Tahoe Rim Trail: Tahoe Meadows to Tunnel Creek Road

At the end of my final semester at UNR, one of my Literature & Environment professors informed us (fellow students and faculty) that she was planning to hike the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) in parts over the summer and we were invited to be trail mates. One of my colleagues had also planned on doing the same trail over the course of two years beginning Fall 2012. Ever since I had heard about it from him, I had been very intrigued. He, however, never asked me to join. So, I figured if it's meant to be, I'll get another chance. And this summer I got that chance. I don't think I'd be doing the entire trail - Overall, it is a 165 mile (or 167 mile) hiking trail which loops around Lake Tahoe and offers breathtaking views of the lake! Some day…

I missed the first TRT hike last week since I was wrapping up the long trip with my parents (about which I will post soon). And when I heard of the second TRT hike - from Tahoe Meadows to Tunnel Creek Road - I eagerly signed up for it. The actual trail is 9.2 miles and there isn't much of of an elevation gain - a fairly easy trail. 

The four of us - my L&E professor and a couple of L&E friends - started at around 8 a.m. from the Davidson Academy parking lot at UNR. We took 2 cars and parked one at the end of the trail near Hidden Beach. There wasn't any parking lot. We parked along Highway 28 and left our swimming gear in the trunk so that we might take a dip after the long hike. Then, we packed into the other car and drove to Tahoe Meadows which does have a designated parking lot. Kyle, one of my colleagues, had the good sense to call up the ranger to make sure the gates to the parking lot would be open when we got back later in the evening. I love the way the National Parks Service works in this country! (I am guessing the Tahoe region is maintained by NPS.)

In retrospect, I think I had come a bit over prepared for the hike - I had a rain shell and also an extremely lightweight down jacket. Don't ask me why - I am never sure about the weather in this country (or this region at least). Also, this was the first time that I would be using the 3 liter camelbak bladder that I had bought a while ago. I had used it earlier but it had not been trail tested as such. I am really happy with it - it does make you drink more since the water is so easily accessible. Coming from a tropical country, dehydration is something that I need to be careful about and the camelbak is extremely useful in this regard. I am glad to say that I consumed around 2 liters of water - more than I would have if I had been carrying bottles. Also I carried a wind breaker - which I put to good use. 

As we got out of the car at Tahoe Meadows, we were immediately accosted by the strong winds that were blowing. However, I didn't feel too cold - a long sleeved cotton T-shirt and a jacket for mild to cold weather conditions served me well for almost the entire hike. 

                                          Tahoe Meadows

The hike had an initial ascent of around 500 feet for the first mile and a half but after that it was mostly level ground. We walked along catching up with each other since we hadn't met in quite sometime. 

Our first rest stop around 2 miles into the hike, provided us a beautiful view of Lake Tahoe and we got some good pictures. 

The lack of wildlife during the hikes still annoys me. We saw some butterflies which took me by surprise. I was pretty good at IDing butterflies back home and have been missing butterfly watching :( So being able to ID the Stella Orangetip felt good. I hope I got the ID right, if not, then let me know :P Also, chanced upon a lonely snow plant which I had first seen in Yosemite last month. We also heard sounds of Nuthatch (as Cheryll pointed out). And saw some birds of prey hovering around - may be red tailed hawks. Add to that list, the few squirrels that scurried around and the occasional lizard.

Lunch was at a rocky outcrop just a mile or so before the end of the trail which was very very very windy. And the windbreaker was handy :) We also encountered some bikers on the trail although it was a non-biking day. The most breathtaking views I would say came as we turned into Tunnel Creek Road. The views of Lake Tahoe were … picture perfect. 

                       View from Tunnel Creek Road

And Tunnel Creek Road, named after a tunnel that existed there, was also beautiful. The riparian vegetation along the creek has motivated me to begin planting my aquarium soon :) The dip in Lake Tahoe wasn't to be. The beach didn't look too inviting. So we lounged around on the beach for quite some time and then headed back to pick up the car. 

                            Hidden Beach, North Lake Tahoe

On the way back we chanced upon a coyote digging into the belly of a deer along the road. The deer was probably hit by a car and the coyote was enjoying an easy meal. The lucky coyote … the not-so-lucky deer…

By 5, we were back in Reno. The hike hadn't seemed strenuous at all. Although I did feel the after effects… sore legs...

Road Tripping in the Eastern Sierras...

After less than ten hours of practice at driving on the wrong side of the road (at least in the view of an Indian), I finally got a Nevada's drivers license early this year so that I might break some other traffic laws apart from the one of driving without a license (Not that I drove without a license) :-P

the week after Spring break, we started out on a road trip to the Mammoth lakes region and South lake Tahoe. We hired a car, Mazda 3 (I think), and prayed to whoever might listen to bring us back in one piece given the fact that I was the most experienced driver on the trip with ten long hours of driving under my belt. 

The original plan was to drive to the Ranger's station at Bishop, explore the Mono lake region, and camp near lake convict. But as plans usually go, this one too went down the drain. We needed to pick up a tarp and a bear canister on our way. After a few more allegedly broken traffic laws, when we finally set out it was almost noon and we wouldn't make it to the ranger's station in time to pick up maps to find camping locations in the area. (Of course, it was only when we got back to Reno that we found those same maps online.) so we drove back home, called the sugar pine campgrounds at Lake Tahoe and decided to drive there instead for the night. 

