Truckee – Echo Lake – South Lake Tahoe

Total miles = 1564.8

Minus approx 200 miles missed due to fire closures.

Day 87 Tues Sept 19th
Tensite just up from Doner pass – Tent site 2 after Tahoe ski resort
1501.4 – 1516.2
Approx. 2871 ft ascent + 3136 ft descent
14.8 Miles

Last night we were lucky to find a nice flat dry spot not8 too far away from Donna ski resort. It was a little off the trail and we were nicely tucked away under althea safety of a large tree.
Especially after the rain and thunderstorm we experienced yesterday afternoon.

We broke camp later than normal as we had a few admin things to sort out.
Sarah spoke to superstar Liz about where we will meet up to collect our winter goods + supplies at Sarona pass.
We also took some time to try and get our new phone working as we need to have confidence that this works before moving into the high sierra.

As we hike up towards Donna Summit we had views of the ski resort, Doner lake and Truckee in the distance.

Unfortunately we found that the phone that Ned had given us was still locked and without a PC and ITunes we would not be able to use it.
So at the top of Doner summit we spent probably one of the more stressful hours of the trail so far trying to source a 5G phone. All whilst our data connection on our current phones kept dropping out.
In hindsight we should have checked the phone providers compatibility against our phones back in the UK. And / or also done all this in Truckee yesterday when we had signal and WiFi.
Although as I explained our evening kind of got railroaded.
Either way ordering a phone on top of a mountain dealing with customer services and failed payments put a real downer on the day. Fingers crossed we get this sorted as it starting to become really annoying.

Setting up a contract phone over in the US requires a permanent address and a social security number which obviously we do not have.
It’s also not always covienient to pick up a burner phone from someone like Walmart, as these kind of stores aren’t located right next to the trail.
Anyways that’s enough ranting and raving for 1 day. Its time to hike it out and let off some steam. Its amazing how being a little annoyed or “emotional” can make you hike like a demon.

As we walk away from Doner summit along twisting and turning cliff faces. Sarah is looking impossibly even more tanned.
In Sierra City we picked up a can of sun cream that is applied as a spray.  It smells like fly spray and I wondered if it was actually spray tan.
The smell reminds me when I was a child and when my mum used to be a hairdresser.

As we hike up towards Tinker Knob at nearly 9,000 feet we walk through rock fields. My trekking pole tips biting into the granite and the sound echoing out into the valley below.

We disturb a Peaker. A small mountain rodent that lives amongst the rocks.
He had a load of vegetation in his mouth and as he dived for cover we could hear him rustling against the rocks beneath our feet.

The Climb towards Tinker knob along a series of ridges was strenuous, but the view were spectacular.
As we neared the summit angry grey clouds rolled in over the horizon.
This seems to be a pattern that’s forming in the mountains. In the morning it starts cold, then by mid morning its very hot. Come the afternoon all this energy builds forrming thunder storms.
We hope it’s not going to be as bad as yesterday down in Truckeee. If the hailstones were the size of chickpeas there then god knows what we will experience up here.
Sarah waited whilst I climbed the final Ridge towards the summit to try and get some epic pictures of me at the top.
As she approaches me on the horizon she looks like an ant against the impressive backdrop. The colours of the sky against the beige grasses contrasting perfectly.

As the trial reaches Tinkers the elevation of my watch reads 8,737 ft.
I noticed Sarah’s hair starting to stand on end due to the electric charge in the atmosphere as a result of the bad weather rolling in.
Because it was very exposed we decided to make a sharp exit and not stick around too long as we didn’t want to get caught in the storm that’s brewing.

As we started to decend raindrops started to fall. The sound amplified as it hits the dying brown leafed vegetation either side of the trail.

It gave us a great opportunity to test our new rain pants and new gear we picked up from the outfitters.
The merino wool glove liners worked really well.

Sarah well pleased with her new gear was smiling from ear to ear claiming
“This is the best thing I’ve ever done” it was nice to see her feeling so happy despite the wet and cold conditions.

As we looked across the valley the rock on the far side was illuminated by the sun as it  breaks through the angry clouds. Almost giving it a metallic look.

And then the heavens really opened.  Heavy rain and hail falling from this sky.
Large puddles formed on the trail along with polystyrene like hail that collected in piles.

