WINTER 2020 EDITION
Rebuilding Desolation How Volunteers and Partnerships are Revitalizing a Wilderness Trail
VIEW FROM THE RIM
Tahoe Rim Trail Association 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 Deputy Director Chris Binder Outdoor Programs Director Lindsey Schultz Development Manager Veronica Palmer Operations & Marketing Manager Justine Grafton
Dear Supporters,
T
he fall is when we have grown and evolved. celebrate! As the days get During our planning process shorter and the weather cools, this year, we considered the the TRTA changes gears. We schedule for these events and transition to project wrap up, decided both are essential reporting, evaluation, planning but to give each the proper for the next field season, and time they deserve we needed very importantly celebrating to adjust our timing. By and giving thanks. Here at the scheduling the events within Tahoe Rim Trail Association, by Morgan Steel a few weeks of each other, as Executive Director we have a lot to be thankful for we have the past several years, including an incredible team of dedicated were were not able to dedicate the full volunteers led by our Crew Leaders and attention we’d felt they needed. Therefore, Guides plus community support that I’m excited to announce that our Annual keeps our doors open and projects running Meeting will be moved to April of 2020. smoothly. To honor the contributions the Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 4th community makes to our organization and join us to celebrate a great year on the we host two major events each fall, our TRT at the Tahoe Environmental Research Volunteer Party and our Annual Meeting. Center at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Both events are near and dear to our hearts Village, NV. as they are an important opportunity for us to recognize our volunteers, donors, board members, partners, and accomplishments. As our organization matures, these events With Gratitude,
Morgan Steel Executive Director 2
TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Office Administrator Laurie Buffington Youth Programs Manager Julia Kaseta
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Dave Schnake Vice President Jim Cline Treasurer John McCall Secretary Michelle Glickert Sustainable Funding Alice Hampton Trail Operations Don Bailey Trail Use Carl Woods Board Members John Singlaub, Marissa Fox, Roberta Martinoni, Shannon Foley, Tom Fullerton, Tricia Tong
The Tahoe Rim Trail Association works in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and the Nevada Division of State Parks
The Dirt On Trail Operations T
he list of ten essential items that everyone escaping to the outdoors should carry is a common topic for adventuring blogs, hiking magazines, and trail guidebooks. The concept was by Chris Binder Director of Trail Ops originally developed by the Mountaineers (a Seattle-based climbing, advocacy, and conservation group) back in the 1930s and hasn’t changed much from its classic roots. Every version of the list always includes items relating to navigation such as a map and compass (know how to use them!), though GPS devices are commonly included now as a viable alternative (don’t forget extra batteries!). Yet even though the word is out, it is more common than not to meet people recreating in the backcountry without anything more to navigate by than the angle of the sun or the position of the stars. And even the most prepared among us could occasionally use a hand when approaching a confusing trail junction. For this reason (and several others mentioned below) many hikers,
bikers, and equestrians rely on trail signs. The 2019 trail season marks the third year in a five year project on the TRT to inventory, replace, and/or upgrade all of the signs on the TRT. From 2017-2020 about a quarter of the trail system is being inventoried for where signs are (and aren’t) and what they say (or don’t say). Then during the 2018-2021 seasons about a quarter of all signs in the trail system are receiving an overhaul. The goal of the project is threefold – to improve trail user wayfinding, to clearly post land manager regulations (eg. where certain types of activities are permitted or banned), and to better protect natural and cultural resources. There is an average of about five signs per mile on the TRT system (fewer in wilderness areas and more closer to major trailheads), so the project is a significant undertaking for both TRTA staff and volunteers. Along with providing directions, trail signs can convey regulatory information. For example, the TRTA uses signs to indicate where certain trail uses are prohibited. On the TRT this is especially crucial where the trail crosses forest roads and trails that are open to motorized use. Clear and accurate signing does not deter all
encroachment by motorized users on the TRT, but it does help well-intentioned users remain in compliance with land manager regulations. Similarly, the TRTA uses other signs to inform trail users how to avoid damaging or destroying natural and cultural resources. Others may educate on the proximity of threatened or endangered species, recommending that everyone stay on the trail to avoid disturbing or trampling plants or animals. Since they serve as such a valuable communication tool, trail signs could be considered for a new top ten list: The Top Ten Essential Items in a trail manager’s toolbox.
Happy Trails! We made many new friendships and countless smiles happen this summer. Supporting our efforts was our incredible team of summer staff! Our Crew Leaders set an ambitious trail construction and maintenance to-do list this season comprised of over 100 trail workdays and four overnight trail work camps. Extra hands on deck were needed! The TRTA welcomed Jeff Matthiess, our Sierra Nevada Alliance Trail Ops Fellow, to the team this April. Jeff was instrumental in providing on the ground support to trail maintenance, construction, and planning projects. Jeff tells us he will never look at trails the same way after a summer on the TRTA trail crew
and he appreciates all the mentorship he received from staff and our Crew Leader team. Our fearless Youth Backcountry Camp Instructors, Julia Kaseta and Devin DeLong, guided ten backpacking trips for teens this summer. They led 99 youth out into the backcountry and returned with 99 inspired teens ready to become the next generation of trail stewards. Thank you for bringing your best every day and for dedicating your summer to sharing your knowledge and passion for the outdoors.
