The Upper Tyrolian Trail is open thanks to TAMBA and the Tahoe Fund

Old logging roads above Incline Village, NV transformed into a new singletrack trail designed by freeride mountain bike athlete Cam Zink’s trail building nonprofit

The Upper Tyrolian Trail, North Lake Tahoe’s newest singletrack mountain bike trail featuring berms, jumps and other interesting natural features is now open above Incline Village, Nevada. The project was spearheaded by the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA) with a $60,000 grant from the Tahoe Fund. Its completion was celebrated today by the volunteers, supporters and donors who made it possible.
Together with the U.S. Forest Service and Sensus R.A.D. Trails, a trail building nonprofit by local freeride mountain bike athlete Cam Zink, TAMBA converted old logging roads into nearly two miles of sustainable singletrack trail that connects Tahoe Meadows off Mount Rose Highway to the existing Tyrolian Downhill Trail. The new upper section of the trail provides an official start trailhead with improved signage, and was designed to reduce mountain bike traffic on the Tahoe Rim Trail.
“This trail project was a long time coming, and we’re thrilled to be officially turning it over to the public to enjoy,” said Patrick Parsel, TAMBA trails director. “Building sustainable trails in the Tahoe Basin is our priority, and we couldn’t do it without the support of partners like the Tahoe Fund and the U.S. Forest Service.”
Photo of Upper Tyrolian Trail

Photo courtesy of TAMBA

The first part of the Upper Tyrolian Trail was built as a flowy singletrack trail that incorporates natural features to enhance the rider experience. After 0.75 miles, the trail transitions to one with professionally designed and built rollovers, tabletops, step-ups, step-downs and triple-option jumps that provide a unique and challenging experience for riders to practice and build their skills.

The second element of the project was to decommission miles of eroded logging roads in the area where the Upper Tyrolian Trail begins. These dirt roads were used extensively by logging operations and were not designed to manage stormwater. Decommissioning included scarifying compacted areas, naturalizing the soil surface with pine duff, and incorporating erosion control features to reduce sediment runoff into creeks that flow into Lake Tahoe.
“TAMBA’s commitment to building trails that provide sustainable recreation throughout Tahoe are unparalleled, and partnering with them to complete this trail aligned perfectly with the Tahoe Fund’s mission,” said Caroline Waldman, sustainable recreation program director for the Tahoe Fund. “We’re proud to have contributed to this effort.”

Learn more about about this project and other projects supported by the Tahoe Fund at www.tahoefund.org.

Photo of TAMBA trail crews working on the Upper Tyrolian Trail

Photo courtesy of TAMBA

About the Tahoe Fund

The Tahoe Fund is a nonprofit founded in 2010 to support environmental improvement projects that restore lake clarity, enhance sustainable recreation, promote healthier forests, improve transportation and inspire greater stewardship of the region. Through the generous support of its donors, the Tahoe Fund has leveraged more than $10 million in private funds to secure more than $60 million in public funds for more than 80 environmental projects. The projects include new sections of the Lake Tahoe Bikeway, restoration of watersheds, removal of aquatic invasive species, forest health projects, new hiking trails, and stewardship programs. Learn more at www.tahoefund.org.

About TAMBA

The Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that builds, maintains, and advocates for multi-use trails in Tahoe while providing education to all trail users and hosting fun community events. TAMBA works in partnership with land managers such as the U.S. Forest Service, Nevada State Parks, California State Parks, and the City of South Lake Tahoe. In addition, TAMBA helps maintain more than 100 miles of trail per year. Learn more at www.tamba.org.
Aerial view of bikers on Upper Tyrolian Trail

Photo courtesy of TAMBA

Ribbon cutting of the trail

Photo courtesy of TAMBA