An Account of A Tahoe Rim Trail Thru-Hike

This is a comprehensive guide to hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail based on completing it in 2019.

In this post I’ll address:

• Timeframe– when we were going to start/finish and how long we were giving ourselves.
• Itinerary– a loose plan of daily mileage and camp locations so we could figure out how many days of food we were going to carry and where our re-supply points would be.
• Permits– required to hike the Tahoe Rim Trail.
• Day-by-Day account of our experience.
• Gear– what we already had, what we needed to buy, and who was going to carry what.
• Food– SO important.
• Budget– Because living in the woods for 2 weeks ain’t free.
• Lessons Learned

This post contains affiliate links- I may receive a small commission for purchases made directly linked to this post. I highly recommend and have used everything on this page so thanks ahead of time should you choose to purchase something!

If reading isn’t your thing, you can watch the video of our experience here.

Ok, let’s go!

“So, what do you think about hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail…all at once?” I asked Darren, my husband, in March of 2019. To my surprise, he said, “let’s do it!”

Ok, maybe the exclamation point is a little overkill, but what matters is that he agreed. With those words we began our planning process for the 165+ mile loop around Lake Tahoe on the Tahoe Rim Trail, or TRT. Here are the nitty gritty details of our adventure, what worked, what didn’t, and how to start if this is something you’d like to add to your list.

Ok, we’re actually going to attempt to hike the entire way around Lake Tahoe. Now what?

Thru-hiking or through-hiking, is to hike an established end-to-end hiking trail or long-distance trail with continuous footsteps in one direction. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy also defines a thru-hike as one completed within a twelve-month period.

Since we had only done one overnight backpacking trip as a couple (and probably carried 50+ pounds of gear each on that trip), we knew we had a lot to learn. I began by watching a number of gear reviews on YouTube (Darwin on the Trail and Dixie of Homemade Wanderlust were our main go-to channels) and listening to every episode of the Backpacker Radio podcast from start to finish. I also became an avid reader of numerous articles on The Trek, a site that has an unbelievable amount of information pertaining to thru-hiking. These all focus mostly on longer thru-hikes like the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, and Continental Divide Trail; however, other than some different types of gear for different climates, everything I learned easily translated to a shorter thru-hike like the TRT. 

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I used the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) site regularly throughout the planning process and even while on trail. It has sample itineraries, gear lists, trail condition reports, maps, re-supply information (important unless you want to carry all food and supplies for your entire hike), water sources, etc. If you want to try this but want a little more support, the TRTA hosts guided hikes throughout the season; you generally have to apply for those mid-winter. You can also sign up to volunteer with them, which is a great way to pay it forward for using the trail others have worked so hard to build and maintain.

These resources helped us figure out what we needed to focus on in our planning process.

Timeframe

We knew we wanted to take our time, as well as take a zero day (a full day off) in the middle of the hike. We looked at a calendar and randomly chose 2 weeks in mid-July (13th-27th), secured the time off work, and began creating our itinerary based on the days we set aside. We planned our trip for 14 days: 7 days of hiking, 1 day off, then 6 days of hiking, averaging 12-13 miles/day.

The 2018/2019 winter in the Sierra Nevada Mountains was huge, with a 200%+ snowpack and storms still happening well into the late spring. Since we live in the area and hike regularly, I was able to take multiple scouting trips to monitor trail conditions in relation to snow. In mid-June there was still a significant amount of snow on the trail, specifically on the northern aspects. We both looked into our work schedules and after making some changes, decided to push the trip back a full 2 weeks to July 29th-August 11th. 

Was our timeframe a good one?

Yes.

It was nice to have freedom to take our time. This gave us a few shorter days, mileage-wise, which wound up being helpful with the blister issues I encountered (read on). However, even considering that, we could have shortened our trip by at least 1 day. But, since we already had the time off, we put it to good use and enjoyed the few leisurely days the extra time afforded us. We met a few people on the trail who had shorter time frames and said they felt rushed; it was less stressful knowing we weren’t in that position.

It was also nice knowing we could stop and talk to people along the trail and not feel pressured to rush that because we had “big mile days” (our shortest day was 9 miles and our longest day was around 19.5 miles) to get to our next destination. The social aspect of a trail is unique and is something I wouldn’t have wanted to miss due to a tight timeframe.

This decision to push our trip back 2 weeks ended up being an excellent one; the snow on the trail was minimal and we were blessed with incredible weather the whole time.

If you’re trying to figure out when and how long to do a hike like this, try to give yourself at least a day on the back end to recover. We came home and had a few days of rest before returning to work. This gave us time to reorganize and assimilate back into our daily routines, which was incredibly needed.

Itinerary

Once we had our timeframe narrowed down, we could start planning our itinerary. We knew we wanted to take our zero day in Tahoe City. Tahoe City is smaller, and easier to access from the trail than South Lake Tahoe. It’s also more laid back and overall just more our scene. Because of this, we knew we needed to start somewhere on the other side of the lake.