Julia Kaseta (left) and Devin DeLong (right)
Thanks for being part of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association Team this summer! Jeff Mattheiss
Boiled crawfish can make a nice foraged addition to a trail meal.
Rebuilding Desolation How Volunteers and Partnerships are Revitalizing a Wilderness Trail
T
he idea for the Tahoe Rim Trail was born in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Glen Hampton, founding father of the trail, realized that the Tahoe Basin did not have enough trail mileage to meet the needs of the recreating public. As the trail transitioned from a dream into a reality, compliance documentation was completed in order to show, among other things, the purpose and need for the Tahoe Rim Trail system. The original Environmental Assessment for the trail, produced in 1983 shows that the majority of the official trails in the Basin were concentrated in Meiss Country (the Upper Truckee watershed) and Desolation Wilderness. The document warns that trails in those two areas are so popular that they are “wearing thin” and “wearing out”, and warns that user “capacity… has been reached”. Despite the passage of time, the same could easily be said of those same trails today, at least in Desolation Wilderness. Nearly 40 years later, the pace of recreation growth has kept up with or even exceeded the pace of trail construction in our region, and locations such as Desolation Wilderness remain extremely popular. Trails in much of the Wilderness suffer constant degradation from heavy use, storm events, and seasonal snowmelt. An unfortunate byproduct of the excitement and energy that surround the building of new trails is that existing trails can sometimes be neglected. On most of the collocated Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and TRT in Desolation Wilderness, trail maintenance and reconstruction has not consistently been performed at the levels required to preserve the status quo, much less to realize substantial and widespread improvements.
The Need
Although the PCT/TRT runs for only about 22 miles in Desolation, the TRTA has identified well over 100 individual stretches of the trail in the wilderness that need significant reconstruction. The trail deficiencies range from areas with excessive erosion to locations where there is a need for
the removal of failed structures. In numerous places, the trail needs stone steps and drainage structures to armor the trail tread and mitigate poor design that has led, in some cases, to the evolution of hip-deep erosion ditches. At other sites, metal culverts designed to draw water under the trail have completely silted up and therefore by Chris Binder need to be dug up, hauled out, and Director of Trail Ops replaced with native stone culverts that better fit the character of the trail in the Wilderness. On average, these deficiencies will each take several hundred hours of work to rectify. Each deficiency must be addressed so that the trail can be returned to the desired condition specified by the Trail Management Objective (TMO) standards for this segment. Among other specifications, those standards call for a Class 3 (developed/improved) trail with a target grade of less than 12% that does not conduct sediment into nearby waterbodies (though the majority of trails in wilderness areas are Class 2 trails with less stringent standards, the heavy use received by the PCT/TRT calls for a higher standard). To complicate matters, no motorized or mechanized equipment can be used in Wilderness areas without special dispensation, which is almost never granted for trail building. Not even wheelbarrows are allowed, as wheeled conveyances are considered mechanized equipment. The work must be accomplished by hand and hoof, miles away and thousands of feet in elevation up from the nearest trailheads, and in only a few short months in the summer when the trail is completely snow-free. The challenge is part of what makes the work so rewarding.
TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
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Getting the Job Done
Over the past few years, momentum has been building to reinvigorate trail reconstruction efforts on the PCT/TRT in Desolation Wilderness. Spearheaded by the TRTA, a small but dynamic collection of groups and agencies has come together to ensure that trail maintenance and improvements on this beautiful section of the trail remain a priority year after year. The commitment of time, money, and effort to this project has been increasing each year for the past five years, and that trajectory appears likely to continue. The TRTA is the primary contributor to this ongoing mission, and the newly christened Desolation Wilderness Trail Crew is the principal tool by which the Association is taking on this gigantic project.
Before
After
During the 2019 field season, TRTA’s Desolation Wilderness Trail Crew spent a total of eight days in the field, contributing 700 hours of volunteer labor. Thirteen TRTA volunteers joined the crew over two hitches in July and early August. These dedicated individuals, many of whom chose to join both of the summer’s overnight volunteer crews, immersed themselves in the beauty and challenge of rebuilding damaged trails in one of the Sierra’s most impressive and inspiring landscapes. Each member of the crew packed in their own food and gear to Middle Velma Lake where a basecamp was established. From there, a short walk each day brought the crew to their worksite. The prescription for fixing erosion on this portion of the trail is straightforward but arduous – dig out rocks from the surrounding area to construct steps and drains to harden the trail surface and move water quickly and efficiently off the trail. This work also serves to keep horses and hikers walking on a hardened surface at sustainable grades. Large rocks had to be dug out of the ground with picks, shovels, and steel rock bars, rolled or dragged to the trail with slings, and then cemented in place by crushing granite into gravel with hammers behind and beneath each stone. Dirt fill was 6
TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
similarly dug up and transported by canvas bag, and any impeding roots were cut by hand with pulaskis, a fire-fighting tool adopted for trails that features an adze on one end and an ax on the other. All the work pays off in the praise the crews received from hundreds of passing hikers (many of whom began their journey at the US-Mexico border), the beauty of the surrounding landscape, and the satisfaction of knowing the work would last for generations. Post-workday dips in alpine lakes, hikes to the top of Dicks and Phipps Peaks, and of course sleeping under the brightest stars Tahoe has to offer doesn’t hurt either.
