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Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Areas
Spooner Lake
Relatively undiscovered Spooner Lake is one of the gems of Lake Tahoe, even though passersby can see little more than a modest trail system encircling a frozen, snow-covered lake. Ah, but what you see is only a fraction of what you get. For intermediate to expert skiers, this is one of the most spectacular trail systems anywhere. The route to the high-country trails around Snow Pass climbs gradually along a drainage fringed with aspen and pine forest, leading to three challenging routes: Marlette Lake, 9.7 kilometers from the lodge; the Carson Range Trail, a 20-kilometer loop from Marlette Lake with plenty of steep climbs; and the Bear Mountain Loop, 13.2 kilometers from the lodge. All three are expert routes, and they reward you with some of the best vistas of Tahoe, especially Bear Mountain, where a high trail comes close to the lake.
The trail to Snow Pass is the same one used in the summer to reach the Flume Trail — famous among mountain bikers — which begins just northwest of Marlette Lake. In winter, the Flume Trail is closed, even to skiers. As it happens, Max Jones, the man who made the Flume Trail famous, operates the cross-country area, most of which is in Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park. Although strong Nordic skiers thrive on the higher trails, the flat loop around Spooner Lake is a very scenic 4.5-kilometer tour. Most of the trails throughout the 8,000 acres of terrain are buffed daily with a large snow-grooming machine. This is the closest major cross-country area to South Lake Tahoe, 12 miles from the Stateline casinos on the Nevada side of the lake.
Heading up-slope at Spooner Lake. |
Kilometers of Track: 90K of machine-groomed track, plus 15K of snowshoe trails.
Types of Trails: 21 trails (30 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate, 30 percent advanced).
Trail Pass Fees: Adults, $17.50; students $9; youths, $4; seniors over 60, $5; seniors (over 70) and children (six and under) ski free.
Facilities: Two overnight backcountry cabins, two warming huts, one day lodge.
Services: Snack service, lessons, rentals, and shuttle bus service from South Shore and North Shore.
Rental Packages: Skis, boots, and bindings and snowshoes and Kinder Sleds are available. Kids six and under get free ski rentals.
Instruction: Including all-day trail pass and performance rentals, $38 for adults, $25 for students (16-22 with ID) and $18 for juniors (9-15).
Transportation: There is shuttle service from South Lake Tahoe and Incline Village daily.
Special programs: An overnight touring program offers stays for up to four people each in two small backcountry log cabins, which can be reached only by skis or snowshoes. These cabins are fully furnished and have kitchens with propane cooking stoves, futons with bedding, wood-heating stoves and drinking water. There are no showers. Rates range from $139 per night midweek to $319 for a two-night stay on weekends.
Major Event: The 42K Spooner Lake Marathon and Tour (held in February).
Location: Just north of the junction of U.S. 50 and Highway 28, at the parking lot for Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park. Incline Village is 12 miles north.
Contact: Spooner Lake, P.O. Box 981, Carson City, NV 89701; 775/887-8844 or 888/858-8844; website: www.spoonerlake.com
View: Tahoe Area Map
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