After record-breaking weather, 3 rescues in 6 weeks off Tahoe trail

In the past six weeks, three groups of hikers were rescued from one of north Lake Tahoe’s most popular trails, according to Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. All three rescues involved groups of lost hikers who called for assistance while hiking the Shirley Canyon Trail, a 3-mile one-way hike that begins in a neighborhood behind Palisades Tahoe between Truckee and Tahoe City. 

None of the hikers were injured or impaired, but instead had lost their bearings and were worried about being on the trail overnight, especially given Tahoe’s large temperature swings after dark. Volunteers located the callers and escorted them off the trails without issue, according to volunteer Ryan Stenson, who was present for two of the three calls.

Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue is one of two search organizations deployed by Placer County, and it responded after the hikers called 911 and were routed to the rescue organization via the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. The all-volunteer rescue team received distress calls from hikers on June 18, June 24 and Aug. 1.

The Shirley Canyon Trail crosses property owned by several different stakeholders, including Alterra Mountain Company (which owns Palisades Tahoe) and the U.S. Forest Service. A large sign at the trailhead provides information on hazards, and orange markers along the route are labeled “Shirley Canyon Hike.” Alterra spokesperson Patrick Lacey said there’s also a large, red sign near the steepest area of the route, reminding hikers of the elevation gains and the possibility that the aerial tram at the top may close in poor weather. 

All signage directs hikers to the resort’s trail information page, which currently warns of debris and fallen trees, noting that the trail has not been cleared from the region’s record-breaking winter. It also reminds hikers to follow the map on their phones and links to an app for tracking one’s location on the trail in real time. 

In addition to the current signage, Lacey told SFGATE that the resort received Forest Service approval to add increased signage along the trail, including eco-friendly chalk paint on rock surfaces and additional trail maps. He said Palisades also works with Truckee Trails’ ambassador program to help provide aid and guidance to hikers, and said the resort has increased the ambassador presence on Shirley and other nearby trails this summer, given the appeal of the trail’s roaring waterfalls and wildflowers following the the winter’s extreme snowfall. 

But according to Stenson, getting disoriented and distressed on trails can happen to any hiker regardless of trail markers, athletic ability, or backcountry knowledge. He said that the 10 rescues or so they make per year in the area are split between locals and visitors. While it’s tempting to put the blame on hikers for being unprepared or irresponsible, Stenson applauded the hikers for recognizing they were in trouble and calling for help when they did. 

“Some of those people could have maybe gone back down without us,” he said, “but it’s generally the right call to call for rescue before you really need it. Everyone had a cellphone with charge still on it and could call us so we could find them. These people did the right thing.” 

So far this summer, Stenson estimates Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue has responded to about six calls, putting the organization on track for another average year. He said that of the area trails, Shirley Canyon is by far the most common location from which hikers call for assistance. That’s not just because the trail is so popular, but because it’s harder to navigate for hikers used to more maintained and straightforward trails.

“It’s not a singletrack trail through the woods,” he said. “Shirley, and this is why it’s beautiful, but it’s rockier, it’s near waterfalls and cliffs and all this other stuff. That type of terrain is what makes navigation trickier.”

To help minimize the chances of needing rescue, Stenson advised carrying some trail basics, including spare clothing, food, and water, in case the hike takes longer than anticipated. He also said having a hiking navigation app — one he specifically described as “not Google Maps” — can make a huge difference: “They can be challenging to use for some people, but magically helpful in finding your way. Even in the best-maintained trail system like a national park, you still need to have some sense of where you’re going.” 

For most of the hike, the trail hugs the edge of Washeshu Creek, with several waterfalls along the way. Near the top, it diverts inland across a large granite face before culminating at Shirley Lake. From there, hikers can continue to the resort’s High Camp and take the tram down at no cost, adding another 2 miles to the hike, or retrace their steps to return to the trailhead. 

On any hike, Stenson recommends maintaining a charge on your cellphone or carrying a backup battery or charger. 

“Once we get the call from 911,” he said, “we can text them a link, and when they open it, they show up on our location program. … With cellphones, they make ‘search and rescue’ have way less searching.”

