One word fits Christmas Valley in Lake Tahoe more than anything: Relentless. Some will make the comment that it doesn’t flow… others say it’s been tamed so much that it’s been ruined. The one constant in this world is change. It may not be the Christmas Valley of old but the new one comes with the option of adding pepper if you need it. And whatever route you choose from beginning to end, this trail still tests your mettle, suspension, and your joints.
Bigger than Life
We’ve visited Star Lake. Hit up the stairs on the Waterhouse Loop. Taken in Mr Toad’s Wild Ride. But for some reason, it took a few years before we made it to Christmas Valley. The stories made it bigger than life and felt like I wasn’t ready for what it had in store for us. Now it’s become one of my favorite MTB trails in South Lake Tahoe.
How To Ride Christmas Valley
Christmas Valley offers a variety of options for how to approach it, catering to both the adventurous in spirit and those who prefer to follow the K.I.S.S. principle.
Option 1: As a Loop
As a loop, park at the end of the trail which ejects you out onto South Upper Truckee Road. From there, you’ll ride a paved road through a campground which deposits you at the Big Meadow Trailhead. This route adds another 800 vertical feet of climbing and two miles of pedaling.
Option 2: As a Shuttle
Skip the initial climbing section by doing it as a shuttle. Park the second car at the Big Meadow Trailhead.
Option 3: Out and Back
Part of the Tahoe Mountain Bike Festival, Christmas Valley is included in the Triple Crown route. Instead of descending it, festival-goers must climb it. As an ascending route, it has a consistent pitch, but the challenge comes in the form of the obscene amount of rock features that you need to navigate.
The Rest of the Ride
As a loop or a shuttle, once you get to the Big Meadow Trailhead, you’ll follow the Tahoe Rim Trail, fondly called the TRT, south. Be aware that the first segment is a granite staircase, which is challenging to ascend. However, once you crest into the valley which features Big Meadow, it’s a consistent climb up and over a ridgeline followed by a few switchbacks down to the entrance of Christmas Valley.
Stop and Smell the Flowers
As you pedal through Big Meadow, take a moment to appreciate your surroundings. Depending on when you visit, in the spring and early summer, this valley is bursting with wildflowers and a bubbling creek where you might spot a small fish or two. In the fall, the grasses turn a Tuscany yellow providing a beautiful contrast against the granite of the surrounding peaks.
Rewarded with Views of the Crest
Continuing onwards past the meadow, the trail begins to climb at a deliberate, sustained pitch until you crest the ridgeline. You’re then rewarded with views of the Sierra Crest in between the tall pine trees. From there, you descend down a few switchbacks, entering a deep shaded valley that connects to alpine lakes like Round Lake, Dardanelles Lake, and, of course, the Christmas Valley Trail.
Starts Slow…
As you make the right and weave past the turn-off for Dardanelles, the trail slowly begins to turn up the volume. A few switchbacks. Some minor rocks to roll over. And then you arrive to the first big rock garden. This is only the beginning of a long and relentless trail. Not so much scary massive but just a continuous testing of skills. Gaining speed, you quickly come upon an assortment of stairs that you plunk down. Some that are close and others further apart.
A Testing of Skills
The trail builders’ focus seemed to be on making sure you’re resume of bike control is up to snuff. Route finding. Pedal placement. Consistent speed. And yet through it all, if you’re a strong intermediate, you feel as though you could ride it through cleanly. Then suddenly an odd, placed rock makes you think otherwise.
Don’t Get Distracted From Those Peaks
About halfway through, the dark forest gives way to views of the granite faces of peaks overlooking Echo Lakes. It’s as if the trail is begging you to get distracted by its majestic views with a playful charm. And yet this section has enough challenges that if you let yourself relax too much, you might go head over heels on a random boulder or step.
This is Spinal Tap
With the sound of the freewheel spinning, you continue onwards. Christmas Valley keeps the volume pinned to eleven, with rocky terrain that never seems to end. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, you come upon an entire bleached white boulder field. It seems as if it avalanched off the side of the mountain. And the trail slices right through it. Big granite chunks. Small pebble-sized rocks all have to be navigated.
Just as quickly as you came upon it, you’re back under the forest canopy. Although not as technical as the higher zones, your body by now is feeling less enthusiastic. The route continues to rattle your chain. Begging you to lose focus. Yearning to buck you off your steed. And just as fast as you rode it, the trail ends back at your car.
Why We Love It
At the end of the day, you’ll feel accomplished. Is it as tough as Mr. Toad’s? Absolutely not. Are there others in the Basin that provide smoother and flowier rock gardens. Of course. But for a full potpourri of nasty mountain biking goodness, you can’t go wrong with a big heaping slab of Christmas Valley goodness.
Not Tough Enough?
If the current route isn’t tough enough, keep an eye out for a variety of optional routes that that local mountain biking organization TAMBA have introduced in the past few years which add a little more heat to the trail.