adults who commit to serving on a crew performing conservation work for a period of time between three months and a year. In exchange for their work they receive training, a living stipend, an educational award (money to help pay off student debt or attend college or graduate school), and experience in natural resource management and other related fields. The ACE crews spend eight days at a time in the field and have built a reputation for relishing difficult, remote projects. This year they tackled one of the messiest portions of the trail near Phipps Creek, turning a morass of roots, rocks, and mud into beautiful single-track.
In addition to our overnight crews, singleday work events are held each season with substantial volunteer time and effort going towards ensuring their success. For example, in order to standardize and improve wayfinding, nearly every signpost along the trail in Desolation will be replaced over the next 3-4 years (about 20 signposts in total). TRTA staff and volunteers worked with a local metal fabricator to develop a custom sign template, then sawed, sanded, routed, and branded nearly two dozen redwood signposts. These posts will be carried up to their locations by pack stock and installed by trail crews who will hike up to 13 miles roundtrip to place a single new post.
Moving materials and tools to a worksite is a huge obstacle when working on remote trails, and there is no doubt that our efforts have been helped tremendously by our friends at the Motherlode Unit of the Backcountry Horsemen of California. These volunteers help by leading pack stock up the trail carrying tools, gear, food, signposts, and just about everything else you’d need to reconstruct miles of trail. This assistance is an indispensable help in reducing pack weights for crew members and moving large and awkward loads that would be nearly impossible with human power alone.
Partnerships at Work
Though TRTA’s volunteer trail crews are the main force behind rebuilding the trail in Desolation Wilderness, other partners are essential to the success of the larger project. For the past three years, the TRTA has utilized youth conservation corps crews from American Conservation Experience (ACE) to complete additional trail work. These crews are composed of young
Desolation Wilderness straddles the boundary of the Tahoe Basin and is therefore managed jointly by two units of the United States Forest Service: the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) and the Pacific Ranger District of the Eldorado National Forest. Wilderness rangers from both units have joined TRTA crews to assist in our efforts when their schedules allow and have been active leading their trail crews on other wilderness trails as well. The LTBMU crew deserves particular praise for taking the lead on clearing blowdowns on the
trail in the wilderness – the only portion of the TRT where TRTA volunteers are supplemental rather than primary sawyers. Additional assistance comes from our financial backers at the Tahoe Fund, the California Alpine Club Foundation, and the Pacific Crest Trail Association (the PCTA is also an equal management partner and assists in developing crew projects and advocating for the trail). These organizations have acknowledged the value that TRTA’s work in Desolation brings to our region and our trail community with their generous support. In particular, the Tahoe Fund deserves recognition for raising $80,000 over four years to support this project. About 1,500 hours of volunteer labor were spent working on trail crews on the PCT/TRT in Desolation Wilderness in 2019, a figure that doesn’t include the long hours in the field conducting inventories and assessments, days spent in the shop crafting signposts and maintaining tools, or weeks in the office coordinating funding and logistics. Thanks to dozens of volunteers and organizations, the Desolation Wilderness Trail Crew has become a reality, and the reconstruction of a historic Wilderness trail is well underway.
A special thank you to TRTA volunteer Crew Leaders and BCHC MLU volunteer packers Tim Durbin, Larry Green, Jerry Heitzler, Mike Kohlbaker, Todd Law, Donna Maher, Jeff Mattheiss, Kelly Rowell, Dave Schnake, and Charlene Summers all of whom have contributed substantially to multiple overnight trail crews in Desolation Wilderness in the past few years.
TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
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Lindsey’s Compass
How Not to Be a Jerk in the Woods Poop Like a Leave-No-Trace Master and Other Backcountry Hygiene
T
he Tahoe Basin receives approximately 5.7 million visitors a year. Close to half a million of these visitors access the Tahoe Rim Trail system according to our data, and I’d by Lindsey Schultz bet my house, dog, Outdoor Programs Director and truck that not a single one of them wants Giardia. Not everyone needs to answer Nature’s Call when communing with the trails, lakes, and peaks of the Basin. However, anyone who has come across a paper flower (crumpled toilet paper) on the banks of Dardenelles Lake or the tree line near The Bench knows that Nature’s Call is being answered and not everyone is taking the necessary steps to minimize their impact. The situation begs the question: what is the proper etiquette for pooping in the woods and other backcountry hygiene? Leave No Trace guidelines for disposing of human waste and gray water in the backcountry (or really anytime you’re not making it to indoor plumbing and due for number two) follow four simple principles: • Avoid water contamination, • Eliminate contact with insects and animals, • Maximize decomposition, and • Minimize social and aesthetic impacts. 8
As a general rule of thumb and fairly obvious principle: Don’t poop where you or others eat, sleep, drink, or use the trail. If you do have to poop either a) poop in a self-contained W.A.G. (Waste Alleviation Gelling) bag that you will then pack out (great option for winter recreation when surrounded by snow) or b) dig and poop in a cat hole, a hole 6-8 inches wide and deep, in organic mineral soil (the dark stuff) at least 200 feet from a water source, a campsite, or a trail. The geometry of pooping in the woods can get somewhat complicated if you find that 200 feet from a water source is also next to your neighbor’s campsite. Don’t poop there! The backcountry is large; with some time and planning you can easily find a perfect spot 200 feet from a water source, 200 feet from the trail, and 200 feet from a campsite. If you choose to use toilet paper, pack it out. Even if you cover it, studies have shown that buried toilet paper (if it remains buried) can take between 1-3 years to decompose. This is especially true in alpine areas. In lieu of toilet paper, items that don’t need packing out include but are not limited to leaves, clean stones, smooth sticks, jeffrey pine cones, moss, you get the picture. I’d also like to clarify a common misconception. Using soap in or within 200 feet of a lake or stream is not okay. Soap, even biodegradable soap, contains many elements that can increase the nitrogen levels in the water and promote algae growth in rivers, lakes, and streams choking
TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
out oxygen for water-based species. The same goes for washing dishes, clothes, or yourself in lakes and streams. Food contaminants, clothing detergents, or applied sunblock and insect repellent can promote algae growth which can have detrimental effects on a waterbased ecosystem. We can easily deal with this, though. Be a hygiene champ and make another use of your bear canister. Once at camp, empty your bear canister and make it a wash basin that you can use at least 200 feet from a water source. When you’re done, dispose of your gray water by dispersing it on soil, not rocks, since soil helps metabolize pollutants. Similar to toilet paper and soap, other biodegradable items like sunflower seed shells, orange peels, egg shells, apple cores, and banana peels can take between six months to two years to decompose. While these items may have a much shorter tenure than plastics or metal items, these food waste items increase the exposure of insects and animals to potentially harmful food items, can change their food seeking behavior, and impact the
Pop Poop Quiz: A paper flower is a(n):
a. beautiful alpine flower that only blooms in the spring b. special, handmade flower c. native Tahoe flower known for its healing powers d. unsightly, used toilet paper left in view
Business Members
experience of other users on the trail. When venturing into the backcountry with pack animals or your best buddy, Fido, keeping water sources clean for everyone is your responsibility. When your furry companion needs to drink, bring water to your animal and not the animal to water in order to ensure that urinating or pooping does not occur within 200 feet of a water source. If your pack animal poops on the trail, rake the manure away from the trail into the soil to help facilitate fungal decomposition and neutralize harmful elements that may be in the animal waste. When Fido poops in the woods, you know the drillpack it out using a poop bag. Lastly, make a poop kit before your adventure. Designate a small stuff sack and include the following: • Trowel • Toilet paper in a Ziploc bag • A couple of sealable bags for your spent TP (I recommend nontransparent bags!) • Hand sanitizer • Whistle for an emergency while separated from your backpack
TRTA Business Members are essential partners that help us fulfill our mission. These partners help ensure the Tahoe Rim Trail remains just as phenomenal in the future as it is today and help us inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. For more information on becoming a Business Member, contact Veronica at veronicap@tahoerimtrail.org.
FREEL PEAK $10,000+
MT. ROSE $5,000-$9,999
MT. TALLAC $2,500-$4,999
Happy pooping!
Pro Tips: Identify your camp bathroom and dig your cat hole before you need to go. Proper LNT does not wait for urgent needs.
MT. BALDY $1,000 - $2,999
Mark your spent hole with a stick X. Pooping with a view is a glorious thing that we all seek. However, digging up someone’s cat hole can quickly ruin a good time so take a moment when you are all done and toss a stick X over your cat hole so the next ‘poop with a view’ seeker doesn’t meet your poop. Use a poop trowel with measurements up to 8 inches on it. If yours doesn’t have it, sharpie it on before you leave. Pace out 200 feet (66 yards) at home so you know how many natural steps it takes YOU to not be a jerk. Consider swapping out soap for handsanitizer. You can deal for a short time, I promise. If you must bring soap, bring unscented, phosphate free, and biodegradable and use as little as possible.
TRAIL TRAILBLAZER BLAZER| |Winter Spring2020 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
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OUTDOOR PROGRAMS
For more training and guided program information, visit our website or contact Lindsey Schultz at lindseys@tahoerimtrail.org.
