EDC Adventures 2022

El Dorado County Adventures | 1

Nellolivo O

WINER

2 | El Dorado County Adventures

Y

HWY

50 Y

BREWER

Let Thompsons help you on your adventure!

Family oF dealerships

3

loCATions ions o serve you: To

Thompsons Chrysler • DoDge • Jeep • rAM

Thompsons ToyoTA

Thompsons BuiCk • gMC • useD

126 Forni Road, Placerville

140 Forni Road, Placerville

55 Placerville Drive, Placerville

530-621-0100

530-622-6232

530-295-5700

Schedule appointment online

ThompsonsJeep.com

Schedule appointment online

ThompsonsToyota.com

Schedule appointment online

ThompsonsBuickGMC.com El Dorado County Adventures | 3

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC > edwardjones.com | Member SIPC > edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

ur CD Rates Compare our CD Rates

Compare CD Rates Compare ourour CD Rates

C-insured Bank-issued, FDIC-insured

0

1-year 6-month

6-month 3-month

2.75 2.30

APY*

it $5000

APY* APY*

Minimum deposit $5000

Minimum deposit $5000

n P Hunter

APY* APY*

Minimum deposit $5000 Minimum deposit $5000

2.3 2.3 % 2.95 % 2.95% 3.30

local financial advisor today.

APY* Minimum Call or visit your local financial advisor today.

ncial Advisor

3-month

Mallard Ln Suite B rville, CA 95667-8770 621-1014

Jason P Hunter

Financial Advisor

3-month 2808 Mallard Ln Suite B

2022 Fall/Winter Edition % EDCadventures.com APY* 2889 Ray Lawyer Drive, Placerville, CA 95667 Minimum deposit $5000 530-622-1255 • Fax: 530-344-5092

3.05 3.05 2.75 % %

% Bank-issued, % % FDIC-insured % % Bank-issued, FDIC-insured

Placerville, CA 95667-8770 530-621-1014

deposit APY* $1000

1-year

Minimum deposit Publisher: Richard B. Esposito $1000 resposito@mtdemocrat.net Editor: Mimi Escabar mescabar@mtdemocrat.net

APY* Minimum

Contributing Writers: Mimi Escabar Wendy Schultz APY* Minimum Peter Tyner deposit 1-year Contributing Photographers: Krysten Kellum $1000 require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts

Shelly Thorene nationwide.

All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

ARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Creative Director: Letty Bejarano-Carvajal 1-year FDI-1867K-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS APY* RESERVED.Minimum lettyb@mtdemocrat.net deposit

(APY) effective 08/01/2022. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 depositPlease visit rued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category.

Annual Percentage YieldSubject (APY) effective 08/01/2022.

CDs offered

by Edward Jonestoare bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 our financial advisor*for additional information. to availability and price change.

CD values are $1000 subject interest and can interest accrued butare notsold yetprior paid)toper depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit nterest rates rise, the(principal prices of CDs decrease.

If CDs maturity, the investor can lose principal value. www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information.

Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest over losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs rate risk suchtothat when interest rates rise, the Edward prices ofJones CDsare canissued decrease.

If CDs sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. interest and do not allow interest compound.

CDs offered through by banks andare thrifts insurance does not coverTrust losses in market

by Edward Jones are FDIC registered with the Depository Corp.

(DTC). value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs

2-year

3.30

Call or visit your local financial advisor today.

$1000

%

APY* Minimum

Call orRonvisit your local financial advisor today.

Jacob, AAMS™

2-year Financial Advisor

Advertising/Marketing: Ian Balentine ibalentine@mtdemocrat.net

Scott Jacob

3916 Missouri Flat Rd Suite B Placerville, CA 95667 530-626-6246

Financial Advisor Call or visit your local financial advisor today.

Ron Jacob, AAMS™ 3916 Missouri Flat Rd, Suite B

* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 08/08/2022. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

Financial Advisor

Placerville, CA 95667 530-626-6246

3916 Missouri Flat Rd Suite B Placerville, CA 95667 530-626-6246

deposit $1000 To order extra copies of Adventures call: 530-344-5051 For advertising information call: 530-344-5048 El Dorado County Adventures is owned and published by the Mountain Democrat. All rights reserved, 2022. Reproduction in any form, in whole or part, without written permission is prohibited. All content included in this magazine was deemed accurate at the time of printing and is subject to change.

About the Cover: Heavenly / HighFiveBluebird / JackMorris

Ron Jacob, AAMS®

FDI-1867K-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Financial Advisor

* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 08/08/2022. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

3916 Missouri Flat Rd, Suite B Placerville, CA 95667 530-626-6246

FDI-1867K-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. * Annual Percentage Yield (APY) effective 08/08/2022. CDs offered by Edward Jones are bank-issued and FDIC-insured up to $250,000 (principal and interest accrued but not yet paid) per depositor, per insured depository institution, for each account ownership category. Please visit www.fdic.gov or contact your financial advisor for additional information. Subject to availability and price change. CD values are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of CDs can decrease. If CDs are sold prior to maturity, the investor can lose principal value. FDIC insurance does not cover losses in market value. Early withdrawal may not be permitted. Yields quoted are net of all commissions. CDs require the distribution of interest and do not allow interest to compound. CDs offered through Edward Jones are issued by banks and thrifts nationwide. All CDs sold by Edward Jones are registered with the Depository Trust Corp. (DTC).

