REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Gun Mount Trail, South Lake Tahoe

3825 Views 20 Replies 9 Participants Last post by TahoeBC, Sep 7, 2016

dprimero

Discussion Starter · Jul 25, 2010

Does anyone know if this trail still exists?

I tried finding today, but couldn't pick up the trail after crossing over Boulder Mountain Rd.

The book I was using said to cross over and pick up the trail. This was before the fire. Does the trail continue past Boulder Mountain?

Thanks

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

TahoeBoy

· #2 · Jul 25, 2010

its in bad shape

The trail is still there and it was actually re-worked after the fire. Last season though they went into log it and really tore it up. I had a few friends try it this season and they said not to bother. Hopefully FS will clean up their mess, because I too really liked that loop when I don't have too much time.
-TB

JMac47

· #3 · Jul 25, 2010

Shameful

TahoeBoy said:
The trail is still there and it was actually re-worked after the fire. Last season though they went into log it and really tore it up. I had a few friends try it this season and they said not to bother. Hopefully FS will clean up their mess, because I too really liked that loop when I don't have too much time.
-TB

Even if a subcontract logger, the FS should be the one held accountable to follow up on clean up/restoration of the area, which doesn't appear to be the case here.

On a similar topic, we were passing thru a regular ride area the other day on a f/rd, where they were doing some "erosion mitigation" work in preperation for the salmon spawn season. This was on the drainage draws on the upslope of the stream. Looks like there's going to be a heck of alot more damage resulting from silt churned up from the heavy equipment then what the scientists are hoping to acheive..

TahoeBC

· #4 · Jul 25, 2010

Don't even bother with the section between the pond towards Angora creek, like reported it was f-ed up by a forest service contractor and the FS did get fined over it. So now no one rides the section between Angora creek and Tahoe Mountain and it has gone to hell, lots of deadfall and the white torn has taken over so bad I ended up walking by bike back a few weeks ago with about 30 thorns in each tire, ended up throwing them away.

The most crazy thing was the work was supposed to clear dead trees from the fire away from trail corridors to make them safe, they only accomplished creating a total disaster and making the trails unusable instead of safe. Expect more of the same as they will be taking more trees down in the burn area before long.

lkgeo

· #5 · Jul 26, 2010

yes - you can ride it from the south end, but the farther north past the pond it gets rougher and rougher. sad to see how torn up it is.

Blackies Pasture

· #6 · Aug 13, 2016

Urgent thread resurrection hallelujah

lkgeo said:
yes - you can ride it from the south end, but the farther north past the pond it gets rougher and rougher. sad to see how torn up it is.

Going there tomorrow. Is "Gun Mount" trail still there to make a loop in Washoe Meadows?

TahoeBC

· #7 · Aug 13, 2016

I think so, use to be a regular loop for me before the fire as I am 1/2 a block from the trail. It has been realigned, last time I did it which was a couple years ago you could make the loop. You can pick up the new sweco built alignment at the end of Forest Mountain Drive. After a bit it turns into fireroad, then the trail picks back up. Since I've done it last the pond was removed by the forest service, not sure what the trail is like through that area anymore, but I'm sure the people who live out there have beaten a trail back in. Last year at the End of San Bernardino where you access the trail to Washoe Meadows the forest service had the area closed off for tree thinning, have no ideal of the state of that zone right now. If you have not checked out the new trails on Tahoe Mountain, it's worth exploring.

If you do check it out, report back on what you find.

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Blackies Pasture

· #8 · Aug 13, 2016

TahoeBC said:
I think so, use to be a regular loop for me before the fire as I am 1/2 a block from the trail. It has been realigned, last time I did it which was a couple years ago you could make the loop. You can pick up the new sweco built alignment at the end of Forest Mountain Drive. After a bit it turns into fireroad, then the trail picks back up. Since I've done it last the pond was removed by the forest service, not sure what the trail is like through that area anymore, but I'm sure the people who live out there have beaten a trail back in. Last year at the End of San Bernardino where you access the trail to Washoe Meadows the forest service had the area closed off for tree thinning, have no ideal of the state of that zone right now. If you have not checked out the new trails on Tahoe Mountain, it's worth exploring.

If you do check it out, report back on what you find.

Searching now. Thanks.

windsurf2xs

· #9 · Aug 14, 2016

Gun mount is still there. Starts at the west end of "East San Bernadino". You can also catch it at the west side of Nez Pierce. Connects almost to the Tahoe Mountain trails, and you can make a nice loop by coming back thru Washoe Meadows.

