[BrandonMiller]

I've never been, no idea what to expect but I'm currently solo - anyone else going to be there tomorrow? Anything I should know?

 

[Alumni]

Tour de Nez is going on at Northstar this weekend. I think that is lightening the crowd at the Flume We did the Flume today and saw a total 10 other riders. Not crowded at all. We actually did 7 hours on the bike from Carson City up to Spooner, the flume, up to Marlette, up to Hobart and then back down to Carson.

NOT crowded at all.

 

[BrandonMiller]

what is an average time for flume to shuttle back to trailhead?

I'll be here all week, thinking of toads but what should I hit while I am here. Anything I can ride to from the keys?

thx..

 

[Alumni]

You can get to Toads from the Keys.

Time on the Flume depends largely on your conditioning, acclimation to the elevation and willingness to resist stopping and taking pictures. If your just doing it as an out and then shuttling could be done in an hour and a half but honestly skip the shuttle and ride back to Spooner, the ride back is a breeze.

 

[BrandonMiller]

You can get to Toads from the Keys.

Time on the Flume depends largely on your conditioning, acclimation to the elevation and willingness to resist stopping and taking pictures. If your just doing it as an out and then shuttling could be done in an hour and a half but honestly skip the shuttle and ride back to Spooner, the ride back is a breeze.

Ride back on the same trail or loop around? I am not that conditioned but I don't get to ride much so I'm game..

...looking for where toads is.....

 

[anotherbrian]

Ride back on the same trail or loop around? I am not that conditioned but I don't get to ride much so I'm game..

...looking for where toads is.....

See the "Tahoe Ride 6/24?" or something similar thread for discussion about the Flume.

If you ride Tunnel Creek Road down to the highway, you won't be back tracking. The ride back to Spooner will then be on the road, following the lake around. If you're comfortable riding with traffic on a windy road then you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[anotherbrian]

See the "Tahoe Ride 6/24?" or something similar thread for discussion about the Flume.

If you ride Tunnel Creek Road down to the highway, you won't be back tracking. The ride back to Spooner will then be on the road, following the lake around. If you're comfortable riding with traffic on a windy road then you shouldn't have a problem.

Slight appending ... else you could ride _up_ Tunnel Creek Road to the Rim Trail, and take that back. Best to see that other thread, as a link to the flumetrail.com map was posted.

 

[Alumni]

Once you hit the end of the flume DON'T go down tunnel creek. Just turn back around and do the flume again. Then just one climb from Marlette to the top of North Canyon and a long cruse back down to your car at Spooner lake.

 

[Alumni]

Ride back on the same trail or loop around? I am not that conditioned but I don't get to ride much so I'm game..

...looking for where toads is.....

Mr. Toads Wild Ride
20 miles 2925 ft of climbing (Expert)
1 hour 15 minute drive from Reno
From Reno, take Hwy 395 south to Carson City. Continue through Carson City and take a right on
Hwy 50, Spooner Summit to Lake Tahoe. Follow Hwy 50 to the Junction of Hwy 28. Follow Hwy 28
to the left to Tahoe City. Once you pass through the casinos, look for Pioneer Trail. This will be on
your left just past the casinos. Follow Pioneer Trail and take a left on Oneidas Rd. If you end up on
Hwy 50 again, you went just a little bit too far. Follow Oneidas Rd for ½ mile, and park. This is the
start of your ride. Once on your bike, retrace your drive back out to Pioneer Trail, and take a left. In
just under a mile, you will come to Hwy 50, and take a left. Follow Hwy 50 past the Agricultural
Check Station, and past Hwy 89, Luther Pass Rd. Continue on Hwy 50 over a small bridge to S.
Upper Truckee Rd. (2.75 miles from your start.) Take a left and continue up S Upper Truckee Rd.
The road climbs slightly, take your time, the real climb starts soon enough. In 4 miles (6.75 miles) the
climb will starts and continues until it hits Hwy 89, Luther Pass in .9 miles (7.65 miles). Cross over
Hwy 89 and continue on the jeep road on the other side (it may be paved by now). Follow this road
for just over a mile (7.7 miles) and you will see your single track start on your left. This single track is
easy to follow. In 2.1 miles (9.8 miles) you will pass the Tahoe Rim Tr. on your right. This is where
the trail gets technical and steep. Continue strait for 2.5 miles (12.3 miles) and you will again cross
the Tahoe Rim Tr. on your right. In .1 miles (12.4 miles) you will have reached the top. It is mostly
down hill from here, but the upper section of this trail is more technical that what you just came up.
So again, be careful, watch your speed, and make sure you have a helmet. Continue carefully, and
in 3.6 miles (16 miles) you are finely out of the real technical sections. That does not mean that you
are out of the woods yet. Still be careful. Here the trail has banked turns, and is a very fast section.
As you come around some of the blind turns, you will find that there are wild pine trees that jump out
and grab your shoulders, so watch for them. Continue for another 4 miles (20 miles from the start)
and you will drop out on Oneidas Rd again. Take a left, and you will almost immediately encounter
your car.

 

[BrandonMiller]

Once you hit the end of the flume DON'T go down tunnel creek. Just turn back around and do the flume again. Then just one climb from Marlette to the top of North Canyon and a long cruse back down to your car at Spooner lake.

Damn, wish I read that before I left..

bleh, that was a crappy sandy downhill only to motor back up..

I went pavement to pavement to pavement and... don't plan on ever doing that trail again! Been there done that, not that exciting but a hellava workout..

 

[BrandonMiller]

so... I got this raging headache on the hill up and it's still with me, was told it had something to do with the altitude with me being a flatlander and all

Any tips other than lots of cold beer?

Stats are 3100' of climbing according to the topo map, 26miles according to my bike puter, 3.5 hour ride time, max 26mph and an average of 7 (hey, I used that granny gear a LOT!)

 

[Okie Dokie]

BrandonMiller what was your route btw? And how crowded?

 

[BrandonMiller]

I don't know the names, stayed to the left from spooner all the way to the shuttle pick up and back. I wish I had gone around the lake on the other route that does part of the rim trail etc but I missed the turn and just kept going..

Oh yea, not crowded the majority of the few people I did see were quite the eye candy

 

[slop]

Find your way to Oneidas RD. which is off Pioneer Trail. You can ride to it from the Keys. There are some really nice trails...including Toads...in the area. For better advice find Sierra Bike Works, which is a bike shop next to Safeway. They can show you the trails. It is worth it to spend $10 on a good map showing the trails in the area. Then you will have fun the rest of the week. Also, drink water and consume salt. Might help you adjust to the elevation.

 

[BrandonMiller]

salt, good to know..

I bought the map (nice map but not much for detail in the area). I'll go find Oneidas.

BTW, I buy that wine for my wife all the time, love the bottle (your avitar)

I brought my bike light so I might try a night ride tonight to just scout it out and then maybe do toads on Thursday (got the fam here, gotta do that thing too).

Thanks

 

[slop]

Once you find Oneidas, look on your map for Corral and Sidewinder trails. They top is at the 3 mile mark on Oneidas. The climb is a fairly easy 2 mile paved climb (park at the 1 mile mark if you are driving) and what I usually do is go down Corral half way to where sidewinder joins in. Then I go up sidewinder back to the start, go down sidewinder and back to the bottom of Oneidas. Then repeat the whole process if I'm showing newbies so they can do it again now that they know what to expect. I makes for a fun 3 ride.

 

[BrandonMiller]