Lower Loch Leven Lake

Posted by Karen on 23-Sep-2006

(Click photo for all 33 photos)

Mary, Carolyn, Mike and I headed to the Tahoe National Forest and hiked up the Loch Leven Lake Trail today.  This trail was chosen today mostly because there was a geocache from the Solar System Series that I wanted to find and Mary is a beginner cacher and Mike and Carolyn just got a GPS and were curious about it too.  The first mile of the trail is relatively flat with only a slight rise, until you cross the railroad tracks and then you begin a good hard climb up for the next 1.5 miles and then you reach the top and come upon the first of three lakes, the Lower Loch Leven Lake.  We reached the lower lake and decided to have lunch and hang out for awhile.  Carolyn and Mike headed back, while Mary and I hung out for a while.  I took photos and she examined her GPS functions.  On the way back down, we hit a tricky part in the trail and ended up following the old unmaintained trail down, as that is the only trail that the National Geographic TOPO software shows and that’s the one I had loaded in my GPS!!  So, we bushwhacked our way the last quarter of a mile back to the road and to the car.  Lately, I’m not sure it’s a real hike if I don’t get manzanita bush scratches on my legs! ;D

GPS Stats: • Odometer: 5.31 miles  • Total Time: 5:14  • Moving Time: 2:41  • Overall Average Speed 1.0 mph  • Moving Average Speed: 2.0 mph