On the Road:
Now You Can Hike
Circles Around Tahoe |
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The completed trail affords
panoramic views of Lake Tahoe.
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L
ake of the sky" is one of the names European arrivals called it. Simply "the lake," or Da'aw, is what
the area's original settlers, the Washoe, called it, giving us the anglicized "Tahoe" for the largest
alpine lake in North America. Now you can walk circles around this world-famous body of blue and see
all the names it inspires.
Newly completed, the 150-mile-loop Tahoe Rim Trail encircles the lake as it runs along ridges and
mountaintops, through lush meadows and thick forest. It will officially open on September 22 with great
fanfare planned for the entire weekend.
The trail has been some 20 years in the building by thousands of dedicated and tireless
volunteers. Its opening kicks off with a three-day celebration including guided hikes, mountain bike
tours, horseback rides, and much more.
The Tahoe Rim Trail began as the vision of Glenn Hampton, a Forest Service recreation officer who
is now retired. Hampton hatched the idea in the late 1970s while resting atop a peak over the
lake. An avid outdoorsman, Hampton researched his idea, exploring the Lake Tahoe Basin and old paths
walked by early pioneers, Basque shepherds, and its first users, the Washoe.
Right from the start, Hampton says, he had the support of even staunch environmentalists, making
sure that, along with hikers and equestrians, groups such as the Sierra Club and the Audubon
Society had full representation on the initial advisory committee.
"My philosophy," Hampton says, "was that the trail be light on the land, afford special views,
and draw hikers away from what was then overuse of Tahoe's Desolation Wilderness." (The trail goes
through a part of that wilderness.)
The well-marked trail covers elevations from 6,300 feet to 10,333 feet. It has nine trailheads
with parking and information kiosks, so day users and overnight hikers can enjoy the trail. Parts
of it are wheelchair accessible.
In addition to the glorious vistas of the Sierra Nevada, at each turn, hikers get unparalleled
views of Lake Tahoe, one of our finest national treasures. The trail courses through two states
(California and Nevada), six counties, three national forests, three wilderness areas, and one state
park. It is open to runners, equestrians, hikers, and, in non-wilderness areas, to mountain
bikers.
Along with Nevada State Parks and the Forest Service, the nonprofit Tahoe Rim Trail Association
will help maintain the trail. The official grand opening ceremony on September 22 takes place on
the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. For maps and more information, contact the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
at (775) 588-0686 or
www.tahoerimtrail.org.
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