ReDowtable

Hello!

My fiancee and I are training for AMBR in June, and we want to head up to South Lake Tahoe for a ride at elevation this Saturday. Neither of us knows how we will react to elevation. We're looking for a 35 - 45 mile loop somewhere with lighter traffic (something we're both still sensitive to). Are there parts of the actual circumnavigation route that have fewer cars? Any particular areas in particilar we should avoid? Are there other known "good" routes in the area that folks ride to get away from the lake traffic?

Any and all suggestions will be GREATLY appreciated!

--Rafi

1242Vintage

One nice out and back ride is to drive and park at Tahoma (or Sugar Pine State Park) and head north along highwy.I think there's bike path parallel to the highway on the Lake side. Then when you get to Tahoe City you can either use the bike path along the Truckee River or go up on the highway (State Route 89) heading towards Truckee. When you get tired turn around. One the way back if you want to make a quick detour off the highway you can go up towards Squaw Valley. You'll see the sign and big olympic rings.

I have done this a few times and makes a nice ride. Lots of places to stop (River Ranch, Fanny Bridge at Tahoe City, beach front) and take in the scenery.

Fyi. I found that riding at elevation usually means i get a dull and annoying headache. I counter this with low dose asprin before i ride and plenty of water.

Just my 2 cnts. Enjoy the day wherever you end up riding.


... And place to avoid is the stretch of highway right around emerald bay. The road narrows and drivers are distracted by the spectacular view. Lots of traffic there on that narrow stretch, including RVs and trailers.

ReDowtable

Thank you! So, just to clarify, when you say "Then when you get to Tahoe City you can either use the bike path along the Truckee River or go up on the highway" -- is there a link directly to that bike trail along the Truckee? As in, is it obvious? The reason I ask is that I tried to follow that route on google maps, and I couldn't find it. Which is quite possibly because I'm not good at using google maps.

1242Vintage

Here's the detail map as one approaches Tahoe City.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1622...!5m1!1e3?hl=en

If you ride this way you'll be coming up W. Lake Blvd heading north. Right before you hit the intersection and before crossing the famous Fanny Bridge (tourist hang over the bridge rail w/ butts in the air as they look for the fish in Truckee River) there's a bike trail on the left. See the green line. That connects to Truckee River Bike Trail along River Road. You can either stay on that bike trail or ride up on the road that parallels. The bike trail gets busy and the pace is leisurely during the afternoons.

A 30 mile out-n-back will be Tahoma (or Sugar Pine Pt State Park) up to Tahoe City and then out along the Truckee River to "River Ranch" (the place where the rafters get out near intersection at Squaw Valley).

There's not much climbing and here's the entire route

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Rive...2186!3e1?hl=en

ReDowtable

Wow, that's incredibly helpful! Thank you so much!

igosolo

Here is my favorite loop with relatively low traffic in almost all spots, South Shore to Angora Ridge and then down and back up to Echo Lake and then home. There are some decent climbs so check out the elevation profile. Part of this is up/down the old Meyers grade which is closed to cars. You do cross Hwy 50 a couple times but I have never found that to be a big deal. I also do partial on this route choosing one or the other climbs to shorten.

https://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/423510766
(fixed the link)


Here is another south shore to Blue Lakes out and back. Longer than you have requested, but a really nice ride. Traffic not too bad if you leave early, but there is some to deal with, but really in Tahoe, I have not found many places where traffic does not come into play. Rode with a friend who wanted shorter so she got dropped off at Mile 21 and started there and then rode home so ~48 miles

Cabin to Blue Lakes Out/Back in South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States | MapMyRide

bikingshearer 

All the above advice is good. Just a couple other thoughts.

1) I can't for the life of me recall how to find the Tahoe City end of the path that goes out toward Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, but I do recall that it is not at all hard to find.

2) For almost all of Highway 89 between Tahoe City and Truckee, and certainly north of where the path ends, the shoulders are stupid-wide and the sight lines for the drivers are good. The cars go pretty fast, but you can cheerfully stay well away from them.

3) If you go on Hwy 89 north of Tahoe City, keep in mind that it is a gentle downhill going north toward Truckee and, therefore, a gentle uphill heading back south toward Tahoe City. It is a very gentle slope, but it makes a noticeable difference at 6,000=/- ft, especially if the gentle uphill part is the end of a longish ride.

4) The Emerald Bay area is, as others have noted, the narrowest stretch of road with gorgeous scenery and many an RV. If you hit it early in the day - say, before 9am or even 10am - you will miss the masses, especially if you can do it on a weekday. A sunny weekend afternoon - just don't. But a nice weekday morning - the traffic is manageable and the scenery is epic.

Of course, my advice is worth exactly what you are paying for it . . . .

ReDowtable

Thanks! I can see your second route, but the first link does go to your profile -- because it says "igosolo only shares routes with friends." =/

ReDowtable

Good to know about the super-wide shoulder on 89! Thanks so much for your input.

igosolo

OK, that one was not marked for public. I changed it and fixed the link. Also here. Hope it works for you.
Tahoe Angora and Echo Loop in South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States | MapMyRide

ReDowtable

Just to wrap up this thread -- we ended up picking the Sugar Pine Point State park to Squaw Valley out-and-back. We actually parked at a market on 89, and didn't drive all the way up to the park. It was a lovely ride (Tahoe!), although I think if we do it again we'll stick to the roads. The shoulders are fairly narrow, but the bike path is pretty slow and very bumpy -- downright uncomfortably so along the Truckee River. BUT that is not a complaint! Thank you all so much for your advice and information! I think next time we go up, we'll try the Echo Lake ride.

nesdog

The expansion cracks on the Truckee River path are awful and a pain to ride, although the view is beautiful. There is a plan in the works to redo that stretch in the next year or so. This summer when I'm there, I'll opt for the road.

There is a path you can also follow into Squaw Valley. As the mountain vista opens up around the bend, it's like being in Europe....absolutely gorgeous.