Tahoe Rim Trail gear list – feedback welcome

[Trevor Wilson]

Hello! I’m planning a solo trip around lake Tahoe this July heading clockwise from Tahoe City.  Currently targeting the trip July 4-8 but may try to adjust if high snow levels are still in place at that time.  My goal is to cover it in 5 days with most days around 35 miles/day so have put together my gear list both trying to be light but also efficient knowing I will be moving all day and spending limited time in camp.

I currently have everything on this list except for I have purchased a Durston Gear Wapta 30 that I am waiting for and will test out that to make the call between that and the Yama Gear Sassfrass pack.

Here is the gear list on Lighterpack: https://lighterpack.com/r/617foa

I’d be interested in any feedback in terms of lightening, streamlining or making the gear more efficient.  Thanks!

[jscott]

5 days is ambitious! but doable, I suppose.

I’m really familiar with this area. I wouldn’t  worry about snow this year–any left will be highly condensed and walkable. I would however worry about mosquitos. And so, a net tent might be a good addition.

Unless you use your phone as a camera, there’s no need on this trail. It’s very well marked and one is always within a day’s hike from civilization. So swap out the battery bank for a net tent. 2 lbs for electronics is A LOT!

bring a head net. Long nylon pants are usually impermeable to mosquitos.  shorts, not  at all.

It’s a sunny trail.  A baseball cap is lousy as a sun hat–how  about a wide brimmed hat such as a Sunday Afternoons?

If  you can swing it,  a Bearikade canister might  save another pound.

I love my microspikes.  They may be overkill on this trip. That would save another half pound or more of carried weight.

[Charlie Brenneman]

I went at that exact same time in July 2021. I only had 5 days to work with and went as far as I could from Barker Pass. Ended up at to Echo Lake (4/5th of the route) in 4.5 days. I was a noob on my 1st solo trip, and thought afterwards that 5 days would be doable with more experience and slightly lighter gear. I had done Desolation before so decided to cover ground that I had never been on before.

Agree with the notes above. It was HOT and even though I had pants on I unzipped at the knees a bit to allow some ventilation and was fine. I was glad that I was covered up. I wish I had a headnet a few times for sure. You won’t need microspikes at all. If there is any lingering snow you can handle it without them. I also went through Desolation twice in 2022, early June with lots of snow and didn’t have any traction. By late July there was pretty much zero snow.

Even though you’re covering a lot of ground there is a long stretch on East Side where water is very limited. Both packs are super light, I would go with the one that gives you the most storage for when you need to carry a lot of water. Pack it full with like 5-6L in there to test it out. If either don’t work out I’ve got a Kakwa 40 for sale/rent. People leave water at trailheads although I think the TRT Association has asked folks to not do that so I would plan to not have it just to be safe. Best of luck, you’ve got a great setup to get it done!

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks jscott!  Appreciate the thoughts and feedback.

– re net tent, I’ve got the bivy for mosquitos and since I enjoy cowboy camping.

– The phone will be my trail map, gps, communication device and camera so an essential piece of gear for me.

– That electronics section is electronics + a few other things.  Here are my electronics in that section, curious if there are items you or others would leave out: phone: 7.9 oz, in Reach mini: 3.6 oz (while I don’t think this is critical on the TRT, it will be piece of mind for my family so I need to take it), power bank and iphone cable: 6 oz, I’ve debated this too (maybe I’ll consider it further), headphones: 0.5 oz (will be nice listen to a podcast or music when I’m feeling tired out there)

– Is there a lighter bear canister than the Bare Boxer?  I thought this was still the lightest out there.

– re micro spikes, agreed I won’t be taking them if the snow melts as hoped!  Fingers crossed

– Good call on the hat, I will replace that with something with better sun coverage.  I am also thinking about sun gloves but I’ve never used them.  I think if I have the sun gloves I could also leave the fleece gloves at home.