In the past six weeks, three groups of hikers were rescued from one of north Lake Tahoe’s most popular trails, according to Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. All three rescues involved groups of lost hikers who called for assistance while hiking the Shirley Canyon Trail, a 3-mile one-way hike that begins in a neighborhood behind Palisades Tahoe between Truckee and Tahoe City. 

None of the hikers were injured or impaired, but instead had lost their bearings and were worried about being on the trail overnight, especially given Tahoe’s large temperature swings after dark. Volunteers located the callers and escorted them off the trails without issue, according to volunteer Ryan Stenson, who was present for two of the three calls.

Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue is one of two search organizations deployed by Placer County, and it responded after the hikers called 911 and were routed to the rescue organization via the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. The all-volunteer rescue team received distress calls from hikers on June 18, June 24 and Aug. 1.

The Shirley Canyon Trail crosses property owned by several different stakeholders, including Alterra Mountain Company (which owns Palisades Tahoe) and the U.S. Forest Service. A large sign at the trailhead provides information on hazards, and orange markers along the route are labeled “Shirley Canyon Hike.” Alterra spokesperson Patrick Lacey said there’s also a large, red sign near the steepest area of the route, reminding hikers of the elevation gains and the possibility that the aerial tram at the top may close in poor weather. 

All signage directs hikers to the resort’s trail information page, which currently warns of debris and fallen trees, noting that the trail has not been cleared from the region’s record-breaking winter. It also reminds hikers to follow the map on their phones and links to an app for tracking one’s location on the trail in real time. 

In addition to the current signage, Lacey told SFGATE that the resort received Forest Service approval to add increased signage along the trail, including eco-friendly chalk paint on rock surfaces and additional trail maps. He said Palisades also works with Truckee Trails’ ambassador program to help provide aid and guidance to hikers, and said the resort has increased the ambassador presence on Shirley and other nearby trails this summer, given the appeal of the trail’s roaring waterfalls and wildflowers following the the winter’s extreme snowfall. 

But according to Stenson, getting disoriented and distressed on trails can happen to any hiker regardless of trail markers, athletic ability, or backcountry knowledge. He said that the 10 rescues or so they make per year in the area are split between locals and visitors. While it’s tempting to put the blame on hikers for being unprepared or irresponsible, Stenson applauded the hikers for recognizing they were in trouble and calling for help when they did. 

“Some of those people could have maybe gone back down without us,” he said, “but it’s generally the right call to call for rescue before you really need it. Everyone had a cellphone with charge still on it and could call us so we could find them. These people did the right thing.” 

So far this summer, Stenson estimates Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue has responded to about six calls, putting the organization on track for another average year. He said that of the area trails, Shirley Canyon is by far the most common location from which hikers call for assistance. That’s not just because the trail is so popular, but because it’s harder to navigate for hikers used to more maintained and straightforward trails.

“It’s not a singletrack trail through the woods,” he said. “Shirley, and this is why it’s beautiful, but it’s rockier, it’s near waterfalls and cliffs and all this other stuff. That type of terrain is what makes navigation trickier.”

To help minimize the chances of needing rescue, Stenson advised carrying some trail basics, including spare clothing, food, and water, in case the hike takes longer than anticipated. He also said having a hiking navigation app — one he specifically described as “not Google Maps” — can make a huge difference: “They can be challenging to use for some people, but magically helpful in finding your way. Even in the best-maintained trail system like a national park, you still need to have some sense of where you’re going.” 

For most of the hike, the trail hugs the edge of Washeshu Creek, with several waterfalls along the way. Near the top, it diverts inland across a large granite face before culminating at Shirley Lake. From there, hikers can continue to the resort’s High Camp and take the tram down at no cost, adding another 2 miles to the hike, or retrace their steps to return to the trailhead. 

On any hike, Stenson recommends maintaining a charge on your cellphone or carrying a backup battery or charger. 

“Once we get the call from 911,” he said, “we can text them a link, and when they open it, they show up on our location program. … With cellphones, they make ‘search and rescue’ have way less searching.”