[TRTA]
Hike the TRT with us this summer in 10 day-hikes! Join our Segment Hike Program. Registration opens on March 23rd at 10 AM.
Each summer the TRTA’s Segment Hike program guides two groups that circle the 165+ mile rim of the Tahoe Basin on one of the most unique multi-use trails in the world. The program offers regional hikers a supported method to complete the entire Tahoe Rim Trail in 11-day hikes.
EVERY WEDNESDAY
JUNE 8 – AUGUST 17
The TRTA Segment Hike program provides the quintessential Tahoe experience.
Lake Tahoe is a jewel rich with views from the lakeshore to mountain tops. Along its mountain tops lies the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail often gazing down on the depths of the crystal blue water below. Join the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) for the Segment Hike program to fully explore miles of trail bliss. This shuttled and guided program breaks the official 165+ TRT into segments allowing participants to complete the entire trail in one season through vigorous day hikes. From a pre-trip preparations to shuttling you before the sunrise, the TRTA provides the tools to finish the trail and join the highly coveted 165 Mile Club. This adventure offers an experience of a lifetime, the opportunity to meet new hiking friends, disconnect from everyday life, and fully immerse yourself in the breathtaking splendor of the Northern Sierra Nevada and Carson Mountain Ranges.
“I am still so amazed at the beauty of the terrain that we were exposed to. I loved the high country and still my heart races when I think of the smells (dirt), the sunshine, the camaraderie and the extreme beauty of the terrain we hiked. I still look at my pics and say, “Wow, I really did that!” – Past TRTA Participant
PROGRAM COST
2022 Program Fee – $1250 (only $125 per day)
APPLICATION PROCESS
1. Click on the Apply Now button and register online by completing the application and paying the non-refundable $65 application fee.
2. Once you submit the application, you will receive an email with additional information about the program and required forms that must be completed and returned to the TRTA within 30 days of registering. These forms include a Cancellation Policy, Liability Waiver, Health History Form (to be completed by your primary care provider), and a survey of your past hiking experience.
3. After the TRTA receives your completed forms, you will receive notification regarding your approval of the program. If you are approved you will receive an invoice for the remaining program balance of $1,185. The balance is due within 14 days of notification of your approval.
4. Once your final payment is completed, you’ll receive all of the remaining details for the program in the program Welcome Packet along with a TRT map.
Click here to review the Segment Hike Program Cancellation Policy.
Funds raised from the Segment Hike Program are used to support the organization’s mission: To maintain and enhance the Tahoe Rim Trail system, practice and inspire stewardship and preserve access to the natural beauty of the Lake Tahoe region. This program fee provides participants with the following:
- Guided day hikes around the Tahoe Rim Trail
- TRTA Trail Caretaker Membership ($250 value)
- Trained and experienced TRTA Guides leading you on every hike
- Program transportation each week (from ending trailhead to starting trailhead)
- Binder with pre-hike preparation materials
- Waterproof Tahoe Rim Trail Map (by National Geographic)
- Weekly program coordination, including trailhead directions, and special segment notes
- Entry into the 165-Mile Club upon completion with certificate, pin, and patch
- Trip of a lifetime with new friends
HIKING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
The TRTA invites participants with prior long-distance hiking experience to apply. This 10-week program is strenuous and not for beginning hikers. The demands of hiking a full day with a backpack between 6,200′ to 10,400′ cannot be overstated. Consequently, it is critical that participants are well-prepared for this expedition through proper training, nutrition, and self-care. The program binder given to participants will provide information to assist with this training before the hike. Each participant will hike the same day of the week with the same people each week requiring a significant mental and physical commitment. The TRTA will help you fully prepare for this experience, but we ask that you please consider the level of commitment it takes to train, prepare, and complete the Segment Hike before applying. Participants must be able to fulfill the following requirements of the program:
- Hike 20+ mile segments (up to 25 for an average of 17.5 miles each week)
- Maintain a ~2.5 mph hiking pace at elevations between 6,200′ and 10,400′ including breaks*
- Carry a daypack with a minimum of two liters of water, lunch, snacks, layers, and other necessities
*IMPORTANT: Due to the high demands of hiking the TRT and group management, participants are required to hike at an average pace of 2.5 mph including breaks over the course of each hike. During the first 2 hikes (13 miles then 20 miles), each hiker must show they are capable of meeting the average 2.5 mph pace. If in the judgment of the Segment Hike Guides, a participant cannot reasonably meet this requirement, they will be removed from the program without a refund. This 2-hike period is to stress the importance of training and overall preparation. It is not meant to scare anyone away.
Click here to view the Segment Hike Essential Eligibility Criteria (EEC).
With the right mindset and enough dedication and training, you can rock this trail!
THE TRAIL
The Tahoe Rim Trail circles more than 165 miles around the rim of the Tahoe Basin, albeit segment hikers typically hike closer to 180 miles due to using connector trails after breaking up the trail into smaller segments. In addition to distance, it is worth noting that the highest point on the TRT is Relay Peak at 10,338’. There will be other significant climbs over 9,000’. Hiking distances will range between 10 and 25 miles each hike for an average of 17.5 miles each week. The trail ranges from moderate to strenuous with a total gain/loss of 24,400’ over the entire program while most segments climb well over 1,000′ in one day hike.
TOTAL TRT ELEVATION GAIN/LOSS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF SUMMITING MOUNT WHITNEY 4 TIMES!
THE PROGRAM
Your program will meet on the same day each week until you have hiked the entire trail through day hikes. Each hike, you will meet the program shuttle between 6 am and 7:30 am, depending on the segment, at the location that the hike will later conclude. The shuttle picks up the group and transports you and your team to the beginning trailhead to essentially hike back to your cars. Carpooling is strongly encouraged. Detailed driving instructions are provided for each meeting location. Dogs and friends/family of participants are not allowed to join the hike, namely due to room in the shuttle and Leave No Trace practices for large group sizes.
GEAR
We invite all participants to select their own hiking equipment for each day hike. More information related to gear and what to pack will be sent to participants after the application process is complete.
GUIDES
Your guides consist of our highly experienced and dedicated volunteer TRTA Guides and/or TRTA Staff. Guides are certified in CPR, Wilderness First Aid, and trained by the TRTA and/or other agencies. In addition, they love to hike and share their backcountry and trail knowledge with others and dedicate significant time to the program. TRTA volunteers are not paid so please show them extra respect and some love each hike. We have much esteem for our volunteer guides and want this to be an amazing experience for them too! TRTA Guides and staff reserve the right to terminate a hiker’s participation for lack of experience, training, and/or inappropriate behavior at any time before and during the hike.
TAHOE BACKCOUNTRY AND WILDERNESS
Most importantly, the TRT should be considered a harsh mountain environment! This 165+ mile, single-track trail is open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers (in most areas). The trail circumnavigates the ridgelines of the Lake Tahoe Basin, crossing six counties, four National Forests, three wilderness areas, two states, and one state park. Frequently, the trail leads through very remote areas without cell reception and road access. At all moments during the trip, participants are required to actively engage in their own safety and the safety of those around them. The segment hike group will be required to stick together as a team, use proper equipment, not exceed the abilities of the reasonably weakest link, and always exercise good judgment.