Donner Summit Snow Sheds

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Last week one of my co-workers and I packed up the bikes and took them to the Donner Summit area. In case you're wondering how Donner Pass (and Donner Lake) got it's (their) name(s), you should do a little reading here. Just in case you read my last report from the Sierras, I want ya'll to know that this one does not have any of the crazy stuff in it, nor was there any intention to reenact any of the Donner Party events. If that's what you're hoping to read, you should look elsewhere- this report is tame, and quite boring by those standards.

 

Amazingly, progress happens fast. 21 years after the Donner Party tragedy took place, the Central Pacific Railroad ran it's first train over the summit, to complete the Sacramento to Ogden line. It was fully operational that year, 1868.

 

In 1993 the rail line was abandoned and the tracks were pulled up because a new tunnel had been completed and it eliminated the need of the route over the top of the pass, which required a lot of maintenance to keep open.

 

Now it's a gravel roadbed owned wholly by the Union Pacific Railroad. Plenty of signs tell you so, and they also inform you that trespassing is not tolerated. Strangely, the guys in the truck we passed inside one of the sheds didn't seem to care that we were in there.

 

It all starts here, right across the street from the Tahoe Donner ski area:

 

The sheds are actually a combination of short tunnels and concrete shed structures to keep the snow off the tracks in the summer. I had no idea what to expect.

 

 

 

A couple of the times that I stopped in the tunnels and sheds to take pictures, I turned off my light and let my eyes adjust. Very cool.

 

With lights:

 

Without:

 

1600iso, 4/10second, f2.8:

 

 

Looking down at Donner Lake:

 

Donner Pass Rd in the foreground and I-80s version of Donner Pass in the background:

 

Old railroad bed:

 

There's only a few miles of tunnels and sheds, and we had the whole day. So we were off to find some fun stuff. When we reached the active tracks we turned right on some forest road and followed it down the hill to Truckee where we had lunch.

 

Afterward we hit some other forest road just out of town and followed it south-east-ish for a while. I wish I could tell you exactly where, but we had no plan and I haven't looked at the tracks the GPS were making. After a turn or two and some mildly rough roads we came to a pretty good view of Lake Tahoe.

 

Continuing we found ourselves on 267 above Kings Beach, off of which we turned at the earliest possible place.

We followed that for a long while, crossed through an area of potentially secret downhill mountain biking trails (it looks like it would be a hoot!) and then onto some private road at the end of which we found ourselves on the wrong side of a gate.

 

Someone's address marker:

 

Now we're by Boca Reservoir, so we cross under I-80 and cross the dam. Up into the hills we go toward Stampede Reservoir, cutting off on some random road somewhere.

 

On the way back we followed a pole-line road to Prosser Reservoir that allowed us to avoid a horrible gravel road. (They're all horrible, those gravel roads, unless they're perfectly straight and you can find your bike's top speed on them.)

 

Then we backtracked up the hill to the snow sheds.

 

There's a 100+ car train doing it's thing across the valley:

 

Going back in:

 

...and out:

 

Some of the sheds off to the right:

 

Better view of 'em:

 

Back almost twenty years, that would've been me:

 

Finally, the top of the hill:

 

Not bad for a late morning start... somewhere around 100 miles of easy riding and a big burger for lunch.

[ltljohn]

Looks like a great ride, thanks for taking us along.

[johnlt]

Great pics Tom. Looks like an interesting area.

 

john

[rad]

That was a fun ride report, thanks

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

[mbelectric]

Nice report Tom.

 

Def some history there, the opening of the West. Interesting the labor they used, and how little appreciated they were...but what else is new...

 

The graffiti pisses me off tho...

 

MB>

[Firefight911]

Sweet! Darn, if only my phone connection still worked.

[Whip]

Very nice indeed!

 

[TEWKS]

Nice one Tom! Tunnels are fun, don't know why but they are. Ok, who does your buddy know? A plated WR in California, wow!

 

 

Pat

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Nice one Tom! Tunnels are fun, don't know why but they are. Ok, who does your buddy know? A plated WR in California, wow!

 

 

Pat

 

Up until 2002 many 4-stroke bikes with the proper equipment could be plated in CA. It was easiest if it was done by the dealer, as this bike was. Basically, you put the right lighting and stuff on it, then get a plate. This particular bike was plated by the dealer then immediately "non-op'ed" and used exclusively in the dirt. When my buddy bought it he just went to the DMV, paid the registration fee and got the sticker.

 

You can find prime examples of XR400s, XR650s, DR426s, KLX650s and other dual sports in the early 2000 range with CA plates. Most of them have been converted to supermoto trim at this point, and they all carry a premium price for the license plate.

 

I owe you a shirt. I haven't forgotten. I'm just waiting to get over to the station with the good ones.

 

PHIL! Dammit. This was a last minute deal and we stuffed the bikes in the truck. I totally forgot you could just ride up the hill. Next time, I promise.

[Firefight911]

I owe you a shirt. I haven't forgotten. I'm just waiting to get over to the station with the good ones.

 

PHIL! Dammit. This was a last minute deal and we stuffed the bikes in the truck. I totally forgot you could just ride up the hill. Next time, I promise.

 

Pat, what Tom said! I have not forgotten at all. Just not been to the goodie store lately.

 

No worries Tom. The tunnels aren't going anywhere.

[TEWKS]

I owe you a shirt. I haven't forgotten. I'm just waiting to get over to the station with the good ones.

 

 

Pat, what Tom said! I have not forgotten at all. Just not been to the goodie store lately.

 

No problem guys, I was really looking forward to shaking your hands in July but it wasn't to be. Next year!

 

 

 

Pat

[Bruce H]

Great ride report! Looks like a good place to ride.

[Bill_Walker]

The sheds are actually a combination of short tunnels and concrete shed structures to keep the snow off the tracks in the summer.

 

Yeah, that summer snow is really a bitch for the trains.

 

Nice tale and looks like a great ride, Tom!