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Hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail
More Random Memories of a 67-Year-Old Rambler
by Chet Anderson (aka “Gray Ghost”)
 
September 18
 –
26, 2009
 
1
After hiking the Ice Age Trail in 2009
, I wanted to experience hiking in drier areas and higherelevations. So this old man went west. My daughter, Cheryl, and her family live in Carson City,Nevada. Last fall, after I finished hiking the Appalachian Trail, she sent me guides and maps of the
Tahoe Rim Trail
(TRT). This trail looked interesting: a 170 mile loop trail in the mountainssurrounding Lake Tahoe on the California/ Nevada border. With elevations from 6,300 to
10,338 feet it wouldn’t be too high
, but high enough for a small test of my abilities; and withCheryl less than two hours drive from any road I crossed, I would have great support.I drove myself out to Nevada so I could have a trip free of schedules. I also wanted to visit myson Gregory and his family in California after I finished the trail. I spent two days visiting at
Cheryl’s home. She and I spent one day driving around La
ke Tahoe, checking out trailheads andapplying for a Desolation Wilderness permit. We also wanted to see if the Tramway store wouldbe open. A TRT
guide said it’s open
seasonally. I hoped to resupply there when I went through.
DAY ONE: 9/18/09 - 9.1 miles - Lower Echo Lake to Susie Lake.
My son-in-law, John, drove me to Lower Echo Lake. I started the trail about 8:30 a.m. I chose tostart here because permits are required to camp in the Desolation Wilderness. This was the firsttrailhead before the Wilderness. By starting here I knew which nights I would be spending inthe Wilderness. My understanding was I had to pick specific days and campsites in theWilderness. When I applied for my permit I found out if I paid for two days I was good for twoweeks. I wish I had known this beforehand. It would have given me more flexibility in planningwhere to start.The first day was nice; there were quite a few lakes along the trail-easy water and always greatscenery. Desolation Wilderness is a popular area on the trail. I saw twenty five hikers on thetrail the first day, about forty hikers the second day. After that I quit counting but there werefar fewer for the rest of thehike.I camped at Susie Lake thefirst night and met Tom andMichelle with their children:Jessica, six, and Ben, threeyears old. They had packedin four miles to thecampsite. It was great seeingthem starting the children soyoung.
Family at Susie Lake
 
2
I had a small pinenear my campsitethat I used forshade andwindbreak as Icooked dinner.Birds were flyingoverhead that Ithought were
Clark’s
Nutcrackers. Ichecked the birdprogram on myiPod to be sureand played therecording which hasvery little volume but the actual birds heard it and landed in the tree right above my head andwere very vocal. There was an open knoll up from lake with a little hollow on top and a 360degree view. I put my pad and sleeping bag in the hollow to be below the lip for windprotection and to watch the stars. Not the best idea; the stars were great but wind carried bitsof sand over me most of the night. My nose and throat were awful dry and dusty in themorning.
DAY TWO: 9/19/09 -19.4 miles - Susie Lake tofour miles short of Barker Pass.
The trail is marked muchdifferently from the IceAge or AppalachianTrails. There are markerposts only at trail junctions-seldom anyblazes between posts(which were sometimesmiles apart). I am used toblazes quite frequently.The trail is well used; so
Clark’s Nutcracker
 Trail Marker at trail junction
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