Off the beaten path in South Lake Tahoe?

[bump]

Hi,

I'm taking my family plus in-laws to a house I've rented on the beach in South Lake Tahoe. My goal is to make this an annual thing for a few reasons. First, I love the area and my parents implemented moving us there in 1970 but then they ran into a divorce... 2nd, I'm trying to corral all the vacations my wife's family leans on us for all year long into one week. (I've picked up a few tricks from all my narcissistic friends.)

I'll have four kids there (two are 7 and two are 4), plus a couple in their 60s but fit, another in their early 40s from the Bay Area and never away from WiFi, plus my wife and I who can adjust to anything, almost, and love the opportunity to go for days without a cell phone signal. I wanted to take a few scoots with me but the place we rented has no garage for safe storing. So this trip will include some scouting for a better spot that has a garage to bring up some plated dirt bikes and perhaps a street bike.

We will be bringing my wife's 4WD SUV so we can do some light exploring but most likely nothing that really requires 4WD. My daughters are real outdoor cats and love getting dirty and tired and can go for days on end without complaining that their unit itches. Their cousins (male) of the same age are just the opposite and at best are headed to become omni-video-game literate geek metrosexuals and more likely headed toward being manginas. That said, the oldest cousin has seen the light and quietly tags along when he sees my hellions and I headed out with some gear. Not surprisingly, his always connected parents usually don't notice his absence...

What do you adventurers have to share?

Thanks,

[Garthe]

Have fun bump, sounds like a fun time.

[74C5]

Not much off-roading around there as you would think. It isn't forest. It is all "protected valuable wilderness that no one should be able to go experience and see unless they're dedicated hikers". I really have no opinion though.
One area:
89 South out of Myers. Then continue on it by turning left on 88 at the T. Continue Southbound 89 by turning right toward Markleeville. Lunch coming or going at the Wolf Creek Restaurant and Bar in M-ville. Continue on 89 by turning left at the 89/4 intersection (T) toward Monitor Pass. About 1.5 miles on the left is a dirt road. Just before that, is a very step raw slope on the left with old mines on the hillside. The road on the left will take you into the mined area called Loope and Leviathan. Old mines are visible on the hillsides off the road. Be careful though. Some shafts might not be marked and the wooden covers rotted and then covered with dirt. One part of the road pops back out on 89 just below Monitor Pass from a right at a T, the left at the T will take you out to 395. Don't need 4x4 but you need a bit of ground clearance for babies heads at one spot.

Virgina City is kind of cool for a tourist trap considering what it is. You might tell them all to pre-read about it to get a grip on how it might have looked before all the trees were cut down for mining structures.

Echo Lake....hard to park there on a weekend.

Lotus and Coloma for the Sutters Mill / Gold Discovery State Park.....if funded and open.

Honestly, I think a day trip down to Lake Alpine on Hwy 4 is a good alternative. Maybe down to Sonora Pass also on 108.

There are other roads north of Truckee and many are open.

[bitwrench]

There is a paved bike path around part of the lake. Rent mt. bikes
in the morning for a relaxed cruise around the lake. If the wind comes up in the afternoon, rent windsurfers/take lessons. If no wind, go for a day hike that has a view of the lake from the top of whatever mt. you hike up.
In the evening, take the wife on the glass bottom boat dinner tour. They had decent food served on the boat when we were there. Oh, and relax. Remember, your not in charge of other peoples happiness.
cheers

[St.Stan]

74C5 nailed it, not a lot of off roading except for short segments here and there and his monitor Pass suggestion is a good one. I was going to suggest a much more modest run up Burnside Road, where 89 connects with 88 in Hope Valley. Also Poor Boy Road, just past downtown Markleeville, goes up into some nice hill country. And a few miles past the turnoff to 89 / Monitor Pass, wolf Creek Road turns off 4 to the south, turns to dirt, and ends up in a beautiful alpine meadow.

[Pointman0853]

PM me. I' down in Gardnerville where there is no TRPA and tons of great trails.

[ktmbmw]

I have done a couple 'events' starting from south lake tahoe in the past:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=411595
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=541482
as mentioned already, there is not a lot of trails, but the ones available are fun.
Virginia City-Carson City area has a lot of trails but is very dry.
have fun!

[tahoe_sasquatch]

Dirt road between Kingsbury grade and Spooner Summit should be fun for you. Nice views of the lake, some rocks to avoid (nothing bad). There are two variants so if you like it you might go back slightly different route.


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[Blacknblue]

Desolation Wilderness trailhead at Fallen leaf lake for hiking. There's a Ranger station nearby to get a detailed map.

[skwidd]

How about the little bumpy road from Tahoma to Georgetown?

[2manyrides]

Go to the underwater fish viewing at taylor creek!

You'll have to get out of tahoe basin for off roading.
Plated bikes?
Go back down to kyburz and take the silver fork road.
Or up icehouse road. Many opportunitys outside the basin in all directions.

[tahoeacr]

There is some good singletrack but we don't like to let it out. Definitely take the SUV up Kingsbury grade to Bratovich park. There you will find Genoa Peak trail. This is what Tahoe Sas is talking about. This you must do. My F350 made it so not hard. The trail that goes to the peak is not well marked. Keep eyes on the tree tops and you will see the peak and radio towers. Two ways up to it and the second is the easy one. Once there you have to hike to the top. it is just a couple hundred feet but a much better view. You welcome to bring the bikes and park them in my garage while your here.

Single track off of Pioneer trail behind the school is fun and close. Dual use so mountain bikes are on it also.

[tahoeacr]

http://player.vimeo.com/video/45583079
Thanks to Riddler990's editing.

[brad21]

Originally Posted by tahoeacr

http://player.vimeo.com/video/45583079
Thanks to Riddler990's editing.

Hey Jeff! We moved to Gardnerville! Let's hook up for a scoot sometime!

[tahoeacr]

Originally Posted by brad21

Hey Jeff! We moved to Gardnerville! Let's hook up for a scoot sometime!

Going to try and ride saturday. You up for it?