[Charlie Brenneman]

Forgot to mention that the July trip was going from 80 to 50 on the PCT so about 32 miles a day. That was a prep for our JMT attempt. I wore brand new Hoka Mafetes, and for me… they killed me. If you’re used to them you’ll be fine. The stack height instability caused a lot of pain but mostly I blistered terribly on my toes. I switched to the Injinji socks and rubbed my toes with Gurny Goo for the JMT and had no issues. On my TRT trip I had nike wildhorse trail shoes and on the JMT I wore Merrell Nova trail shoes. Both have rock plates I think, which I find really valuable especially when going through sections like Desolation.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks Charlie!  Appreciate you sharing your experience and thoughts from your trips!

Sounds like consensus is micro spikes likely won’t be needed.  I’ll plan on not bringing them but I’ll be up there a week or so prior to leaving so will be able to monitor snow conditions and can add back in if needed.  My wife and kids may meet me at Echo Lake Chalet for a meal as I pass through so it could be that pick them up from them before heading into Desolation if the snow is lingering.

Hopefully the wind pants plus bug repellent will work if there’s high mosquito pressure.  In general I’m a fan of having dedicated shorts but I’ve switched back and forth and gone with pants when the weather is forecast to be cooler.

That water stretch on the east side is definitely one I’ll be monitoring.  As of now, I’m planning on 4 liters capacity and have tested the Sassafras on hikes and runs fully loaded but I’ll have to confirm with the Wapta pack if it works too.  I’ll also test fully loaded and up to 5-6 liters capacity based on your suggestion.  I’ll be monitoring the socials and any updates on the Far Out app on the water situation to make the final call if I need to add more capacity.  Appreciate that advice!

The Speedgoats have been my go to for the last few years for long days out and ultras and so far have seemed to work well, although admittedly I haven’t done more than a 3 day trip in them and that didn’t have this kind of mileage.  I’m actually trying out the latest Altra shoe that has the 4mm drop and have used it on my recent long runs so may switch over to that.  So far they seem great, although I don’t think they have a rock plate either…

[Alex Wallace]

Lookin’ good! How many days’ worth of food are you getting in your BareBoxer? How does this jive with your resupply plan?

You can likely drop the rain pants. Check the forecast on day 0 and make the choice.

As for traction, I agree that it’s likely unnecessary in July this year. Main big obstacle would be north side of Dicks Pass, but it should be clear or at least heavily tracked by then. Check daily sat images (Sentinel Hub EO Browser) close to takeoff and make the choice.

North side of Dicks Pass July 17, 2023:

Have fun!

[Trevor Wilson]

Alex, thanks for the tip on the satellite images!  I’ll be monitoring for sure.

Good call on the rain paints…meant to exclude those/zero them out in Lighterpack.  I’m also not planning on the long johns .  I am just planning on the wind pants unless the forecast is rainy and/or unusually cold.

My resupply strategy still in flux but is definitely key to confirm to ensure this plan works.  My current plan is to resupply in S Tahoe at the Tramway store and then potentially from meeting my wife at Echo Lake Chalet (minimum plan is to eat a big meal here and resupply a few snacks like bars).  Timewise, I need to avoid the time it would take to shuttle into and out of South Tahoe.  If this works out, I shouldn’t have to hold more than 1.5 days of food in the Bear Boxer as I can hold food on day 1 in a ziplock and same for the rest of the day after the Tramway store.  I don’t think I can push it more than 2 days in there so if that plan doesn’t end up working I’ll have to bump up to my BV500 which I hope to avoid from both a weight and space perspective.

[Charlie Brenneman]

What about starting at Spooner Summit to break up that waterless section. Get to Echo for resupply and a quick meal… then resupply in Tahoe City since it is right there. Death march if you have to on the east side to the finish line.

[jscott]

I’ve been up that north side of Dick’s pass a dozen times far earlier in the season  than June–usually early or mid april. It’s not technical in the slightest  bit.  The snow is highly walkable, solid, and easily negotiable with no problems with avalanche  or sliding off uncontrollably or even over a few feet. Or one. It’s true that I may have worn my microspikes sometimes now that I think about it. Well lugged stiff soles will do fine.

I totally agree with Charlie that finding a way to make your pack as light as possible going into the waterless section on the east side is a good idea. You have to carry water, and water is heavy! Frankly I’d save that section for the end, going downhill if possible, and when you’re acclimated and feeling strong. Easier is good.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks for the suggestions!  Starting at Spooner looks like it could be a good option.  I definitely see your points.  There are some logistical challenges on the front and back end for me but I’m sure they can figured out.  I’ll take a look at how that plan would look and report back.

