Snowplant, below Round Lake, Meiss Roadless Country Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney: Your Backpacking Guide to the High Sierras Sprouting Paper Plant
Meiss Cabin and Barn during early Spring.
Meiss Cabin and Barn during early Spring.

 

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Backpacking
Meiss Cabin
in

Meiss Meadow
in the
Meiss Country Roadless Area

Junction of the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and Tahoe Rim Trails in the Southern Lake Tahoe Basin

 

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The art of walking
 
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An Important Trail TEE

Trail Guide INDEXES

MEISS COUNTRY

CARSON PASS

NORTH
EAST

TRT

Round
Lake

&
Big
Meadow

NORTH
PCT-TYT-TRT

Echo
Summit

via
Showers
Lake

SOUTH
PCT-TYT

Meiss Meadow
to
Carson
Pass

7.5 min Topo Map
Meiss Roadless to Carson Pass

30 min Topo Map
Echo Summit to Round Top

ROUND LAKE
Miles and Elevations

PCT-TYT
Miles and Elevations

Miles
and
Elevations
INDEX

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
PERMITS

Meiss
Country PERMITS


Federal
Backpacking
PERMITS

Local
Weather

All Sierra Weather

Tahoe
to
Whitney
on
YouTube
Round Lake & Big Meadow
Trail Junction

with
Pacific Crest - Tahoe Yosemite - Tahoe Rim
Trails

Round Lake trail junction in Meiss Meadow in March 2010 snow.
The trail Northeast, back the way we came up six miles from the South Upper Truckee Trailhead past Big Meadow junction and Round Lake.

Meiss Meadow Trail Junction
and

Meiss Cabin

Arriving at Meiss Meadow we have arrived at the central "Hub" of the Meiss Country Roadless Area.

As we're going to continue our long hike South towards Tuolumne Meadows and on down to the Whitney Portal, at the Meiss Meadow trail junction we're now positioned to make our Southbound exit from the Tahoe Basin through the Carson Gap.
We'll shortly put the Lake Tahoe Basin sections of our hike behind us, to continue our backpacking trip South through the next section of trail, consisting of the Mokelumne Wilderness.

Local Backpackers will arrive at this trail junction in Meiss Meadow to make their final turn towards their destination trailhead. This is because the triangular shape of the Meiss Country puts the Meiss Meadow trail junction in a central position for most of the trailheads encircling the perimeter of the Meiss Country to access each other.
The three main trails trisecting the Meiss Country radiate out from Meiss Meadow. The trailheads at the end of these three main trails out of Meiss Meadow are the Carson Pass to the South, Echo Summit to the Northwest, and the South Upper Truckee Trailhead to our North-Northeast.

The remaining three trailheads into the Meiss Country, being Big Meadow, Schneiders Cow Camp, and Sayles Canyon are accessible off of the line of these three main trails. Though the terrain of the Meiss Country is delightfully complex, the basic layout of the trails is simple: A Hub with Three Spokes.

Maps

15 minute Hiking Map
Meiss Country Roadless Area
30 min Hiking Map
Echo Summit to Round Top Lake

Miles and Elevations

Miles and Elevations
South Upper Truckee to Meiss Meadow
Miles and Elevations
Echo Summit to Carson Pass

Forum

comments

INDEX
On this page

Directions:
TYT, PCT, TRT

 

MAP
Meiss Roadless Area
click red dots

 

MILES and ELEVATIONS
Meiss Roadless Area

 

Miles, Elevations &
Backpacking Route Options

 

Video
Different trailheads, same Goal

 

Temps

 

Trail signs

 

Meiss Cabin

Meiss Cabin History

 

Views of
Meiss Meadow

 

Trail Culture

 

Mosquitoes

 

 

All Weather
and
Fire Information

All High Sierra Weather Resources

 

Comprehensive High Sierra Fire and Smoke Information

Weather and Road Information

Below find the closest Ground Stations, Point and Regional Forecasts near Meiss Meadow.

We're between Echo Summit and Carson Pass, though closer to Carson Pass while still within the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Satellite and Radar Imagery provides Long Range and Regional overviews.

Point Forecast

NWS
Echo Summit
Point Forecast

NWS
Carson Pass
Point Forecast

Regional Forecasts

NWS Regional Forecast Greater Lake Tahoe

NWS Regional Forecast West Slope Sierra Tahoe to Yosemite

South Lake Tahoe
Regional Weather Information

Carson Pass
Regional Weather Information

All High Sierra Weather Resources

Real Time
Ground Reporting Stations

Lake Tahoe
Ground Stations

Carson Pass
Ground Stations

Carson Pass
reporting station

Caples Lake
Reporting Station

Schneiders
reporting station

Forestdale Creek
reporting station

Silver Lake
Reporting Station

All Ground Reporting Stations

MesoWest N Calif Stations

Calif Snotel

Road Conditions

Caltrans Hwy 88

All Lake Tahoe Basin Highway Conditions

Big View
Radar

North California
Radar

Big View
Space

Western US-East Pac
Satellite

Local Resupply Resources
South Lake Tahoe Backpacker Resources

> Forum <

Add to the Guide
All backpackers can post text comments about the following section of trail through the comments links on all the trail guide pages. The area each page covers has its own Forum/comments areas.
Registered Members can post up stand alone articles, notes, thoughts about the trail with text, images, maps and videos in the Trails Forum that supplements this section of the trail Guide, or any segment along the trail.

Check out all the Tahoe to Whitney .org
Backpacking Trails and Topics Forums.

Tell us what you see.

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Meiss Meadow Trail Junction

Big Meadow-Round Lake Trail Junction
Southbound Backpacker's Left

Hikers continuing South up from Round Lake or Big Meadow take a Southbound hiker's Left turn here, as we are hiking South out of the Tahoe Basin through the Carson Gap towards Highway 88 and Carson Pass.

All backpackers on the TYT-PCT route between Echo Summit to Highway 88 hike straight through this trail junction.

Southeast
PCT-TYT
Towards Carson Pass
Old School Post: South to Highway 88 and the Carson Pass
1.52 miles South to the Carson Gap,
2.91 total miles to Carson Pass.

