Day Zero – 14 July 2018 – Saturday
Driving Santa Barbara (0ft) to Kingsbury North Trailhead (7769ft)
0 miles today
0 miles total
I pushed back my start by a day to accommodate some last minute research responsibilities and summer teaching preparations. After a leisurely morning, I made the long drive up to Tahoe from Santa Barbara. I arrived in time for an early supper in Stateline, where I was not prepared for the crowd of humans and casino-goers. Then I finished the drive to Kingsbury North Trailhead. I am sleeping in my car tonight at the trailhead. There are a few other vehicles parked that leaves me feeling encouraged about leaving my vehicle for a week. I was unprepared for how populated this area is. There is another vehicle camper a short distance from me. They keep setting off their horn. I’ve decided to hike with ear plugs this trip to try it out. I am hoping it will prevent me from losing sleep over critters and deer scurrying around at night. They definitely will come in handy tonight!
The Tahoe Rim Trail is 171 miles of volcanic rock formations, glacially carved valleys, lush meadows packed with wildflowers, dense forests of hemlock, stunning alpine lakes, and a wide span of landscapes and microclimates. I am so excited to start hiking tomorrow!
Elizabeth Erickson 