Trainings
Guided Adventures
Snow Camping 101 Stateline, NV
Guided Snowshoe Treks
With extra preparation and gear, your overnight adventures can be year-round. This three day course includes one classroom session focused on the funadmentals of winter camping and a weekend field course to put your new knowledge to the test. • Classroom- February 29 • Field- March 14-15
Map and Compass 101: Winter Navigation Stateline, NV Navigating when you can see a trail is one thing but navigating when the terrain is white as far as the eye can see is a whole other ball game. Let us show you map and compass tricks that work under a blanket of snow. • February 22
Wilderness First Aid Stateline, NV Whether spending time in the backcountry is your passion or your profession, when an emergency strikes you should never have to ask, “What do I do now?” Prepare for the unexpected with this fun, hands-on course taught by NOLS Wilderness Medicine. • March 21-22 • April 18-19
Our guided trail experiences have no seasonal limitations! Each winter, our trusty guides venture into the snowy backcountry around the basin and invite you to come along to enjoy the peace and serenity winter affords. • January 23 • January 25 • February 14 • April 1
Thru Hike: 15-day guided 165-mile backpacking trips Registration opens February 12 at 10am Trip dates: • July 25 - August 8 • August 29 - September 12
Youth Backcountry Camp (YBCC): 4-day guided youth backpacking trips Registration opens February 19 at 10am Trip dates: • June 23 - June 26 • July 27 - July 30 • August 11 - August 14
Segment Hike: 11-weekly guided day-hikes Registration opens February 26 at 10am Program dates: • Sundays, June 28 - September 6 • Wednesdays, July 1 - September 9
Taste of the TRT: 5-day guided backpacking trips Registration opens March 11 at 10am Trip dates: • Kingsbury Grade to Echo Summit, July 19 - 23 • Echo Summit to Tahoe City, August 16 - 20
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TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Are you up for the Challenge?
C
ompleting a 200-mile trail system like the Tahoe Rim Trail is a challenge in its own right. For those tackling the tread underfoot, completing the entire trail in one go on a thru hike isn’t always possible. Even committing to trek a segment at a time can seem arduous. Fortunately, the Tahoe Rim Trail provides a diverse array of opportunities to customize what type of challenge you are up for. In 2013, we saw a need to offer a different kind of trail experience and invited our community to join in. We named the program, the Tahoe Rim Trail Challenge, because we believe a challenge isn’t always a bad thing! As a challenger your goal is to tackle six trek routes ranging from 3-13 miles annually. It’s a great opportunity to be introduced to the trail and provides valuable wayfinding resources many beginner recreationalists seek. Of the 200 Trail Challengers this year, 63% of them were first timers. The challenge has also inspired and empowered thousands of our community members to explore the backcountry on their own sparking a newfound appreciation for our wild spaces. We invite you, your friends, family, coworkers, and fur pals to take on the challenge in 2020!
Congratulations for completing all six challenges this year! Cheryl Lancaster Chris Harley David Mraz
Jason Eberle Phillip Gregory Rhett Atkinson
Tobey Mraz Tom Fullerton
A special thank you to volunteer extraordinaire Phillip Gregory! He’s been an incredible ambassador for the Trail Challenge program since its inception and can often be found searching for Challengers out on the Tahoe Rim Trail with his faithful sidekick, McLeod the Marmot.
TRAIL Tahoe Rim Rim Trail Trail Association Association TRAILBLAZER BLAZER||Winter Spring 2020 2019 || Tahoe
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OUTDOOR PROGRAMS
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Youth in Full Bloom By Julia Kaseta Youth Program Manager and YBCC Instructor Extraordinaire
ackpacking is an experience like no other. It’s beautiful, it’s challenging, it’s educational, and it’s fulfilling. It contains all the elements youth need to blossom as confident individuals. The TRTA’s Youth Backcountry Camp program offers this incredible opportunity for youth ages 11-17 providing them the chance to learn backcountry skills, practice stewardship, and exercise leadership as they trek along segments of the Tahoe Rim Trail. After many miles through meadows, mountains, and streams, participants reflect on their experience by considering the characteristics of a rose: the stunning flower, the painful thorn, the developed leaf, and the valuable stem. Campers reminisce on four days of self-reliance in the wilderness filled with flourishing moments, mental and physical challenges, newfound knowledge, and life lessons. The flower, beautiful and blooming, represents the stunning creation of growth and hard work. For our Youth Backcountry Camp participants, the flower represents their most cherished moments of the trip. From grandiose views at the top of Freel Peak to the refreshing sensation
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TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
“It made me feel happy, confident, independent, and it really connected me to nature.” “Since you overcome all the things you do out here, once you get back you can think of all the things that are going on and know that you’re that strong person that can overcome everything.” “I learned that I can accomplish many activities on my own by using effort and self-confidence.” The thorn, despite its sharp and painful properties, protects and supports the flower, signifying the hardships of the trip. With success, comes struggle. Youth backpackers faced the discomfort of bearing four daysworth of supplies on their hips and carrying the weight of stress back home up miles of switchbacks. The thorn was the battle wounds showcasing blistered feet and swollen legs from endlessly itchy mosquito bites. It was the shortness of breath and sweat-stained shirts from the physical exertion necessary to reach the next campsite. It was the reality that backpacking can be unglamorous, but serves a greater reward. of a dip in Dardanelles Lake, these experiences highlight the splendor of backpacking and the triumph of overcoming challenges. For many, their ‘flower’ moment was the feeling of rest and release on a mountain top while looking back down the steep path traveled. For the fortunate, it was watching the reflection of a fiery sunset transition to a full moonrise in the lake below. The flower was the love found in new friendships, the empowerment felt from accomplishments, and the peace discovered in nature.