30 min Hiking Map
Meiss Country Roadless Area

comments

Northeast
Tahoe Rim Trail
Tahoe Rim also heads North, but veers East at Big Meadow
Towards the South Upper Truckee & Big Meadow Trailheads

The trail leading Northeast from the Meiss Meadow trail junction passes Round Lake and then the Big Meadow trail junction on its way down to the South Upper Truckee Trailhead in Meyers.

Northeast
Tahoe Rim Trail

  Northeast
on the
Tahoe Rim Trail.
      No trail yet, but a good landmark.  
  Round Lake-South Upper Truckee Trailhead near Meiss Cabin       Round Lake trail junction at Meiss Cabin.  

South Upper Truckee Trailhead
6 miles

Miles and Elevations Northeast
Meyers to Meiss Cabin

Meiss Country Roadless Area is delightful for experiencing the Sierra in Snow Conditions.

Trail Guide Northeast
Round Lake & Big Meadow

 

comments

15 min Hiking Map
Meiss Country Roadless Area

Northwest
TRT-TYT-PCT
Towards the Echo Summit Trailhead
South, towards Echo Summit
PCT-TYT-TRT North.

comments

Miles and Elevations
Echo Summit to Carson Pass

Meiss Cabin during March

Meiss Cabin in Spring Snow.
Meiss Cabin is offset to the South-Southeast of the Round Lake-Big Meadow trail junction.
Saturday, March 20, 2010.
Second day up from South Upper Truckee Trailhead via Round Lake. What sweeeet snow! Fat. I'm sinking about an inch into the surface with each step of my snow-shoed feet.
Each step makes a "fat" sound.

Looking North
towards
Showers Lake from Meiss Meadow
Under Darkening Skies
Little Round Top is out of frame Left along the the most-distant Left Ridgeline

View across North Meiss Meadow towards Little Round Top and Showers Lake.
Fall of 2001 in Meiss Meadow, Hiking to Tuolumne Meadows late in the season.

Though we are looking at the terrain the trail North along the PCT-TYT-TRT routes is crossing as it bends around the Southern end of the Tahoe Basin, we are actually looking almost directly West.

Let's get our bearings.

The second peak from the Left edge of the image is the ridge arm extending Northwest from the top of Little Round Top.

The peak closest to the Left edge of the image sits above Showers Lake. See that ridge arm descending off the Right side of that peak?
Showers Lake is located below the face on the Right side of that ridge.

That point is hard to see in the image above, and the image below, but we can see it clearly on this image.

The nearest low ridge running into the center of the image above, with the barren spot, is the ridge dividing the North end of Meiss Meadow from the shelf Showers Lake sits upon.

Let's take another look at this same terrain from a slightly different perspective, in the image below.

Let's also take a closer look at this ridge from a position North of the ridge along the PCT-TYT looking South towards Meiss Meadow from above, and a little North of Showers Lake from the same shelf in the terrain holding Showers Lake.

The low ridge in the middle distance of the image linked to above is the same ridge as depicted in the images above and below, but looking at it from its Southern rather than its Northern side.

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Above and Below:
Views across North Meiss Meadow towards Little Round Top and Showers Lake.

Looking North towards Echo Summit
We can see the Low Ridge separating Meiss Meadow from the shelf Showers Lake sits on in the image above. It is the nearest ridgeline with the barren patch. Showers Lake lays behind that ridge and in front of the ridgeline running off the peak on the furthest Left. The next peak further down the ridge is the end of the ridge arm extending Northwest from Little Round Top, which is out of view from the above perspective.

On the
Pacific Crest, Tahoe Rim,
and
Tahoe to Yosemite Trails

Meiss Meadow Trail Junction

To the Northeast
The "T" junction in Meiss Meadow branching off to the Northeast, down to Round Lake and the Big Meadow trail junction, is where the counter-clockwise TRT hiker breaks off from the Northwest to Southeast line of the PCT-TYT-TYT tracking across the length of the Meiss Country Roadless Area.

At this trail junction the counter-clockwise Tahoe Rim Trail turns Northeast towards Big Meadow, and the trailhead of the same name situated on Highway 89.
Continuing to hike North down this trail past the Big Meadow trail junction brings us down to our South Upper Truckee trailhead.

PCT & TYT
All hikers on the Pacific Crest or Tahoe to Yosemite Trails running Northwest to Southeast from Echo Summit to Carson Pass do not turn at this junction, while all Tahoe Rim Trail hikers turn North here.

North
on
The Tahoe Rim Trail

Two TRT Turns North
The Meiss Meadow trail junction marks the Southernmost corner of the Tahoe Rim Trail, and of the Tahoe Basin. All hikers on the Tahoe Rim Trail will hike North from this trail junction independent of which way they are hiking around Lake Tahoe.

Counter-clockwise TRT hikers turn Northeast towards Big Meadow Trailhead on Highway 89.
Clockwise TRT hikers turn Northwest towards Echo Summit via Showers Lake.

Here at the Southern End of the Lake Tahoe Basin all Tahoe Rim Trail hikers bend a turn North through this Southernmost TRT trail junction.

Southbound Hikers
out of
South Upper Truckee
or
Big Meadow Trailheads

Southbound backpackers hiking up past Round Lake from the South Upper Truckee or hiking out of the Big Meadow trailhead to Meiss Meadow have a decision.

Which Way to Go
from
Meiss Meadow ?

If we are hiking South out of the Lake Tahoe Basin through the Carson Gap, to where the TYT and PCT routes split apart, we turn Left at this junction.

We could be ending a local trip through the Carson Pass trailhead, or we could be continuing South into the Mokelumne Wilderness for the hike down to Highway 4, and maybe even points further South.

If we are heading North towards Showers Lake or Echo Summit beyond, we take a right.
Most of the times I take a Right here are during Snow conditions, as I navigate my way over to Showers Lake. During the remainder of the year I am generally heading as far South as I possibly can.

Forum Page

Comments and Questions: Meyers to Meiss Cabin?