Note: If actually touching the water of Lake Tahoe is on your list, do it in Tahoe City! It’s the closest you’re going to get to it. You see the lake most of the hike, but the Tahoe Rim Trail doesn’t ever go directly next to Lake Tahoe; it stays mostly up on the rim (hence, the name).

We decided to start at the Kingsbury South trailhead, since that is where we left off the year prior from the section hikes we’d completed. A phone call to Heavenly Ski Area Security a few weeks prior to our start date ensured they had our vehicle and contact information as well as our start/finish dates.

The Parking and Access page on the TRT website is helpful for deciding what your options are, as well as providing specific information about different trailhead parking lots and considerations. Pay attention, because even though we thought our parking location wasn’t an issue, when we arrived back after finishing, they were trying to clear the entire lot to repave it and said we might have been towed if we were a day later. Yikes!

Once we knew our starting location, we began planning our daily miles and approximate camp locations. We knew we wanted freedom, but we also needed some type of schedule to give to our friends and family who were helping to re-supply us. We chose a schedule where we would carry at most 4 days of food and would end up averaging 13-14 miles/day.

We also chose to go clockwise. The east side of the TRT is notoriously dry, making water sources few and far between. Although this wasn’t a huge issue in 2019 due to the high snow year, we chose to do the section where water was more plentiful (hence, lighter packs) first.

When our itinerary was set, we made our hotel reservations in Tahoe City. Lake Tahoe is a prime tourist destination, especially during the summer months. We made our reservations several months in advance (and had to change them when we decided to push our trip back). Our itinerary put us into town on a Sunday, which made the already high-season rate, higher; you may be able to get a lower rate if you stay overnight during the week.

Permits

Once we had our general schedule decided, we could get a permit for the Desolation Wilderness. Permits are required to enter the Desolation Wilderness, and you must give the Forest Service your entrance and exit dates when you call to reserve one. When I called, the Forest Service Recreation Specialist told me most people were getting a permit for 4 days (entering on August 1st and exiting on August 4th), which is what I did; however, we entered on August 1st and exited on August 2nd. There was no issue here, since we did enter on our permitted date.

As a thru-hiker, you can bypass the quota (they only issue a certain number of permits per day from the Friday of Memorial Day weekend to September 30th to disperse users in order to preserve the solitude of this smaller wilderness area) system; however, you still must secure the permit before entering. Permits are $10 per person plus a $10 processing fee. The Regulation & Permits section of the TRTA website is the starting point, or contact the Forest Service Supervisor’s Office in South Lake Tahoe at (530) 543-2694 Monday-Friday, 8AM-4:30PM Pacific Time.

I got our permit 2 weeks prior to our start date over the phone. It was mailed to me (you still need to carry the paper copy) and I received it a few days later.

Note: You also need a California Campfire Permit to operate a portable stove. You can obtain one for FREE after watching a short video and answering some questions here. These are good through the end of the calendar year.

Our Adventure… a Day-by-Day

The mileages below were calculated via several methods (Apple Watch, Guthook app, maps). Our total mileage upon completion was closer to 185 miles, but we figured it was somewhere between 175-185. The TRTA still says it’s 165 miles, but there have been several re-routes and changes to the trail. Additionally, there were a few viewpoints and options we chose to hike to along the trail as well.

For navigation, Guthook Guides was our go-to. This app is invaluable. It’s a free app but we paid $14.99 for the downloadable map of the entire TRT. We were able to use all the map features without cell service. Features included water sources, mileage markers, additional interesting information, hiker notes, campsite, etc. Darren carried a paper map as backup, should our technology fail; however, we had great success using Guthook the entire hike.

Day 1- Kingsbury South to Star Lake (9 miles)

Starting off with a shorter day proved helpful. We got a late morning start and were able to take our time as we got used to our pack weight and gear. Yes, we had hiked with our packs and gear prior to hitting the trail, but it does feel different once you know you have 165+ miles ahead of you!

This section of the trail was an incredible kickoff for our adventure, with breathtaking views of the Carson Valley, wildflowers, and the Job’s/Freel Peak area. The numerous creeks along this section gave us a chance to try our water filtration system out for the first time on trail. We DID try it at home before we left, which made the trail trial a lot easier!

We camped at Star Lake that evening and treated ourselves to a dip in the lake and an early dinner. Arriving at camp early was again, helpful, because it gave us a chance to establish camp, as well as figure out our methods/routines (cooking, setting up the tent, clean up, hanging the bear bag) all in the daylight.

Highs & Lows

• Mile 1…we were ON the trail we’d planned so long for!
• Star Lake. My favorite camp spot of the trip.
• Turns out I don’t sleep well in a tent. I would wake up between 2-4am every morning for the remainder of the hike.

It. Is. Beautiful. This trail is already so stunning and we’ve barely scratched the surface. I feel so blessed and grateful to have the opportunity to be out here doing this. Thank you, God! …excerpt from my journal on the evening of July 30th

Day 2- Star Lake to Round Lake (18 miles)

We began the day with a climb up to Freel Pass, encountering many day hikers headed up to the Jobs/Freel Peak area. We took the time to stop and chat with several of them who were interested in what we were trying to accomplish.