We temporarily take shelter from the rain underneath some pine trees. Luckily it doesn’t last long before the shower stops.

A couple of the other sobos we have been leap frogging have opted to pull in for the day and pitched their tents. It seems to be a common theme withh Big Agnes tent owners for some unknown reason. Fair weather hiking fairies…

Sarah and I had looked at the mileage to Lake Tahoe this morning to try and work out our strategy for the next few days Tahoe is around 60 miles away which would normally leave approx 3 separate 20 mile days.

However because we’re going through the Desolation Wilderness (where you have to carry a bear cannister) this changes the plan slightly as this stretch lasts 26 miles.

This means today and tomorrow will be covering less miles approximately 18. This then leaves a 26 mile day on the last day.

Sarah is looking forward to when we reach Lake Tahoe because this is when we meet her mate Liz.
Liz has been so kind and letting us send all our winter for surplus gear over the past few months + the pair have a lot to catch up to catch up on.

Looking back at Tinker knob it looks majestic with the sun just breaking through the clouds lighting up its face. Its  almost like it wanted to give us a warning thay these large mountains are not to be underestimated.

A few sparse trees standing up on the ridge leading away from Tinker knob seem to stand to attention in the sunlight, ready to be summoned for battle.

During the next climb we start to overheat.
Still wearing rain jackets and pants.
Just as there is a break in the weather and just as we stop to take them off its starts hailing again….

As we hike up towards Tahoe Ski Lifts we pass the familiar face Nobo face.
We met “Dash” from Indianna just as we were entering Oregon. Dash had a very southern accent and a nice way about him.
It was nice to catch up and find out how things had been going + he only had a couple of hundred miles left before putting this thing to bed.

As we climbed over the ridge the ski lifts and resort came into view.
Tahoe looks like an adventure playground for outdoor junkies. With mountains, climbing, hiking and ski resort and huge lake it seems like the perfect place.

Its crazy how this side of the mountain had received hardly any rain or hail and luckily the trail was dry. Hopefully this means the tent site tonight will also be dry which is always a bonus.
As the trail led towards the ski lifts we were walking on flatter ground. It was almost like walking on sharp sand with the familiar crunch every time you place your feet.
The smell of Mountain Coyote Mint fills the air with a peppermint aroma.
However the mountain had the last laugh and the last push to the top of the ridge by the resort was steep and hard going.

The sky in the distance over Lake Tahoe is a dark mix of blues and pink hues with large white fluffy clouds sitting above the ski resort.
It’s is the kind of sky that you could sit looking out for hours.
Even the plants and sand beneath our feet  seem to have a reddish pink tone which complemented the skyline.

As we compose our thoughts and plan where we’re going to camp tonight we hear a fluttering noise in the trees next to us.
We can see grouse finding a roost for the night. Just like we need to do.

From Tahoe ski lifts we descended down 2.6 miles as the sun was setting. Both of us wearing our winter clothes again.
It seems like only yesterday that I could hike into the night wearing just a T-shirt and not getting cold.
Whereas nowadays we have to start and finish the day in our puffys and warm gear.

Finally we arrived at the clearing that was marked as a tent site. Although we had only done just shy of 15 miles we were both sore and knackered. The late start and phone admin certainly didn’t help and we will need to make up those miles tomorrow.

Sarah had read in Far Out that a previous hikers had experienced problems with a bear trying to raid an Ursack.
So after tying our Ursack to tree full of our food, Sarah then laid a series of branches round the base of the tree as a form of early warning alarm. Let’s hope that works as we really don’t want to loose our food or get the Ursack all chewed up this early into the stretch.

Day 88 Wed Sept 20th
Tent site 2 after Tahoe ski resort – Tent site 2 before Desolation wilderness
1516.2 – 1536
Approx. 2877 ft ascent + 3146 ft descent
19.8 Miles

Hike eat sleep repeat….

We woke up to find the Ursack had not been messed with. Which was a huge relief.

I set the stove boiling this morning so that we could have a hot drink + oatmeal before starting our hike.

I am falling apart and have repetitive aches n pains in a number of places now!
Nurse Sarah kindly gave me a massage with ibuprofen gel to try and ease the pain.

We broke camp around about 07:45 with numb hands and damp shoes from yesterday’s rain storm.

