This past Sunday my brother and I explored the Grouse ridge area

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/documents/rec/grousemap.pdf

Here is my play by play...
Grouse Ridge To Spaulding Lake Trail DH

Started the ride at 7500' on the saddle of grouse ridge below the peak of 7700' . What a rim of the world view of the Sierras!

We headed south down the Grouse Ridge Trail. The next 1.5 to 2 miles was an A-line of breathtaking views and about 1100' feet of vertical drop until the intersection of blue lake trail. Although the trail was technical, the rock gardens were punctuated with smooth sections that I could see the line through and make it to the next turn. We only had a few dismounts and slide outs from the very loose gravel turns.

From the intersection with Blue lake trail the trail followed a contour through granite slabs, creek fords and finally the crossing of granite creek. the views were still breathtaking , but the going was slower and more methodical.

We made a right turn down to the connector trail that would take us to the Spaulding lake trail. At first it it seemed a little technical with longer rocky sections and gravelly courses through drainages...but we were digging the challenge. At that point the trail turned to a switchbacked boulder course and it was literally like riding through a streambed....extremely technical and on the verge of undrideable...we pushed on through many impossible sections and many close calls. This section really took the energy out of me and i was tiring quickly. After about a mile the trail finally let up and turned to more of a granite slabbed and sand pit turns. Some sections were fast and others a bit slower but all really fun after the boulder course we had just somehow survived.

We reached Fordyce falls and took a dip in the cold creek.

The next sections were forested and cool and perfect XC fare....but we were tired and on 40lb freeride rigs so we plodded and coasted until spaulding lake wher we promptly dipped again. The final climb to Fuller lake was easy but slow rounding out a grueling but action packed 10 mile ride through many different types of terrain. We reached the lake about 3.5 hours and 2000 vertical feet later!

If I were to do it again I might take the first right onto blue Lake trail and see how that one is.