SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The world’s longest and newest multi-use trail cuts right through Lake Tahoe and the trail’s first biker is days away from cresting into the basin. 

The Orogenesis is a 5,029-mile mountain bike trail that runs from Canada to Baja. Ultra-endurance backcountry mountain biker Kurt Refsnider departed from the Canadian border near Oroville, Wash. on August 4 in hopes of becoming the first person to complete the trail. 

The trail is managed by the Orgoensis Collective, an organization aimed to create and steward a contiguous single-track trail through the western ranges of the North American continent.

South Lake Tahoe resident and athlete Chris McNamara was one of the collective’s founders. While the Pacific Crest Trail runs from Mexico to Canada, it is not open to mountain bikers. So what started as a dream to create multi-use trails in Lake Tahoe grew to a trail throughout the whole Sierra.

“I’m more of a Sierra bushwhacker,” said McNamara, in reference to his role of routing the Lake Tahoe section of the trail. 

But the collective isn’t just about mapping the trail. It’s about creating a community. 

“The trail is ever evolving,” said McNamara. “We wanted to create an organization that will focus on making the trail better and better.” 

While much of the trail is on dirt and single-track, no new trails were built in wilderness areas, meaning the trail routes into small towns along the way. 

“We were excited to route to towns, which becomes part of the experience,” said McNamara, adding that it’s similar to European trails such as the Camino de Santiago.

McNamara said the trail is becoming more of a social experience, saying Refsnider has had people be able to visit him out on the trail. 

As of September 9, Refsnider has ridden 1,680 miles over 36 days. He’s nearing Downieville which is the start of the Sierra Camino section, which will bring him through Lake Tahoe.

The Sierra Camino section is 463 miles and runs to Virtuous Valley. It has about 33,000′ of elevation and is expected to take about 17 days. The Lake Tahoe section runs along the east shore.

To track Refsnider’s progress and to learn more about the trail, visit https://orogenesiscollective.org/news/2025/8/4/kurt-trackerfollow-kurt-refsnider-4664-miles-from-canada-to-cabo .