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Meiss Meadow Trail Junction
Miles, Elevations & Route Options

             
 
Backpacking Options
We can follow this Trail Guide in Three Directions from this trail junction in the Heart of the
Meiss Country
Roadless Area

Option 1
Continue South Towards the Carson Gap, along the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite Trail routes towards Carson Pass on Highway 88.

Option 2
Follow the Trail Northwest to Echo Summit via Showers Lake on the combined TYT, PCT, and TRT routes towards Echo Summit on Highway 50.

(The Guide depicts the Northbound trail up to our starting point of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail through the Meeks Bay Trailhead.)

Option 3
Follow the Trail Northeast down to the Big Meadow trail head on highway 89 or the South Upper Truckee trailhead in Meyers.

 

Meiss Country Roadless Area

Location:

Meiss Cabin
Round Lake Trail Junction

Elevation
8400 feet

 

Mileages
1.88 miles between Showers Lake and this Meiss Cabin-Round Lake Trail junction.

9 miles North to Echo Summit.
Though the sign says 10, I say nine.

(Note: The Sign at Echo Summit puts Carson Pass at 11 miles South of Echo Summit. I believe they are both wrong.

I put Carson Pass at 12 miles, Meiss Cabin at 9.09, and the N. Showers Lake sign post at 6.8 miles, all measured South from Echo Summit.)

 

Your
comments and perspectives
on these numbers are welcome.

 

From This Junction we have...

2 miles South to the Carson Gap exit from the Lake Tahoe Basin, and 3 miles total to the Carson Pass on Highway 88.

2 miles Northeast down to Round Lake, and 4 more miles down to the South Upper Truckee trailhead, making six miles total to the trail head from Meiss Meadow.

9 miles Northwest to Echo Summit.

 

Check out the Map, and Click the Colored Dots for related trail guide page for more trail information.

Meyers to Carson Pass
MILES AND ELEVATIONS

Echo Summit to Carson Pass
MILES AND ELEVATIONS

 

The Main Trails

Echo Summit to Carson Gap
The Pacific Crest, Tahoe Rim, and Tahoe to Yosemite Trails North and South across the Meiss Roadless Area.
This trail junction in Meiss Meadow is the Southernmost position of the TRT.

and

South Upper Truckee & Big Meadow to Meiss Cabin
Fine local trailheads into the Meiss Roadless Area constituting a small section of the Tahoe Rim Trail between Meiss Cabin and the Big Meadow trail junction.

 

Comments?

 

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Short Hiking Trips
centered on the

Meiss Cabin Trail Junction

These trailheads located around the triangular shape of the Meiss Country Roadless Area offer a wealth of short backpacking trip options.

A party with two cars can easily stash a car on one side of the Meiss Country and start their trip off from the other side.

An individual or two hikers can even hike out of their finishing trailhead to hitch a ride back to their car or their home base.

Or not. It's pretty easy hitching down to Sonora Pass from 89 and 88, if we are not walking down there on the trails...

All the mountain folks, skiers, backpackers, and other cool locals and visitors make this a fairly easy area to hitchhike around.

I love those Sierra Folks, from the grizzled old ninety year old lady I met at Round Top Lake who'd been hiking these mountains over her whole life, to the baby slung up on dad's back for the trip into and out of Meiss Meadow from Carson Pass.

And the rest of us too, each walking the distance from the one bookend to the other through Sierra Beauty.

Tahoe to Whitney!

Happy Trails!

 
 

 

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Video
How our Lake Tahoe Trailhead Selection
affects our
Tahoe to Whitney & Tahoe to Yosemite mileage,
and the
Character of our Backpacking Trip

 

The Round Lake Trail Junction at the Meiss Cabin

Hiking Map South
Meiss Country Roadless Area
Miles and Elevations
Echo Summit to Carson Pass

Video Playlists
Meyers Trailhead to Showers Lake, Carson Gap and Round Top

Echo Summit to Carson Gap

comments

Seasonal Conditions
in
Meiss Country Roadless Area

Some Recent Visits to Meiss Cabin
Trip Ideas and Typical Temperatures

Meiss Country Roadless Area around Meiss Cabin

8400 feet of elevation

2009
June 7
Cool, storm breaking up
Late Spring Conditions
Day two to Round Top Lake out of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead

Snow Conditions

35° at 8am

43° before sunset

(Rain two days prior)

July 16
Summer
Hot
Day two to Mount Whitney out of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead

Summer Conditions

47° at 8am

82° daytime

57° at 8:30 pm

(Heatwave building)

September 20
Fall
Clearing from Cloudy period

Day five to Tuolumne Meadow out of Meeks Bay Trailhead

Fall Conditions

44° at 8am

Post Updates on Conditions
at
Meiss Cabin and Meadow

2010

March 18-21
Early Spring
Snow shoe trip. Meyers to Round Lake to Round Top Lake and out at Carson Pass.

Spring Snow Conditions

Low 20s° post sunrise.

High 50s, 1PM.

Videos

Spring Snow Backpacking 2, Day 1
Trailhead to the Burnt Area

Spring Snow Backpacking 3, Day 2
Burnt Area to Round Lake

There's much more on this Northern Sierras Winter trip, and about the TahoeToWhitney trails in the Northern Sierras on the TahoetoWhitney You Tube channel.
I have not built the trail guide content down through the Southern Sierras yet, but I will be posting another couple of hundred videos on the Central and Southern Sierras as I get build the trail guide into the South Sierra Nevada.

Then I'll focus on snow travel, after finishing the Summer Guide between Tahoe and Whitney!

June 5 to 9
Spring
Snow shoe trip; Meyers Trail head to Round Lake to Meiss Lake to Showers Lake. Showers to Round Top Lake, back down to Round Lake, and out through the Meyers Trail head.

Spring Snow Conditions

Low: 44°

High: 55°.

Video I, to Round Lake

Video II, Round Lake to Showers Lake

2011

January 1-5
Winter
Snow shoe Trip. More details, videos, and pictures to come...

Winter Snow Conditions

below 0° at night, to 35° during the day.

(More videos on this trip and many more will be forthcoming, as I catch up with the trail guide content!)

