Real trips, real miles, real battery percentages. The trips behind the app — and the moments on the trail that became its features.
Sixteen first-person backpacking trip reports written by Gabe Mullen,
who walked every one of them and built the Backpackers Friend app along the way.
They cover a 162-mile Tahoe Rim Trail thru-hike in July 2026,
four trips into Desolation Wilderness between 2012 and 2021,
the Lost Coast Trail in the King Range, two overnights at
Coast Camp in Point Reyes National Seashore, and a family trip to
Milk Lake in Tahoe National Forest — all in California and Nevada.
Each one is a field account rather than a guide: what the water sources actually held,
what the weather actually did, how far we actually got, and what it cost. Dates matter
here — a conditions report is a snapshot of one trail in one week, and every story
below is labeled with when the trip happened and when it was published. The Tahoe Rim
Trail series is best read in order.
The trips at a glance
Every trip on this page, with where it happened, when, and how far.
The questions people ask most often about these trails, answered from what we found on
the ground. Every answer links to the full report it comes from. Conditions answers
describe a specific week — check the date before you rely on one.
Is there snow on the Tahoe Rim Trail in July?
In mid-July 2026 there was no snow on the trail anywhere on the 165-mile loop, and
nothing that called for traction — no ice axe, no spikes. The only snow in sight
was one small patch near Relay Peak and a few cosmetic patches on the north faces of
Freel Peak, all well off the tread. A June start in a big snow year is a different
question. Full conditions report →
What is the longest dry stretch on the Tahoe Rim Trail?
Spooner Summit to Kingsbury — nearly 20 miles without a reliable source, the
longest dry carry on the loop. We loaded six liters each at Spooner and dry-camped on
the ridge. Star Lake to Big Meadow is a second thin stretch of about 13 miles. The
pattern holds all the way around: the west side, the south, and Desolation Wilderness
are soaking wet; the Carson Range on the east and north makes you carry it.
Source-by-source water list →
How long does it take to thru-hike the Tahoe Rim Trail?
Thirteen days on this trip: 162 miles clockwise from Brockway Summit back to Brockway
Summit, about 33,450 feet of climbing, between 6,234 and 10,220 feet of elevation.
Clockwise front-loads the big Carson Range climbs and saves Desolation Wilderness, the
scenic payoff, for the back half.
How the loop broke down →
Can you resupply on the Tahoe Rim Trail?
Easily — it's one of the friendlier long loops in the country. The trail crosses
paved roads at Brockway, Mt. Rose, Spooner (Highway 50), Kingsbury, Echo, and Tahoe
City. The Tramway market at Kingsbury held our box and takes UPS or FedEx, not
USPS. The Echo Lake Chalet sells freeze-dried meals but accepts no mailed
packages. Logistics in detail →
What is the weather like on the Tahoe Rim Trail in July?
Highs around 78°F, overnight lows around 52°F, and no wildfire smoke in July
2026 — but the summer monsoon rhythm was in full effect: clear warm mornings
building to real afternoon thunderstorms. Get the exposed high points done early. We
shifted to 5:00–6:00 a.m. starts and were over the day's ridges before noon.
The storm we saw coming →
Is the Echo Lake water taxi worth taking?
Yes. $25, shortcuts about two miles across the lake, and it's honestly just fun. The
Echo Chalet and the boat both open at 9 a.m., so time your arrival if you want the
ride. Leg 3, from Echo into Desolation →
Are there mosquitoes on the Tahoe Rim Trail?
Mild in July 2026. The Nevada side through the Carson Range was nearly bug-free.
Mosquitoes turned up in real numbers on the wetter ground of Meiss Country and Big
Meadow, worst at dusk — but we never needed a head net, and camping on drier
ridges rather than at the meadow edge solved most of it.
Conditions report →
How many calories do you burn backpacking each day?
Nearly 5,000 a day across this thirteen-day thru-hike — about 64,300 for the
trip — against roughly 1,600 eaten per day, ending 13 pounds lighter. That gap is
the whole argument for fueling rather than dieting on a long trip: the deficit degrades
judgment and pace well before it shows up on a scale.
The numbers, in full →
Do mountain bikes share the Tahoe Rim Trail?
On the east rim, yes — bikes are allowed there on even-numbered calendar days.
Hiking the east side on an even day, expect to step aside for riders. The tread is
graded for both, which is part of why the east side walks so smoothly.
Leg 1, down the east rim →
Does the Tahoe Rim Trail pass through a burn scar?
Yes — the older Caldor Fire footprint around Echo Summit. Little to no shade, so
it bakes in the afternoon, and standing dead trees are worth thinking about when you
pick a stopping place on a windy day. Camping is restricted from Highway 50 to the
Desolation boundary, so find a legal site in advance; Nebelhorn is one option.
Fire scars section →
Tahoe Rim Trail 2026 — the thru-hike, in order
162 miles around Lake Tahoe in thirteen days, July 2026, clockwise from Brockway Summit.
Start with the conditions report, then walk the four legs.
Eight earlier trips, from a first fumbling night in Desolation Wilderness in 2012 to a
family swim at Milk Lake in 2022. Each one caused something in the app.
Backpackers Friend
