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the
South Upper Truckee Trailhead
in
Meyers

Let's take a look at our position up here on the East side of Echo Summit from Christmas Valley.

South Upper Truckee Trailhead
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This road map guides our drive/walk/hitch out to the South Upper Truckee Trail Head.

Web Cam
Highway 50 junction with Highway 89 in Meyers. Right is South on 89 towards Luther Pass and Highway 88.
Portal Drive is a bit over two miles South of the 50-89 junction.

Trailhead Directions
Highway 50 to 89 South in Meyers.
2 miles South on Hwy 89 to Portal Drive.
Portal Drive Tees out into South Upper Truckee Road.
Portal Drive to Left (South) turn onto South Upper Truckee Road.
Trailhead & non-snow season parking located at end of maintained South Upper Truckee Road.

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Let's
get some
Context

Roads, Trailheads, Backpacking Trips and the Trails

The South Upper Truckee Road Trailhead is located at the end of the year-round maintained section of the South Upper Truckee Road in Meyers. A fine paved road takes us through the houses to a thinner one-and-a-half lane paved road past National Forest Summer Homes to the trailhead.
This thin road continues as an unmaintained road past the trailhead to climb up to Highway 89. The road past the trailhead up to Highway 89 is in bad shape.
About Meyers.

During Winter the snowplows turn around at the trailhead parking area, so we cannot park here overnight when snowplows are operating.

Geographic Location
We are in the far Southern corner of the Lake Tahoe Basin, about to hike South into the Meiss Country Roadless Area. Meiss Country Roadless Area is wedged into the Southern corner of the Tahoe Basin. Our goal is to exit the Southern end of the Tahoe Basin just North of Carson Pass through the Carson Gap.

Road to Trail
This USGS Topo map takes over to guide us across the transition from road to trail just as the Google Map above brings us across the roads to the trailhead. Having a good grasp of the relationship between the roads, the trailheads, and the trails is helpful for a good overall understanding of this particular region.

This understanding can help us figure out the best local backpacking options around the Meiss Country Roadless Area, or if we want to use it as a launch point for our Tahoe to Yosemite or Tahoe to Whitney backpacking trips. This is also a great place for four-season adventures.

Local and Long Distance
Locally, the Meiss Country Roadless Area is hemmed in on three sides. The road map above shows us Highway 50 is to our North, 88 to our South, and 89 to our East. Each of these highways offers trailhead access.
Highway 50's Southwestern bend also puts it to our West, as well.
This encirclement opens up a wide range of short trailhead to trailhead backpacking trips across, and even around the Meiss Country Roadless Area. The trails maps below show all of them.

The two mileage pages that lay out the framework of the main TYT-TRT-PCT trails across Meiss Country Roadless Area are

From our current position at the South Upper Truckee Trailhead we can actually see the next trailhead, the Echo Summit Trail head, located on Highway 50 a thousand feet above and just a bit to the North-Northwest of our position. Well, we can see where Highway 50 comes through Echo Summit into the Tahoe Basin. The trailhead is just a bit West of what we can see.
Echo Summit Trailhead's position on Highway 50 may make it the most accessible trailhead into the Meiss Country, as well as access onto the main TYT-TRT-PCT routes for some backpackers.

Highway 88 is visible on the far South end of the road map just outside of the Tahoe Basin. We will cross Highway 88 to get to Carson Pass on our way to points further South along the Pacific Crest Trail route.
We might cross Highway 88 a bit to the West of Carson Pass if we decide to hike either the Lost Cabin Mine Trail or the Woods to Winnemucca Lakes routes up to Round Top on our way South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail. Those are my preferred routes during all seasons.