Check the Weather Map

Check the nearby stations and forecasts

To locate nearby weather Stations: Click the Colored Dots

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The Tree at the Round Lake Junction
Good Shady Back Rest from which to observe Meiss Cabin
and the
Trail North and South.

  Canopy  
  Western Pine marks the trail junction better than the sign posts  
Round Lake Trail Junction.

 

  But the Trunk does...  
  Tree at the Round Lake trail junction at Meiss Cabin  

Using my sleeping pad properly made this a fine place to sit.

comments

What do YOU think?

This Guide

Is set up so that backpackers can add your perspective & experiences here to broaden the trail guide's view of Meiss Meadow and your favorite hiking options and backpacking trips through it.

Day hikers, horsemen, and trail crew welcome too!

Check out the Forum for every trail guide page for supplemental information, in this case about Meiss Meadow, or to add your insights. My perspective alone is insufficient to describe the terrain or the experience. Your perspective adds another dimension to the experience.

Questions and comments are always welcome. Good questions answer a lot of folks' questions. Many birds, one stone...

We've got Trails Forums linked to every trail guide page. We've got Topics Forums about every Backpacking Topic.

Check them out.
Everyone has at least one thing they need to know, and one thing they need to share.

General
Backpacker's Forum Home Page

Topics
Backpacker's Forum

This Location
Meiss Meadow trail junction

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Let's Review
The Round Lake-South Upper Truckee-Big Meadow
Trail Junction
with the
PCT and TYT
at
Meiss Cabin

  Northeast to South Upper Truckee Trailhead       Tahoe Rim Trail Northeast to Big Meadow  
  The way back to Round Lake and Meyers       Tahoe Rim also heads North, but veers East at Big Meadow  

The South Upper Truckee Trailhead is 4 miles further Northeast beyond Round Lake.

Miles and Elevations
Meyers to Meiss Cabin

The Tahoe Rim Trail follows both the Round Lake-Big Meadow Trail to the Northeast, and the trail Northwest from Meiss Meadow to Echo Summit.

Trail Guide
Round Lake & Big Meadow

 
Northeast: Approach to Meiss from Round Lake        Northwest: Meiss to Showers       South: Towards Carson Pass

Trail Signs
at the
Junction

  North
Northbound Pacific Crest Trail
Northbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail
      South
Southbound Pacific Crest Trail
Southbound Tahoe to Yosemite Trail
 
  South, towards Echo Summit       Old School Post: South to Highway 88 and the Carson Pass  

I have the miles North to Echo Summit at 9.19 miles.

Miles and Elevations
Echo Summit to Carson Pass

Two miles South to the Carson Gap, three to the Carson Pass.

Hiking Map South
Meiss Country Roadless Area

 

Trail Signs at the Junction

  South
to
Carson Pass
      Pacific Crest Trail Brand  
  What's That?       PCT "Brand," do you have one yet? Preferable to tattos and punctures!  

Old School PCT brand below carving.

 

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Close up,  Old School PCT Brand.

Trails should re-brand all the posts, if they can find the branding iron...

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Meiss Country Roadless Area

Meiss Cabin-Round Lake Trail Junction

Triple Trail TEE
Trail Guide Pages
South
Carson Pass

Northwest
Echo Summit

Northeast
Meyers

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At the Meiss Meadow Trail Junction
A Massive Trail Score?
Naw, I'm already carrying too much weight

  I found a  40 lb bag of food on the ground down the Round Lake trail just short of Meiss Cabin.       Anyone recognize this duffel bag?  
  I found a massive chewed on food bag below Meiss, and put it in the tree       I found a massive chewed on food bag below Meiss, and put it in the tree, detail  
So I stashed it up in the tree by the junction. Still visible, but safer than the ground. I figured it would be better off in a tree than on the ground. Varmints had already penetrated the bag, and were beginning to pull food items out.  
Northeast: Approach to Meiss from Round Lake        Northwest: Meiss to Showers       South: Towards Carson Pass

Ground Score

I was approaching the Round Lake Trail Junction Southbound up from the South Upper Truckee Trailhead on my way to Mount Whitney on July 16, 2009. (correction: June trip from South Upper Truckee Trailhead to Round Top Lake and back.) My practice of carrying out the trash I find along the trail was broken by what I saw next.

In the open dry meadow terrain off to my Left, to my East while approaching the trail junction at Meiss Cabin I noticed the ratty looking duffel bag pictured above sitting on the ground about forty yards off the trail.

Curious, I checked it out, and found it filled with about 40 lbs of various dried pastas, beans, soups and assorted backpacker, no, most likely horsepacker, supplies. This fell off the back of a mule or horse.

The weathered condition of the bag, combined with the scratch and bite marks that varmints and coyotes had put on it, convinced me that I could not leave this on the ground in the obscure meadow where I found it. It would eventually be torn apart, especially if a bear caught wind of it, rather than the varmints that were presently trying to work it open with tooth and claw.

Bigger teeth and claws would make short work of the canvass bag.

But it weighed at least 40 lbs, which meant that it was way too heavy for me to carry out, and I did not have the spare rope to properly hang such a heavy load.

So I carried it up to the Meiss Cabin trail junction, to figure out what to do with it during my break at the junction.

I decided that this duffel bag full of food would be better off in a tree at the trail junction than on the ground. Although a tree stash would not protect it from bear, it would keep it out of the coyotes' mouths. It would also make it visible from all trails approaching the Meiss Meadow trail junction. It's previous position was only obliquely visible from the trail up from Round Lake.

I figure the coyotes were slowly dragging it further and further from the trail as they diligently worked it open. I laugh at my imagination's depiction of a lone coyote dragging it around, trying to rip it open with its teeth, and I especially laugh at the image of three coyotes, each latched onto it by tooth and jaw, spinning around with the duffle bag as the pivot point, as they reluctantly join forces to pull it apart.
I've a good imagination. And just look at those rips on the heavy canvas sack.

It was all that I could do to get it wedged up into the tree. At least in the tree it had some chance of making it until the time the misguided horsepacker or backpacker who left it improperly stored came back to get it.

I've seen cowboy/ranchers up here a few times, and I figure it was likely part of their stash.

