Backpacking
South of Echo Summit

Lake Tahoe
Basin
PERMITS

Meiss
Country
PERMITS

All
Wilderness PERMITS

Continuing
the
Hike South
from
Echo Summit
After hiking up the short low climb over the bottom of the ridge-arm behind the sledding resort the grade descends to the junction with the Frog Pond Loop. Past the junction marked by the banner above the trail follows a level path around the Southwestern edge of the boggy meadow to climb to the bridge marking the beginning of a couple of steep climbing segments finally bringing us up across the Eastern shoulder of Peak 8905.

Backpacking Map South
Meiss Country Roadless Area

This is a blazed blue diamond Winter route. At least out to the Frog Lake Loop. I've also noted that we start picking up the Winter blue diamond trail near the top the Southeast flank of Peak 8905.
I figure the route is (more or less) marked all the way down to its trailhead near Camp Sacramento on Highway 50 from the Sayles Canyon Junction.
With a little more scouting this route South from Echo Summit might prove to be an excellent location to do Winter backpacking trips into Meiss Meadow, if we can get over Peak 8905 safely.

I visit Showers Lake during Winter hiking South out of the Meyers Trailhead as part of a triangle route to Round Top Lake and back to the South Upper Truckee Trailhead. I've been scouting the route in from Echo Summit for suitability as an additional Winter route to Showers Lake.

The steep sections will require very good snow conditions.

I'd hike the trail to comfortable familiarity during Summer before attempting it during Winter.

UPDATE
Finstad Family Expedition
Trip
Into the Tahoe Basin and Back on the Sayles Canyon "Trail." During Winter. The more accurate description is "Route."

I generally come into the Meiss Country Roadless Area up the big climb from the South Upper Truckee Trailhead out of Meyers to Round Lake, then use one of three routes I follow from Round Lake up to the East, Center, or Meiss Lake parts of Meiss Meadow.
This can be a complex route finding challenge. I've never started trips into the Meiss Country through the Carson Gap or Big Meadow during Winter, but I've exited through both during mid-Winter.

Very nice hikes, Summer and Winter.

Post up your Winter Experiences here in
Meiss Country Roadless Area:

Echo Summit-Meiss Roadless Area Snow Routes

Weather
South-West Lake Tahoe Basin

There is a Winter marked route around Frog Pond from Echo Summit, a marked snow trail along Hwy 50 West from Echo Summit, and a nice route from near Camp Sacramento at the Sayles Canyon Trailhead on Highway 50 up through Sayles Canyon to overlook the Tahoe Basin near the Sayles trail junction just to our South.

I have wondered about connecting the Sayles with Echo Summit Winter routes, but have not had the chance to explore further. Post up below if you have.

It looks like a nifty snow journey. Check out the 30 minute map of Meiss Country Roadless Area including the trails up from Highway 50 at the Sayles Canyon Trailhead:

Echo Summit to Round Top
30 minute backpacking MAP

Connecting access to the Tahoe Rim from the trail up Sayles Canyon with the trailhead at Echo Lake during Winter would be an extremely difficult trip. The route between the end of the Frog Lake Loop and the Sayles trail junction would be very difficult in Winter.

I figure it would be do-able after the snowpack compressed well, such as during late Winter or early Spring of a "typical" snow season.

Have you snow shoed or skied over that route during Winter? Give us a heads up on the route, conditions, and hazards!

Sayles Canyon Snow Travel

Echo Summit-Meiss Roadless Area Snow Routes

Comments-Questions-Experiences on this part of the trail?

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Mike
Northbound Tahoe Rim Trailer

Shortly after departing Echo Summit, I ran into Mike. Mike was flying clockwise down the Tahoe Rim Trail. I was hiking counter-clockwise, by Tahoe Rim standards.
Watching him come down the trail told me a few things about him and his condition before we had an excellent conversation.

His gait was true, no limps or rhythm breaks indicating injury. His pace was strong and fast, typical of long distance backpackers. His attention was trail bound, but not locked in. He had the fast shuffle characteristic of Pacific Crest and other Long Distance Backpackers. But, unlike many Pacific Crest Trailers, he was keeping an eye on his environment beyond the trail itself.

His eyes had a look of animated, engaged joy, typical of the enlightened backpacker. Just look at that smile!

That boy was ROLLING!

I hit Mike up for an account of his Tahoe Rim backpacking trip, and here's what we have, so far:

Tahoe to Whitney Forum, Mike's Brief Account
Tahoe Rim Trail

Information Link
Tahoe Rim Trail Association

This well trod local trail climbs up to a little lake nestled into a flat in the shoulder of the mountain.

I'm pretty sure that's where it goes. I've never hiked up to it. The main trail South veers Left when you encounter this informal trail junction forking off to our Right.

Experiences?

The main trail bed is cut much deeper into the Earth than this substantial side trail.

Circular saw cut arrow, with a sharpie clarification, well defines the main North-South route of the TYT-PCT-TRT through this unmarked trail junction.

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The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
has a
very bicycle friendly character.

Bikes appear to be allowed on all trails that are not part of a wilderness area, nor part of the Pacific Crest Trail, which bars bike travel.

Everything else seems to be open territory for mountain bikes. All the mountain bikers I've met along the trails in the LTBMU are generally real good people.

But, that does not alter the fact that the physical impact of bicycles trashes the trails.

The deal is the local ski resorts up and down the Sierra Crest have been looking for more customers with the decline of Winter skiing revenues over the past twenty years. The resorts have made a concerted effort to draw mountain bikers to their slopes during Summer, and this is echoed by the elements of the population who depend on tourism for a living.

Lots of trails are open to mountain bikers, but the wilderness areas all prohibit mechanized devices.

Definitions: Wilderness Area

Snow Travel Sign in the Tree

Backpacking Trail Guide

North

North
to
Echo Summit

Backpacking Trail Guide

South

Tahoe Rim
to
Showers Lake