<h1><b><font size="+1"><font size="+1">Skijor Trails Near Lake Tahoe California/Nevada</font></font></b></h1>

Skijor Trails
Near Lake Tahoe California/Nevada

Paige Meadows
From Highway 89 a little over a mile south of Tahoe City take Pine Ave. to the west then right on Tahoe Park Heights then right on Big Pine then left on Silvertip to park at the end of Silvertip. This area has no set track but it does have a nice series of long meadows that have lots of local XC skier traffic on light touring and backcountry skis. There are no snowmachines allowed in the area. There will be loose dogs but usually plenty of open space for everyone. For the sled musher it may be an interesting place to try but getting through the trees from the parking area to the meadows for the first quarter mile could get a little dicey. A scouting trip on skis would be recommended.


Mt. Rose
Just north of Incline Village on Highway 28 turn east on Highway 431 and proceed about seven miles and look for a road with a gate and a utility structure just before the summit of the highway on the north side of the road. Because the base elevation is 8900 feet the road is usually skiable by the end of November and often a month before that. There is usually a snow machine track on the road but the snowmachiners don't use the road much and there is lots of open space for everyone. The road is very safe but there is some avalanche danger in some areas so be wary and knowledgeable about what conditions favor avalanches. The road climbs gently for about three miles and steadily steeper for the next three to the summit of the Mt. Rose Relay Station at 10100 feet. The first three miles are good beginner backcountry skijor track. There is one windblown section about a mile up the road that often has exposed rocks early in the season and late in the season the gate may be buried and the road hard to see. Spectacular views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains.


Brockway Summit Trail
Brockway Summit is on highway 267 between Truckee and Kings Beach. This road is groomed for a snowmachine touring outfit and is part of the local parks and recreation. There is limited parking so the snowmachine traffic is never heavy and they tend to go by in groups and it may be hours between encounters especially early morning.
There is a groomed track about fifteen feet wide that winds twenty mountainous miles to Tahoe City with a few side tracks to local lakes and mountain tops. Usually groomed about twice a week depending on conditions, the trail can get washboarded and rough between grooming and other times it can be every skiers dream. Usually skating skis are the outfit for this track.


Martis_Peak
From just north of Brockway summit on highway 267 between Truckee and North Lake Tahoe there is a Forest Service Road heading east. Base elevation is about 7000 ft. From this road there are many trails that climb towards Martis Peak. There is light snowmachine traffic in this area. Often a trail is broken already.
Park at the gate. If there is not enough snow at the trailhead there is usually good snow a half hour walk in. For early season, the shady side of the mountain offers good coverage that remains powdery long after the snow falls. To find the good snow follow the main road about an eighth of a mile to just after the main road starts to climb steeply and turn left. Keep climbing on this road for about a half a mile. Look for a road to the right that is on a ridge just before the main road starts to descend. On the USGS Martis Peak 7.5 Minute Quadrangle, this fork is near a peak designated 7369 in section 34 T. 17 N., R. 17 E. Head east on the road toward the adjacent section 35. The road climbs gently and forks at about a half a mile just when the road flattens out. Either route has decent coverage early season and both cover about a mile of almost flat terrain. They both come out at the main road to Martis Peak and if the main road is covered you can make a loop of flat terrain of about three miles.
To get to Martis Peak from the trailhead stay on the main road for about five long steep miles and look for a fork to the left just past a knoll that overlooks Lake Tahoe. Take the fork left about another mile to the summit. With good dogs the trip to the summit should take about an hour, climbing about 1700 ft. total. Without dogs, much longer.


Diamond Peak XC Ski Area
The old Diamond Peak XC Area is about five miles up highway 431 from highway 28 near Incline Village. The XC ski area is no longer open, so groomed trails are a thing of the past. Still it offers a great place for backcountry skijoring.