I generally pick up and carry out all the trash or other stuff I find along the trail, but this duffle bag was too heavy for me to carry out.

I came through again on July 16, and the duffle bag was gone with no sign of it having being ripped apart and spread across the terrain. I figure the cowboys/ranchers saw it up there the next time they rode through.

comments

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Meiss Cabin
during
Fall

Meiss Cabin in Meiss Meadow in Meiss Country.

Meiss Cabin, Meiss Meadow, Meiss Country.

This is a Fall view of the Meiss Cabin & barn from the Round Lake-Big Meadow trail junction during Fall.

Besides being virtually devoid of mosquitoes, the golden colors of Fall are well contrasted by the lower angle of the sun in the sky. Colors get richer, the contrasts on the rocky mountain faces deepen, and all of nature seems to be hunkering down, and taking the upcoming Winter seriously.

I like Fall.

Hiking Map South
Meiss Country Roadless Area

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Early Spring at Meiss Cabin

The Meiss Cabin
Meiss Cabin from the trail junction

The Meiss Cabin viewed as the trail winds around Meiss Cabin South of the Round Lake trail junction on the Pacific Crest-Tahoe to Yosemite Trail.

The green of Spring is just stirring.

Let's hike over there and check it out.

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The Meiss Cabin History

Placard at Meiss Cabin telling the story

Historical Information at the Meiss Cabin.

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Meiss Historical Landmark
(TEXT OF LANDMARK BELOW)

Welcome to the Meiss Family Cabin
a Pioneering Family's Summer Residence
The Meiss cabin was built by California pioneer Louis Meiss, who emigrated from Hesse Darmstadt, Germany with his parents in 1842.
The Meiss's moved west to Drytown, California by wagon train.

In 1878 he bought the 1000 acre "Summit Range in Alpine County for summer grazing. This land included the present day Meiss Meadow. Along with their 2 sons and 8 daughters, Louis and Elizabeth built a two-story frame cabin and log barn on the Meiss Meadow site. According to the dates carved in the walls, construction was completed around 1880.

At the turn of the 20th century, Louis' sons Benjamin and Frank began managing the ranch. After Louis' death in 1905, Benjamin, his wife Jennie, and their four daughters continued the family tradition of Summering at Meiss Meadow. One of their daughters, Evelyn Meiss, recalls:

"My father...drove his herd of cattle by horseback, taking five days, through Plymouth, Silver Lake, and Caples Lake...to our range for the summer... My three sisters and I had many a lovely summer fishing and riding horseback. Once a week some of us would ride our horses to Meyers to pick up our mail. It took us most of the day for the trip. My mother, in the meantime, would either make ice cream to be frozen in the snow bank, or bread and biscuits in the wood stove."

-Evelyn Meiss Richards, June 2001

The Meiss family sold the land and the cabin to the Schneider family in 1936. In 1965, the Forest Service acquired the land through a land exchange for public use.
(End of Text)

Meiss Cabin History Forum
comments

High Sierra History Forum

High Sierra Historical Monuments

Can I stay at the Meiss Cabin?

I understand that the Meiss Cabin was sold to a David Beck, who rented it out for backpackers and skiers under the restrictions required of its status as a National Historic Site in a National Forest.

Dave Beck was running ski tours and classes out to the Meiss Cabin, and may still be doing so.

Check out the Meiss Cabin Page on Dave Beck's website. This site also features ski tours, avalanche training, and dogsled travel. There are no email links, but an address and phone number are provided.

(This site is no longer online 6-2012-anyone have any leads?)

Dave Beck Site, 2014

The Meiss Cabin in Meiss Meadow.
The Meiss Cabin
Above: The Meiss Cabin. Note the South Upper Truckee behind.
Meiss Barn

The Meiss Cabin's Barn.

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Views of Meiss Meadow
North End of Meiss Meadow

Meiss Cabin Looking Northwest towards Echo Summit
North End of Meiss Meadow

Looking North along the Tahoe Rim, Pacific Crest, and Tahoe to Yosemite Trail routes from Meiss Cabin, early Spring.
Meiss Meadow North View

We're looking across the Northern expanse of Meiss Meadow, just free of snow, June.

Showers Lake sits on a fairly flat shelf on the other side of the low ridge running across the center of the image.

In the distance we can see the ridge arm descending off of Peak 9325, which is a subordinate peak to the South of Little Round Top, which also towers above Showers Lake.

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The Beauties of Meiss Meadow under lowering skies
North End of Meiss Meadow

The Northern extent of Meiss Meadow, looking Northwest from Meiss Cabin at the route North on the PCT-TYT-TRT towards Showers Lake and on to Echo Summit.

Note the twirling cloud at left. The clouds were dynamic.

Meiss Meadow looking towards Echo Summit, June

First green grass rising out of the golden browns of last year's snow-flattened Meiss Meadow grasses during late Spring, June 2009.

This view almost extends around the Southwest Tahoe Rim to Echo Summit.

View West-Northwest
across the
North End of Meiss Meadow towards Showers Lake
North End of Meiss Meadow, by direction of the trail.

Meadow Brush taking on colors before blooming. Early June, 2009.
Spring Color bloom before bud bloom, June 6, Looking North from Meiss Cabin

First Blush of Spring Coloring Grass and Brush on the North End of Meiss Meadow.
The meadow grasses have just risen above last season's mat of dead grass, and the colorful shrubs are finally bursting forth with a wave of leaves.

The mosquitoes are DEADLY.

This resurgence of life we see above is a real nifty stage in Spring meadow development. Two things happen with the advent of deep cold and heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada: the thickets of dense brush go dormant, and the grass dies.

The grass eventually gets crushed and compressed by the heavy weight of the snowpack, while the brush becomes inert skeletons threaded through the snowpack. Beautiful things happen as the rising Sun of Spring uncovers them.

Retreating snow first reveals the tips of the branches of the brush, which grow into dead gray thickets as the snows melt down to the meadow floor. The exposed meadow bottoms reveal the dark brown flattened mat of last season's dead and compressed grasses, making the meadow look like a brown carpet of its own dead grass was woven together and laid over it.
This first stage of a meadow's Spring starts slow. The melting snow reveals gray and brown. Then the miracle of life starts unfolding. The tangled gray branches of the dormant thickets appear to begin glowing, taking on a strange aspect as they begin to reflect light differently as they surge with life internally as they come out of dormancy.

