TAHOE'S WINTER WONDERLAND

By Nicole Marsel

As winter’s snowflakes fall from the sky and cover the Sierra Nevada mountains in a blanket of snow, the breathtaking views of local wildlife enjoying their Winter Wonderland will truly astound you.

Jon Paul found these raccoons scurrying across the road, so he grabbed his gear and followed them as they ran up this snow-covered tree. While Jon shoots wildlife digitally, he is one of the few remaining pros still capturing landscape images with large sheets of film. jonpaulgallery.com

Racoons - Jon Paul

When the snow flies, Roger Van Alyne’s focus turns to the local raptor migration. The Carson Valley is a stop along a raptor migratory route that brings these winged visitors to the area. The Rough Legged Hawks are a treat to see, given their unique coloring, and they usually migrate through during December and January. www.photorogr.com

Rough Legged Hawk - Roger Van-Alyn

The heavy snowpack in the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe forces deer that summer along the crest of the Sierras into a narrow band of habitat running along the Eastern foothills north of Reno as far south as Topaz Lake. Larry Burton found this gorgeous buck bedded down near the road after a huge Tahoe storm. FB: @larry.burton.524

Buck - Larry Burton

It is such an incredible experience to snowshoe from the Tahoe Meadows off Mt. Rose Highway to Chickadee Ridge. After a 1.5-mile trek through the Alpine trees, photographer Jeramie Lu came across these sweet birds calling to each other, fluttering everywhere. As visitors stood very still and quiet, the birds stopped to snack on black sunflower seeds ... their favorite! Chickadees are extremely interactive in the winter and this is an experience you should not miss in Tahoe. If you want to learn more about this special place, flip to There's No Place Like Home on page 56. jermielu.com

Chickadee Ridge - Jeramie Lu

If you wander into the wilderness, or even relax on your porch or balcony wrapped in a blanket, you are bound to breathe in the fresh mountain air and see some of the amazing wildlife that calls these mountains home. Take a break from your busy itinerary and take in what nature has to offer.