We were shooting to camp in the Big Meadow area, but were tipped off by another set of thru-hikers who told us that Round Lake was a nice spot, so we pushed on. Side note: these hikers were both Triple Crowners, meaning they had completed the Pacific Crest Trail (2650 miles), the Continental Divide Trail (3100 miles) and the Appalachian Trail (2180 miles). They were trying to complete the TRT in 6 days and still took the time to stop and talk to us. The trail community is amazing!

18 miles was probably a bit overambitious for day 2, although when you’re on the trail by 6-7am due to long summer days, you can certainly hike the miles. However, my blisters began on day 4 and I think this long day early-on might have contributed to those issues.

Highs

• Talking to Joe and Ashlyn, the impressive and super humble Triple Crowners at the Highway 89/Big Meadow parking lot.
• My husband hiking 18 miles. He surprised himself…and me!

We ran into a lot of day hikers and had lovely conversations with some of them about our thru-hike. People are stoked for us. It’s truly motivating…excerpt from my journal on the evening of July 31st

Day 3- Round Lake to Benwood Meadows Creek area (11 miles)

This was an exceptionally peaceful morning hiking through Meiss Meadows to the most southern point of the trail. Here the trail joined up with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a 2650 mile trail between Canada and Mexico. We knew this would be a shorter day for us since we were meeting friends for our first re-supply the next morning, so we took our time.

We enjoyed a long, late breakfast at Showers Lake, where we also took advantage of the sunshine and breeze and rinsed our dirty clothes out. Locating a good, flat campsite for the evening, we pitched our tent and put out a still-hot campfire from some careless campers before us.

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Note: Campfires are prohibited on the entire Tahoe Rim Trail.

Highs

• Joining up with the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s a dream of mine to thru-hike the PCT “one day“.
• Views on the trail below Little Round Peak. Encountered our first snow, which wasn’t enough to be a nuisance, just fun.
• Stopping and talking to FROGGY (his trail name…F-ing Really Old Guy Getting Young), a PCT thru-hiker trying to finish up a section wildfires kept him off of the previous year.
• Stellar camp site near Benwood Meadows Creek.

We feel like we’re finding our routine and rhythm a little more each day, each meal, each water fill, each bear hang, each mile. We both have our roles but also help each other out as needed. Loving this simple life…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 1st

Day 4- Benwood Meadows Creek area to Gilmore Lake (17 miles) , re-supply location #1 of 3

Re-supply day! We had arranged for friends to meet us in the Echo Lakes parking lot mid-morning and hurriedly made our way towards them.

Note…get yourself some friends with an awesome Mercedes Sprinter van who bring chairs (an absolute delight in a trail world of pointy, unlevel seats), hot coffee, fresh fruit, warm smiles and excitement to help with the next leg of your adventure.

We spent a few hours with them visiting and preparing for the next section of trail with our pre-packed re-supply boxes. Our friends hiked a 3-mile section around Echo Lakes with us, which was also a total morale booster, and then left us not far before we entered the Desolation Wilderness.

We stopped for a swim in Lake Aloha before continuing to our destination for the night, Gilmore Lake. We knew we had to summit Dick’s Pass the next day and wanted to set ourselves up for an early morning departure.

Highs & Lows

• Our incredibly fun, uplifting re-supply morning with friends.
• Lake Aloha. Just experience it.
• Drinking Coors Light at dinner, hidden in our packs by our friend. We lightened the load and got a treat!
• Blisters began appearing on each of my feet, making the last few miles up to Gilmore Lake pretty painful.
• The mosquitos came out in full force at Gilmore Lake when we were trying to set up camp. Our headnets and bug spray were invaluable!

Going to bed sore, but happy and knowing that any adversity out here is truly just part of the experience…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 2nd

Day 5- Gilmore Lake to Richardson Lake (16 miles)

Heading up and over Dick’s Pass first thing in the morning was an incredible climb with a view I’ll always remember. Also, since we got up there so early, we had it to ourselves the whole time we were on top.

We ran into the most snow coming off Dick’s Pass, with giant drifts still intact on the north aspect. This made for interesting navigation of the trail in a few spots. If you go on a big snow year, I cannot stress how important it is to know where you are and where you’re going, as well as where the trail goes. It took a team-effort on our way down to Dick’s Lake to stay on the trail; it was obvious many different routes through the snow had been created by all the previous hikers in the season.

We encountered numerous TRT and PCT thru-hikers in this section, which continued to make for great conversation stops. We exited the Desolation Wilderness late-afternoon and continued on a few miles to Richardson Lake for the evening.

Highs & Lows

• The view from Dick’s Pass.
• A long, late breakfast and foot soak at Fontanillis Lake, just north of Dicks Pass.
• Tough day for my feet…the blisters seemed to be multiplying.
• Richardson Lake is accessible by vehicle, so camping was a bit crowded.