[Charlie Brenneman]

Here is 5.5 day pace. If I had kept going I would have ended up at Dicks Lake/Velmas at night so that’s why I stopped at Echo. Another half day and I would have been done in 5.5 so you need to be just ahead of these checkpoints basically.

My 4 camps were at Watson Lake, just past Mt Rose summit/Tahoe Meadows, close to Castle Rock near Kingsbury North, and finally Round Lake. Days 1 and 2 were a bit slow as I chafed and blistered early but rallied well for the rest of the trip. I set up a tent each day and wasn’t terribly efficient getting out of camp quickly so if you’re bivy camping you have some extra minutes on your side for sure.

The line on the east is Spooner. It would take ~2 days to get to Echo… almost a full day to get to Barker Pass from there. I would suggest you meet your family on highway 50 and that they have a super sized McDonald’s meal for you. A few quick photos, hugs and kisses, and be on your way. Hours of operation are 9-5 at the Chalet so it could be tough to thread the needle and get it right. Plus parking is a major issue unless she is there early, and there might be a line to wait in at the shop. Having a wife and kids myself… let’s just say that meal might take longer than it should given the pace you need to keep! There is a nice wide shoulder on 50 if I recall where they could park and wait for you. Check google maps street view to double check but I’m pretty sure it is like that because PCT thru-hikers wait there to hitchhike into South Lake.

Ideally you get to Lake Aloha (that would be 66 miles from Spooner) so you can get past Barker to finish Day 3. Maybe stop between the PCT/Ward Creek?

Then about a 1/4 of a day to get to Tahoe City, grab your food and jam as far as you can toward Relay Peak on that day 4. Last day you go for broke; up early and get at it. From Relay peak to Spooner summit it is ~30 miles and net downhill with good water at Galena Falls and Ophir Creek.

After my trip, and probably even during the 2nd half of it, I thought that the Spooner start would be most optimal for a fast effort. The toughest stretch I felt was from the far south point of the loop near Showers Lake all the way through Desolation so you get past that midway section and you’re really rolling from there. Keep us posted. You’ve obviously got me reminiscing, so thanks!

[jscott]

“is there a lighter canister than  the Bareboxer?”  well,  yeah, the Bearikade weekender, but not by much. Probably not worth the expense, However, the Bearikade Scout is 1 pound 12 ounces. I love this canister for packing—it’s small–and for weight. If you can complete this trail in five days, the Scout will work. Simply carry your first night lunch and dinner on your person. Plenty of room inside a Scout for all the rest.

And it packs small. it fits horizontally in most packs. And of course it fits vertically, with plenty of room at the sides.

[Charlie Brenneman]

My friend had a great experience renting a bearikade. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like they offer the Scout. https://wild-ideas.net/rent/

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks!  I looked at the map and agree I think this is a better overall route with stops and much shorter water carries.  I’ll work through it a bit more but tentative plan would be really close to what you outlined:

Day 1: Spooner to Armstrong Pass: 32.4 mi

Day 2: Armstrong to Lake Aloha: 35.4 mi; resupply at Hwy 50 or Echo Lake

Day 3: Lake Aloha to Ward Creek: 34.1 mi

Day 4: Ward Creek to Gray Lake: 38.8 mi; resupply in Tahoe City

Day 5: Gray Lake to Spooner: 34.1

[Charlie Brenneman]

Looks like a great plan! Do you have your desolation permit now? If there isn’t one on the day you need in the Aloha zone grab another one nearby. I’ve never had any official or ranger stop me to ask for my permit and if you’re sleeping out of zone I’m sure you could just say you tried to make it there but fell short. At this point if you did get stopped their biggest concern would probably be if you had a canister or not.

[jscott]

good lord that’s a lot of daily miles.

You folks are much more hardy/young than me!

Echo Lake is a good re-supply point. from there to Aloha is a breeze. Aloha is really rocky. Hard to find a good campsite. Your bivy may prove its worth there.

