AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Northstar California Washoe 2.jpg
Leijurv · CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Northstar Service Road 706–Northstar Service Road 900, 3 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 2,703 ft · 6 hr 13 min

Northstar Service Road 706–Northstar Service Road 900, 3 sights is a 14.6-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Carnelian Heights, CA. It climbs 2,703 ft, with sections as steep as 37% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 78/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.

Elevation

0 mi6,296 – 8,360 ft · steepest grade: 37%15.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.22992, -120.14246
Nearest town Carnelian Heights, CA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Northstar Service Road 706–Northstar Service Road 900, 3 sights

14.6 mi · ▲ 2,703 ft · 6 hr 13 min

Elevation 6,297–8,359 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: 39.22992, -120.14246

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 6:04 AM · sunset 8:11 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  3. 0.1 miSharp right, heading NE.
  4. 1.9 miContinue straight onto Crossover, heading N.
  5. 0.5 miTurn right onto Lookout, heading NW.
  6. 150 ftContinue straight onto Coaster, heading N.
  7. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lookout, heading N.
  8. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  9. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  11. 450 ftBear left onto Tell No Tales, heading N.
  12. 0.6 miSharp left onto Northstar Service Road 900, heading NE.
  13. 2.1 miTurn right onto Northstar Service Road 700, heading S.
  14. 1 miBear right onto Northstar Service Road 706, heading N.
  15. 0.4 miReach Tell No Tales, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 0.4 miBear left onto Northstar Service Road 700, heading SW.
  17. 1 miTurn left onto Northstar Service Road 900, heading E.
  18. 2.1 miSharp right onto Tell No Tales, heading E.
  19. 0.6 miBear right, heading SW.
  20. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  21. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  22. 500 ftBear right, heading SW.
  23. 300 ftContinue straight onto Lookout, heading S.
  24. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Coaster, heading S.
  25. 500 ftContinue straight onto Lookout, heading SE.
  26. 150 ftTurn left onto Tryumph, heading S.
  27. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Crossover, heading S.
  28. 2 miSharp left, heading SW.
  29. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  30. 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/mount-pluto-out-back-25-km

Trail surface

66% dirt3% gravel31% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:04 AMSunset 8:11 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.5 mi in (~100 min). Leave by 6:11 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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