my car! I don't think I had the energy to hitch after that one.