My toughest day yet. The 7 blisters between both feet have made walking extremely painful and arduous…this day was survival mode for me, but Darren is doing awesome. I am so grateful for him right now…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 3rd

Day 6- Richardson Lake to Granite Chief Wilderness border (11 miles)

This was probably one of the most populated days we had on trail. The Barker Pass area is a well-used hiking spot, as well as a main access point for the Rubicon Jeep/ATV trail. It was also Saturday, and it was nice to see so many day hikers out recreating.

I had my It’s All Part of the Experience moment during the heat of this day, forcing us to take an unexpected several hour mid-day break. I hadn’t realized how irritated and swollen my blisters had become and unfortunately one burst as I was hiking. Ouch.

We were lucky enough to secure the one campsite at the Granite Chief Wilderness border, which was good because there was a large TRTA guided group camped at the next site to the north in the Twin Peaks area.

Highs & Lows

• Our quiet, cozy campsite at the wilderness border. No wind and no bugs!
• I had thought the previous day was tough, but this was by far the hardest day, blister-wise. Read about my meltdown in It’s All Part of the Experience.

I learned today that I can do hard things, like hike the last however many (40ish?) miles on blistered feet. Beer is in the near future!…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 4th

Day 7- Granite Chief Wilderness border to Tahoe City (12 miles)

We began the day with a long 6-mile descent into Ward Creek, with stunning views into Alpine Meadows and over towards Squaw Valley. Descending into Tahoe City, we could hear the shouts of people floating the Truckee River before we could see them. We stopped at a picnic table before walking into town to “clean up”, aka, babywipe shower.

We arrived into Tahoe City, as planned, on a Sunday, and we were glad we had pre-made our hotel reservations because town was very busy. Mexican food and a cold beer never tasted so good.

Highs & Lows

• Arriving in Tahoe City knowing we had 90-ish miles of trail behind us. We were more than halfway!
• A soft bed, a shower (or 2!), beer, and having our son come up from Reno to have dinner with us.
• The 6-mile downhill into Ward Creek was tough on the old legs and blistered feet.

Happy for rest…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 4th

Day 8- Zero Day (day off) in Tahoe City, re-supply location #2 of 3

The week prior to our start date, we went up to Tahoe City and staged our resupply box at the hotel we stayed at. This isn’t something the hotel will typically do(so we won’t advertise who it was), but we found a nice employee who helped us out by keeping it for us. We put a clean set of clothes, comfy footwear, and swimsuits inside the box, as well as toiletries and items we knew we would enjoy having on our day off.

I knew I had to make some adjustments for my feet, so I went and bought a few pairs of Injinji toe socks and swapped these out with the ones I’d been wearing. These, in addition to some advice from a podiatrist friend, helped immensely in the following miles. Alpenglow Sports in downtown Tahoe City had friendly, helpful staff, and a great selection of gear and essentials any thru-hiker could need.

Day 9- Tahoe City to Lake Watson (15 miles)

After 2 lovely evenings and a whole day off from hiking, we were ready to once again hit the trail. We staged our re-supply leftovers (including our “day off” clothes) box at an undisclosed location (I returned after we finished to pick it up…you could also mail it home if you didn’t have connections in Tahoe City) and returned to the trail. We moved pretty slow the first few miles after a day of a lot of food, ice cream, and beer (#worthit).

This was the day we saw the only bear(s) we saw on our hike. I spotted a mama bear and her 2 cubs a few hundred yards ahead of us, mid-morning. We stayed quiet as they crossed over the trail, gave them space, and let them pass. Once they were clear of the trail, we made ourselves heard and hiked on.

Highs & Lows

• Actually wanting to get back on the trail was a nice feeling. We were 100% in sync with each other and trail life.
• Blisters were still an issue, but either I was getting used to them or the day off helped.
• Bear bins at Lake Watson gave Darren a night off from hanging the bear bag.
• Lake Watson was slightly creepy. You can access this lake by road and a few people looked like they’d been living up there for some time. We were relieved when other hikers showed up and camped near us.

…it’s hard to believe we’ve hiked as far as we have and been out here this long…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 6th

Day 10- Lake Watson to Gray Lake (19 miles)

We got an early start and loaded all the way up with water (about 5 liters each) in Watson Creek. This would be our longest stretch of the trail without water…over 17 miles. Prior to this day, we had been able to hike with 1-2 liters of water at a time due to the sources being so plentiful.

We met up with another thru-hiker, Paul, who we leap-frogged with all day. We ended up having lunch with him at a scenic spot just off the trail and he made for great conversation and company.

We crossed back over into Nevada and into the Mount Rose Wilderness. We opted to detour a mile off trail down into Gray’s Lake to ensure we had a good water supply for the evening. It was a peaceful camp site and the water coming out of the lake was fresh, clear, and cold.

Highs

• A hiking companion. Even though Darren and I love each other, you enjoy the company and dynamic change after so many miles together!
• The views just past the wilderness border. Stunning.
• Finally feeling strong and definitely adjusted (even preferring it to the alternative!) to life on the trail.