The I-80 is right next door. We step out of my driveway and join the freeway. What I did not realize was that the next exit was a few meters away (many more meters away according to my co-passenger.) So as you might expect, before I even joined the freeway we had exited it. Another round trip back to home base and we gave it a second try. This time, lo and behold, I managed to merge into the freeway lane. And we were FINALLY embarking on our very first US road trip!

After a long drive, a lot many hiccups (I'd rather avoid going into the banal details of how we missed turns and held up traffic, got the finger at times) we reached sugar pine campground after following a ranger who chanced upon us when we once again had lost our way. The campground was empty! We had no idea how we were supposed to choose a camp site since this was the first time we had ever seen a campground. And there was no one to guide us. How do we reserve one campground? Would invisible campers suddenly materialize if we left and came back in a few hours? the answer came when i chanced upon a ticket stub hanging from a short wooden post. We were losing light and we needed to get to Bonsai rock before sunset to get the prized photo that each professional photographer trying to establish himself covets. 

So we picked a camp site, clipped our ticket stub (that cost $25) and headed off to Bonsai rock. We parked along a bend, hiked down to the lake on a winding path and there it was. Well it was a rock with a cute little bonsai tree. It was beautiful but… I might have preferred this rock more...

Then we drove back to the campground, missed our way but made it back in the darkness. In the freezing cold we set up our tent (because of course we didn't do that already) and started cooking under our head lamps. No other campers in the area and we have never camped alone before in this country. And the discovery of scattered food nearby which I was sure wasn't there a while ago brought the real danger of bears closer home. It was frightening to say the least. But in retrospect - awesome!!!

We crept into our sleeping bags and tried to get as warm as possible (which wasn't much). Tossing and turning we finally caught a little sleep and woke up before day break to drive to Emerald Bay to catch the sunrise and some beautiful pictures. Eagle falls in the backdrop and the wide open bay before us was breathtaking...

                      (I ...obviously... didn't click this photograph. ) 

Drove back to our campsite, made breakfast (first time using the newly bought stove). And then headed out to Bishop. This time another one of us drove and he has one-ninth of the driving experience I have so that was definitely a fun ride. After switching drivers after an hour or so, we made it to the ranger's station at Bishop by 3 and got the much needed maps. And also found out that there were no campgrounds open near Lake Convict so we would have to do dispersed camping (set up a tent in certain designated off road areas). Sounds scary? It definitely was :-) but in retrospect - another awesome experience. We also had a quick lunch at a deli and filled gas.

It was too cold and windy and we didn't have the right tent to peg to the ground. After careful thought we decided to sleep in the car itself - sitting. The intermittent sounds of gun shots in the vicinity definitely contributed to that decision. Had dinner and found that all our food and other smelly goods wouldn't fit into the bear canister. What do you do? You improvise :-) packed up the extra stuff in a stuff sack, tied together shorter length of ropes to swing over a tree branch. And then turned in for the night. 

It was the best of nights since we got cold and realized our sleeping bags were in the trunk. Brilliant planning. It's pitch dark. And we get out in the cold to grab our sleeping bags to cover ourselves. You ask - why not turn on the car heater? I answer - we don't cheat when it comes to camping while I try to dodge your accusatory eye which seems to be asking - sleeping in the car, ain't cheating? I sheepishly shake my head and shrug. No answer. My only excuse - it's our first time out, cut us some slack!

Next morning we wake up nice and early to catch the sunrise at Lake Convict and to get another coveted photograph. But with my wonderful driving skills, we miss another turn and need to make a long detour. By the time we get to our destination the sun has already been up for ten minutes. I try to ignore the angry glares I get since its entirely MY fault. A few photographs (and lot of tears) later we set out for the other lakes in the region. Lake June was beautiful and we had the best blueberry pancakes and hot chocolate at Tiger Café and Bar. Mammoth lake was frozen and lovely. And so was Lundy lake although we had to park further away and walk along a dirt road. Lots and lots of photographs later we made our way to Mono Lake. It stinks! Literally... Some calcium structures in and along the water make the lake saline. The bottom line - it was beautiful but didn't smell too good. 

All the lakes on our list were ticked off. Now we could head back and may be make a quick detour to the ghost town of Bodie. But that wasn't meant to be. There was a long patch of dirt road and I didn't want to risk the car. 

The drive back was surprisingly uneventful (with of course a few minor hiccups). We got back to Reno much before sundown and when we finally parked the car, we couldn't believe we actually got back in one piece. How in the world did that happen? I guess our prayer to whoever might listen to us was actually answered... 

Kurama - Kyuubi or The nine-tailed fox (Sketch)

                 Kurama - Kyuubi or The nine-tailed fox

This is my latest work sketched in under 10 ten minutes with the first black colored pen I could lay my hands on. It's a character from one of my favorite mangas, Naruto. (Sketched from an image I found online.)  

I have NEVER shared my artwork on a public platform (unless one counts the numerous drawing competitions in school to which I dragged my Mom because our drawing teacher said that we SHOULD and I was never one to refuse a teacher's orders. But I found my skill much later, so, those competitions don't count. And anyway, animated cartoons wasn't my drawing teachers idea of art. So, I didn't start drawing these until much later.)

I hope to upload more of my sketches...