[Alex Wallace]

Re Deso permits. Many zones work – not just the coveted, “#33 – Aloha.”  Consider zones 22, 27, 38, or 39 if 33 is full. FWIW, last summer there was a volunteer ranger at Aloha checking permits and asking people to move their tent if it was pitched too close to water or trail.

[Jedi]

I’m jealous – TRT is on my bucket list, so I can’t share my experience there but I did the TCT in 2019 and the AT in 2022, plus a few hikes in the Adirondacks so I’ve learned a thing or two about sun protection.

I found that a long-sleeved shirt retains a lot more body heat than a T-shirt with sun sleeves because you get the added ventilation at the arm pits. You can also wet down the sun sleeves for very effective evaporative cooling because the wet fabric is directly against your skin. Of course, open arm pits gives mosquitoes a potential access point, so there’s a trade-off. I treated my sun sleeves with permethrin and still had an occasional skeeter bite me through the sleeve on the AT, so that’s something to think about.

You’ll want a wide-brimmed hat. On both the TCT and AT I used a ball cap with a banana to protect my ears and neck, and often wished I had a wide-brimmed hat. That also works better with a head net to keep the netting off your face.

The Bear Boxer is only rated for 3 days, but ymmv.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks for all the thoughts/beta on Desolation.  I believe with the TRT permit I don’t have to specify a zone in Desolation but I’ll definitely confirm.  The TRT association website says to call a couple weeks before your trip so I haven’t gotten mine yet.

I’m definitely switching to a hat with full coverage, either a wide brimmed hat or a hat with a neck cover.

I’m a fan of sun sleeves and have been debating that over the long sleeved shirt.  I use them all the time trail running.  Something I’ll keep thinking over for sure.

Permithrin clothing treatment will definitely be used as well.

Thanks!

[AK Granola]

My TRT experience and pace was so different from yours that I cannot offer anything on gear. However I will say that Gray Lake was a lovely, peaceful campsite!  With great awesome super cold water (from the inlet stream near the campsite). Of course Lake Aloha is also lovely, but the couple of lakes after that one are even better. Have a wonderful time! At my slow pace I spent about 2 hours atop Dick’s pass, to eat lunch, nap and enjoy the views! I camped at Fontanillis Lake and that was my all time fav campsite on the TRT. Here is the view from my camp.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks AK Granola!  I appreciate the insights on the camps and your favorites as well.  Great to know in case adjustments are needed on the fly as well.  That looks like an amazing campsite at Fontanillis lake!

[jscott]

“I’m definitely switching to a hat with full coverage, either a wide brimmed hat or a hat with a neck cover”

https://www.rei.com/product/894435/sunday-afternoons-ultra-adventure-hat?sku=8944350019&store=12&CAWELAID=120217890015997014&CAG

Or, for real help keeping off mosquitoes and sun  (it’s not hot, although you might guess that:

https://www.sunprecautions.com/product/48100

the drape has velcro attachments that allow you pull the drape up over your nose when in a cloud of mosquitos. Or, let it hang completely loose about your shoulders, so essentially you have on a baseball hat with a huge front brim. Or you can remove the drape entirely. And yes, it’s mosquito proof! It hangs loose around your neck and face. I wear Cocoon sunglasses over my regular glasses. No need for netting with this set up.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks Jscott!

[Alex Wallace]

I just got back from a 4 day/3 night trip in northern deso, re-read the thread and your lighterpack, and have a few more comments.

1. Clothing worn – running shorts are glorious for too many reasons to list, but seriously consider a pair of light weight pants instead. Mainly to cover up from the sun, but having a barrier between your skin and mosquitoes, and grime, are great too.

2. Water filter – I’d swap the Sawyer mini for the full size Sawyer squeeze. Negligible weight increase and so much faster. I find that the full size is easier to clean/back flush too.

3. Water carried – so many lakes, rivers, streams, and creeks on the west side especially in Desolation Wilderness. You could probably get away with carrying a liter, or less, through that stretch, but of course that means stopping to filter more often.

4. Hygiene – a bandana bath each evening to remove the day’s grime and salt off your skin makes a huge difference. Looks like you might have this covered with your wet wipe per day, but make sure that’s enough.

Anyhoo, no matter what you’re going to crush it and have a blast doing it. Please report back after to share your thoughts. Thanks!

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