I can’t believe we only have a few more days out here. In some ways it feels like we’ve been doing this forever and in other ways it feels like we just started…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 7th

Day 11- Gray Lake to Mount Rose Campground (12 miles), *resupply location # 3 of 3

We reached the highest point on the trail, Relay Peak (10,338′), mid-morning. The monarch butterflies were migrating through and it was a site to behold.

We joined up with the trail that heads to Mount Rose Summit at Galena Creek, encountering many day hikers along the way. We crossed over State Route 431 and walked into Mount Rose Campground, where we were greeted by friendly campground hosts who gave us exciting news. A friend of ours had come by, reserved and paid for a campsite for us, and left us Coors Light in the bear bin. We might as well have won the lottery.

Our son brought up our final resupply that evening, as well as In-N-Out burgers and fries. This was a good day.

Highs & Lows

• Dipping our weary feet into Galena Creek.
• Having amazing friends and family that went above and beyond to help us out and treat us.
• Seeing Tanner, our son, and spending the evening with him at our campsite (that had a…picnic table!).
• With better cell service, real life and all its complexities was starting to creep back in.

We have a lot to deal with when we get home…troubles will always be afoot, but we can either wallow in them and let them steal the present or we can acknowledge that we can’t do much but pray and table it for another day…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 8th

Day 12- Mount Rose Campground to Marlette Peak Campground (16 miles)

We woke up to a cool morning and got another early start. The mist rolled in as we were departing camp and it was an incredible sight to see it and the rising sun while we walked through the lush Mount Rose Meadows. We were now on the final stretch of trail, as well as one we’d completed in the summer of 2018.

At this point we were walking at a pretty decent speed, making 2.5-3 miles/hour, so we took the scenic loop option that overlooks Sand Harbor. Zero regret for the extra 1.2 miles.

This is where having a little knowledge about the trail comes in handy. We had read on the TRTA website all summer long (and had gotten confirmation from other hikers) that the water pump at Marlette Peak Campground was out of service. We loaded up on water at a creek just north of the campground and were good to go for the evening.

We secured ourselves a camp site (first come, first serve) at Marlette Peak Campground. The water pump was still out of service. By the time our heads hit the pillow, were surrounded by numerous other thru-hikers and backpackers, one of whom we let share our site with us.

Highs

• The mist moved in AFTER we left camp in the morning…dew-free packing!
• Hanging out at the Sand Harbor Overlook.
• Finding water at a creek just north of Marlette Peak Campground (the fresh water well there was broken).

Ate lunch in one of my favorite places in the world. Best view of Lake Tahoe…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 9th

Day 13- Marlette Peak Campground to Genoa Peak area (16 miles)

Another cold morning! We packed up and got out of camp before many others were moving. This afforded solo time in the Snow Valley Peak area (27°…brrr!) and more stunning views of both Lake Tahoe and Marlette Lake. Additionally, we had motivation to push on since we had a group of friends coming to meet us near Spooner Summit to bring us water and snacks and hike a few miles with us.

Seeing familiar faces on the trail again boosted our spirits and motivated us to push though for the next day and a half. The cold beers, breakfast sandwiches, and potato chips helped too!

We set up camp ONE LAST TIME in a random off-trail spot below Genoa Peak near the ATV road. Doing everything for the “last time” became surreal as we realized…we were actually going to finish the Tahoe Rim Trail in the morning. So bittersweet!

Highs & Lows

• Friends. And all the goodies they brought us. Such a treat at this point in the hike!
• The 1700′ climb out of Spooner Summit in gale force winds tested our attitudes…but we were so close.

It’s hard to believe this is coming to an end. I’m really unsure if I’m truly ready to return to reality and all that comes with it, but we don’t have much choice. And so I’ll choose gratitude in these final hours on the trail…excerpt from my journal on the evening of August 10th

Day 14- Genoa Peak area to Kingsbury South (13 miles)

So close, but so far. I think the anticipation of finishing made these miles feel longer than they really were, but looking back, I’m so thankful they were.

Parking at Kingsbury South is a bit of a tease; you feel like you “should” be there when you see the sign for Kingsbury North, but alas, you still have several miles of descent, followed by a final several mile, almost 800′ climb. That might not sound like much, but after 13 days of hiking and 185ish miles, it sure felt like it!

The joy of seeing that Kingsbury South Trailhead sign was mixed with sadness as the reality that we were leaving the simplicity of trail life set in. A friendly and enthusiastic group of fellow thru-hikers we had been leapfrogging the last few days were at the trailhead to cheer us in.

We had finished.

Gear

After extensive research, review reading, and YouTube watching, we knew we wanted to go as light as possible, but also try to not break the bank with purchasing. Fortunately, as a couple, we were able to share a few things, which cut down on the total weight each of us carried. Below is the list of what we carried, what we ditched, and what we altered while on trail.

The “base weight” is all of our gear minus food and water, which ranged anywhere from 5-15 pounds, depending on how much water we had to carry and how much food we had left. By the time we added food and water to our packs, we were both sitting at about +/- 30-35 pounds, which felt very comfortable.

