Summary 
| Difficulty | 1 Beginner |
| Length | 2.1 miles round trip |
| Starting Elevation |
7050 feet |
| Cumulative Elevation Change |
+150, -150 round trip |
| Navigation | Road and map |
| Time | Several hours |
| Season | Mid-December through mid-April |
| Snowmobiles Use | Not permitted [Please report illegal use of snowmobiles in this area.] |
| USGS Topo | 7.5' series, Glenbrook |
| Start | Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park on the east side of Highway 28, 0.7 mile north of Spooner Junction. After passing by the entrance station, keep right and park near the restroom. A fee is charged for parking. |
Description
The Spooner Lake area is a perfect place for beginners to start their ski touring career. Two beginner tours, North Canyon Creek and Spooner Lake, give novices a place to practice basic ski techniques on easy to ski terrain. The North Canyon Creek tour, described here, is also the beginning of the intermediate tour to Marlette Lake.
Easy skiing across meadows
The Spooner Lake area was open to the public in winter for the price of parking up until 1985. There were even markers denoting points along the trails (roads) in the area.
In 1985 Nevada State Parks gave a concession to Spooner Lake Cross Country to operate on the Spooner Lake park lands and it became a fee for use area. The concessionaire rented equipment, gave lessons and offered two beautiful Scandinavian style hand-hewn log cabins for rent.
But after 27 years of operation, Spooner Lake Cross Country is closed for the 2012-2013 winter season and there are no current plans to re-open. The cause of the closure was rising costs and uncertainty about snow conditions that the previous year resulted in only being open for 30 days.
As a result, beginning with the 2012-2013 winter season, the park is again open to the public for the price of parking.
Mileage Log
Numbers in parentheses
correspond to mileage points on map
Waypoint 1 to 2
Miles: 0.0 - 0.1
Elevation change: -50 feet
From the trailhead (1) ski northeast for 0.1 mile until you reach a road (2). The point you want is a short distance to the west of the dam on Spooner Lake and on the south side of a narrow clearing that connects the large meadow to the west with Spooner Lake to the east.
Waypoint 2 to 3
Miles: 0.1 - 0.7
Elevation change: +50 feet
Ski north across the narrow clearing, locate a road heading north, and continue skiing north on the road through woods for a total of 0.6 mile until you reach an old cabin (3).
Waypoint 3 to 4
Miles: 0.7 - 0.9
Elevation change: +50 feet
Continue skiing north on the road for 0.2 mile until you reach the place where you cross North Canyon Creek (4). You will find a sign at this location that denotes the point at which a previously groomed trail turned south while the trail to Marlette Lake continued north.
Waypoint 4 to 5
Miles: 0.9 - 1.4
Elevation change: -100 feet
Turn south and ski south and then southwest for 0.5 mile through sparse trees until you reach a large meadow (5). In this section you may see some blue diamond markers from the previously groomed trail.
Waypoint 5 to 6
Miles: 1.4 - 1.7
Elevation change: Nil
Ski south across the meadow for 0.3 until you intersect a road (6).
On way back to trailhead
Waypoint 6 to 2
Miles: 1.7 - 2.0
Elevation change: Nil
Ski east on the road for 0.3 mile until you reach the location from which you headed north originally (2).
Return to trailhead
Miles: 2.0 - 2.1
Elevation change: +50 feet
Retrace the route for 0.1 mile back to the trailhead (1).
