Tahoe / Donner - is freaking awesome...

Discussion in 'Ride Reports' started by surftime, Jul 19, 2014.

  1. surftime

    surftime New Member

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    No big writup until i get back but this area is just incredible. Does it get any better or did I luck out and to the right place

    Second day here rode the Tahoe Rim Trail and connected to the Flume. Swam in lake Marlett, 25 miles of some great dirt and some chunk, lots of miles for the 13 year old. I have hears so much about this trail and there are tons of writeups already, but one point, the chunk here is so much fun. just fun rocks to roll over, not too much loose stuff and zero ruts on this trail.

    flume.jpg

    marlet-lake.jpg

    above is Marlett lake which is at like 7800 feet elevation! beyond is is lake tahoe, looks like the ocean.

    So today I had the wife shuttled me and my 9 year old to glacier way above donner lake. We are staying down in Donner lake on the west side, this rout was suggested by someone here either hertz or dstepper. So we get this epic shuttle, climb out up to summit lake. Then across to the start of hole in the ground for some chunk. Then back down all the way to donner lake. Totally insane. Part of the last end of the trail is this epic pump track/flow trail. I cant believe this rout is not talked about much. Just incredible. Views, forest, perfect dirt, great people.

    here is one when we took a swim at summit lake (around 7000 feet elevation) - ill post more later on maybe next week

    summit-lake.jpg
     
  2. dstepper

    dstepper (R.I.P.) Over the hill

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    Yep Donner Rim Trail is a top pick, glad you enjoyed. The fern section from Glacier way to the bottom Negro Canyon is one very special section...lush like the forest nearer he coast.

    With a high clearance vehicle you can drive to Summit Lake and camp and camp right on the trail.
     
  3. ejhorn

    ejhorn Member

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    I rode the flume trail for the first time back in 1994 with my Dad. It was my first "real" mountain bike ride (I was 9 at the time) and I still remember how stoked I was. That was the ride that really got me hooked. I have gone back there a few times since then, and while it isn't nearly as scary and technical as I remember it being when I was 9 (on a sweet full rigid department store hand-me-down) I still think it is one of the most fun and scenic trails out there.
     
  4. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

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    So stoked for you too Luke!!

    I'll be hitting Tahoe for the first time this coming Labor Day weekend - reading your RR, I'm getting pumped!! Thanks man ....
     
  5. surftime

    surftime New Member

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    Rox - Let me know ahead of time and ill give you some details of the trails I found and some ideas for trails that are not on the maps. Today we rode a mix of hole in the ground and the donner rim ... and accidentally PCT ... oops. Then we decided to ride all the way down the lake where the house is and call a taxi for a ride back to the car. Taxi shuttle:) One trail we did was off a freeway off ramp.. classic riding bikes on the off ramp. So many fun trials here, some really good tech chunk also. Raining now so tomorrow should be sweet

     
  6. scan

    scan Member

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  7. herzalot

    herzalot Well-Known Member

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    The Flume got sanitized sometime between the first time a rode it (1996 I think) and the second time I rode it which was maybe 2006. The first time, there was a challenging and mandatory hike-a-bike over some huge boulders and some other techy rideable spots The second time, there was 0 tech left on the trail - just a smooth path. Fortunately, the scenery is awesome no matter what.
     
  8. surftime

    surftime New Member

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    yep Flume was really easy except some people may not like the exposure, after a few slides there were a few sports that had to be walked until the trail was fixed. TRT had plenty of chunck though, nothing crazy but plenty of rock riding

     
  9. kaboomims

    kaboomims New Member

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    Why did I move
    [​IMG]
     

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