Tahoe Rim Trail – July 2024

[Trevor Wilson]

Companion forum thread to: Tahoe Rim Trail – July 2024

I completed a stunning and challenging thru hike of the TRT from July 5-8th.  Some of the forum members here were such a great resource in help in the planning of the hike – thank you!  Here is a summary of the hike and a few key thoughts, takeaways and learnings for next time…

[dirtbag]

Awesome and congratulations on doing this trip.  Nice to see most everything went as planned.  I am itching to get there and do this myself very soon! Thanks for posting.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks dirtbag!  Appreciate it.  It’s definitely worth the trip if you can make it happen.

[dirtbag]

Would you have preferred something like six moons Serenity net instead of bivy?  What about something like Borah Gear Bug bivy??  Or something freestanding like a 1p or 2p tent without the fly?

[Trevor Wilson]

I’m thinking more along the lines of Borah Gear Bug Bivy or similar, but that’s based on my set up with a flat tarp.  If you have the right tarp, the Serenity could be perfect.  In times with heavy mosquitos like I had and if I was going to be spending several hours in camp each day, I think I would lean light tent though as my preferred shelter.

[Brad Rogers]

Awesome trip report Trevor!  That was some big miles and elevation!!

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks Brad!  Much appreciated.

[Kevin]

Congrats on a successful hike Trevor! I really enjoyed your video and hope to do the TRT someday too. Those views were amazing. Thanks for sharing!

[Charlie Brenneman]

Been waiting for this, congrats! I was out in Desolation the weekend before and knew the conditions would be good for you with the exception of the heat. We had some late season snow/rain so not surprised with your access to water. But to those not from the area it has been well over 100 degrees for weeks on end in the Sacramento area and even at Tahoe it was about as warm as it could get for July for Trevor. I agree on the heat (and intensity) affecting your appetite and going cook less, especially for a 5 day trip. When my friends and I tried to go big on the JMT I would have preferred some foods a bit less weight efficient but that I actually wanted to eat.

How far off the TRT was gray lake? If I recall I would have had to descend a bit (mid day) and so I just passed that up.

also jealous of the trail magic, that sounded amazing especially after such a tough stretch of the route. Congrats again!

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks Kevin!

Thanks Charlie and thanks again for the great help with the planning!  You were a great help.  The heat was definitely something I wasn’t acclimatized for and impacted the trip.  I ran into a numerous people with major challenges, and someone’s partner I met had to get off the trail due to heat exhaustion.  Staying on top of electrolyte intake after that the first day was key for me.

Gray Lake is around a mile off trail and a few hundred feet down I believe so it packs a bit of a punch getting in and out.  I wouldn’t stop there personally if not for camping.  A couple people I had spoken with thought it was a highlight of their trip and one of the better spots to camp on the trail so I prioritized it, but not sure I would do that again unless it worked perfectly in my itinerary.

The trail magic was such a treat and highlight.  The brownies, fruit and iced coffee seriously hit the spot.  There were mostly PCT hikers there with me and it was fun to hear their stories.  For most of them, it was only the first or second time of the PCT they had received trail magic so everyone was super stoked.

Thanks again!

[jscott]

Great report!  And congrats on completing the trail in such a fast time. I’m thinking your very light pack was a game saver. Sorry about the sunburn/ feet issues. In bug season I’m always in long pants no matter what.

The heat sounds like it was brutal. On the upside, you had no smoke from  fires.

You put in long days and weren’t hanging out for long hours in camp. So skeeters were less of an issue than it could have been, in that regards. Still, I agree  with your conclusion to take better protection next time. Oh, and you dodged any major thunderstorms! although those afternoon storms that cool things off and keep off bugs CAN be welcome, in an odd way.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks jscott!  And thank you for your input during the planning!

You’re totally right, on the flip side I definitely was lucky have no fire or smoke issues and zero thunderstorms.  I could see the Royal fire as it was starting but it was never a threat, although it did make my last sunset particularly colorful.

Interestingly on the thunderstorms, they started happening almost every afternoon for the week after I finished.  For the folks up in the alpine, I’m sure there were a few scary and wet moments!

[Alex H]

Great report, you really cranked the miles!  How was the Wapta 30?

[Alex Wallace]

Congratulations, Trevor! Man, you crushed it with those miles and to do it during this heat wave is something else.

Thanks for sharing the report and video. Well done.

[Trevor Wilson]

Thanks so much Alex H and Alex W!  And thanks Alex W for your help and input on the planning!

Alex H, I really like the Wapta 30.  Other than training hikes in the few weeks leading up, this was my first trip with it and it performed perfectly for my needs.  I only had minor shoulder fatigue and that wasn’t until the 4th day and I didn’t get any chafe during the trip (I was super stoked about this).  Between the shoulder strap and hipbelt pockets, and the bottom pocket I could keep moving for hours without taking the pack off.  The pack also locks down on my body quite well and was still comfortable enough when jogging.

[Alex H]

Tevor, how did the Bare Boxer fit and carry in the Wapta and do you think a BV450 would fit?

[Trevor Wilson]

The Bare Boxer fit and carried perfectly in the Wapta.  I carried it horizontal in the pack and it fit with room to spare.  I don’t have a BV450 handy but think it would fit no problem.

[AK Granola]

No biting flies? I loved doing the TRT, but in several stretches, especially the long forest stretch before Barker Pass, I got swarmed and chewed up. Same time of year.  Maybe they just love me.

[Trevor Wilson]

I’ve been attacked along that stretch before too!  There are some wet, swampy areas along there.  There were definitely plenty of mosquitos around and some people were complaining about them quite a bit.  I had full body clothing coverage and all clothing was treated with permethrin.  I was also really conscious to keep moving and not stop wherever I could tell they were likely to be (particularly the swampy or meadowy type areas and around water sources) except to possibly to fill a water bottle very quickly.  For this trip I was generally hiking through the evening and moving quickly in the early morning during peak mosquito times so it may be I was just a bit lucky with how that came together.

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