The leaf gathers vital resources for development, embodying the foundation of growth. Youth participants learned the fundamental skills of backpacking, from water filtration and backcountry cooking to map and compass navigation. With responsibilities dispersed throughout the group, young campers acquire leadership and teamwork skills by exercising newly developed backcountry skills. The leaf was the understanding of our impact on the environment and the application of Leave No Trace principles to backcountry living. It was the ability to identify an array of wildflowers, the songs of birds, and the different types of rock visible in the landscape. The stem is the connection that feeds growth and success of the rose as a whole, expressed as overall lessons to take home from the experience. This is where all the beauty, pain, and education fuse together to reveal wisdom participants will apply beyond the Youth Backcountry Camp. The great rewards of trekking to panoramic views and fresh alpine lakes with a group of new friends left the
youth inspired and motivated to continue unplugged social interaction and physical activity in the great outdoors. The challenges that lie on trail required perseverance and resilience that participants developed throughout the strenuous expedition. The multi-faceted learning curriculum cultivated a sense of appreciation for natural resources and independence in kids. The stem is the discovery of ones’ limitless boundaries, supported by strengthened self-esteem and sparked determination. Thank you to our donors, members, and grantors for believing in our dreams! Your support allowed us to offer most of our programs completely free for our community partner groups and provide scholarships to ensure that any child that wanted to attend camp could!
Interested in sprouting independence, confidence, and resilience? Join our Youth Backcountry Camp Interest List on our website and receive updates on 2020 camp dates and registration.
TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
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OUTDOOR PROGRAMS
Completing the TRT is no easy feat! If you have recently completed the trail, join us and celebrate your accomplishment by becoming one of the newest members of the 165-Mile Club. Whether you completed the trail on foot, by horse, or a good chunk on bike, over many years or over just a few days, be sure to sign up! We want to honor you as a 165-miler. Members of the 165-Mile Club receive an official number of completion, name recognition as a 165-miler on our website, a certificate, and a 165-mile patch. Sign up online at tahoerimtrail.org.
Michael Dorsi #2342 Elizabeth Dorsi Christopher William Brown Dave Mahler Daniel Sandeman Tess Lannoy David Arnett Roger Keener Bartley Baer Sara Anderson Randy Kirkbride Sylvia Fuchs Ann-Marie Vollstedt Agi Melton Anna Zimmerman John Kimberlin Bill Phillips Zachary Tucker Amelia Dutton Susan Browning Shawna Tompkins Joseph Tompkins Rajashree Karwa Sas Hadden Logan Ash Mark Arcaro Kayla Pedersen Greg Berggren Robin Winnett Katy August
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Cassie Reno Debbie Cylke Jeanne LaBerge Joshua Swanson Luana Espana Kevin Gong Monica Oesterling Pat Roche Robbin Weiser Tim Anderson John Clayton Daniels Carolyn and Steve Balling Kirby Booth Helen Pelster Beth Charlberg Tom Charlberg Steve Walker Travis Cole Christopher C. Caires Ma. Czarina Cunningham Darren Swinney Dawn Swinney Mike Eyer Allison DiVerde Joyce Chambers Jarrod Aldinger Erhard Rathsack Gino Genovesi Lurana Cancilla Jamie Branco-Ricard
Beatriz Molina Allan Aldrich Linda Comeau Richard Larkin Kelsey Hoffman Debbie Latham Jacob Navarro Julie Anne Cahill Allen Binder James Sapcoe Marc Greenwald Carl Morrisom Aubri Drake Howard Watts III Joshua Sheets Chris Harmon Suzi and Steve Cornell Patricia Joan Figuli James Sutter Carole Taylor Cathi Wood Corine Harvey Don Claybaugh Hildy Claybaugh Janet Bath Judy Banks Jeanette Jacobs Mariko Williams Monica Miller Barb Todd
TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Cator Shachoy Christine Schuldt Connie Nester Edrie LaVoie Rishi Batra Ronda Mancuso Bill Rausch Aletha Nelligan Jean Brown Lillie Tallman Sarah Green Steve Finley Emily Walton Paul Schumacher Cathy Donovan David Kupper Troels Smit John Warrington Francy Ogden Brad Hartman Jane Aldinger Michael Nasiatka Ann Aronsson Jerud Colbert Robert Cole Ric Mazey Joan Ormonde Leah Pedersen Kevin Kelly Kayla Brown
Peter Keating Tim Rondthaler, Sr Patrick Kelly John Stroud Kathleen Keef Tim Pendill Samantha Shankle Jeffrey LaCaze Sandra Taylor Racquel Smith Nick Garner Faith Chia Brian Frontella John Branco Chelsea White Chas White Rob Wangberg Gokhan Kocak Steve Bernick Nicholas Vanderveldt Jessica Vanderveldt Hal Paris Melinda Brogna Michelle Lam Jeannette Lejardi David Lem Marcella Elberg Daniel Roberts Moniquia Lee Annie Hodge #2491
voices from the trail “I may not be the fastest hiker, but hey, I did it! 13 days, and wow, what a beaut! As the wise and hilarious Mark ‘The Jewel’ August always said, “Remember sweeter: always forward, never back!” This one was for you, dad.”
