Episode Five: Mount Rose to Spooner Summit

TRT Section: Mount Rose Campground to Spooner Summit
Days: 9-10
Mileage: 24.9
Elevation Gain: 5,514 ft.
Elevation Loss: 7,290 ft.       
Highest Elevation: 9,005 ft.
Lowest Elevation: 7,141 ft.

Blueberry Pancakes and Aluminum Water

Breakfast of Champions

Waking from a spectacular night’s sleep, I woke to a lightening sky. I hadn’t set an alarm for myself, as I had accepted Deb and Jim’s invite to stay for a pancake breakfast they were hosting at a much more reasonable time than 5:00 AM. Considering the arduous day I had endured climbing up and over Relay Peak, I decided to let myself wake up naturally and take my time that morning. What a luxury!

The luxuries were continuously lavished throughout the morning. Jim cooked up some delectable blueberry pancakes, complemented by sausage links. Meanwhile, Deb steeped coffee, which she served with creamer and also – get this – ice cream! The highlight, though, was Deb sharing fresh strawberries; when I say I had the most deliciously succulent strawberry I’ve ever had, I am not exaggerating. Breakfast was an absolute delight, made only more pleasant by the company and conversation.

Cheerful Goodbyes

After breakfast, we hikers prepared for our leave. Lauder, a fellow clockwise hiker, proffered to hike together to Marlette Peak Campground, which was the next stop on both of our itineraries. Having hiked four days entirely alone, I gladly accepted the offer, as I was looking forward to having some company again. My only hesitation was my pace…though I had regained some confidence after recognizing all I had accomplished so far on the trail, my nagging self-doubts about my speed resurfaced.

Once Lauder and I had packed up, goodbyes and a slew of “thank yous” to Deb and Jim were in order. They had done so much to enrich the experience that we and other hikers had on the Tahoe Rim Trail. Deb and Jim clearly loved being a part of the trail in this capacity. Their essence is at the heart of the magic of the trail itself; yes, it’s a dirt path with some awe-inspiring views, but coming together to cherish it as a collective of wilderness enthusiasts and stewards transcends any one hiker’s hike. Our goodbyes were heartfelt but full of encouragement. Deb and Jim, if you happen to be reading this, I hope your lives are still full of the joy that you imparted to us hikers.

Happy Fourth!

Lauder and I departed from Mount Rose Campground together in the mid-morning. Hiking through the Tahoe Meadows area, we encountered several recreators enjoying the trail for the holiday: the Fourth of July. We shared the trail with day hikers, copious numbers of mountain bikers (this section of the TRT is a mountain-biking paradise; bikes are permitted on even days of the month), and trail runners. For several miles, we exchanged frequent holiday greetings with fellow trailgoers. Spirits were high, and I was enjoying the consistent conversation as we hiked on.

Trail Conversations

As we ascended out of Tahoe Meadow, the crowds thinned out, and Lauder and I had large swaths of the trail to ourselves. Over time, our conversations grew deeper. We started with discussions of our affinity for the outdoors, then steered to childhood memories, dabbled in religion, and even veered into politics. All of our discussions were friendly, and we simply talked to get to know one another.

While I will keep the details of our discussions between me and Lauder, I will share that engaging in such conversations enhanced my experience in myriad ways: I hiked at a brisk pace which was entirely doable and boosted my confidence, I shared a connection with a fellow human, and I was distracted by the utter misery of just how hot the day had become.

A Tale of Two Lakes

Lauder and I soldiered down the trail, admiring views of Lake Tahoe to the west as well as distant views of Washoe Lake to the east. Two massive bodies of water that would certainly quench our thirst, but neither was within reach in the growingly sweltering afternoon.

We had to settle with the Twin Lakes. By this time in the summer, they were more like twin puddles, but both Lauder and I were in need of a refill. As we approached what would be considered the shore, we observed the shallowness of the water source, which made an abundance of tadpoles seem overly concentrated. I did my best to tiptoe the shoreline to allow myself to get close enough to collect water in my CNOC bag, while not sinking in the mud that undoubtedly had been covered with water as recently as a week prior. I collected a measly amount, but it would suffice until we made it to Marlette.

