Mountaineering boots and crampons would be ideal when we encountered steep and icy pitches but they would be painful on bare ground. We knew we could encounter snow, mud, ice, dirt, wind and rain which made it challenging to choose footwear. Temperatures were in the 40s at the parking lot with no snow in sight but this can be deceiving when it is the middle of April in the White Mountains. We did not know what kind of conditions to expect as we pulled into the trail head. This all adds up to a 9.8 mile loop with around 3,700 feet of elevation gain. Finally we would take the Liberty Springs Trail back to the parking lot. The slide would steeply take us to the Franconia Ridge Trail where we would summit Flume then Liberty. Our plan was to take the Liberty Springs Trail to the Flume Slide Trail. We chose Liberty and Flume because they have some of the best hiking that the Whites have to offer. We recently did a loop hike of Mount Flume and Liberty that finished the winter season in epic fashion with a front row view of spring’s emergence. All of my recent climbs had been focused on technical ascents of ravines and gullies instead of mountains but it was time to reach the top again. The start of the Flume Trail at Spooner Lake is not far from the California-Nevada state line and South Lake Tahoe casinos.Almost a year had passed since I reached the summit of a 4,000 foot peak in the White Mountains. More seasoned riders can expect to complete the trail in roughly an hour (going one way). Just make sure you are comfortable using braking techniques and smooth turns in sand, and expect to be on the trail for 1.5 to 3 hours. On the Flume Trail, your mountain biking skills don’t have to be too technical, but expect to get a great cardio workout. Once you reach the “Y” you can go left where the trail decends 1600′ to Highway 28 where you can pay a fee to take the shuttle back, or go right to continue on the Flume Trail, following the loop back to the park which will add another 1.5 to 3 hours on to your trip. Take in the amazing Flume Trail views from 1600′ above the east shore of Lake Tahoe. The fun starts here with 4.5 miles of rolling, slightly downhill track. After arriving at Marlette Lake, you will follow a dirt road around the west side of the lake for about 1.6 miles to the Flume Trailhead. Marlette Lake is a great place to take a break, swim or catch a bite to eat before continuing on. It ends with a 0.8-mile downhill trek to Marlette Lake. You can expect some hairpin turns and a steep 4-mile climb that gets a little sandy at the end, which some bikers find to be the most challenging aspect of the trail. Start at the Spooner Lake day-use area (parking fee required), just look for the signs to the trailhead. Overall it is an easy ride on mostly dirt roads with some sandy trail conditions and a technical single-track section that covers from Marlette Lake to the Tahoe Rim Trail junction. It is one of the most popular Lake Tahoe mountain biking trails and once you experience it you will understand why. This 14-mile long trail follows a mountain ridge overlooking Spooner Lake, best known for its incredible views and cliff-hugging sections of trail. Length: 14 miles with a shuttle or 30+ miles loopįor an easy to moderate mountain biking experience, hit the Flume Trail on the east side of Lake Tahoe. Technical Level: Beginner to Intermediate
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