We walk through dense vegetation either side of the trail, all showing signs of that autum is coming with leaves turning orange and brown.
The sun breathes life back into the mountains and the sky is hazey with shards of light coming over the tops of the mountains in front.

The sun quickly gets higher in the sky and as we start the first climb things warm up and we start removing layers.

Someone once said to me “Start cold be bold” which is a great mantra, alhough sometimes requires some extra balls and we often start with too many layers just until we’re up to temperature.

Wet grass brushes against our legs
and isn’t long before our socks and shorts are soaking wet again.
Flocks of birds also disperse in front of us as we pass through their home. We find out later that they are called Mountain Chickadee.

On the trail in front of me I come across a huge pile of very fresh  bear poop. So fresh there is still has a strong earthy smell in the air.
I look around and I can’t see anything, although the brush is dense. I gestured to Sarah who is making a video with her phone, oblivious to the potential danger.
We need to develop a better way of communicating at distance, as she just thought I was trying to get her to hurry up.

Dense elders are a perfect place for a bear to take refuge and hide and the last things the last thing we want to do is to startle one.

Steam rises from the wet grass as it’s bathed in the fresh morning sunlight.
We spend the next hour walking up steep switchbacks towards the Alpine Meadows Ski Area.

Either side of the trail are huge pine trees and the air is still cold and fresh with the occasional bursts of sunlight breaking through the canopy shining a spot light on the forest floor.

I look back to see Sarah on the switch backs below me living her best life smiling from ear to ear.

We’ve developed a system if I get too far in front I whistle and I wait to hear her whistle back just to know she’s within range.
Some of the hikers we’ve met find this really cute. Either way it seems to work quite well and helps us stay connected.

Despite the aches and pains my legs are feeling strong. These long prolonged climbs no longer bother us and we’re able to walk a good pace.

It’s going to be strange when this is all over as our bodies and minds have became accustomed to this way of life.
Also living in a bungalow with no stairs doesn’t offer as much potential to get our hearts beating.
We will need to be mindful of this when we get back.
Our bodies become in sync with natural rythm of the sun rising and setting. As well as and the amount of exercise we’re doing and the amazing things we are seeing.
Simply stopping and going back to our normal lives will be difficult to say the least.
There’s also something very liberating about this nomadic way of life. Never waking up in the same place more than once.
As we climb we spot a large bird of prey sitting on a branch further up the mountain.
Initially I think it’s a juvenile owl. It’s body is fluffy and grey and its black head keeps turning from left to right.
Although as it flies away it doesn’t glide like an owl and looks more like a rapture yet to be identified.

Towards the top of the climb to Alpine Meadow and Ski Area there’s a fresh cold breeze which keeps us moving. The hood of my sun hoodie is flapping against my head violently in the wind.

Lake Tahoe is moving ever close and I can even see boats on the water surface as well as the ripples created by the wind as it passes over the lake.

We see bright blue Stella Jays flying from tree to tree. Then as we cross the pass a bird flys straight over our heads missing us by only a few feet.

We spent the next couple fo hours walking along the ridgeline. Eagles flying overhead soaring in the thermals with stunning 360 mountain views either side.

We pulled in for lunch at a tensite just before we started to descend.
Along with the normal chores of drying tents and sleeping bags I decided to do some serious foot care.
Taking off your shoes for even 30 mins or so allowing them to air makes a big difference.
I cleaned them up and massaged them with a cork ball to help relieve the pain.

I liberally applied ibuprofen gel and Sarah even gave me her stash of talk to help freshen them up. Let’s hope it lasts.
Just as I was putting my shoes back on an Eagle swooped down in the clearing next to us maybe only a couple of feet from the ground.
Today certainly seems to be the day of the birds.
As we leave our sheltered lunch spot we walk back out into the teeth of the wind.
The air must be being channelled through the mountains and it’s bitterly cold and very strong.
Then as soon as it started and as we round a corner and walk down the other side of the mountain back in the sun with almost no wind.
As we carry on into the afternoon we experience more gusty cold blasts of wind.
It’s different from before as there’s an icy chill in the air. I think it’s fair to say we’re getting close to the Sierras.

Dried brown pine needles are getting blown out of the trees falling through the air like tiny spears.

