To describe the Flume Trail as breathtaking is more than hyperbole. At over 8,100 feet at its highest point, this 14-mile route can overwhelm the lungs and senses. Perched 1,600 feet above Lake Tahoe’s eastern shore, the views are like no other in the region. The sheer beauty of this route belies the historical, life-giving significance it once provided to the miners of the Comstock Lode. The prosperous mining district of Virginia City and Gold Hill was abundant in silver and gold ore, but it lacked potable water. Although the…