Dawn– base weight = 17 pounds

Carry, Sleep, Sit:

• REI Flash 55L w/raincover
• REI Quarterdome  2 w/ footprint (shared)
• UGQ Outdoor Bandit 20° quilt, custom made 
• Therm-a-rest NeoAir XLite Women’s pad w/repair kit
• Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight pillow
• Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat pad
• Leki Ultralite trekking poles

I loved my Carry, Sleep, Sit system. In the future I would swap out the Z-Seat pad for a full length Z-lite. Having a sit pad was amazing, but I would have enjoyed the versatility of being able to also stretch it out and lay down or do some yoga on it at trail stops and camp.

The trekking poles were a new addition for me. I’d never used them for hiking or backpacking until I began training for the TRT. Between the weight I was carrying every day and my feet issues, these saved my knees as well as greatly assisted me on this hike.

Warning: the NeoAir sleeping pad is very loud. If you’re a restless sleeper like I am, let that be a warning to you and any sleep partners or nearby campers.

Clothes:

• Hoka Torrents w/Superfeet Trailblazer insoles
• 2 pair Farm to Feet Damascus Lightweight Elite 1/4 Crew socks…swapped in Tahoe City for 2 pair Injinji Hiker toes socks 
• 1 pair 3/4 crew sleep socks
• Crocs for camp
• Patagonia Centered Crops 
• Athleta Dobby Action Skort– I LOVE this skort. Quick drying, usable pockets, & super comfy.
• 2 pair ExOfficio Give-N-Go Bikini Briefs 
• Lululemon Energy sports bra
• Marmot Romona Tank
• REI Sahara Shirt
• Icebreaker 250 Vertex Long Sleeve Half Zip
• Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody
• Columbia Titanium rain jacket- the only item I didn’t use
• Buff
• Visor
• Goodr sunglasses
• 1/4 bandana

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I spent quite a bit of time researching, trying out, and swapping out clothing pre-hike. Overall, I was happy with my system. Since the hike was mid-summer, the layers I had worked well for both sleeping and hiking. You need a lot less out there than you think, and you have to carry it all, so consider that when deciding what to wear; no one cares that you’re in the same clothes day after day.

I would have preferred Teva-style sandals rather than Crocs for swimming/wading. I could have also hiked in these when my blisters were bad.

My blister issues had nothing to do with my shoes. I hiked too far the first few days without taking my shoes off at breaks, so my feet sat in sweaty shoes and socks for too long, making me susceptible to hot spots. I wore the same shoes on a cooler backpacking trip later in the year and had no issues.

We took every possible opportunity to rinse out the clothes (socks, underwear, etc.) we weren’t wearing and hung them on our packs or in camp to dry. When you’re in the same clothes for that many miles, the funk is real. Staying as dry and clean when we could was something we constantly monitored.

Other:

• iPhone
• Anker 13,000 Powercore portable charger– gave me about 4-5 full phone charges (less in cooler temps)
• Charging cables for iPhone, Apple Watch- ditched the watch mid-way in favor of having more battery juice for my phone
• Wired Headphones
• iPhone Tripod
• Black Diamond rechargeable headlamp
• Luci Inflatable Solar Light + mobile charger- ditched at Echo Summit due to inefficiency and redundancy (the Anker was sufficient)
• Sea to Summit bug head net
• Bear spray
• Sawyer bug spray
• Sun Bum 3oz. sunscreen– replenished mid-way 
• Aquaphor lip repair and protection (SPF 30)- replenished mid-way
• tp, wipes (Wet Ones brand, not Equate…trust me here), hand sanitizer- all replenished at each re-supply
• Toothpaste, toothbrush, nail clippers, tweezers, mini razor
• Probiotics
• Body Glide (for chafing)
• Snow Peak 300 titanium mug- ditched at Echo Summit. I made cold coffee in a small water bottle on the trail every morning.
• Sea to Summit titanium long spork
• foil lid (to decrease boiling time)
• Sea to Summit Evac 13L dry bag (for food storage)
• Lighter
• Knife
• 2 x 1-liter Smart water bottles, 1-liter Platypus water bladder, small plastic bottle (8oz.) for coffee and green drink

The only other thing I wish I would have had was a real book. I had one on my phone but was trying to conserve my battery life each evening. A small paperback would have been perfect!

Darren– base weight = 18 pounds

Carry, Sleep, Sit:

• Gregory Paragon 58L w/raincover
• Marmot Radium 30 degree sleeping bag- too small
• Therm-a-rest NeoAir Uberlite (large) w/repair kit
• Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight pillow
• Therm-a-Rest Z-Seat pad
• Leki Ultralite trekking poles

Darren was pleased with all of the gear he selected and used on the hike other than his sleeping bag being too short. It was definitely a lesson learned. Tip- sleep a night in your sleeping bag or quilt before you go!