“Very much appreciate this fabulous trail. It took 13 years for me to complete the entire 165 miles!” -David Kupper
-Katy August
“Great trail. Beautiful scenery.”
“The second best hike I have ever been on, the best hike was the first time I hiked it. Plan on hiking it with my grandchildren. That will be the best hike of all time.”
“Wow, what an amazing way to experience the beauty of Tahoe. Pictures cannot do justice to what the actual views are like.”
-Marc Greenwald
- Tom “Rainman” Garayoa
-Michael R Nowaczyk
“It took four summers of 2-3 day trips but I just finished my last segment. An awesome experience!!”
“Beautiful experience, beautiful trail.”
-Debbie Latham
“We had such an amazing time on the trail this summer! It was a wonderful way to be welcomed back to the high desert after being away from Reno for 3 years. The trail was in impeccable condition and we look forward to helping out on some trail days to keep it that way for others.” -Kelsey Hoffman
“Completed the trail just 6 months after heart surgery!”
-Francy Ogden
“An awesome trail that I would highly recommend to anyone interested in experiencing the wonder of Nevada and California.” -John Warrington
“We are thrilled to finally reach this milestone and enjoyed each and every segment over the years. We have treasured photos from each segment. We are long time members of the TRTA and greatly admire the Association and all of the volunteers who have helped to make this trail the amazing treasure that it is.”
-Don Phelps
-Kathleen Keef
“My number the first time is 1123. I completed it in 2010. It felt harder this time, but I am 71. It was wonderful to see so many young people on the trail in such a spectacular setting. Thanks for the great work you are doing. This is such a special place.”
“I had a great time finishing the Tahoe Rim Trail with my hiking club buddies. Scenery was spectacular, met many friendly, helpful hikers and bikers on the trail. We met people from all walks of life and from all over the world. This is a trip of a life time with lasting memories.”
-Bob Simmons
“Trudged through snow and came out icy.” -John Daniels
“Summer in the Sierras! Beauty everywhere you look!”
-Faith Chia
“You can’t think about doing it. If you want to do it, DO IT! It’s a great experience.” -Brian Frontella
-Julie Anne Cahill
TRAIL BLAZER BLAZER || Winter Winter 2020 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association TRAIL
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VOLUNTEERS 2019
VOLUNTEER NEWS
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The trail season may have started a little later than usual thanks to heavy winter snowpack but that didn’t slow down our volunteers. Cramming five months of work and inspiration into four months of our summer trail season is no easy feat. TRTA volunteers, all 325 who donated 18,275 hours, were up to the task. We think the numbers speak for themselves but we’d like to add a little more context so here it goes! The Spooner Summit North Trailhead got a makeover with a new staircase. In addition, volunteers rehabbed trail in Desolation Wilderness, at Watson Lake, Ward Creek, Mt. Houghton, Brockway Summit, and Kingsbury North. Among other locations, 97 public workdays were held and 245 down trees were cleared. Trail construction also took place on year two of the Echo Summit Reroute and broke ground on a three year trail realignment project near Marlette Lake (0.5 miles of new trail built). Phew! But that’s not all. Volunteers also guided 509 participants who trekked 1,727 miles on multiday and thru hikes, segment hikes, interpretative hikes and snowshoe treks. TRTA held backcountry skills courses in navigation and backpacking aimed to inspire the young and young at heart. We honestly can’t thank you enough for donating your time, talents, and passion with us and are forever thankful!
Showers Lake Volunteers 50-99 hours
Lake Aloha Volunteers 100-249 hours
Star Lake Volunteers 250-499 hours
Alice Hampton Ben Simonian Bill Doherty Brad Wishek Chelsea Boroski David Rickabaugh Diana Farias Diane Cohn Douglas Johnson Doug Waldron George Prince Gokhan Kocak Ita Abaruza-Kostan Jackie Ferek James Mueller Jamie Goodspeed Janet McGrath JoAnn Cobb JoAnne Goena John Ferguson John Regin John Taylor Joseph Salonga Kamara Snearly Kirsten Whitt Laurie Buffington Lizzie Flower-Cartoni Madeline Kitagawa Matt Taylor Michelle Glickert Pauline Kitagawa Scott Liske Stephen R. Brown William Hager
Atalanta Olito Bob Anderson Bruce Levy Chris Strohm Chuck McVicker Colleen Gervasi Debie Matuk Donna Maher Jim Mrazek Jennifer Coon Jim Large John McCall Larry Davis Larry Green LaTrenda Easton Maureen Welsh Michelle Beaupied Mike Kuckenmeister Patrick Pevey Paul Sinnott Roberta Martinoni Shannon Foley Sharell Katibah Tom Fullerton
Alan Catron Charlene Summers Cheryl Bailey Dave Schnake David Stevenson Ellen Goldsmith Jim Crompton Jim McNamara Jim Waldron John McKenna Kate Huckbody Kristen Hackbarth Phil Brisack Tricia Tong
TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Fontanillis Lake Volunteers 500 or more hours Carl Woods Clay Grubb Don Bailey Mark Wynne-Willson
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
Charlene Summers Charlene Summers is a Crew Leader, Desolation Wilderness Trail Crew Leader, Segment Coordinator, and a member of the 165 Mile Club (#1,321) who made a huge impact volunteering her time and talents over the last decade. She began volunteering with the TRTA in 2010 working on the Van Sickle Connector Trail thanks to a friend from her yoga class. She didn’t mind getting covered in trail dirt and felt good giving back to a trail system she enjoyed recreating on. When she first started volunteering for the TRTA, she was still teaching and was limited to helping out during summer break. However, in 2012, Charlene retired and was able to increase her leadership and join the Association for its annual Crew Leader training. Charlene says what keeps her motivated on tough trail work days is the sense of accomplishment and viewing a finished project, whether it be a newly installed step or a section of freshly brushed trail! She attributes her overall strength and stamina to the physical demands of a typical workday which helps her in other areas of her life.