As we make our way to our tent spot for the evening and as the afternoon turns into evening the temperature and wind fluctuate.
Sarah seems to be feeling the cold today and she’s constantly adding and removing layers.

We pass trees with small fungal growths that look like noses made of marshmallow.
We have both been feeling more tired than usual and wonder if it’s due to the increased elevation over the last week?
It’s makes you feel more lethargic and the last few miles are dragging today.

We passed Richardson lake on the way to the marked Tent site.
It was too windy to even attempt fly fishing and Sarah had also read on Far Out about an aggressive bear causing trouble, so we gave it a wide birth.
The lake was surrounded by Alders so would be a perfect habitat for a bear to be hiding.

We arrived at camp earlier than normal at around 18:15.
We are camped just before the start of the Desolation Wilderness. Tomorrow we need to pass through without staying as we do not have a bear canister yet. It’s going to be a long 26 mile day in the office + we are pleased we have stopped earlier than usual tonight to recharge our batteries.

We had skipped our afternoon feed and towards the end of the day energy levels really dropped.
We made up for it though with our supper. Starting with a round of tuna tortillas wraps. Followed by a portion of refried  beans. Then the main event which was a Knore pasta side with chicken and stuffing.
It all went down a treat and with rosey faces we felt the life and warmth return to our bodies.

So it’s an early night tonight. We are already in our sleeping bags at 20:30. For most hikers mid night isn’t much later, but not normally for us, so this is a nice treat.

So it’s good night from us I’m afraid.

Day 89 Thurs Sept 21st
Tent site 2 before Desolation wilderness Echo Lake trailhead – South lake tahoe
1536 – 1561.8
Approx. 4016ft ascent +  4134 ft descent
25.8 Miles

Our alarm goes at 04:45 and we broke camp a 06:15 although we made sure the engine was stoked with hot chocolate and coffee and oatmeal. Along with the other morning shenanigans.

We woke in the night to the sound of rain drops on our tent with thunder rumbling overhead.

It’s great to be first up on trial and we both feel pleased we managed to get up early to try and smash out these 26 miles through the Desolation wilderness.
The other hikers that have pitched up around us all seemed to be taking bear safety seriously rather than sleeping with their food (as many seem to do).
We see a number of bear lines and bear bags hanging from trees as we leave the tentsite.

As we set off strangely the trail was still rather dry with the air is misty and cold.

A Stellas Jay lets out an alrarm to notify the forest that we are walking through.

As we set out the pain in my foot is almost constant now. Today I’ve taken both Ibroprofen and paracetamol to see if that helps.
I fear that I may need to take a zero when we reach town and I’ll maybe even reach out to the trail physio” Blaze” to see what the problem is if the pain doesn’t go away.

As we walk through a rock garden of boulders towards our first peak there is a feeling of claustrophobia as we surrounded by trees and large car sized boulders.

It’s silent apart from the rustle of our rain pants and the occasion of morning tweet of the bird.

As the sun gets higher in the sky it starts to burn off the mist and monochrome gloom.
To our right it reveals a series of granite mountains hiding away below the low lying cloud.

We make a good start of the day with a good hiking pace. I think this is partly down to the big dinner we had last night.
Compare it to the carb loading a boxer does in the preparation for a big fight.

We soon warm up and shed our rain pants and terminal layers just opting for t-shirts and shorts again.
This works fine until you stop. It’s brass monkeys waiting for Sarah as she’s slowed down recording notes for the charity campaign.

We then spend the next part of the morning hiking downhill in shaded valleys and meadows which again becomes cold.
Puffy jackets back on we walk with a hands underneath our armpits to try and keep them warm.

Due to the rain last night the side walls of our tent seemed to sag with the weight of the rain water.
Due to the change in temperature we are both relieved we have a double walled tent  arriving shortly which should provide more warmth and will deal better with these more wintery conditions

We are passed by a Nobo trial name “Blizzard” He seems friendly and interestingly enough he has the MSR Freelite tent (that we’re getting next) so I quizz him on how he’s finding it.

It was a nice exchange although we end up leap frogging each other for the rest of the day and our peace and solitude is temporarily compromised.

The trail is to be shared by everyone but there’s something special about having this place to ourselves.
With Sarah and I hiking alone also means that we’re more likely to have interesting wildlife encounters.