Clothes:

• Altra Lone Peak 4’s
• 2 pair Darn Tough Hiker Quarter Cushion socks…returned 1 pair (holes)
• 1 pair camp socks
• Crocs for camp
• Terramar base layer pants for sleeping
• Columbia Silver Ridge cargo shorts
• 2 pair Reebok boxer briefs
• Patagonia base layer long sleeve shirt
• Rhone polyester t-shirt
• Boston Traders sun shirt
• Patagonia nano puff vest
• REI rain jacket
• Buff
• OR Sombriolet Sun Hat
• Champion sunglasses 
• Bandana

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Altras are a very popular shoe in the thru-hiking community even though they’re trail running shoes. Darren never had any feet issues on the hike other than 1 small blister. The Altras were trashed at the end of the hike, but overall he was very happy with his shoe choice.

Heads up: Altras are a zero-drop shoe, meaning the heel is at the same height as the ball of your foot. If you have never worn these type of shoes, it is recommended that you ease into wearing them to see if they’re a good choice for you prior to hitting the trail on day 1.

Other:

• Anker 13,000 Powercore portable charger
• Charging cables for iPhone
• Wired Headphones
• Energizer head lamp
• Sea to Summit bug net
• Bear spray
• Sawyer bug spray
• Sun Bum 3oz. sunscreen– replenished mid-way 
• tp, wipes, hand sanitizer- all replenished at each re-supply
• Toothpaste, toothbrush, floss
• Thin Optics Slimline reading glasses
• Snow Peak LiteMax Stove w/fuel canister (3.5 oz)
• Snow Peak 600 titanium mug
• Foil lid
• 850 ml lightweight pot
• Sea to Summit titanium long spork
• Sea to Summit The Deuce 1, aka “poo shovel”- Leave No Trace!
• 2’ carabiner
• Sea to Summit Evac 13L dry bag w/100’ cord, carabiner for hanging
• Lighter
• Whistle
• Flagging, 6” & 8” zip tie
• Blocs energy chews, NUUN, MIO
• Medication
• First aid kit (pain medication, sting/bite relief, moleskin, Leukotape, band aids, gauze, alcohol wipes, eye drops)
• Water Filtration Kit: Sawyer Squeeze w/components (2 liter dirty reservoir w/tube, 64 oz. dirty bag, double female attachment)
• 2 x 1-liter Smart water bottles, 1-liter Platypus water bladder

Because I carried the tent, Darren carried our medical/first aid kit and the water filtration kit. This worked well for us. The ability to share a few key items saved us each a few extra pounds.

When Darren was putting the medical kit together, I thought it was overkill. However, we honestly used almost everything he brought for my blistered feet. He packed a small pair of scissors, which I thought was ridiculous; I ate my words every time I cut another piece of moleskin or Leukotape (what I used to secure the moleskin).

Food

It’s hard to know what your body is going to want on the trail, but the biggest lesson we learned was to keep it simple. Prior to the hike, we envisioned long mornings cooking a warm breakfast and sipping hot coffee, but this wasn’t at all how it worked out.

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We realized pretty quickly that we felt the best, physically and mentally, in the mornings and wanted to hit the trail as soon as we could. We’d share a bar as we packed up camp and then breakfast usually happened a few hours down the trail. Because it was summertime, neither of us cared about a hot coffee, so we would throw an instant coffee in our small water bottles and drink it while hiking. We also experimented and enjoyed cold soaking our oatmeal (putting it in a leak-proof container at night with water so it was soft and ready to go the next day, cold). The easier the better!

Food was one category where we overplanned and over-purchased. The first few days, we weren’t very hungry at all. I don’t know if this was solely our bodies adjusting to working all day or what, but neither of us ate close to what we brought, amount-wise. We reconfigured our food at our first re-supply, ditching quite a bit of what we had and only taking what we wanted. 

Breakfast Examples

• Oatmeal with dried fruit, cinnamon (I put these together before the trip)- we used Talenti Gelato containers (they’re air tight) to put the oatmeal and water in the night before. The next day on trail it was softened and ready to eat!
• Bars
• Cold, instant coffee (mixed it in an 8 oz. plastic bottle each morning)
• Organic Greens in powder form (since we weren’t getting fresh fruit and veggies on the trail)

Lunch Examples

• Bagged tuna with hot sauce and crushed up goldfish or chips
• Nut butter and honey in a tortilla

Dinner Examples

• Ramen with dried veggies
• Mountain House meals (we would often share one)

Snack Examples

• Epic meat bars
• Bars (I had a huge assortment of different kinds so we wouldn’t get bored); Lara Bars ended up being our favorites
• Trail mix- the saltier the better! Costco’s giant bag with M&M’s was our go-to
• Gummy fruit snacks
• Chips
• Peanut M&M’s, aka “trail eggs”…a must for any backpacking trip I take

Simple is KEY. Trust me, the last thing you want to do after hiking all day is prepare a big, complicated, time-consuming meal. Try to eat as normally as you would at home, find versions of food you’re used to in backpacking form, and enjoy!

Food solves a lot of trail-problems. Grumpy? Eat a snack. Energy feeling low? Eat a snack. Feeling like you’re having a bad moment? Dig into your food bag and treat yourself to something you like (#peanutM&Ms). On a long climb that won’t end? A fruit gummy every so often gives you that little boost you need to propel you to the top.

