Tom Rankin
Well-known member
Hey Jay, can you give me some more details on this hike? We'll be out there the end of the month.
Reno, NV and hiking.
- Thread starter Jay H
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Jay H
New member
Sure, Definitely look up the Tahoe Rim trail Association, you can hike a lot of places that are short or long as the trail goes around the lake (Yes, you can get a patch from the TRTA if you complete the loop ).
The Martis peak firetower is not a firetower as you would think as like say BLM, but is more of less a small square shaped cabin with windows on all 4 sides.. perhaps kind of like the current structure on Utsayantha, but without the height. But it is a short hike and I accessed it from Route 267 which connects Kings Beach (on Lake Tahoe) and Truckee, CA. The trail pretty much follows the TRT til you get to the spur trail that goes up to the firetower. The actual summit of Martis Peak is just maybe 200ft east of the tower (yes I did bushwack to the actual summit).
Little did I know when I hiked it, that you can actually drive to the summit... Because there is a Martis Peak road which I see on my map, but of course, the trail is a nicer walk.
The route is easy but it isn't exactly marked with signs or such. however, you're a bushwacker and probably have a GPS so I don't suspect it would be a problem. I don't use a GPS and I managed to find the route by map and compass. Eventually you'll find the road that goes up to the firetower and in fact, on my return I followed the road for a bit and then followed a snowmobile trail back to the TRT to get back to my car. There was snow on the ground in spots but I never used snowshoes or microspikes.
I used a Trails Illustrated maps of the "Lake Tahoe Basin" which is TI map #803. I can't really recommend it only because I find it suffers the same problems as the TI maps of the southern Green Mountains and the Catskills which seem to lack very popular trails and data. In fact, the TI map doesn't even show the firetower on Martis peak as a viewpoint!! It has a great view and shelter and even has an outhouse... You can see Truckee as well as I-80 and Squaw Valley..
Actually if I see you before you go, you could actually borrow the map, it's good enough to survive anyway, I just think they dropped the ball and it could be much better.
You might also consider hiking Mt Rose, which is a really nice hike.. Certainly longer than Martis and more elevation and is also popular. I did it in Late November and Lake Tahoe is sleeping in Late Nov because its too early for the skiers and too late for the summer folks. However, I suspect it being busy now so if you want solitude, leave real early...
I presume you've probably seen my pictures already of Martis Peak, I had that peak to myself til I was about to leave and another hiker showed up.
Jay
The Martis peak firetower is not a firetower as you would think as like say BLM, but is more of less a small square shaped cabin with windows on all 4 sides.. perhaps kind of like the current structure on Utsayantha, but without the height. But it is a short hike and I accessed it from Route 267 which connects Kings Beach (on Lake Tahoe) and Truckee, CA. The trail pretty much follows the TRT til you get to the spur trail that goes up to the firetower. The actual summit of Martis Peak is just maybe 200ft east of the tower (yes I did bushwack to the actual summit).
Little did I know when I hiked it, that you can actually drive to the summit... Because there is a Martis Peak road which I see on my map, but of course, the trail is a nicer walk.
The route is easy but it isn't exactly marked with signs or such. however, you're a bushwacker and probably have a GPS so I don't suspect it would be a problem. I don't use a GPS and I managed to find the route by map and compass. Eventually you'll find the road that goes up to the firetower and in fact, on my return I followed the road for a bit and then followed a snowmobile trail back to the TRT to get back to my car. There was snow on the ground in spots but I never used snowshoes or microspikes.
I used a Trails Illustrated maps of the "Lake Tahoe Basin" which is TI map #803. I can't really recommend it only because I find it suffers the same problems as the TI maps of the southern Green Mountains and the Catskills which seem to lack very popular trails and data. In fact, the TI map doesn't even show the firetower on Martis peak as a viewpoint!! It has a great view and shelter and even has an outhouse... You can see Truckee as well as I-80 and Squaw Valley..
Actually if I see you before you go, you could actually borrow the map, it's good enough to survive anyway, I just think they dropped the ball and it could be much better.
You might also consider hiking Mt Rose, which is a really nice hike.. Certainly longer than Martis and more elevation and is also popular. I did it in Late November and Lake Tahoe is sleeping in Late Nov because its too early for the skiers and too late for the summer folks. However, I suspect it being busy now so if you want solitude, leave real early...
I presume you've probably seen my pictures already of Martis Peak, I had that peak to myself til I was about to leave and another hiker showed up.
Jay
Jay H
New member
guess what? I'm going back to Reno again this year, Nov 5-8th and will spend the weekend before it in Lake Tahoe. Probably staying in Tahoe City and hiking in and around the west/south shore. Woohoo!
Jay
Jay
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