Uploaded June 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
The Tamarack Lake Trail was built in 2018 by the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking and Kevin Joell of Sierra Trail Works.
The trail vaguely follows the alignment of an older trail that used to loop up from Sky Tavern through the meadow and back down an old two track grade.
Today Tamarack Lake Trail connects Sky Tavern with the Mt. Rose Summit trailhead via 4.3 miles of easy singletrack. The main access point is across Mt. Rose Highway from Mt. Rose Ski Resort's main parking lot. This trail head has parking but no other services.
Tamarack Lake trail climbs 959 feet in 4.3 miles, though it's graded in such a way that there are no hard climbs and no particularly long climbs. There are some hard switchbacks, and the trail is rated blue on trailforks. Though it's an easy blue and for Tahoe, it's about the easiest trail you'll find other than Incline Flume.
Tamarack Lake is also accessible via a short trail that starts from a large parking turnout below the summit.
There are a number of fun optional features on the sides the trail here and there.
Outdoor Ethics
In recent years a bad habit has been developing on the trails form new and veteran riders alike when they meet on the trail and need to pass. Usually the downhill rider, but sometimes the uphill rider on an ebike, will ride off the trail through the brush and native plants in order to pass with plenty of room.
While It's nice that they are so accommodating, the act of riding off the trail through what should be pristine ground is damaging to the ecosystem and the aesthetics of the trail. The beauty of these trails is that they allow us a thin path through wild land. The nature of singletrack is challenge, and connection to the landscape. When we widen it, or unnecessarily add new off shoots and spurs it not only damages the environment that draws us up to the mountains, but diminishes the singletrack experience. The experience of using out skill, fitness and sense of adventure to stay on the trail while avoiding the dangers and damages of careening off it.
What we should be doing as the downhill rider is stopping, scooting to the side of the trail and making way for the uphill rider to continue climbing past us. While this does momentarily take us out of the flow of riding, it's not as bad as riding a trail that's blown out wider than it should, and scarred everywhere with turnouts and doubletracks.
Please keep singletrack single and spread the word!
Happy Trails!
Tamarack Lake Trail on Trail Forks: trailforks.com/trails/tamarack-lake-trail
Tamarack Lake Trail on Gaia GPS: gaiagps.com/map/?loc=13.5/-119.9200/39.3201&trackId=4f503e02-2a55-4641-8f3e-367716295f20
-M
The Tamarack Lake Trail was built in 2018 by the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking and Kevin Joell of Sierra Trail Works.
The trail vaguely follows the alignment of an older trail that used to loop up from Sky Tavern through the meadow and back down an old two track grade.
Today Tamarack Lake Trail connects Sky Tavern with the Mt. Rose Summit trailhead via 4.3 miles of easy singletrack. The main access point is across Mt. Rose Highway from Mt. Rose Ski Resort's main parking lot. This trail head has parking but no other services.
Tamarack Lake trail climbs 959 feet in 4.3 miles, though it's graded in such a way that there are no hard climbs and no particularly long climbs. There are some hard switchbacks, and the trail is rated blue on trailforks. Though it's an easy blue and for Tahoe, it's about the easiest trail you'll find other than Incline Flume.
Tamarack Lake is also accessible via a short trail that starts from a large parking turnout below the summit.
There are a number of fun optional features on the sides the trail here and there.
Outdoor Ethics
In recent years a bad habit has been developing on the trails form new and veteran riders alike when they meet on the trail and need to pass. Usually the downhill rider, but sometimes the uphill rider on an ebike, will ride off the trail through the brush and native plants in order to pass with plenty of room.
While It's nice that they are so accommodating, the act of riding off the trail through what should be pristine ground is damaging to the ecosystem and the aesthetics of the trail. The beauty of these trails is that they allow us a thin path through wild land. The nature of singletrack is challenge, and connection to the landscape. When we widen it, or unnecessarily add new off shoots and spurs it not only damages the environment that draws us up to the mountains, but diminishes the singletrack experience. The experience of using out skill, fitness and sense of adventure to stay on the trail while avoiding the dangers and damages of careening off it.
What we should be doing as the downhill rider is stopping, scooting to the side of the trail and making way for the uphill rider to continue climbing past us. While this does momentarily take us out of the flow of riding, it's not as bad as riding a trail that's blown out wider than it should, and scarred everywhere with turnouts and doubletracks.
Please keep singletrack single and spread the word!
Happy Trails!
Tamarack Lake Trail on Trail Forks: trailforks.com/trails/tamarack-lake-trail
Tamarack Lake Trail on Gaia GPS: gaiagps.com/map/?loc=13.5/-119.9200/39.3201&trackId=4f503e02-2a55-4641-8f3e-367716295f20
-M
![3rd Gen Tacoma Suspension Shoot out [kind of] Bilstein vs Old Man Emu [not really]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RhbxQB7b7as/mqdefault.jpg "3rd Gen Tacoma Suspension Shoot out [kind of] Bilstein vs Old Man Emu [not really]
3rd Gen Tacoma Suspension Shoot out [kind of] Bilstein vs Old Man Emu [not really] #Broverlanding
More info on this excursion here: https://allterrainfam.com/overlanding-mt-patterson-sweetwater-range-nevada-california/
When I was a kid, we just called it camping. But if you ask the experts today youll get another definition. And thats OK. Things change over time. The air clears, and we can see things in a different light.
Overlanding is self-reliant overland travel to remote destinations where the journey is the principal goal. According to Wikipedia. Others specify it as vehicle reliant adventure travel. But its obvious for those of us who do this with young children, for them, its Dad reliant adventure travel.
This time I set off with two other grown, independent adults who require no direct care from me and for the first time in, longer than I can remember, I set out on a trip of free exploration and adventure, where bad ideas abound, the F-Bombs flow like beer, and beer flows like wine.
I embrace the new nomenclature. But dont call this overlanding, this is
Broverlanding.
Now, it can be hard to tell the difference at times, but some of the halLmarks of Broverlanding are Getting 4k footage of yourself airing down your rig,
Driving entirely too close to each other because it looks better in drone footage,
Posting everyones instagram handle,
And going on and on and on about your modified suspension.
And thats where we left it for day one of our Broverlanding Adventure. Other stuff happened, but you know, it was bro stuff.
Day two began with coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Then some vista viewing of the low settled smoke over the Pine Grove Hills. Then we headed out across Boulder Flat towards the other side of the Sweetwaters. This road is rough with steep tight switchbacks, but is totally passable in a stock 4x4 like Mikes Tacoma. Adventurous souls could and likely have also probably do it in a Subaru.
The road tops out here at this spectacular promontory at the top of the Sweetwaters with views of the Sierra Nevada and Great Basin all around. Actual results may vary due to smoke...
Heres where the bad ideas come in. Through this whole descent from the summit, I was shooting video and making Colin drive over all kinds of rocks to get footage I could use for Nitto, Method and ARB content. And if youve been watching Harry Situations on Driving Line, youve seen some of this footage there.
So then Im like, lets test the suspension!
And then I thought I could hit it faster...
Anyway, Nates precision fixed that this week. If you want to go really crazy even with bypass shocks, you need air bumps and reinforced control arms... Live and learn.
OK, now for the suspension comparison.
And with that, we took off for home. Wed found a clean pocket of air in a long hot smokey summer in Reno. And in that clarity learned that being out in the mountains with your bros is great, no matter what you call it, fancy suspension is great, but so is nice suspension, and if were being realistic, stock suspension is fine too. Just make sure you air down your tires, have plenty of beer, and for crap sake keep a tight pattern so the drone footage looks bad ass.
Happy trails")
