View from the Rim

In 1981 the cool kids drove Camaros, the Talking Heads sang “My God? What have I done!”, and Indiana Jones recovered a lost ark. In our little corner of the world, passionate outdoor enthusiasts came together to establish the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) to make the Tahoe Rim Trail dream a reality. In 2021 we’re celebrating our 40th anniversary by taking a look back at our history, the incredible people who have made all our work possible, and the epic trail we’ve created. The Tahoe Rim Trail was the brainchild of Glenn Hampton, a Forest Service Recreation Officer, transferred from the Angeles National Forest to the Lake Tahoe Basin in the late 1970s. Glenn by Morgan Steel Executive Director spent several summers exploring Tahoe’s trails and mountain peaks, learning the intricacies of the Basin’s trail system. As time wore on, he kept coming back to the same gnawing question—why, with all of the incredible public land surrounding Tahoe—was there no continuous loop trail around the lake?

Glenn was onto something special and in 1981 trail supporters gathered to create an organization to implement his vision. By 1982 the Tahoe Rim Trail Fund, Inc. (later changed to the Tahoe Rim Trail Association) had its first official board meeting and applied for nonprofit status. Around the same time, the USFS included the Tahoe Rim Trail Project in the Basin’s 1982 planning process. With backing from the Forest Service and seed money coming in from the Alpine Winter Foundation, Glenn and the Tahoe Rim Trail Fund moved forward with the completion of the initial environmental assessment and started trail construction in 1984.

It would take another seventeen years and hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours to connect the initial loop and officially open the Tahoe Rim Trail. The final section of trail built was near Martis Peak on the north end of the lake, a spot we now affectionately call Celebration Point. On September 22, 2001, the TRTA gathered together to mark the occasion. Glenn Hampton even flew in from his new home on the East Coast to deliver the keynote address.

The following two decades have been a whirlwind of expansions, reroutes, improvements, and growth. The organization has transformed. In addition to its essential function to maintain and enhance the trail system, the TRTA works to address and improve all aspects of the TRT experience. This includes everything from connecting population centers to the trail through new connectors and providing guided hiking opportunities for adults and children, to advocating for public transit to trailheads and ensuring the trail is preserved for future generations.

Over 40 years, we have been honored to have your support in achieving our mission. Personally, I’m thrilled to be a part of this work. Like many of our volunteers and supporters, I have fond memories of time spent with some of my favorite people on the trail. I also have those special pieces of trail, often marked by a rock I fought to fit perfectly into place, that will remind me of my contribution each time I visit.

We’re looking forward to celebrating our 40th anniversary this year with you. We’re hopeful the continued gains made in addressing the pandemic will ensure we can celebrate in person reflecting on our success, honoring our history, and strategizing how to create another four decades of success. While we don’t know what challenges and opportunities lie ahead, we’ll continue to carry our mission forward to provide incredible recreational opportunities so everyone can be inspired by Tahoe’s wild places today and in the future! Happy Trails,

The Trail Blazer is the official publication of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit whose mission is to maintain and enhance the Tahoe Rim Trail system, practice and inspire stewardship, and preserve access to the natural beauty of the Lake Tahoe Region.

STAFF

Executive Director Morgan Steel

Development Director Veronica Palmer

Outdoor Programs Director Lindsey Schultz

Office Administrator Laurie Buffington

Trail Operations Manager Kristine Koran

Youth Programs Manager Julia Kaseta

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Tom Fullerton

Vice President Tricia Tong Treasurer Dave Schnake

Secretary Michelle Glickert Vice President of Trail Ops Shannon Foley Vice President of Trail Use Carl Woods

Board Members Marissa Fox, Joe Irvin, Justin Knowles, Ro Martinoni, and John McCall

The Tahoe Rim Trail Association works in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and Nevada Division of State Parks

The Tahoe Rim Trail Association would like to express its gratitude to John Singlaub, who wrapped up his final board term in March of 2021. John joined the board in the fall of 2009 and by December was appointed Executive Vice President. The following year, John took on the role of Board President. He assumed he would serve a one-year term, but spent eight years shepherding the organization through two new Executive Directors, finding a new home and moving the TRTA office, database conversions, staff transitions, and a website relaunch among a slew of other challenges and opportunities. We will be forever grateful for the insight and leadership he brought to the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. Thank you for everything, John. See you on the trail.

TRAIL OPERATIONS

The Dirt on Trail Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

VOLUNTEERING

Here’s a Shovel: How Volunteers Shaped the TRT . . . . . .6

DEDICATIONS

Views We Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

OUTDOOR PROGRAMS

The Compass: Anniversary of the First TRT Thru Hike . . 10

NEWS & FEATURES

YBCC Back in Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 40 Years of Trailbuilding, Recreation, & Teamwork . . . . 14 Calling All Volunteers: Taskforce Trailhead . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 TRTA Active Guides and Crew Leaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2020 165 Mile Club Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Over the Hill: Celebrate the TRTA’s 40th with Us! . . . . . 18 TRTA Photo Contest Call for Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19