Tahoe Rim Tour
Come ski the Tahoe Rim Tour presented by Alpenglow Sports!
First run in 2008, the Tahoe Rim Tour has become one of the Far West region’s premier cross-country ski races, with stunning scenery that can’t be beat. It is a fundraiser for the Far West Nordic Ski Education Association so you help support cross-country skiing in California and Nevada while enjoying the event.
Thank you to Our Sponsors
Registration & Details
- Early bird, pre-event registration is available online until 11:59pm PST on Thursday, January 25th. Adult early bird pricing for is $55 for Far West members; $60 for non-members. Youth early bird pricing is $25 for Far West members; $30 for non-members.
- Pricing increases after 11:59pm PST on January 26th. ($60 for Far West members; $65 for non-members. Youth are $25 for Far West members; $30 for non-members)
- Online registration closes at 5pm PST on Saturday January 27th.
- After 5pm on January 27th, registration and bib pick-up will be offered on the morning of the event at $60 for members; $65 for non-members. Youth members $25; $30 for non-members.
Considering Far West Membership? Learn more here!
Key Race Information
- The race start and bib pick up are in the NE corner of the parking lot at North Tahoe High School in Tahoe City.
- Race start is 9:00 sharp for the Classic division and 9:30 for the Skate division.
- New this year is the Tour division designed for those who want a little extra time to take in the view and complete the course at their own pace. The tour wave starts at 7:30
- Plan for and expect traffic on Highways 89 and 267 on your way to the race start.
- Bib pick up and restrooms will be available in the North Tahoe High School
- Gear shuttles will be available to take bags to Northstar. Please keep these bags of reasonable size. Skis are not allowed.
- Check out the race course profile here. The aid station will have energy gels, sports drink, and a few other snacks.
- At Northstar, we will have a chilli lunch for you followed by results, awards, and a raffle.
UPDATED SHUTTLE INFORMATION
- A new shuttle option will be available to take racers from the Northstar Castle Peak Lot to North Tahoe High School. This bus will depart at 7:45 sharp and arrive at North Tahoe High School at 8:15.
- Shuttle buses taking people from Northstar to North Tahoe High school will depart at 1:15 and 3:30.
There are three legs of the return trip. We recommend budgeting 45 minutes between leaving Northstar XC and arriving at the shuttle bus returning to North Tahoe XC. The return shuttle bus will depart from Castle Peak Lot #18. Look for the green Amador bus!
Leg 1: Northstar XC to Northstar Village. From the finish at the Northstar XC center you can either walk to the Big Springs Gondola and ride down to the Northstar Village or Ski down Village Run.
Leg 2: Northstar Village to Castle Peak Lot. Walk from the base of the Big Springs Gondola to the Village Bus Loop. Then take the Castle Peak Lot bus to Castle Peak Lot #18.
Leg 3: Castle Peak Lot to North Tahoe High School. From Castle Peak Lot #18 take the large green Amador Coach bus back to the North Tahoe High School. This bus will depart at 1:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
- You are welcome to arrange your own car pool. Free parking is available in the Castle Peak Parking Lot. See the Northstar parking webpage for their parking shuttle information.
- The over-enthusiast can ski the course in reverse back to TXC. DO NOT TRY TO RIDE THE NORTHSTAR CHAIRLIFTS.
Schedule
Wednesday 1/24/24
Race course will be groomed for pre-ski. (Skiers must have a valid TXC pass!) Ski it on your own or join our guided course preview at 9:15 (approx. 2hrs total).
Wednesday 1/24/24
Join us from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Tahoe XC for a skin ski demo, hosted by Tahoe Rim Tour Presenting Sponsor Alpenglow Sports.
Saturday 1/27/24
Wax clinic w/ Roger Chaney at Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area in Tahoe City – Noon
Start Times:
- Tour Division start – 7:30
- Classic Division start – 9:00
- Skate Division start – 9:30
Shuttle Times:
- New this year! Pre-race shuttle from Northstar to TXC. Early bus departs Northstar – 7:45
- After-race shuttles depart Northstar – 1:15 & 3:30
Awards will be held at approximately 11:45.
Race day registration and bib pick up will be at the North Tahoe High School. Come check out booths and goodies from our title sponsor Alpenglow Sports.
Not racing? Sign up to volunteer instead!
The Course
The race starts at North Tahoe High School in Tahoe City and begins on a number of trails at the Tahoe XC cross-country center. Then it climbs north up snow-covered switchbacks on the “Fiberboard Freeway” (an old logging road) to Starratt Pass on the rim of the Tahoe basin at about 7,800 feet. Drinks and snacks are available at an aid station at the pass. From the aid station, the course follows the Tahoe Rim briefly to the east, with breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe and its surrounding basin to the south. Next, the course drops off the rim through forest to the north, eventually reaching Northstar. After taking a brief tour over a handful of Northstar cross-country trails, the course reaches the finish, 26 kilometers from the start. Please note: The section of the course on the Fiberboard Freeway is shared with snowmobile traffic and is open to the public. Please be courteous when sharing this area with others. Individuals who want to avoid snowmobiles or snowmobile tracks on the race course are encourage to participate in the Tour category starting at 7:30. The Tour wave will not be eligible for age group prizes.
Post-Race
Stick around after the race, and join us for awards, raffle prizes, and a cornbread-and-chili lunch are provided at the post-race party at the mid-mountain Nordic Lodge at Northstar. Leave a bag of dry clothes with us at the start, and we’ll have them waiting for you on the patio. Following the party, racers may ski or take the gondola down to the Northstar village. Shuttle buses will be available to return you to the start.
Shuttle Schedule: Early-bird shuttle from the Castle Peak Lot at Northstar to North Tahoe High School Departs at 7:45. Return shuttles will depart from the Northstar bus loop in the village at 1:15 and 3:30.
Divisions
The race has three divisions: classic, freestyle, and tour. The classic division starts at 9:00. The freestyle division starts at 9:30. Skating is not allowed in the classic division. In the freestyle division, all Nordic techniques are allowed, though most people will skate. The classic division is special in that it is the longest and the only point-to-point classic race in the Far West region. Both divisions count toward the Master’s Challenge and Sierra Ski Chase race series. The tour division is the low key option for people who want to stop and take in the view or want some extra time to complete the course. The tour division starts at 7:30 and is not eligible for age group prizes or the Master’s Challenge. For most of the course there will be two classic tracks, one on either edge of the trail with a skate lane down the middle.