South of Meyers, if we continue South along Highway 89 past the Portal Drive turnoff to the South Upper Truckee Road we will find the Big Meadow Trailhead.
Big Meadow Trailhead is located between where the highway really begins to climb the mountain South of Meyers, but well before we approach Highway 89's high point across Luther Pass. We will find the Big Meadow Trailhead nestled into a cut in the mountain to our Left, the Northeast by the compass about five miles South of Highway 89s junction with 50. The mountain Highway 89 climbs over to get to Luther Pass is Waterhouse Peak.
Echo Summit, Carson Pass and Big Meadow are the main trailheads backpackers use to enter the Meiss Country Roadless Area from different compass points. When you throw in our South Upper Truckee Trailhead, we really have the compass covered. And I have not even mentioned the Sayles or Schiender's trails into Meiss Country. All are depicted on the 30 minute map.

Local Resources
South Lake Tahoe Backpacker Resources

Long Distance
For long distance backpacking there are two other nearby trailheads situated around Lake Tahoe that we should be aware of that I like to use as the "Lake Tahoe" trailheads for "Lake Tahoe to..." backpacking trips South to Tuolumne Meadows (Tahoe to Yosemite) and sometimes for backpacking trips on down to Mount Whitney (My favorite trip, the Tahoe to Whitney backpacking trip).

Let's take this "thought" a step further with technology. Let's get a bigger view of the situation here at the Southern End of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Zoom the Google Map above out four clicks.

Now we can see our long distance trailhead option starting out of the classic Tahoe to Yosemite Trail's Meeks Bay Trailhead on the West shore of Lake Tahoe. Meeks Bay is located along Highway 89 North of DL Bliss State Park and South of Sugar Pine State Park. Move the google map up there and zoom in a bit, and all will become clear. In a broader context Meeks Bay is located North of South Lake Tahoe and South of Tahoe City along the West shore of Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe to Yosemite Trail runs on a Southeast line starting at Meeks Bay trailhead to meet the Pacific Crest Trail and Tahoe Rim Trail routes in North Desolation Wilderness.
These unified TYT, TRT, and PCT routes run South together across Desolation Wilderness through Echo Summit to Meiss Cabin. Meiss Cabin is where the TRT peels off to the Northeast, towards our position here at the South Upper Truckee, but the TRT bends Northeast through the Big Meadow trail junction on its way through the Big Meadow Trailhead to cross Freel Peak.
For us Southbound long distance hikers the TYT and PCT will split up into distinct routes just a bit further South of Meiss Cabin, as soon as they exit the Tahoe Basin.

On the South flank of the Carson Gap we encounter in quick succession the first two of three trails where we can split off to the Southwest towards Round Top Lake and the route of the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail to Lake Alpine, off the main PCT trailbed tracking to the Southeast to Ebbetts Pass. The final junction to the TYT is about a mile South of Carson Pass.

Our backpacking trip's starting position, here at the South Upper Truckee Trailhead in Meyers, is a bit offset from the main route of the TYT and PCT, and even that of the TRT, though we will first intersect with the Tahoe Rim Trail when we reach the Big Meadow trail junction 2.81 miles South of our South Upper Truckee trailhead. The Big Meadow trail junction is located a bit to the North of Round Lake.
We're going to have to hike 5.51 miles South from our South Upper Truckee Trailhead to join up with the full combination of the PCT-TYT-TRT routes at Meiss Cabin.

From there we will cop a Left turn to continue South on combined the PCT-TYT routes.

Check the 15 and 30 minute backpacking maps for greater resolution or greater context, as necessary:

Why Not?
Meeks Bay, Echo Summit, and the South Upper Truckee are the main Lake Tahoe trailheads I use for backpacking trips South to various point between Lake Tahoe and Mount Whitney.

They are representative of a range of Lake Tahoe trailheads and terrains.

Select your own favorite trailhead to begin your journey, or use any trailhead and/or route to access the main High Sierra Crest trails. Do it your way.

You can stay in the Meiss Country for a delightful short distance backpacking trip, or hike out of it as far as you'd like, or are capable of. It's about forty miles South to Ebbetts Pass at Highway 4, about a total of 75 down to Kennedy Meadows on Highway 108, and about 150 miles down to Tuolumne Meadows.

