In 2013, I signed up for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s (TRTA) guided September thru-hike of the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT). It was to be my first backpacking trip. Little did I know what an incredible experience it would be and that I’d make great new friends with people who were “thrown together” by chance in TRTA’s thru-hike lottery.
Inspiration
I learned a lot from the TRTA as I prepared for the hike. New to the sport, I did not know what a rain fly was or even a bear canister! In the first hour on the trail with the group, I was embarrassed to be the first with a “hot spot” on my heel but the Guides jumped in to help and I never developed a blister. On our first night, we told each other a bit about ourselves and it was good to see that people came from as far away as Texas and the East Coast to enjoy the TRT. We had some funny folks in our group and we always seemed to be laughing (when we weren’t huffing and puffing up some difficult part of the trail)!
What’s Your Trail Name?
As is probably the case on most thru hikes, there were some hikers who were always ahead and some who usually brought up the rear. I was usually in the middle of the pack, thus my trail name of “Mid.” If truth be known, I gave myself that name before I could be named something embarrassing by my co-hikers!
We only had one hiker unable to continue on with the group. The rest of us pushed on for the full two weeks and finished the TRT just before rain and snow hit Tahoe. After a celebration at the TRTA office, I went home but many stayed in south shore and went out to dinner together. After that, the fun Texas couple were instrumental in keeping our group in touch. They planned two “reunion” hikes the following year.
Hikers that pack plank together, stay together
In 2014, seven of us got back together for two short reunion trips in the Desolation Wilderness. It was great to use all the knowledge the TRTA Guides had imparted to us—how much food and water to carry, how to Leave No Trace, where to camp, etc. Since we had already hiked together for two weeks the year before, we knew each other’s idiosyncrasies, who hikes fast, who goes slower, who is a “campsite connoisseur”, who brings gourmet food, etc. We coined ourselves the “Beasts of Burden” and decided to hike the 211-mile John Muir Trail (JMT) in segments over the next few summers. For those unfamiliar with the JMT, it’s a beautiful, mountainous California hike from Yosemite Valley to the top of Mt. Whitney.
We had several conference calls that winter to figure out the permit process, route ourselves for about 10 miles per day, book hotels, transportation and all the details needed for a successful backpack trip. Our learning from the TRT thru-hike really helped us plan. One member added her brother to the group, I added a friend, one added her husband and soon we had ten “Beasts” interested in completing the JMT.
TRT to JMT to…
A few Beasts had already completed the JMT but wanted to help others complete their segments and we did one segment a year between 2015 and 2018. Each year, our group of “Beasts” expanded and contracted based on family and work issues, but we always cheered each other on. I have now completed the entire JMT and others have now hiked the JMT twice: a thru-hike and a segment hike. Like my fellow hikers helped me complete my JMT segments, I plan to help other Beasts complete theirs over the coming years.
…Britain’s Coast to Coast
Stay tuned for a future installment: “The Beasts go to Britain”, in which we hike the 190 mile “Coast to Coast” trail from the west coast to the east coast in England spring 2020.
Keep in Touch
I hope this article inspires TRT hikers to keep in touch with those you meet on the trail. It’s rewarding to know folks who like to backpack and have the knowledge and experience that the TRTA’s excellent program provides.
~Ellen Swensen 165 Mile Club #1513