Misery Loves Company

Lauder and I marched on for another couple of hours before making it to camp. The late afternoon sun absolutely annihilated our energy. However, suffering together seemed less awful than the suffering I had done alone. Something about hearing Lauder groan with exasperation on the unending 4.5-mile uphill made me feel moderately better. Throughout the day, I had let Lauder set the pace, and I had been doing my best to keep up. So, knowing that I was not the only hiker feeling the extreme effects of the heat reinforced the notion that I, too, belonged on the trail.

The trail began to even out, which was a welcomed reprieve. Even more welcome was the incredible view of Marlette Lake in front of the backdrop of Lake Tahoe. The blistering sun could not douse my appreciation of the views that we had worked so hard to attain. With a reinvigorated vitality, we were ready to knock out the last bit of trail before Marlette Peak Campground.

More New Friends

As we made our way into the backcountry campground, we found several other hikers, bikers, and campers. Being that it was a holiday, the campground was well-populated. Walking through the area, we scoped out possible places to pitch our tents or even just a table where we could sit. That’s when we met Jeanette and Brent.

Seeing no tables open, Lauder initiated greetings with a friendly-faced couple at their table. They quickly struck up conversation and extended an invitation for the two of us to join them. This is what I love so much about the trail community; Jeanette and Brent observed that we would have nowhere convenient to set up, and, hence, they offered to share their space. Hikers tend to be a welcoming crew (at least, that has been my experience thus far).

Lauder, Jeanette, Brent, and I ate our dinners while engaging in conversations about previous adventures, favorite pieces of gear, and how the trail had been so far. We learned that Jeanette and Brent had just started the trail that morning, and they, like me and Lauder, were traveling clockwise.

Can I Keep Up?

Then, the discussion of the next day’s travels: how far was everyone planning to go? This fourteen-mile day had been tough but ultimately doable for me. But when the others shared that they were planning to make it all the way to “the bench” the next day, the thought of an eighteen-mile day intimidated me. My trek over Relay Peak the day before had been my longest day, and the thought of going farther than that seemed a stretch for me.

Ultimately, I set my goal to make it to the bench with them all tomorrow. Since I was a slower hiker, I would need to aim for an earlier start.

Metal Water

With tomorrow’s plan in place, Lauder and I got to the daily camp tasks. We each pitched our tents, packed up our bear cans to place in the communal bear locker, and then we went to fill our water. A quick jaunt’s distance from the campground was the Marlette Peak water pump. I was never so thankful to have another person around than when I tried to operate this pump.

Once we figured out the mechanics of the pump, we filled our bottles. This water did not need to be filtered, but it had a distinct metallic taste. Fortunately for us, the water was at least close to clear. My friend Kyle had told me that the water he had pumped last week (once the pump was fixed) was a murky rust color. However, by the time Lauder and I used it, it wasn’t too bad.

Prep for an Early Start

Since the next day’s goal was an over-eighteen-mile day, I planned accordingly for an early wake-up. My alarm was set for 4:25 AM. To enable a swift departure, I wanted to prepare my things for the next day. 

First, I had filled all of my water bottles with enough to get me the ten-or-so miles from the campground to Spooner Summit, the next water source. Then, I prepped the snacks I would eat throughout the morning, setting them aside toward the top of my bear can. Next to my snacks, I set my GSI mug full of cold-soaked oatmeal so it would be ready to eat as I marched out of camp the next morning. All I would need to do after waking up would be to take down my tent and stuff everything in my pack.

Sleeping in a Campground

Having slept at Mount Rose Campground the previous night, I had had such an excellent night’s sleep. Being that that campground was so highly trafficked, I was surprised by how peaceful it had been. Marlette is a campground you must hike into, so I figured I would experience a similar level of peacefulness.

Since I had such an early wake-up planned, I headed into my tent by 8:15 PM. All was fine and dandy…and then our neighbors arrived. A couple who had bike-packed in and set up their camp earlier returned from an evening ride (I assumed they rode to a vista to watch fireworks for the Fourth). 

First strike: they turned on a Bluetooth speaker to play music…at 9 PM in a backcountry campground. Second strike: they spoke over their music to communicate. “Are you ready to make dinner?” “Yeah, I’m just going to rinse off first.” Third strike: they yelled across the campground, from their site to the bear box, to ask each other questions. “Hon, where did you put the ketchup?” “It’s there in the bear locker.” “Oh! Here it is!”