See the miles figures below

All are fantastic backpacking trips.

Further South
The PCT and TY trails will not remain unified for far South of Meiss Cabin. The Pacific Crest and Tahoe to Yosemite trails make their first of three junctions leading to the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail's unique route South down the Western flank of the Sierra just a few yards after exiting the Tahoe Basin.
The first junction is an unmarked route on South side of the Carson Gap, our Southbound exit point out of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The Tahoe Rim Trail tracking with us down the Sierra Crest along the West shore of Lake Tahoe breaks off from the TYT and PCT in Meiss Meadow to turn Northeast up the Carson Range.
In fact, when we look at the mountains to our Left, to the North-Northeast, we are looking at the Carson Range of the Sierra Nevada breaking off from the main line of the Sierra Crestline to our West, to wrap itself around the East shore of Lake Tahoe.

When we arrive at the Carson Gap we are arriving at the bottom of the Carson Range, where it intersects with the main body of the Sierra Crest continuing North and South from Carson Pass. The Sierra makes up the mountians bounding the Western flank of the Tahoe Basin, the Carson Range the Eastern.
From this point in the Carson Gap the Sierra Crest proceeds South and Northwest, while the Carson Range stretches out to the North-Northeast.

The TRT makes its Southernmost turn to the Northeast bending around the South end of the Lake Tahoe Basin at Meiss Cabin, independent of which way we are hiking it.
The TRT turns North from Meiss Cabin no matter which direction a hiker is hiking the TRT.

Clockwise TRT hikers turn Northwest towards Showers Lake, up the Sierra Crestline. Counter-Clockwise hikers turn turn Northeast towards the Big Meadow Trailhead on their way to Freel Peak hiking up the Carson Range.

* * *

I'm hopeful that the following information will bring you out to hike the South Upper Truckee trailhead in Meyers.

Comments? Questions? Experiences to Relate?

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How to Get to the South Upper Truckee Trailhead

First, The Grand Overview

The South Upper Truckee Trailhead sits 857 feet almost directly below, but offset a just bit to the Southeast of the Echo Summit Trailhead. The South Upper Truckee Trailhead sits at the very Southern extent of Christmas Valley's flat-meadow area, served by the paved South Upper Truckee Road in the lakeside town of Meyers. Beyond the trailhead a stiff climb brings us about four miles South to Round Lake.

Neither the Google or USGS Maps above do justice to the terrain.

It is breathtaking.

The view below looks South down into Christmas Valley from Highway 50 just a bit East of Echo Summit, 857 feet above, and just a bit Northwest of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead.
We have rounded the big bend passing Eastbound through Echo Summit to enter into the Tahoe Basin along Highway 50, then pulled over to check out the terrain our hiking route below crosses, and to get a good overview of the complex terrain making up the Southern end of the Lake Tahoe Basin from this deluxe vantage point.

Pulling off Highway 50 to take a quick look South into the upper reaches of Christmas Valley from Echo Summit we can look at the terrain our route crosses from the South Upper Truckee trailhead Southward. From here we can even make out the top of Round Top in the far distance, our destination when hiking the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail route South out of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

In the picture below our trailhead for the South Upper Truckee trail sits out of sight below us and to our Right, our view of it cut off by the sheerness of the overhanging rock at our feet. The dense forest pictured in the middle of the image, sitting nestled in below the Right (West) flank of the great mountain rising on the middle-Left of the image, is Big Meadow.

The mountain rising to the Left (East) of Big Meadow is the Waterhouse Massif. Waterhouse Peak is the furthest peak topping that mass of mountains rising on the Left side, the East side of the image.

Our route following the Eastern Tributary of the South Upper Truckee River up to Round Lake is in a small narrow valley just out of our view to the Right (West) of Big Meadow.

