• Tahoe Rim Trail: A little taste of heaven
• Groovy Gear: If you map it, they will come
• Mountain Mutt's Tip o' the Week
• See the latest Mountain Mutt photo contest winner
• Publish your own outdoor photos

Tahoe Rim Trail: A little taste of heaven

By John Trent, aka The Mountain Mutt*

Tim Twietmeyer knows a little about the Tahoe Rim Trail. Two years ago, he ran, hiked and, toward the end, walked the entire 165-mile distance in a record time of 46 hours.

What has stuck with Twietmeyer since then wasn't how tired he got -- though he was.

"It's been more about how beautiful that trail was," said Twietmeyer, 47, a five-time champion of the Western States 100-mile Endurance Run. The Hewlett-Packard engineer lives in Auburn, Calif. "That, and really, even though it was a huge challenge to do it all in less than two days, how easily it can be worked into a day hike, or something more if that's what you want. It's really a pretty versatile trail."

Since its inception more than 25 years ago, the Tahoe Rim Trail has been thought of as a way to experience Tahoe's beauty from its highest reaches. The trail, which runs along the ridge tops of Lake Tahoe, actually can be compressed into several digestible parts. As Twietmeyer said, it's the perfect outdoor resource for young families who simply want a few hours to frolic among the wildflowers, or for the hardened through-hiker who would like to spend several days amid Tahoe's high-elevation splendor.

Here are three suggestions for hikers of beginning, intermediate and advanced abilities:

• Beginner: Tahoe Meadows Getting there: Located right off Highway 431, one mile west of Mount Rose summit. This trailhead, at about 8,740 feet, is conveniently located and is the gateway to the Spooner Summit trailhead, 22.3 miles distant. Of course, if you're a beginner, you need only follow the moderate to easy terrain out as far as you'd like. There are plenty of historical markers for the history buffs, as well as conifer stands and some of the better wildflower viewing you'll find in the area. A bonus is the interpretive, handicap access 1-mile hike that takes you on a pleasant, flat and easy walk through Tahoe Meadows itself. Remember that water is scarce on this side of the TRT, so prepare accordingly.

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Groovy Gear: If you map it, they will come

"To get an idea where you're actually going, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association has free downloads of sectional maps. If you don't want several pages stacked together, look for the Lake Tahoe map, from Tom Harrison Maps (800-265-9090). This is double-sided, on waterproof paper, and includes GPS coordinates. He offers a huge selection (but California-only); other local choices are the Pacific Crest Trail and Desolation Wilderness maps. If you opt for the Rim Trail downloads, buy some Map Proof ($9) from Nikwax, a sponge-on waterproofing that doesn't stiffen the paper.
Photo courtesy of www.nikwax.com.

'Bear' these tips in mind...
Mountain Mutt's Tip o' the Week!

The end of summer in this area is often dry, and this year is no different. Bears and other wildlife are aggressively looking for food, and while many bears in the Lake Tahoe area are familiar with humans, it's a good bet you won't want to engage one on your hike. So be cautious, hike in pairs or groups and follow these tips from the Nevada Division of State Parks, to keep your hike a bit more, um, bearable.

• Never approach a bear. They are more scared of you, generally, but will attack if provoked.

• Give the bear plenty of room for escape

• Loud noises can often scare a bear

• Keep any dogs near you; this should discourage the bear's approach as long as it doesn't feel threatened by the dog.

For more on hiking in the Lake Tahoe area, visit http://parks.nv.gov/lt.htm.

Mountain Mutt photo winner of the week!

Amber "BAM" loves to hike. Owner Steve Young captured Amber hiking near Sagehen campground off of Highway 89. Steve wins a Mountain Mutt T-shirt and is now entered into the grand prize drawing for a $100 Petco gift certificate.

Think your pup has what it takes to be a Mountain Mutt? Then send us your best photo of your dog out and about in the Sierra Nevada summer. We'll post the photos each week in our Mountain Mutt gallery, plus we'll pick a weekly winner and send a collector's item Mountain Mutt T-shirt (designed by Reno eNVy). At the end of the summer, one lucky dog will be crowned this year's supreme Mountain Mutt and that pooch will win a $100 Petco gift certificate. E-mail your photo to info@TahoeRenoOnline.com. Oh, and we don't discriminate; we love pure bred pups too! Good luck!

Publish your outdoor photos!

Have you always wanted others to see your great outdoor photos? Now's your chance! Publish your pictures on our Mountain Mutt photo site, and you can share your talent with the world! Publish pictures of your very own Mutt, or that gorgeous sunset shot you took while hiking, or a bird you've never seen before that flew past your kayak ... whatever it is, share your photos of the Lake Tahoe, Northern Nevada summer with us! Click here to get started, and see what your fellow readers have already published.

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