TahoeBC

· #10 · Sep 6, 2016

Having a hard time motivating doing anything today I finally headed out around 4 from the house to check on the state of the gun mount trail. New trails have narrowed down and all the connections are well beat in now. Made for a great easy recovery ride today looping though Washoe meadows, will be putting this back on the rotation. Thanks for the thread bump to get me out to take another look.

Vegetation Nature Natural environment Plant community Ecoregion

Vegetation Nature Natural environment Plant community Highland

Vegetation Plant community Shrub Hill Forest

Bicycle wheel Bicycle wheel rim Bicycle frame Bicycle tire Bicycle fork

What used to be Seneca Pond

Nature Vegetation Natural environment Natural landscape Plant community

Vegetation Natural landscape Plant community Highland Mountain range

Gun Mount

Bicycle tire Bicycle wheel Tire Bicycle frame Bicycle wheel rim

Washoe Meadows

Nature Vegetation Natural environment Natural landscape Plant community

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Blackies Pasture

· #11 · Sep 6, 2016

Good pics. Thanks for taking the time to stop.

TahoeBC said:
Having a hard time motivating doing anything today I finally headed out around 4 from the house to check on the state of the gun mount trail. New trails have narrowed down and all the connections are well beat in now. Made for a great easy recovery ride today looping though Washoe meadows, will be putting this back on the rotation. Thanks for the thread bump to get me out to take another look.

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What used to be Seneca Pond
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Gun Mount
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Washoe Meadows
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windsurf2xs

· #12 · Sep 6, 2016

we rode gunmount as a recovery ride on Sunday. Its a great area, lots of trails on both sides of north-upper-truckee road. Very nice for a family ride; not very much climbing and lots of places to stop and rest along the river.

TahoeBC

· #13 · Sep 6, 2016

Forgot to post this trail map photo, more or less covers the area between Forest Mountain Drive and the old Seneca pond

Aqua Teal Turquoise World Slope

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DMFT

· #14 · Sep 6, 2016

Family-friendly. GOOD to know!

-Thanks for the pic's as always Tahoe!!

windsurf2xs

· #15 · Sep 7, 2016

Anyone have a map of the east side? (ie Washoe Meadows).

Washoe Meadow is a state park, but allows for nice loops when mixed with Gunmount or Tahoe Mountain trails. Nice picnic spots along the Truckee river and pretty flat for easy family rides.

TahoeBC

· #16 · Sep 7, 2016

Taking it easy today, planning on doing a gunmount/Washoe/Tahoe Mountain loop, I'll drag the gps along with me and post it up later. There are a number of trails that head off to different hoods, hard to get to lost in there though.

John Svahn

· #17 · Sep 7, 2016

What's the history on the Gun Mount itself?

TahoeBC

· #18 · Sep 7, 2016

John Svahn said:
What's the history on the Gun Mount itself?

Outside with Charlie: An inside look at snow control on Highway 50

"Caltrans prefers to trigger avalanches rather than have them occur on an unknown schedule. Long ago, crews would throw hand charges down onto the slopes from the ridge high above the road. At the bottom of the grade, just outside of Meyers, there was an old gun mount. A 105 millimeter recoilless rifle was mounted there, and the crews would also fire rounds onto the slopes, triggering avalanches. While these are sometimes called controlled avalanches, in reality there is no such thing. They are simply unpredictable.

The 105 millimeter rifle is gone, and the crews no longer hike to the ridge and toss explosives over. In place of that, there are 11 Swiss made Gazex avalanche control canons spaced out along historic avalanche spots along the summit. These "canons" are propane fired, and are computer controlled from South Lake Tahoe.

The gun mount station at the bottom of the grade has been rebuilt and looks like it might be a nice cafe.
There is a small air propelled canon behind the double doors that face the cliffs above Highway 50. It fires an 80 millimeter shell, and is used only as a back-up in case the Gazex system is down. There are some spots that the it can't reach, so keeping the Gazex system up and running is very important.

Once an avalanche has been triggered, the crews swing into action, clearing the snow from the roadway with loaders, rotary plows and trucks. While they prefer to do the avalanche control early in the morning, when there is very little traffic to hold, reality is that this task is done when necessary."

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TahoeBC

· #19 · Sep 7, 2016

So I did a very causal ride today with a buddy, we did a loop on Tahoe Mountain, then hit the Gun Mount trail and looped back though Washoe Meadows. I also needed to go by the bike shop to pick up a part today so I detoured over to Watta bike and back to the meadow. So cut out this part unless you need to head into Meyers to hit up the shop or grab some food and or beer. Tahoe Mountain can be cut out also for the shortest easiest loop.

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1345262249

John Svahn

· #20 · Sep 7, 2016

Very cool-thanks for digging that up. Those 105's in action are pretty wild.
I wonder if the 80mm air propelled is the same thing as an Avalauncher?

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