A Note About Water…

As previously noted, we hiked the TRT after a huge winter, water-wise, so finding water sources was not an issue. The longest stretch we had without any drinking water was Day 10, about 17 miles. On that day we loaded up to our carrying capacity with the containers we had, which was near 5 liters/each. Otherwise we packed 1-2 liters/each.

The gravity filtration system worked well for us. It allowed us to fill easily and efficiently from each water source.

We took the opportunity in Tahoe City to clean our filter out, which improved the flow rate; however, the flow rate stayed consistent, averaging somewhere between 1:30-2 minutes per liter.

Budget

Because we invested in some lighter-weight gear, we spent more than you could if you already have gear. All in all, we spent approximately $4250 between the two of us, about $2125 apiece. This included both packs, our entire sleep systems minus the tent, water filtration/misc. supplies, most of what we wore, 2 nights in a hotel in Tahoe City at peak season, food, permits…everything Tahoe Rim Trail-related.

If you break this down by day, it comes out to be about $150 per day, per person. Most vacations are going to cost you at least this much in hotels, travel, food, drinks, etc. While it wasn’t a budget adventure, now that we have all our gear, we could do something of a similar timeframe for probably less than 1/4 of what we spent on this hike.

We purchased the majority of our gear from REI and Amazon. We have a Sierra Trading Post in town, so we frequented there as well.

Lessons Learned & Wrapping Up

To say we enjoyed the Tahoe Rim Trail is an understatement. Reflecting on it 6 months after completing it, I feel a sense of accomplishment that I didn’t quite feel at the end on August 11th. We were tired, dirty, and already partially back into our life at home that we knew we had to face when we stepped off the trail. We were sleep-deprived and ready for a bed, food, and sit-down toilets.

However, even though we were ready for the conveniences of off-trail life, we also weren’t quite ready to leave the trail. We loved the simplicity of trail life. Wake up, pack up, filter water, hike, eat, filter water, hike, eat, hike, eat, find camp, filter water, set up camp, eat, hang bear bag, sleep, wake up and do it all over again. It sounds like a lot, and yeah, it was a lot of work, but it was simple. Straightforward.

Choices were limited. Our job was the trail. Our vehicle was our own 2 legs. Our entertainment was each other, others we met on the trail, and the views. Our food was predetermined. Our shelter was carried on my back. Trail-life is good life.

My feet were finally toughened up enough at the end that I could walk relatively pain-free. I made the remark to Darren that I wanted to turn around and go counter-clockwise now that each step didn’t feel like fire. I don’t think he thought that was very funny.

Doing something like this with your partner, in our case, your spouse, is a risk. Darren and I have a healthy marriage, of course with its ups and downs and issues like every other relationship, but on the whole we communicate well and we respect and love each other immensely. But, we had never attempted this type of adventure before. Leading up to the hike, we had disagreements in methods and ideas on things pretty consistently. Was I a little nervous to hit the trail as a married couple? Yes.

However, the moment we got out there, it’s like we understood that each of us was attempting something hard. Something epic. Something we would never forget. We were experiencing a gift. Instead of taking the daily struggles and pains out on each other, we communicated how much we loved and were proud of the other person. Additionally, we laughed a lot, at ourselves and each other; humor goes a long way in improving your attitude.

We spent most mornings walking either in silence or close to one another; in the afternoons we gave each other space and freedom to listen to music or podcasts on our phones (WITH headphones…please don’t be the person playing your music for everyone else to hear! Most people want their nature experience without a side of your favorite music). We even downloaded some of the same podcasts and would then discuss them later down the trail, which was also something fun to look forward to.

Regardless, if you decide to hike with a partner of any kind, come up with a few “WHY” statements before you hit the trail. Before you’re tired and dirty and hungry. We did this a week or so prior and it was very helpful to have something to go back to when one of us was feeling a little down or hurting. Our WHY was:

• Disconnect to reconnect. With each other, God, ourselves, and creation!
• Adventure. We are doing something together that neither of us have ever done before!
• Gratitude. Live each day on the trail knowing we are doing something that a lot of people will never be able to do. We get to. We are consciously making the choice to be on the trail. Embrace it.

I can’t tell you how many times I remembered these 3 statements in the miles we walked, and how much they helped and encouraged me to keep going.

Flexibility, letting go of expectations, and committing to being present go a long way not just in life, but also on the trail. We wanted to experience this, we made the decision to do it, we made it happen…and we will never be the same!

If this is something you’re even considering, even just a little bit, do it. You don’t even have to do the whole thing! There are numerous ways you can day-hike the Tahoe Rim Trail. Don’t let your (lack of) experience get in the way of an adventure of a lifetime.

Whether you choose to hike sections of a long trail, or try backpacking overnight, or even plan a thru-hike, just getting onto a trail will open your eyes to what’s out there beyond your walls, your doors, your comfort zone, your perception of what you can accomplish, and your thoughts of “maybe I’ll do that… one day“.

Watch a video of our experience!