In January, the Board met to update our 3-Year Strategic Plan (we’re about halfway through) and to set priorities for 2026. Working with this team is inspirational.

There was a strong focus on making trail improvements now, while we continue to work with the consultant on the feasibility study for completing the two remaining sections to the east. Six fairly significant trail improvement projects were discussed and ranked as to which we think can be implemented first. We have the most amazing board and staff to work on each of these projects and I have faith that the top three projects are in good hands.

Our full-day discussion connected our long-time and relatively new board members with a few new faces. Our day included much about our history and structure as well as how to continue to grow our capacity to improve and finish the trail.

We are gratified that Kris Wells was elected as our Vice-Chair and will become Chair next January. Mike Hix joined the board and is serving as our Treasurer, bringing an extraordinary wealth of experience. We also welcomed new board member Eric Lerude who has deep knowledge of events that can play a future in increased involvement and awareness of the TPT. It’s gratifying to have such passion and ability on the board.

With our wonderful volunteers in leadership and in other key roles from technology to trail maintenance, we are looking forward to 2026 as an amazing year. As always, our fuel is you; realized through your use of and love of the TPT, through your involvement as volunteers or advocates, and through your financial support. In a couple of months, we’ll hold our Annual Meeting and we hope you can join us. We have something quite special planned for this year; hint, it’s always fun to get together and celebrate completion of a project.

~ Chris Askin, Chair of the TPT Board

In last month’s article, I mentioned I was heading on a x-country ski trip in Yellowstone through the Sierra Club. They contracted with Yellowstone Forever, a nonprofit that partners with Yellowstone National Park as its educational and fundraising arm. It was an amazing trip. I have a deep respect for this organization and the impact it has on so many lives, not only those of the people who attend a seminar or visit the park, but also of the wildlife that lives or migrates through, and of the land beneath, trembling with life. 

We saw so much wildlife but not the elusive wolf. Was I disappointed? Maybe a little bit. What we did see was amazing, and sharing it with a wonderful group of people on the tour added to the excitement, another good reason to hike with others. My favorite was the pygmy owl and golden eagle. We saw moose, coyotes, elk, deer, bison, mountain goats, otters, and wolf tracks!  For the birders out there, we saw a Red Crossbill that was a bit of excitement for many.

I was thrilled that several of our x-country trips followed the rivers of Yellowstone, which are plentiful. Some of them were steaming, such as the  Firehole River, with geothermal activity. The Yellowstone River flows 671 miles, the longest in the lower 48 states. Yellowstone has some of the most significant geysers and hot springs in the world, over 10,000 different hydrothermal features. Every day, we saw a different part of the park to experience many of these unique sites, typically with nobody else around! Seeing it in winter, without the crowds, may take more planning, but it is well worth it. There is no place else that you can experience this hydrothermal wonderland and the beauty of the landscape. Having snow just added to the magic.

Go out and explore the beauty around you with a friend and take in something new. I would suggest joining a group that may open your eyes to something new, for example birding, a fast growing hobby. Join us as TPT teams up with Lori Bellis at Mayberry Park to learn about the birds in our own backyards. Lori is involved with the local Audubon Society and will share her expertise. See the article Winter Birding Along the TPT at Mayberry Park in this month's newsletter.

More details on my Yellowstone trip can be found in the Yellowstone Adventure Blog with many pictures of the natural beauty of the park.  Here is the link:

~ Mary Beth Roselli, Past Chair of the TPT Board

The original “Fanny” bridge was built in 1928. It is located at the only outlet of Lake Tahoe into the Truckee River. Together with the Lake Tahoe Dam, built around 1910, were treasured Tahoe City historical structures. The dam was for agricultural irrigation for Nevada, as part of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Newlands Project. Today, this dam controls the top six feet of Lake Tahoe into the Truckee River. It is a beautiful spot to visit. The Gatekeepers Museum State Park is also located here. Make sure to lean over the bridge to watch the rainbow trout feeding! If you didn’t realize the reason for the name, Fanny Bridge, I bet you get it now! This is also the official start of the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. 

Reconstruction of the bridge began in the summer of 2025 and was completed in February of 2026. It features a new single-span bridge with roundabouts on both ends and sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides. An official celebration will take place on May 17, 2026.

