Tahoe Rim Trail - Sept. 3, 2009

Day 9 - the Last Segment of the TRT

Only 48 miles, from Tahoe City to Echo Lakes, to reach my goal of hiking all 165 miles of the Tahoe Rim Trail! Today's goal is the North fork of Blackwood canyon creek. This is the second time I've started from Tahoe City; the first time I hiked north, towards Brockway summit, this time we head south, through Page Meadows and Ward Creek. From Ward Creek, there is a long gradual climb to to Twin Peaks, and the edge of the Granite Chief Wilderness, where the TRT trail joins the Pacific Crest Trail. From here on down to Echo Lakes the two trails are the same path (they are actually the same path even farther south, but I'll be stopping at Echo Lakes!).

I'm still not sure why, but we missed the campsite where we planned on stopping, and ended up having to go another mile or two until we found a creek, probably the middle fork of Blackwood canyon creek. Sure made for a long day, and once again, not as much water on the trail as we'd like.

Saw our first horse on the trail, near Twin Peaks, but didn't see a single person on the PCT part of the trail, about 5 miles worth.

Looking at the south slopes of Alpine Meadows ski resort.

Joining the PCT

Granite Chief Wilderness

Looking east across Lake Tahoe to (possibly) Snow Valley Peak.

Home sweet home, near Blackwood Canyon