If you're thinking of going for a hike any time soon to take advantage of the spring weather we've been seeing, you'll want to make sure you stay prepared.
While the Valley may be drier due to the lower elevation, the elevation up at Chickadee Ridge is about 8,300 feet. That means the snow is likely to melt slower.
"We have quite a bit of snow," said Anthony Porter, Communications Director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association. "As you get closer to the lake you're going to have a lot less snow obviously, but a lot of people are like 'I'm ready to start to hike and backpacking, uhhh this is what we're coming up to.'"
A new requirement they're asking people to have is bear canisters. They say a bear canister is more effective than a bear bag overall.
"An actual cannister, because the bears are getting smarter and they're really into food," said Porter.
Porter also says as you get closer to the lake, you'll see more icy areas where people have compacted the snow from walking.
"So you want to make sure you're being careful, especially on those icy surfaces on the trails," he said. "We have some nice snow traction devices you can strap them on to your feet, snow shoes, it's still snow shoe season which is pretty cool."
Porter also reminds us when you're out hiking, you'll want to treat your hikes as if it's still February weather.
"Around here the trails are still important because even though there's a lot of snow on the ground. If you're walking around and your foot goes through and hits a bush some of the animals might be sleeping underneath this area," he said.
Remember, even when it's snowy, stick to the trails.
"If you want to go guided hiking with us, we have awesome backpacking trips. We help people out if you're really concerned about these logistics or about the ethics of backpacking or getting our here, we've got you covered. We can totally make sure you have a great time out here," he said. "We have hikes for a couple days. We have hikes up to 15 days going around the entire Tahoe Basin, so we've got an adventure for literally anybody who want to participate."
