TheTahoeWeekly.com
A PATH
THROUGH THE WOODS EXPANSIVE TRAIL WORK CONNECTS THE REGION S TO RY BY S E A N M c A L I N D I N
he Tahoe Sierra has always been
a place of connection. In times
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past, it was the last crossroads
California Conservation Corps | ccc.ca.gov
land of California using a web of an-
Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship | sierratrails.org
mountains. More recently, it’s become
Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association | tamba.org
cooperation as numerous counties,
Tahoe Fund | tahoefund.org
profits work together to protect and
Tahoe Rim Trail Association | tahoerimtrail.org
complex, landscape.
TRPA Trail Survey | trpa.maps.arcgis.com Truckee Donner Land Trust | truckeedonnerlandtrust.org Truckee Trails Foundation | truckeetrails.org
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before settlers reached the promised cient paths spread throughout the known as a paradigm of community towns, states, public agencies and nonmaximize the benefit of a beautiful, yet
With a record-breaking influx of new residents and visitors, our region is now experiencing some of the most profound and sudden changes in its history. While untold numbers will tread Tahoe’s soil this summer, smaller numbers work behind the scenes to maintain, design and expand the sustainable trail system necessary to accommodate an ever-increasing population of outdoor enthusiasts. Tahoe Fund is leading an effort to raise $3 million for the Tahoe Trail Endowment to finance trail projects for generations to come. They are part of a team working on the Tahoe Regional Trails Plan as a blueprint to guide investment and fundraising while limiting impact on the natural environment and improving user experience.
“There is a lot of momentum right now from many partners for having a coordinated vision for access and connectivity,” says Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit trails engineer Jacob Quinn. “It results in more efficiency and better management of the trail system.” On June 3, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency released a public survey on the trail plan that is open until July 16. As partners work to gather input from the swelling multitudes of newfound naturalists, land managers and trail-building organizations are moving ahead with their works plans for the year.
A SUMMER OF TRAIL BUILDING This year is turning out to be a banner year for trail construction in the Tahoe Sierra with a mountain of major projects happening throughout the region. The Martis Valley Trail Project announced in January the attainment of funding goals and environmental review milestones toward a 10.2-mile, paved pathway connecting Truckee to Northstar Village and Brockway Summit. The project will ultimately become part of the Resort Triangle Trail, which will connect the communities of Kings Beach, Tahoe City, Olympic Valley, Truckee, Martis Valley and Northstar in a continuous loop. The estimated $8-million segment between Truckee and Northstar Drive is slated to begin this summer. In South Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will oversee the reconstruction of Rainbow Trail to remove asphalt from the marsh and install an elevated boardwalk at Taylor Creek Visitor Center. A section of the Perimeter Trail, which is planned to encircle Monument Peak, will be completed from the top of the Heavenly Gondola
