Christopher's Loop Panorama

Tahoe Rim Trail Thru-Hike - 165 Miles - Climb/Descent 29500'

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7 | Day 8 | Day 9 | Equipment
[just the photo album please]
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Food Modules Brockway Summit Trailhead First Expansive View of Lake Tahoe First Self-Portrait Mud Lake View From Relay Peak
1 August 2009: Brockway Summit -> Mt. Rose Summit
18.9 miles, 4613' climb, 2875' drop (~ 20/5000'/3200' since I got lost)

We arrived in Truckee around midnight and the alarm went off at 0645. After a hearty breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast with butter and jam, some potatoes that had too much pepper on them) and some last minute organizing, we left the hotel at 0805 and after crossing California State Route 267 and heading up a short service road, I took my first official step on the trail at 0830.

1333: Just stopped for lunch, and had the second of many granola bars and some beef jerky. In addition, I had some of my dried blueberry/cherry vanilla granola mix (1/3 cup berries, 2/3 cup granola). I ran into a few people, but overall, still felt fairly isolated. My Palm Pre ascertained my position and got a good enough signal around noon such that I was able to send Gina my location via the application I wrote. It has been 72 degrees in the shade, around 80 in the sun and the wind has picked up a bit.

1444: Somehow after only 6.25 hours, my GPS claims I am only 1.73 miles from my destination. I am supposed to be hiking 18.9 miles today, and am pretty sure I have not been averaging close to 3 miles per hour, including stops. I also do not think I hiked over Relay Peak, the highest point on the trail. Perhaps I chose poorly at a fork in the trail earlier; I am turning around.

1630: Well, I am pretty sure I am on top of Relay Peak now according to my GPS, 10330'. I backtracked 0.6 miles and 300'+ in elevation to the fork in the trail, and this time I went left...it started raining when I hit 10000' about 20 minutes ago; I almost turned around, but did not hear any thunder. To add insult to injury, after walking another 1.5 miles post-backtracking, I realized I left my hiking pole where I turned around at 1444.

2030: My Tahoe Rim Trail book divided the trail into eight sections. I tore them out so as not to necessitate carrying the whole book every day and unfortunately brought the wrong section today. Had I taken the correct one, I would have known to go left at the fork (need to write to the TRTA about installing a trail marker). Apparently going right leads one to private property, which I promptly trespassed through after reuniting with my hiking pole. I could hear State Route 431 (Mt. Rose Highway) in the distance and kept following the trail as it meandered in that general direction. Eventually the trail ended at a dirt road, and I chose to walk right as it seemed to initially keep me pointed in the correct direction. I passed numerous signs, "Incline Lake Corporation, Private Property", "It Is Illegal To Discharge Firearms On This Property", "Leave Unrecognized Objects Alone, They May be Unexploded Devices Used For Snow Removal". Mosquitoes feasted on my entire body as I kept heading towards the drone of automobiles. Eventually I came to a lake and could see cars on the road about 30 feet above it. After clamoring up a steep embankment, I found myself at an emergency turnout with the GPS claiming I was 1.4 miles from camp. I called Gina and she picked me up. She had purchased some food to cook at Target so we bought wood from the campground host, started a fire and attempted to boil water. We managed to get the water boiling, but perhaps overloaded our tiny mess kit pot as the gnocchi never fully cooked. We threw a tomato and some pesto sauce in and it tasted fine.
 
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[just the photo album please]

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