Next uo we bump into a girl trialname “Sweet time” because she likes to take her sweet time. We talk about the Sierras and logistics and she tells us that we can get to Mammoth lakes from a place called Horseshoe lake. Therefore our concerns about resupply in the remote sierra may not be such an issue after all.

Around 10:30 we reach from Fontanallis Lake. Its beautiful.
Again we walk through a playground of large granite boulders and rocky outcrops. In the background are huge mountains still with patches of snow, cloaked in angry looking clouds.

Overhead dark clouds keep coming over the mountains and other hikers coming from the opposite direction say they experienced rain and hail storms during the night.

We use our Garmin inReach to do a weather check. It confirms the temperatures today will be 42 to 32 Fahrenheit and we have 60 percent chance of precipitation.

We have one more big climb up and over Dicks Pass and then I we’ve reached about 14 miles already today. We hope to do that get over this monster before the weather changes.
Then hopefully it’s plain sailing all the way to Echo Lake where we can get a ride to Lake Tahoe.

Due to the wintery conditions we start putting layers back on as we climb fighting against any fears of overheating.
Sarah has a long sleeve base layer and buff and is regulating its temperature well.

As we zig zag up switch backs towards the obvious pass. Just before Dick’s we experience and mixture of rain sleet and hail. The elevation on my watch reads 9500ft.
We haven’t even entered the Sierras yet and it looks like winter is well and truly on its way.

As we cross the pass trees are angled almost at 45 degrees and the wind is so strong our rain pants and waterproof flap violently against our bodies.
The wind and hail also stings when it hits our faces and makes our eyes stream.
These mountains and passes act as funnels and are often like this. If you hit them at the wrong time and / or when a storm is rolling in you can be in real trouble.

And as soon as it starts its over. As we start dropping down away from the pass the sun comes out and we enjoy it’s warmth on our cold faces and our hands and body start to warm up again.

We meet a Nobo on the way down. A French guy that’s just come through the Sierras. He looks up at the sky and wishes us luck for the next chapter of our journey and says he’ll keep his fingers crossed for us as we pass through the Sierras.

As we descend we see the sun lighting up the valley and lakes below.
Around 8,000 ft on our way to Lake Alola the wind drops significantly and the temperature improves.
We can now see why people generally camp around 7000-80000 ft in the Sierras where the weather conditions are more favourable.

At 13:45 and with only 7 miles remaining until we leave the Desolation Wilderness we’re making very good progress today.

In 10 miles we will be at Echo lake. A  this rate hopefully we will be there by around 18:00.
Fingers crossed we will be able to get a ride to Lake Tahoe where we can warm up and get something nice for dinner.

We meet a lovely English couple trial names “M&M” They enthusiastically tell us about there adventures. Along with lots nof great advice the main take home was that the Sierras were cold and very hard. They recommended we take more food than we thought we would need and also to check at North Kennedy Meadows about additional logistics.

We then stopped at small Creek and had lunch.  On filling up my water bottle from the creek I was surprised that the water temperature was actually warmer than the air temperature. It was actually pleasant to submerge my hands in the creek water, compared to the cold wind.
Normally creek water is freezing cold compared to the air temperature.

We spend the afternoon walking on granite paths around a multitude of beautiful scenic lakes.  Lake Aloha being the main event with archipelago islands and a stunning mountain back drop.
The wind still strong and icy cold makes my eyes run.

Looking at the mountain on the other side of the lake you can see snow just below the the ridge line. The rocks below looks shiny where the snow melt and runoff has melted and then frozen again.

This place looks cold and bleak and the lake water is inky black. On a summers day we can imagine this place to be totally different.

Blown away by the beauty of Lake Aloha we took a wrong turn and temporarily leave the PCT.
Luckily we soon realise and the back track along the side trail back onto the PCT.
This was a simple enough mistake because the trail is interrupted by a huge granite boulders and it isn’t always obvious where it runs + sometimes takes a little intuition.

We need to dry our tent and sleeping bags.
Although with little sun and an icey cold wind we are running out of daylight.
Luckily we have that quick break in the weather and the sun pokes  through the clouds. We quickly find a bit of high ground and cling onto the tent and sleeping bags as they flap dry in the wind.

In the last few miles before we exit Desolation Wilderness we meet a group of day hikers that were staying at Echo Lake.
They claim they had 6 inches of hail last night that collected on the ground around their cabin.