Charlene’s had many memorable moments out on the TRT in her ten trail seasons but says she enjoys spending time with new volunteers who sign up for a backcountry or frontcountry trail work camp. She enjoys how enthusiastic they are to learn and that they always seem very satisfied with the final results of their contribution. She especially enjoys seeing returning volunteers come back for more “punishment” each season. Desolation Wilderness is a special spot for her. As a Segment Coordinator for that section, she enjoys getting to reap the benefits of Desolation by swimming in the beautiful alpine lakes and taking in the sights. When Charlene is not out working on the TRT, she enjoys spending time with her grand kids and RV’ing with the family. She also plans a few backpacking trips each year and in the winter stays active by cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Thanks for all your dedication Charlene! TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
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Views we love Heidrun Winter’s Alpine Vista The Heidrun Winter’s Alpine Vista was adopted this spring in memory of Heidrun Winter. Her daughter Manuela adopted the vista to honor her mom’s intrepid, adventuring spirit. Heidrun’s life story showcases the power of her tenacity. She was born in Germany and moved to the states as a young woman. There she raised her daughter and became a successful businesswoman. Heidrun settled in Reno, NV where she found a fierce group of outdoor enthusiasts to explore local trails with and enjoy the incredible natural environment around her. Her vista includes expansive views stretching across Lake Tahoe’s sapphire blue water and is a spot her friends and family can visit and be reminded of the amazing woman she was.
Leo’s Paradise Vista “We weren’t lost, we just didn’t know where we were” – a common refrain for many of us who love exploring the mountains and a common adage of Leo and his venturesome friends. Leo’s Paradise Vista was adopted in honor of Leo Nolan, a true mountain man who enjoyed the region’s peaks by foot, bike, and on skis. Leo’s zest for life and impressive background in math, physics, and engineering took him and his family from New York to Washington, Santa Barbara, and even on far-flung treks to remote islands in the Pacific where he and his family lived for several years. Leo moved to Tahoe fulltime in 2001 where he enjoyed the local trails, often with friends from the Tahoe Trampers. Leo’s Paradise Vista takes in the expansive views of Tahoe Meadows with the lake in the background and showcases many of the great skiing lines Leo tackled.
Twin Peaks Summit Vista Generously adopted by Brenda Giese. Brenda dedicated this vista to those who treasure this special place in sunshine and in snow, and who refresh their souls in nature’s cathedral.
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TRAIL BLAZER | Winter 2020 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
leaving a legacy Laura Koeinger was a staple of our Trail Use programs. She joined our 15-day thru-hike not once but twice- in 2008 and 2012. That is more than 330 miles around the Tahoe Rim Trail. She was an avid outdoorswoman and loved experiencing nature. Her trips around the trail brought her much joy as she experienced Star Lake’s refreshing clear water, sweeping views from Mt. Baldy, and challenging climbs up and down the rocky terrain of Desolation Wilderness. Inspired by these trips and interested in making sure others also have access to this world-class experience, Laura left the Tahoe Rim Trail Association her home in Carson City in her will. We are honored to have received this gift from Laura and hope that our programs to get people outdoors and engaged in nature today and in the future make her proud. Thank you, Laura, for leaving a legacy at the Tahoe Rim Trail Association for generations to come. We will miss you on our programs! Laura Koeinger (pictured far left).
TRAIL BLAZER | Spring 2019 | Tahoe Rim Trail Association
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PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Permit No 200 Reno, NV
128 Market St. Suite 3E PO Box 3267 Stateline, NV 89449
Trail Blazer
The Official Publication of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association
Purchase Your 2020 Tahoe Rim Trail Calendar Today
If you are stumped trying to find the perfect gift for your fellow trail lover, we’ve got you covered! Our 2020 Tahoe Rim Trail calendar is available now for purchase at our store in Stateline or online at tahoerimtrail.org/shop. While supplies last, we are offering free shipping! Purchase by December 16th for guaranteed arrival before the holidays. We’d like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s Tahoe Rim Trail Photo Contest. It was no easy feat to select the top winners. After sorting through 100s of entries, 13 photos were selected for the 2020 Tahoe Rim Trail calendar. These photos truly capture the soul of the trail and we think you will enjoy seeing the Tahoe Rim Trail every day in your home or office.