The seemingly dead branches begin to glow, then increasingly begin radiating with growing strength a range of vibrant colors, of glowing reds, yellows, and greens which appear to grow outward from deep inside each branch, which appear to evaporate the gray color of dormancy away.

I consider this meadow brush to be a big, beautiful pain in the ass. I avoid traveling through it like I avoid the plague. And I know what I'm taking about. We do avoid the plague up here, for the fleas on the small ground mammals in the High Sierra carry the plague! And this meadow brush is a plague on cross-country travelers! Yet the beauty of this meadow brush when it begins surging with its colors of resurgent Spring is sublime.
The brush glows with otherworldly hues, hues born from a biological beauty built upon millions of years of plant chemistry tinkering with the fine line dividing life from death in places where the environment spends the majority of the year in deadly cold conditions.
These are the colors of life coming back from the edge of death, and they are beautiful.

The dead matted grasses on meadow bottoms have no such luck. They are dead. But the great web of roots underlying the meadow is not, and soon waves of sprouts begin to poke up into and through the dead brown mat of last year's growth.

Soon we have the amazing sight of the dead brown matted meadow bottom looking like it is being crossed by subtle waves of green, as millions of green sprouts find their way through the brown mat, creating the effect of life growing through death. At the same time as the grasses are resurging up from the meadow floor the gray of the meadow bush is half-turning to fluorescent reds, yellows, and greens.

I think this is my favorite time of Spring, when the pallor of death of Winter has receded, and the inherent colors of life are marshalling their powers, when the browns and grays of Winter are interwoven with the surging colors of impending Spring.
Shortly thereafter the grasses grow explosively, covering the meadow with a dense carpet of bright fluorescent green, and the shrubs cover themselves with leaves, and assume their normal living gray color.
All indications of the dead state of Winter have disappeared, except for the water left behind when Winter's deadly embrace slipped off the land. And the mosquitoes are deadly.

I warn of the mosquitoes three times because they are a big part of the Spring Thaw and subsequent explosion of life, and to enjoy one you have to deal with the other. It is hard to enjoy these sublime beauties of resurgent life if part of it is eating you.

Spring's beauty comes with a bite.

Be ready.

Lay of the Land
To our West we can see Peak 9325, which is the subordinate peak along the Tahoe Rim to South of Little Round Top. Little Round Top is hidden just a bit further North along the Tahoe Rim behind Peak 9325.

Beyond the shrubbery in the North end of Meiss Meadow we can see the low forested ridge arm extending across the middle of the image in front of Peak 9325. Showers Lake sits on the far side of a fairly flat shelf in the terrain on the far side of that ridge, to the Right of the volcanic face on the Right end of the ridge descending from the Right side of Peak 9325.

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Northeast: Approach to Meiss from Round Lake        Northwest: Meiss to Showers       South: Towards Carson Pass

Hiking South Past Meiss Cabin
Center of Meiss Meadow

Meiss Cabin in Meiss Meadow, June 2009.

The Meiss Cabin viewed from just a few feet South of the Round Lake-Big Meadow trail junction on the Pacific Crest-Tahoe to Yosemite Trail, from where the trail loops nearest the Meiss Cabin.

The trail takes an S-bend that swings near Meiss Cabin South of the Round Lake trail junction.

View East of Red Lake Peak
South End of Meiss Meadow

Winter break in Meiss Medow view of Stevens Peak.

Winter break in Meiss Meadow with a fine view East of Red Lake Peak.

We're taking a break about 40 yards to the Southeast of Meiss Cabin where a great tree always melts out a dry spot around itself early every year.

This was in March, and the tree would melt out snow between storms.

We're going to hike East towards Red Lake Peak, but bend our route to the Right as we line up with the South Upper Truckee's cut in the Ridgeline up to the Carson Gap.

Hiking Map South
Meiss Country Roadless Area

Frosty pack in Meiss Meadow Winter morning.
Frosty pack early during Winter Morning at Meiss Meadow campsite.

The Harness of Pain and Pleasure takes on a chilly aspect.

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Below:
Spring bloom looking South-Southeast at Upper Meiss Meadow towards Carson Pass
Spring in Meiss Meadow

Red Lake Peak and the Peak East of Carson Gap
Early Spring
Mountains Ringing the East End of Meiss Meadow
Early June 2009
South End of Meiss Meadow

Northwest View from Meiss Cabin

Snow-free meadow still compressed and brown from the now-gone snow, but ready to bloom. We can see subtle waves of green beginning to run through and revitalize the brown. We can feel the building tension of impending life like a coiled spring. The bloom is ready to explode. Early June, 2009.

Another Month, and this will bloom verdant green and lush, as seen below.

Red Lake Peak. The Peak visible off to the Right, the South of Red Lake Peak is its Southwestern Spur sitting above the East side of the Carson Gap.

Red Lake Peak
South End of Meiss Meadow

Stevens Peak above Meiss Meadow at the edge of the South Tahoe Basin.

Detail of Red Lake Peak.

Red Lake Peak above Meiss Meadow at the edge of the South Tahoe Basin.

Though still cold, and not yet blooming, the mosquito population had already begun to surge. From June to early August we must be prepared for serious mosquitoes.

Below, not so much.

Steven Peak during the Winter of '07. Fine Winter View above the maze of forest we are finding our way along the Eastern route to Meiss Meadow from Round Lake and the South Upper Truckee Trailhead. Winter of 2007.

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Spring
across
Meiss Meadow
South End of Meiss Meadow

Red Lake Peak on the Left, the peak above the East side of Carson Gap on the Right.

Spring has Sprung.

Looking South at the head of the Upper part of Meiss Meadow getting into full Spring bloom condition during mid-July, 2009.  The Carson Gap is not visible on the right side of the image. The ridgelines on the right of the image are both descending to the Carson Gap.

