What You Need to Know About Backcountry Skiing The Lake Run in Truckee

The Lake Run is an iconic ski/snowboarding tour in the region. The history of people skiing the Lake Run dates back over a hundred years ago, well before there were ski areas around Donner Summit as hardy folks hiked up and skied down Mount Judah. 

Today, there are a number of private residences at the bottom of the Lake Run, yet access to the Public Land above and nearby has been successfully maintained through numerous partnerships involving Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, the Truckee Donner Land Trust, the Town of Truckee and Visit Truckee-Tahoe. 

You can always hike up and come down, but most people prefer shuttling to the top of Donner Summit to cut off a lot of climb or even leaving Sugar Bowl resort to access the terrain. 

Regardless of how you get to the top, there are some important things you need to remember for your own safety and to help preserve access: 

• First, be aware of the snow conditions and always check Sierra Avalanche Center’s forecast in the morning. Have and know how to use the proper gear and tour with a partner(s) with the same.
• Take advantage of the plowed parking at the West End of Donner Lake. There’s parking for approximately 60 vehicles! 
• Do not park in the neighborhood at the bottom of the Lake Run. The plowed parking is a short, flat walk from your exit.
• Speaking of the exit, you need to avoid trespassing on private property and that is easy to do if you know the exit routes. Not sure about the exits? Check out this CalTopo Map.

We want to keep the Lake Run open to skiers and riders for generations and it’s up to all of us to do our part to make sure that happens. Thanks, from your friends at TBA!

Guest Post by Tahoe Backcountry Alliance