We follow this hidden valley South towards the Right side of the most-distant snow covered peak in the center-right of the image. That's Red Lake Peak rising above the Southeastern edge of Meiss Meadow, it's crest representing the Southernmost point of the South Lake Tahoe Basin's drainage. Out of sight to the Left (Northeast) is Stevens Peak, which is almost the Southernmost point of the Tahoe drainage.

In the furthest distant Right we can see the dark mass of our destination and turnaround point of this particular snow trip we are doing, Round Top. Round Top is outside of the Tahoe Basin, located a couple of miles to the Southwest of Carson Pass.

Round Top is the dark rounded mass in the far-Right distance, mostly hidden behind the snowy ridgetop in the middle-far-Right of the image below. It is located at middle height on the far Right side of the image.

The Carson Gap is at the low point of the ridgeline descending to the Right (West) off of Red Lake Peak, the most distant snow covered peak in the distant middle-Left of the image.

We will exit the Lake Tahoe Basin through the Carson Gap, located at the low point of the ridge descending off the Right (West) side of Red Lake Peak.
To the Right of that descending snow covered ridgeline we can see the dark form of Round Top and elements of the Round Top Massif, located to the South outside of the Lake Tahoe Basin, about 11 miles South of the start point of our backpacking trip through the South Upper Truckee Trailhead.

This picture below of the South Upper Truckee River drainage in the Southern end of the Lake Tahoe Basin was taken in March of 2010 on the way to begin a snow trip out of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead to Round Top and back.

Note: The videos are temporarily "broken" on the Tahoe to Whitney Backpacker's Forum. Sorry. Here's the video play list to compliment the text:

Spring Snow March 2010, Meiss Country

Spring Snow June 2010, Meiss Country

Other Views of Christmas Valley
Take a look Southeast across Christmas Valley from the edge of the Tahoe Rim from
South of Echo Summit. This view is from a position a few miles South of Echo Summit Trailhead along the PCT, TYT-TRT routes.
Dardanelles Lake from Showers Lake.
Note that our trail guide also follows the TYT route from Echo Summit to Meiss Cabin, and takes in all the possible views and perspectives of Christmas Valley as possible. Add yours!

View our position here on Highway 50 at Echo Summit looking up from
Christmas Valley.

NOTE
Waterhouse Peak is the highest peak on the Left (East) side of the image.

The South Upper Truckee Trailhead sits roughly between our position here on Highways 50 at Echo Summit and Highway 89 running under the forests below. Check out the topo and road maps of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead for the exact location of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead.
The google road map above shows us the location of the South Upper Truckee Trailhead from the main highways over local surface streets. The picture above depicts the terrain represented on both maps.

Though Highway 89 climbs past Big Meadow to twist its route around the Left side of Waterhouse Peak, we cannot see it in the image above, being hidden under the dense forests. But it's there.

If we are coming from either East or Westbound on Highway 50 to the South Upper Truckee trailhead, proceed on Highway 50 to the Meyers Junction of Highway 50 and 89 Southbound , and turn Southbound onto Highway 89 towards Luther Pass.

Follow Highway 89 South through rural Meyers for 2.50 miles to Portal Drive , a Right turn on the West Side of Highway 89. Zoom the Google map above in a bit, and Portal Road connecting Highway 89 to the South Upper Truckee will appear.

Turn West onto Portal Road off Highway 89. Follow Portal Road West to the South Upper Truckee Road. Turn Left (South) on South Upper Truckee Road and proceed to the end of the maintained road.

At the end of the maintained road we find the South Upper Truckee Trailhead and a nice little parking area. An unmaintained length of the South Upper Truckee Road continues through the end of the maintained road up the steep climb connecting it to Highway 89 just a bit North of the location of the Big Meadow Trailhead on Highway 89.

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Highway 89 2.50 miles South on Hwy 89 from the junction of Highways 50 and 89 in Meyers.

This picture is looking South across and down Hwy 89 at the Portal Drive turnoff.  See my pack there? I'm hitching out after a five day snow trip, early 2009.