Looking South at Upper Meiss Meadow, July full bloom

The verdant green and thick mosquitoes go hand in hand.

The half-dead half-alive phase of early Spring is a memory.

Hiking Map South
Meiss Country Roadless Area

Northeast: Approach to Meiss from Round Lake        Northwest: Meiss to Showers       South: Towards Carson Pass

Trail Culture

A Pacific Crest Trailer, a Dayhiker, and Alex

The Round Lake Trail Junction
at
Meiss Cabin

  Rocket Man
PCT
      Charlie Tobias
Day Hiker
 
         
Rocket Man was looking strong and fast. Notice how he just stopped briefly in the trail. Not much time to stop for anything, if you want to make the Canadian Border before the Snows fall.

Dedicated Day Hiker and Wilderness Lover, and a cool dude.

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Trail Culture

Rocket Man and Charlie Tobias

On my second day towards Whitney (of 45) I encountered Rocket Man and Charlie Tobias at the Round Lake trail junction in Meiss Meadow.

I watched Rocket Man coming South down the trail from my fine overlooking break spot at the junction. I could recognize the gait of a Pacific Crest Trailer. Rocket Man executed short, quick steps paced by a quick body rhythm. I could see his trail-focus from quite a ways out. But it was July 16, which put him late in the season for his position, and explained his focus on speed.

Charlie Tobias was walking around the Meiss Country Roadless Area on a day hike, really enjoying himself. He was well equipped for long day hikes with pack, insulation, snacks and water.

TRAIL CULTURE FORUM

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  Break's Over!  
  Al, Meiss Cabin, June 09  
Resuming my way South. I'll take my next break when we meet up on the trail...

Next Map
South

Carson Pass Region

The Carson Pass Region map shows where the Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite trails part company on the South Side of the Carson Gap to follow their divergent routes South across the Mokelumne Wilderness and down the Sierra to where they eventually rejoin in the Northwest corner of Yosemite National Park.

 

This Map

Meiss Country Roadless Area

 

Next Map
North

South Desolation Wilderness

The PCT, TYT, and TRT continue North together out of Meiss Country, across Highway 50 and into Desolation Wilderness. On the way they pass by our next potential resupply spot at Echo Lake Chalet and the opportunity for long distance backpackers hiking North on the PCT to rest, repair, and resupply in South Lake Tahoe.

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Northeast: Approach to Meiss from Round Lake        Northwest: Meiss to Showers       South: Towards Carson Pass

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Showers Lake to Meiss Cabin
Meiss Country Roadless Area

Seasonal Changes in the High Sierras

The High Sierra Mosquito Cycle

Gauging the Seasonal Temperature Changes

I ran through this trail junction three times in 2009. I came through in early June, before the big bloom while snow still covered the higher mountains, in mid-July during the height of the Spring Bloom, and in mid-September, when the bloom was over, and the flowers had pulled in their blossoms, and were forming seeds. I was not able to make my annual mid-Winter trip through here in 2009, so I missed that aspect of these fine mountains that year.

Three important things about the changing seasons in the High Sierras

Three things strike me as being very important to backpackers about the seasonal changes between early Spring and late Fall in the High Sierras.

#1> The High Sierra Mosquito Cycle

The first is the mosquito cycle. The mosquitoes follow the melting snow. As soon as the snow melts, there are mosquitoes. As the snow melts higher up the mountain, the mosquitoes follow the melt up the mountain. As soon as enough ground is exposed, a critical mass is achieved, and from that time until the ground once again dries out the mosquitoes literally dominate the physical environment. Serious measures are required to tolerate the mosquitoes. I have seen people literally crying in frustration and pain while stumbling down trail from inadequate mosquito protection.

I stopped the unfortunate backpacker, calmed her down, DEETed her up, gave her proper directions, the exact mileage, and the estimated time to her trailhead.

Don't underestimate the mosquitoes.

Above: I'm in full mosquito protection in camp easily withstanding a full-on Spring mosquito attack in the Emigrant Basin, High Emigrant Wilderness. Ultralighters notice that I'm wearing a Navy issue peacoat... how's that for ultralight?

Travel Measures against mosquitoes

You must have the proper protection to hike through the mosquito high season in comfort. Walking into a light breeze is generally sufficient to out-run the mosquitoes. On calm days, or when walking with the wind, the mosquitoes can and will follow you, and bag on you for miles.

The Basics

Long Sleeve shirt with good stiff collars that is mosquito-proof. Loose fitting with a tight fabric weave is suggested.

Long Pants that are mosquito-proof, and long enough to be tucked into your socks. Zip to Shorts pants work really well.

Hat: Keep them off my head and bald spot.

Gloves: I do not recommend gloves while hiking. DEETing the backs of your hands is sufficient.

DEET: The only effective insecticide.
A non-toxic highly effective insecticide is in the pipeline, but it is not yet on the market.(Isolongifolenone) Deet will protect all exposed skin not covered by your mosquito-proof clothing. As per the label warning, do not put clothes on over skin you have DEETed.

The measures above also protect against the golden biting flies in Northern Yosemite, which are little bastards all Summer long. You will never forget their bite. I don't preemptively kill anything, or any insects, except mosquitoes and Yosemite's golden biting flies. Everything else has to bite me first, except for golden biting flies and mosquitoes.

I have tried everything. Most compounds work poorly. Only DEET is reliable. I bring no other insecticide except 100% DEET into the mountains.

INFORM YOURSELF:

Recent Scientific Research on DEET
A fascinating array of scientific papers and research.

Camp Measures against mosquitoes

When you make camp the mosquitoes will zero in on you. You must have the proper mosquito gear to be comfortable in camp during full mosquito inundation. I prefer proper clothing and physical protection in camp rather than DEET usage.

A full coverage tent is mandatory. Unless you want to be eaten alive all night long. Be my guest! There is no question about putting up my tent during mosquito season. Not only do I put up my tent, but I also have an entry system that scrapes most of the mosquitoes off my clothes when I enter the tent.

I only open the door zipper a crack, then sit down into the cracked zipper, pushing it open with my weight. My body falling through the unzipping door scrapes all the mosquitoes off my clothes. I then flip my legs into the tent, quickly zip the door, and then begin the hunt for all the skeeters that did get into the tent.

