Hike - PCT to Tinker Knob

Click for a large panorama from the summit of Tinker Knob.

The start of the trail at the summit of Highway 40.

We’ve completed riding all the sections of the Tahoe Rim Trail that allow bikes, so now we’re looking at hiking some of the remaining parts. However, first we decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Sugar Bowl to Squaw Valley.

We started at the top of Highway 40, next to Sugar Bowl. The trail switchbacks up a rocky section above Lake Mary and then slowly ascends into Sugar Bowl, going past the top of the Jerome Hill chair to Roller Pass.

Looking into Coldstream Valley from Roller Pass. The PCT follows the ridge in the background.

Roller Pass sits between Mt. Judah and Mt. Lincoln and was used by the first wagon trains in the 1840s. Although it’s about 700’ higher than Donner Summit, it was easier to cross because it doesn’t have the granite obstacles of Donner. However, the final pitch is a 35° slope that emigrants traversed by unloading, partially disassembling and winching their wagons.

The pass was named Roller Pass because a log roller was used to haul wagons over the summit.

Roller Pass and Mt. Judah in the background.

The Donner crossing was made by 260 people and 50 wagons in 1845 and by approximately 1,500 people and 500 wagons in 1846—the year of the Donner Party. By 1850 most emigrants coming into California were using a better route to the south, via Carson Pass.

Volcanic features on the section to Anderson Peak.

The PCT trail sticks to the crest for the six miles from Roller Pass to Tinker Knob. You get nice views of Coldstream Valley, and walk along volcanic features and steep, eroded sections. It’s nearly always windy on the crest, so the temps were cool, despite the warm day.

Approaching Tinker Knob.

The trail is smooth dirt until you reach Anderson Peak. The trail goes around the back (west side) of Anderson and then climbs a rocky two miles up to Tinker Knob.

The view from the top of Tinker Knob (8,949’), with Squaw Valley beyond the ridge behind us.

Once you’ve reached the flanks of Tinker Knob, it only takes five minutes to scramble to the top. The view is impressive—you can see everything from Squaw to Truckee.

Descending from Tinker Knob into the fringes of the Granite Chief Wilderness.

Heading south from Tinker Knob, the trail quickly drops 1500’ and then climbs back up 700’ through granite features.

Descending the Granite Chief trail, standing on a granite slab while looking into Squaw Valley.

The PCT then meets the top of the Granite Chief trail, which is a steep, rocky, 2400' descent into Squaw along the north side of Shirley Lake Canyon.

About halfway down we encountered large granite slabs nearly the size of a parking lot.

On the PCT near the Granite Chief trail, looking north to Tinker Knob.

The hike was about 16 miles, with a vertical gain of around 3000 feet. It’s very scenic, and you can see the entire ridge system from Squaw to I-80.

Now, if they would just open up the PCT to bikes!

Bike - Lloyd's Trail

Nancy in a tight spot halfway through the ride.

Lloyd's Trail is a funky little loop next to Prosser Dam. It has a little bit of everything—climbs, nice singletrack, rocks, log obstacles, jumps and 4 x 4 roads to get out there and back.

Bike - Stanford Rock

After climbing 1000’, the trees begin to open up a little.

For Labor Day, we decided to labor up Stanford Rock to access the last section of the Tahoe Rim Trail that we hadn't ridden. Stanford Rock is a 15-mile loop with a 2200' climb up an overgrown old road. From the top, you make a short descent to intersect the TRT, just before it reaches Twin Peaks.

The trail climbs at a moderate pitch, so you can ride it the whole way except for three nasty pitches near the top that only the strongest riders can clear.

Checking out the view of Ward Canyon.

I stopped part way up to wait for Nancy and make sure she hadn’t exploded. She was excited at how well she was doing and was looking for the summit around every corner, until I pointed to the altimeter and said, “Uh, we’re not quite halfway there.” End of excitement.

There is a view of Blackwood Canyon at the two-thirds point in the trail, but otherwise you are enclosed by trees until the trail tops out. From the top you get excellent views of Twin Peaks and Ward Canyon.

Get used to seeing this.

Bikers normally ride up the Stanford Rock trail and come down the TRT, because the middle part of the TRT has a zillion rock steps and water bars that are hard enough to ride down, never mind coming up. The steps wouldn’t be so bad, except they’re also surrounded with loose rock.

Riding through the Mule’s Ears on the Tahoe Rim Trail, with Twin Peaks in the background.

Yeah! After three summers, we finally finished riding the TRT! (By comparison, an ultra-marathoner just ran the whole thing—172 miles—in 45 hours.)

So we’re not core, at least by local standards. However, while you often see men in the 40s and 50s biking these trails, I’ve yet to see a woman our age out here riding.

Call us quarter-core . . . maybe even half.

Bike - TRT to Tahoe City

Our high point on the TRT, 1300’ above the highway.

I’ve had a goal to ride all the sections of the Tahoe Rim Trail that allow bikes, and—to show you how slowly we ride—after three summers we're finally getting there.

Today, we started at the Midway Bridge between Squaw and Alpine, rode up the Western States trail to the TRT, and then rode the TRT down to Tahoe City. This section of the TRT doesn't get a lot of bike traffic because it's the rockiest.

A typically rocky section on the descent to Tahoe City; it gets a lot worse.

After grinding up the Western States trail and The Wall, you have some more climbing to do on the TRT before topping out on the ridge above the highway. Once on top, there are terrific views of Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows valley. The ridge top is also a very pretty area, with a nice rolling trail—until you hit the rocks.

A good rider can roll over most of it, but you still take a pounding. You keep waiting for it to end, but it never really does.

Taking a break on the Truckee River bike path.

From Tahoe City, we rode back to Midway Bridge on the Truckee River bike path. I don’t plan on riding this section again anytime soon.