Portal Drive
to the
South Upper Truckee Trailhead

Make the turn West onto Portal Drive off of Highway 89 and take Portal Drive two-tenths of a mile to where it tees out at South Upper Truckee Road.

Turn Left, South, at South Upper Truckee Road, and continue South past the houses, then past the Forest Service Summer Cabins. We'll drive (or walk, as I often do) along the edge of a meadow wedged under the shadow of the thousand foot cliff alongside the South Upper Truckee River, atop which Highway 50 passes through the Echo Summit on its way down to the Tahoe Basin.

That cliff is called the Hawley Grade, and there's a trail switchbacking up that cliff to Echo Summit known as the Hawley Trail. This connector trail between the South Upper Truckee and Echo Summit Trailheads makes great loop backpacking trips around the Meiss Country Roadless Area possible.

Continuing past the Hawley Trail the South Upper Truckee Road bends East and it crosses a bridge over the South Upper Truckee River. (pictures below) The trail head is 50 yards past the bridge.

The South Upper Truckee Road does not end at the trailhead, but year-round snow removal does. The trailhead is where the snowplows turn around during Winter.

End of the Maintained Road
The Trailhead

Although year-round snow removal ends at the trail head, the South Upper Truckee Road continues steeply up the mountain to intersect with Highway 89 just North of the Big Meadow Trailhead.

Though "paved", the last section of the South Upper Truckee Road between Highway 89 and the South Upper Truckee Trailhead is crumbling, pretty rough, and steep. If you are coming to the Trailhead on Highway 89 Northbound this is would be your most direct route to the trailhead. But, I advise continuing North past the unmaintained end of the South Upper Truckee to drive in through Portal Drive.

This rough section of the South Upper Truckee Road was passable the last time I went through with a car in 2005, a long time ago, but I would be prepared to back out, or even walk out, if necessary. Trees fall in the forest, and nobody hears anything until the blocked motorist curses.

You want to use the Portal Drive access, even if you are approaching Meyers from the South on Highway 89.

Looking East while walking South into the South Upper Truckee Trailhead parking, after crossing the bridge Southbound on the South Upper Truckee Road.

The trailhead is on the Right.

New South Upper Truckee Trailhead Sign.

No backpacking permits required, but fire permits required, and fire restrictions may be in effect.

Especially during the brutal drought year of 2014.

Long Story Short:
High Sierra Rodents Carry Plague.

Don't play with the baby squirrels or chipmunks.

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Long Distance Backpacker mileages

South on the Pacific Crest Trail

South Upper Truckee to:

Carson Pass
8.42 miles

Ebbetts Pass
35.2 miles

Sonora Pass
64.64 miles

Tuolumne Meadows
138.44 miles

South on the Tahoe to Yosemite Trail

South Upper Truckee to:

Carson Gap
7.03 miles

Lake Alpine
32.34 miles

Saint Marys Pass
66.98 miles

Tuolumne Meadows
146.71

The Tahoe to Yosemite and Pacific Crest Trails split at Carson Gap.

For more information see the Meyers Trailhead page on the forum. From there you can leave Comments & Questions, or Register and post up information.

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Registering allows you to share your experience and knowledge, even to put up your own pages about your tips and trips here on the Meyers to Carson Gap Forum.

Pictures can be easily uploaded, videos and maps easily embedded.

You can contribute words, pictures, and videos to each part of this trail through the forum attached to each trail guide page.

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Local Color

South Upper Truckee locals out for a Winter Day Hike.

These were a great bunch of kids. Enjoyed their company immensely.

That's my buddy Steve Scheppers, who does music for the Tahoe to Whitney backpacking videos, the second from the Right. Steve is a great musician, you should hire him to entertain your party or wedding or soundtrack your videos or something...

Steven Scheppers Music                      SoundCloud                      Steve Scheppers YouTube

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...saddling up the Harness of Pain and Pleasure...

HOPP

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Meiss Country towards Round Lake