I guess I didn’t expect such shenanigans in a backcountry campground. Everyone else I had encountered was so thoughtful and considerate. Despite the nuisance, I willed myself to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

Day 9: Mount Rose Campground to Marlette Peak Campground
Total Mileage: 14.3

Day 10 Calls for a 10 by 10

The soft music of my alarm roused me from my sleep at 4:25 AM. Wanting a few extra minutes, I caved in and hit my snooze button. After those splendid nine minutes and knowing what lay ahead, I mustered up the willpower to get dressed and started while the sky was still dark. It was my tenth day on trail, and it would be my longest day so far.

Breakfast on the Go

I retrieved my bear can from the bear box and began to pack my bag. Only a couple of other campers were stirring at this time, their silhouettes gliding through the still-dark campground. After packing up camp, I departed Marlette at about 5:30 AM as the sky transitioned into light.

Making my way through a dense forest, I ate my cold-soaked oatmeal with some trail mix. Eating my breakfast while hiking was not as unappealing as I thought it would be. Though the concept of being a mountain lion’s breakfast pervaded my thoughts. It was then that shadows in the shifting sunlight became eerie, playing some daunting tricks on my eyes. To ward off my sleepiness, I consumed caffeine from a Mio mix I had used in my metallic-tasting water; now, it was a Pineapple-Strawberry-Aluminum flavor. Yum!

Full Speed Ahead

With an early start, the cool morning air facilitated a steady pace climbing out from Marlette. Though the ascent was about an hour and a half, time seemed to fly as Marlette Lake fell behind the mountains. As I continued on, I had incredible panorama views from Tahoe to Carson.

Once I hit the decline, I picked up speed. This was the lightest my pack had been for the duration of my trip, so I found myself feeling exceptionally light. At one point, my hiking turned into jogging. On this stretch, I was clocking over 3 miles in an hour.

At the rate I was going, I was very conscientious about my walking and running form. I could hear my running coach Lisa’s voice reminding me “to lift from the crown” of my head and to keep my strides short. Maintaining these elements of form allowed me to make my way quickly and painlessly down toward Spooner Summit.

The nearer I came to Spooner, the more hikers I encountered. I stopped for a chat with a lovely group of ladies who were out hiking together to enjoy the marvelous views. They commended me for being a solo female hiker. With my quickened pace and their kind words, I truly felt like a badass. I was thankful for their positivity, another testament to the wonderful world of trailgoers.

My Very First 10 by 10

Descending to Spooner Summit, I was feeling so strong. The end of my fifth trail section was growing closer. Sounds of cars passing on Highway 50 were faint, and I knew I was approaching the trailhead. I happened upon the official trailhead sign just before 9:30 AM; that meant I had covered a bit over nine miles since I left Marlette. I celebrated the end of my fifth section with a quick photo and then continued on to the Spooner Lake Picnic Area to fill up my water.

The picnic area was 1.4 miles from the trailhead, according to Far Out. So I sauntered through a thicket of Indian paintbrush and some scattered aspens as I made my way around the serene Spooner Lake. 

On this segment, I hit my tenth mile of the day. Before 10 AM. I had accomplished my very first “10 by 10,” the feat of hiking ten miles before ten in the morning. When I had heard of thru-hikers, namely PCT hikers, completing this, I wondered if I would ever have the ability to do it myself. And here I was, walking around Spooner Lake to get to water, achieving an undertaking I had previously doubted I could do.

Basking in the glory of my successful morning, I set my things down at a table in the picnic area, where I would wait for the Marlette crew. As I munched on my snacks and drank a liter of fresh, non-metallic water, I found myself reflecting once again. For all the anxiety I held about my pace, I felt triumphant over the ten (almost eleven) miles I had traveled that morning. 

Suddenly, the remaining seven and a half miles to the bench didn’t seem so intimidating. Suddenly, I felt confident in my physical ability as a backpacker. This left me wondering what else I could accomplish.

Day 10 (Part 1): Marlette Peak Campground to Spooner Summit (Picnic Area)
Total Mileage: 10.9