First, watch this video about snow biking in and around Truckee/Lake Tahoe which was produced and is presented by the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association.
Then, make plans to enjoy tons of fun off the slopes while the snow pack offers easy and “scenery-spectacular” snow biking trails for the novice to most advanced.
The best places to ride are trails or roads that have been packed down by skiers or snowmobiles. Once the cross-country ski areas close this spring, those melting trails will offer miles of well groomed options. Don’t forget to pack a picnic to polish off a great day off of the slopes!
The new fandangled name of a “snow bike” shouldn’t hold you back from getting into the great outdoors; it’s pretty much like a mountain bike with really fat tires that are noted to be about three times larger than the normal mountain bike tire. The real big difference is the amount of air that the rental shop will put into the tire – from a distance you’d think the tire might be almost flat yet in reality, it’s lower for all the right reasons; the recommended PSI is about 8 – 11 which offers more surface area for better traction in the mud and snow.
According to Kevin Joell of the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, “snow bikes have taken off in the last year.” And apparently even the ski resorts are getting on board as new revenue source and family activity that can last well into the summer months at the higher elevations.
Most ski shops throughout Truckee and Lake Tahoe offer advice and certainly connections as to where to rent a snow bike … and where to go once you have the gear in hand.
Have fun, be safe, and take a ride for us.
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