Like with most descents we start walking
over broken rocks on the way down the mountain.
At the top you generally find larger rocks that reduce in size as you move down the mountain. Eventually you end up on more of spongy softer ground lined with cushy pine needles.

You have to be careful where you place you feet + with our niggling injuries this is slowing our progress over the last few miles.
Sarah is really struggling with her knee and is having to take things slow, so not to twist it and bend it back the wrong way.

We are both looking forward to reaching Lake Tahoe where we can have a day off and a good rest.

Echo Lake is beautiful and is surrounded by mountains and slabs of granite.
The trail winds around the lake and we pass a number of chalets dotted around the periphery of the lake.
Some have more of a rustic charm with cedar shingles lining the walls, with others made of more contemporary materials.
The place is idyllic and a proper retreat +
offers fantastic place to come a vacation where you can hike fish and be this close to the outdoors.
With no road access there a feeling of remoteness + there’s a smell of wood burning stoves in the air.

We arrive at Echo lake and Chalet just as it is starting to get dark and there is a note on the door to say that the place is closed up for the season.
Luckily we manage to get a ride from an Italian dude called Francesco and his gorgous Austrailian shepard puppy “Athena”
Francesco had been up at the lake taking photos of the landscape. He lives in Colorado but his truck was set up with a bed in the back so he had been car camping wih his pup whilst exploring the area.
There was something very familar about this guy as I have worked with many Italians in my past life.
He very kindly drove us down to Lake Tahoe.
With Sarah snuggled up in the back with the pup absolutely loving having Athena sat on her lap.
Athena looked very much like our dog Rooi when he was a pup.

We arrived at the Tahoe valley camp ground and said our goodbyes. What a decent guy!

It was very cold and the prospect of staying back at a large commercial  campground wasn’t that appealing + the reception area seems to be closed.

We needed to get WiFi so we could sort out a plan and look for a warmer place to stay. So we headed to McDonald’s.

Just as we left the campground I saw a large animal run across the road in front of us, back into someone’s garden.
Dogs started barking and I said to Sarah I was convinced it was a bear.
I was not mistaken and as we walked past we saw its eyes reflecting back at us and its familar shape under the light of our head torches.
Towns attract bears and Tahoe is apparently a magnetic for them, due to a lot of the surrounding forest being burnt in forrest fires.
Keeping our wits about us we walked towards McDonald’s where we loaded up on calories and sorted a room in a motel for the evening.

Day 90 Fri Sept 22nd
ZERO – South lake tahoe
1561.8
Approx.  ft ascent +  ft descent
Miles

We spent the day exploring Lake Tahoe.
Finally sorting out a new Verizon phone.
We met a super nice girl called Cory in the phone shop that offered to give us a ride back to trail the next morning.

We also visted a large outfitters where we picked up our heavy plastic bear cannisters.
Renting them proved to be almost as expensive, so we bit the bullet laying down 95 bucks each.
Fitting these into our packs was a struggle and took some practice.
They are heavy and bulky and you need to alter the way you pack your back pack so that you stuff clothing etc around the bear can to offer some padding.

We also met another fellow sobo trailname “Squeeze” who was in town with his folkes.
We had met him on trail a few days ago and he had been hiking with his parents.
What a nice thing to share with your folkes + they both seemed like lovely people.
They even offered us another ride back to trail.

We also resupplied with enough food to get us to Sorona Pass where we are going to meet Liz with the rest of our gear.

It was a busy day and a late night getting everything sorted and we returned to the motel for another comfy night in a warm real bed.

Day 91 Sat Sept 23rd
South lake tahoe – Echo Lake trailhead
1561.8 –
Approx.  ft ascent +  ft descent
Miles

Due to the busy day we opted for a later check out from the motel and contacted Cory and Squeezes folkes to confirm that we would make our own way back tk the trail.
Cory was heading to Reno to do some shopping as there is not much in Lake Tahoe. Locals generally have to visit these larger towns where they will do bigger shops + visit larger commercial stores.
She very kindly bought Sarah and I some breakfast and called into the motel on the way through.
The parties and coffees were delicious and were much appreciated. Cory was also a hiker and had a trip planned in the Enchantments in the coming weeks.

We spent the