lake tahoe camping
trip details

Wahoo! We're so pumped you're registered for this camping adventure to the most stunning large-scale alpine lake in the world. You'll find most of the info you need to prepare for your trip on this page. We'll email you the week before the trip with final details about our meeting spot, carpools, and bios from the other rad ladies who'll be joining you.

our campsite

We'll be car camping at either D.L. Bliss State Park (located on the western shore of Lake Tahoe, just north of Emerald Bay) or at Emerald Bay State Park on Eagle Point (right at the confluence of Emerald Bay with Lake Tahoe). We'll pull our cars directly into our campsite, meaning you'll only have to carry your belongings around thirty feet (from your car to your tent). Both campgrounds feature potable water spigots, and bathrooms with flush toilets and running water.

Meals

We’ll eat tasty hot meals for breakfast and dinner, and this will also be your opportunity to get hands-on practice using a variety of camping stoves. The group will share in cooking and cleanup responsibilities, and you'll be on meal duty and dish duty at least once.

For on-trail lunches lunch, we'll have picnic-style food that's easy to pack and carry (think PB&Js,  apples, bars, nuts, dried fruit, and jerky for meat eaters) but if you’ve got any favorite trail treats, feel free to bring them.

Packing List

Each Trail Maven should plan on bringing the following items.

Gear/Accessories

• Sleeping bag rated at 30° or colder

• Sleeping pad

• Headlamp with fresh batteries/spares
  

• Sleeping bag liner (if borrowing Trail Mavens sleeping bag)

• Personal clothing (see below)

• Packable towel

• Day pack to carry while hiking

• Sturdy, broken-in hiking/walking shoes

• Water bottles and/or hydration bladder with a minimum 2L capacity

• Sunscreen/sun hat/sunglasses

 
Items in bold will be provided for those women who indicated they needed them during registration. 

SHARED ITEMS, PROVIDED BY TRAIL MAVENS: Tents, lanterns, food and wine, stoves, fuel, cookware, camp chairs, utensils, firewood and basic First Aid. 

Clothing

This trip is a great opportunity to practice your minimalist packing skills! We recommend the following:

• One pair shorts/capris for hiking during the day

• One pair long pants for warmth at night (we love fleece!)

• One pair long leggings

• Two tanks/short-sleeved shirts (one to hike in, one for sleeping)

• One lightweight long-sleeved shirt for warmth in the evening

• Fleece or down jacket for warmth

• Waterproof outerwear for warmth/in case of rain

• Two pairs socks (one pair on your feet, one pair in your bag)

• Two pairs underwear

• Bathing suit

• Warm hat/lightweight gloves

Please use your own judgement when packing: if you’re always cold, pack heavier extra layers. Keep an eye on the weather forecast linked below!

Weather & Conditional Packing

Click here for the Lake Tahoe weather forecast as we approach our trip! Because we'll be at elevation, the weather is likely to be warm during the day, and quite chilly at night. 

Since everybody is different, it’s up to YOU to check out the weather forecast and judge your personal comfort levels, and plan accordingly! Please use your own judgement when packing: if you’re always cold, pack heavier extra layers (i.e., leggings to go under pants).

PACKING FOR RAIN

Except in the most extreme cases, we run trips rain or shine! If rain or snow is in the forecast, here's what you should be bringing in addition to the items in the packing list above:

• Waterproof rain jacket (you should bring this on every trip regardless of forecast)

• Waterproof rain pants

• Waterproof hiking boots (tennis shoes or trail runners should NOT be worn on rainy trips)

• Three pairs of wool socks (one pair on your feet, one pair that's dry and ready to change into, and one pair that might be drying off from an earlier hike)

• As much wool, synthetic fleece, or down layers as possible, and as little cotton as possible (cotton won't keep you dry or warm enough in rainy weather)

Leave No Trace

Trail Mavens is committed to following and teaching Leave No Trace principles. To get you started, watch this video on LNT Outdoor Ethics from the National Parks Service. We'll cover this material again on our trip!

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking

Trail Mavens often enjoy wine or whiskey together around the campfire in the evenings. Participation in drinking is welcome but of course not mandatory.

We ask that Trail Mavens leave recreational drugs at home. If you’re a smoker, please be respectful and partake in a manner that doesn’t bother other group members, and adheres to Leave No Trace principles.

Electronics

This is an internet-free weekend (plus, we won’t have cell service)! If you’d like to share your pics on social media, go for it, but only after we get back home. Then, feel free to go crazy tagging @trailmavens on Instagram or Twitter.

Gear Care

Trail Mavens provides its adventurers with $800-1000 of fantastic camping gear. Read on for a couple tips on how to keep gear in fantastic condition:

TENTS
Your tent is your home for the weekend, so you want to keep it clean and tidy! Keep the door zipped shut unless you’re getting in or out to avoid six- or eight-legged visitors. Consume only water inside your tent to keep it scent-free, and store anything smelly, including toiletries, in the bear bins. We have spotted bears in this campsite on previous trips! 

High-end tent fabric is very delicate; keep shoes and anything else dirty or sharp outside.

SLEEPING BAGS
Set up your sleeping bag inside your tent to keep both your bag and your tent clean.

SLEEPING PADS
Our pads are inflatable, meaning they’re a) quite comfortable and b) can pop if they meet a sharp rock. Be sure to unpack, inflate, deflate, and pack your pad inside your tent, away from anything sharp. This will ensure a comfortable night of sleep for you, and a clean tent.

Still scratching your head about something before the trip?
Email hello@trailmavens.com.