If your tent is not securely set up, or your zippers are weak, be careful about using my skeeter-scraper technique of sitting into a partially zipped door. You could damage your tent, or just bring it down.

Before entering the tent I try to brush all the mosquitoes off my clothes that I can. Remember, each time you enter the tent you must take the time to kill off all the mosquitoes that entered with you. Or they will eat you. And search well. Mosquitoes know when they are being hunted, and they will try to hide.

Mosquito Netting: I am talking about the hat-brim to shirt-collar nets that protect your head. Though these nets restrict vision, they are a welcome relief from the constant use of DEET.

Gloves: I use gloves against the mosquitoes in camp.

Properly set-up, your clothes should protect you in camp from mosquitoes. The only problem is during heat waves, when you really don't want to wear long pants and long sleeves.

From Trail to Camp

If I am rolling down the trail wearing shorts and a tank top while completely DEETed out, I will have to make the transition to long pants and long sleeves for camp. That's another reason I carry my lightweight plastic water jug. Remote baths.

Tahoe to Whitney Member Wisdom
George and Sue's
Water Jug Shower

I fill my jug up and walk a safe distance from the water source, and sit on a rock for my de-DEETing. I rinse off all DEETed skin with water. Then I am ready to put on my camp clothes.

Don't wash chemicals, be it DEET, suntan lotion, or moisturizer off anywhere near the water source. If you want to swim, wash the chemicals off first, then jump in! DEET is already contaminating American Streams.

Safe Application of DEET

I only apply DEET to the backs of my hands, and then rub the DEET from the backs of my hands onto my arms, face, legs, and neck. I never apply DEET to the fronts of my hands, as I want to prevent contamination of my food and water. By keeping my hands DEET-free I am able to avoid eating and drinking it.

INFORM YOURSELF:

Recent Scientific Research on DEET

A fascinating array of scientific papers and research.

The Heat and the DEET

Hot mosquito-filled early Summer days demand light clothing and lots of DEET. In 2009 the high mosquito season in the Sierras spanned the mid July heat wave that brought temps up to the low 90s at 8000+ feet in the Northern Sierras. Thus I was hiking in shorts and a tank top, slathered with DEET.

But you must make your own hot weather decision. You can wear long pants and long sleeves to protect yourself against mosquitoes, and sweat like a pig. Or you can use DEET, and wear shorts and a tank top to keep cool in the heat. In that case you will still become a mosquito target as you sweat the DEET off. And when the DEET is on you are subject to becoming a victim of your own self-induced chemical warfare.

The Annual End of the Mosquitoes

The mosquito domination begins to seriously diminish at the beginning of August as the ground dries out. By August 15 the mosquitoes have generally receded into a minor irritation. This will be different for different parts of the Sierras, as the decline of the mosquitoes is dependent on local drainage and soil moisture levels.

Wet meadows will hold mosquitoes in any month. Especially bad are the High Sierra granite basins holding lakes and meadows. These granite basins tend to hold wet soils late into the Summer. A good example is the Emigrant Basin in Emigrant Wilderness. This bowl tends to hold moisture and mosquitoes longer than well-drained areas.

Beauty has a bite in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Especially if we want to experience the amazing vortex of life that rises out of the diminishing snow during the Spring Thaw.
The vortex of life grows greater and greater as the water and heat of Spring rise. Mosquitoes are one of the more fundamental forces in the Spring Vortex of life, and they will suck you dry and make you cry if you let them.

Once things dry out and the mosquitoes decline, tents are no longer required for protection, shorts and the tank top can be worn without chemical protection, and your mosquito net can be stowed until next Spring.

#2>The Warming Weather

The Second Important thing about Seasonal Change in the Sierras are the basic seasonal temperature changes. The Temp changes from Winter to Spring that drive the Spring thaw and Vortex of Life soon moderate into the transition from Spring to Summer.
The specific characters of each of these annual transitions are important because they determine proper gear selection and timing for transitions from Winter to Spring into Summer gear. The most important changes concern when temperatures drop to Winter levels during Fall, and when they come back up in Spring.

It is important to observe these changes accurately, as we really don't want to get caught-out in early or late Winter storms in our mid-weight Fall and Spring gear when our heavy Winter gear is required.

Comments?

If you are adverse to mid-Winter conditions, you should temperature increase happens, it's time for Spring Snow shoeing. Some beautiful Snow backpacking happens when Spring temps establish themselves. The storms are generally less intense, not as cold, and not as frequent. The days are longer, and all of these changes mean less insulation is required, significantly lightening the backpack weight.

The second weather change is from Spring to Summer temps.

As Spring melts into Summer, your gear will have to cover the change too. In early Spring, you will not have to worry about mosquitoes. In late Spring, the mosquitoes will be everywhere there is not snow. So you will have to figure out how much snow gear, and how much mosquito protection you will have to bring. Look carefully at the snow line, when you will cross it, and how much time you will spend in the muck below the snow line.

7.5 topo hiking Map
Echo Summit and South Upper Truckee
to
Carson Pass

30 min topo hiking Map
Echo Summit and South Upper Truckee
to
Round Top Lake

Miles
and
Elevations

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South
Meiss Meadow

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Backpacking Trail Guide Pages
from
Meiss Cabin

Northeast

on the
Tahoe Rim Trail

 

Towards
Round Lake
&
Big Meadow

North

on the
Pacific Crest
&
Tahoe to Yosemite Trails

Towards
Echo Summit
via
Showers Lake

South

on the
Pacific Crest
&
Tahoe to Yosemite Trails

Towards
Carson Pass
via
Meiss Meadow

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Meiss Cabin, Round Lake-South Upper Truckee trail junction
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Northeast: Approach to Meiss from Round Lake        Northwest: Meiss to Showers       South: Towards Carson Pass

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Frosted Backpack

Backpacking Lake Tahoe to Mount Whitney

Your guide to the High Sierra Crest, including the Tahoe to Yosemite, Pacific Crest, and John Muir Trails

Snug tent after Snow Storm
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