For all you trivia people, here is a good one to test your friends with: rain and snowmelt create 63 tributaries into Lake Tahoe, but there is only one river that flows out of Lake Tahoe, the Truckee River. It is approximately 120 miles long and ends at Pyramid Lake. This is unique in that most rivers flow to an ocean. Another unique feature is the diversity of ecosystems along this route, from high mountains to arid high-desert.

And now, for many of you who have heard me say, “where you see the Truckee River, you most likely will see the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail.” That is also pretty unique to have a trail following the entire length of a river. 

Hope to see you at Fanny Bridge for the celebration on May 17th. Best way to get there?  Ride your bike or walk from somewhere along the TPT, maybe Truckee or Olympic Valley, and head to the celebration in style. What a great way to start your adventure to join the “93 Miles Completed” club this year.

~ Mary Beth Roselli, Past Chair of the TPT Board

We are happy to announce our new Treasurer and member of our Tahoe-Pyramid Trail Board, Michael Hix. He has an amazing background working with a variety of organizations and we are fortunate to have him join us with his finance background. 

When asked what drew him to the TPT, he replied “I joined the Board of the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail to help advance a project that brings people together. The Trail connects Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake, but more importantly, it connects communities, families, and visitors to the outdoors. I’m proud to support an initiative that enhances quality of life and showcases the incredible landscape we’re fortunate to call home.”

Michael is the Northern Nevada Regional President for Meadows Bank, bringing more than 35 years of experience in banking and commercial lending. Throughout his career, he has held a variety of leadership and operational roles, including credit analyst, loan officer, and branch administrator with several Northern Nevada financial institutions.

Michael holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Nevada, Reno, and is a graduate of the National Commercial Lending School at the University of Oklahoma and the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Highly engaged in the community, Michael serves on the boards of Secret Witness, the University of Nevada Small Business Development Center Advisory Board, and the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce. He also dedicates his time to the UNR Alumni Association, Note-Able Music Therapy Services, and the Nevada Bar Association.

Michael and his wife, Stephanie, a retired educator with the Washoe County School District, have two daughters who are both proud graduates of the University of Nevada, Reno.

Welcome, Michael and we look forward to having you on board!

Ever wonder what those birds are singing, flying and floating around you while you're enjoying the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail? Here's an opportunity to get acquainted with a few of them.

On March 21st, we'll take a casual walk along the Truckee River to look for ducks, mergansers and dippers in the water; raptors, woodpeckers and wrens in the trees; and sparrows, juncos and bushtits in the bushes.

The walk will be around 2 miles and last approximately 3 hours. Please bring binoculars and a sense of curiosity with you. Open to beginning, as well as experienced, birders. 

The walk will be led by Lori Bellis, a local bird enthusiast and avid hiker. She is also an amazing photographer. Her bobcat and osprey photos won in our TPT contest last year. 

We will meet at Mayberry Park on Saturday, March 21st at 8:00a.m. Please register for this event by sending an email with your name and how many people will be coming, using rsvp@tptrail.org. This walk is limited to 12 participants so make sure you registered soon! Again, please bring binoculars if you have them.  

The outing will be cancelled in the event of rain or snow.

If you're not already receiving this newsletter on a monthly basis and would like to in the future, please sign up now!

While all newsletter content is Copyright Protected, we encourage readers to share our newsletter with friends and family and on social media channels. If you wish to repurpose any content, or use in any print or online article, please include links and attributions to the author(s) and the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail organization.

Tahoe-Pyramid Trail is a 501(c)3 Non-profit Organization. Trail building, maintenance, and access is the result of many collaborations and partnerships with private landowners, private donors, utilities, state and local government agencies, other non-profit organizations, local businesses, community leaders, as well as a small army of dedicated volunteers, all of whom are valued trail partners and whose supporting efforts are critical to continued trail health.

Our Contact Information

Tahoe-Pyramid Trail
4790 Caughlin Pkwy, #138

Reno, NV 89519

(775) 825-9868

info@tptrail.com

www.tahoepyramidtrail.org

You are being sent this email because you are a subscriber.
If you wish to update your Email Preferences or Unsubscribe, click *{{Unsubscribe}}*

(C) 2026 Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. All rights reserved.