TRT Planning - Tahoe Rim Trail

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#1

I am planning to do the TRT next year ('07) in the summer time frame (probably July/August) and have been reading several of the journals and the TRT book. I am still having a hard time figuring out how to plan the Barker Pass to Kingsbury summit area as far as camping is concerned. Since water is scarce during the summer - that limits the camping options for that area of the TRT. My friends and I are not the normal 20+ milers a day and normally do about 12 to 16 miles a day. I am thinking about starting at Kingsbury and doing it clockwise.

Any advice on where to plan camping in that area to avoid possibly lots of dry camping or 20+ days? I will not have local support for water cache.

OregonBeerMan

#2

My wife and I tried it two months ago and had friends cache water at Barker, several gallons for the eastern side and one bear can of food. We got a lot of “no water” on the TRT from the locals in the summer but had no trouble finding it even in the dry areas north of Desolation. Must be our AT skills.

You may have to go off trail a bit on the east side or cache water yourself before hand at road crossings and I can’t honestly tell you how the water was there, we didn’t finish due to an injury acting up.

The ski lift is suposed to have water and looking at the map I saw several stream starts just down the hills. Bring a filter for those small trickles.

Do you have the good TRT map from Tom Harrigan map? Top row, right hand side…the $10 water proof one. If you get one e-meil me and I can tell you where water was and where we think it will be. Beer?

Bushwhack

#3

My only thought is that section might be best at the end when you’re in the best shape and can carry more water without great impact. I’ve always thought I’d leave from Tahoe Meadows and go clockwise.

socks

#4

Oregon Beer Man, I did the TRT the first week of September 2006 and had great weather. I started at Barker Pass and traveled counter clockwise. There was no water between Kingsbury and Spooner but pretty easy hiking and water and food at both ends of that section. I found at least one water source in each of the other sections and many sources between Tahoe City and Kingsbury.

BIG A

#5

Hopefully you found my 2003 TRT journal, which might give you some ideas. The east side was definitely a challenge. In my case, after crossing the Mt. Rose road, I camped in the woods near Ophir Creek. I watered up there the next morning, and ended up carrying enough water for my next camp, which was at Marlette Peak campground, plus enough to get me to Spooner Summit. I happened to be finishing my hike there, but if I had been going on, I would have watered up at Spooner Lake, and would have carried enough to get me through the Spooner-Kingsbury stretch with a camp somewhere before Kingsbury North, plus a bit for the next day. That would have gotten me to a flowing brook (and my hike was in September) a mile or two in from the Kingsbury South trailhead. From there the water sources become more frequent again.

Water issues aside, it’s a great hike. Enjoy!
Snowbird

Snowbird