FDI-1867K-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 | El Dorado County Adventures

El Dorado County Adventures | 5

What’s Inside 24

Sierra-at-Tahoe

28

Ski Resorts in El Dorado County

Fall Colors

8

29

Sno-Parks

30

Sleigh Rides

34

Experience El Dorado County

48 Haunted Sites

14

Where to go/ What to do

52

Lodging in El Dorado County

53

Wedding Specialists

Gold Bug Park 6 | El Dorado County Adventures

20

For all your Real Estate needs

We are here for you

3 Locations

TO SERVE YOU Pollock Pines

6584 Ridgeway Dr Pollock Pines, CA 95726 530-647-7300

Placerville

111 Main Street Placerville, CA 95667 530-295-2900

El Dorado Hills

4601 Post Street El Dorado Hills, CA 95762 916-933-4500

Find out why The Select Group is consistently ranked the Elite Group of top 100 Real Estates Firms nationally!

DEBRA MILLER

Branch Manager of Placerville and Pollock Pines DRE# 01308795

(530) 295-2944

Debra.Miller@C21selectgroup.com

MICHELE STEWART

Branch Manager of El Dorado Hills DRE #01279562

(916) 870-8400

Michele.Stewart@C21selectgroup.com

El Dorado County Adventures | 7 © 2022 CENTURY 21 Select Real Estate CENTURY 21® and the CENTURY 21 Logo are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office is independently Owned and Operated.

A tree of a

different Color

I

t may be time to dispense with the notion that New England owns a copyright on fall colors. Alluring as those Maine and New Hampshire calendar covers may be, there’s also the California gold rush of color which is even now exploding in the foothills east of Sacramento.

To be fair, some varieties of maple, fruit and nut trees were schlepped by settlers from the northeast to these foothills as part of the western migration. As the new pioneers and ex-gold miners became farmers, ranchers and orchard keepers, they influenced not only the nutrition but the colors of foothill flora.

Bright as a kaleidoscope or muted as rust, Sierra woodland colors swirl like a child’s finger-painting, responsive to the unpredictable fingers of light, water and temperature. Texture and geometry add to the wonder.

Giant pointed pines and broad crowned elders, black oaks, white fir, red aspens and yellow mountain maples mass together in the quest for space-dominance, each competing for the birds and squirrels that assist in seed dispersion.

8 | El Dorado County Adventures

Color is more than pretty

story: Peter Tyner photography: Krysten Kellum; Pat Dollins

Color is not just pretty, it is critical to survival and growth.

Magma, meteors and microbes meeting sun, temperature and rain produced alpine color through diverse flora. Tectonic upheavals, volcanoes and glaciers fashioned the original brown canvas known as the western slope or foothills, stretching from the peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the tony and historic town of Folsom.

Coated with the gesso of groundcover, nature’s “old master painter” daubed higher elevations of the canvas with massive conifer forests. Dark green cedars, silver tipped red firs, upward reaching spruces, lacy cypresses, blue-green junipers, towering Ponderosa pines, scattered stands of gray hemlock, bright yellow ginko bilabo and majestic redwoods cover the mountains and spill into the foothills.

Fields of tan weeds and tangled brush became populated with soft hued chaparral, blue oaks, red-barked and green-leaved

Manzanita. Swaths of fragile and ephemeral wildflowers sprang up on hillsides and in meadows among ancient granite outcroppings.

Half the year thick snow cloaks the black and gray peaks in a pure white mantle.

Fingers of shining ice grip the sides creating the heavenly ski slopes of the Sierra. In the center of the range sits the crown jewel of the west, the deep and blue Lake Tahoe.

Starting at the top

Nature prefers to launch its fall color festival first in the higher elevations, such as the Carson Pass, Hope Valley and Monitor Pass areas, which are accessed from Routes 88 and 89 near the lake. Here, quaking aspen flare their gold and orange leaves, evolved to quiver in the slightest breeze.

The azure skies, snowy peaks and dark green conifers of the Tahoe National forest offer a striking portrait of contrasts.

Typically fall colors at the 7,000 foot level peak in early to mid October.

Particularly dramatic stands are found near Carson Pass east of Caples Lake. Hope Valley offers a jaw-dropping palette of fall colors. A few miles north of the Lake’s resort on Highway 89, visitors will find dramatic vistas and ostentatious displays near the summit of Luther Pass.

Arguably the best color in the Tahoe area borders Highway 89 from South Lake Tahoe to Sugar Pine Point State Park.

Another level

Fall colors multiply at lower altitudes, too. The native black oak, found throughout the foothills between elevations of about 1,000 and 5,000 feet, features large leaves that turn a brilliant gold. Although its colors are optimum in late October some bright yellow leaves will remain attached to the trees until early December.

El Dorado County Adventures | 9

10 | El Dorado County Adventures

Add the farms and ranches

The resultant bio-drama of bright gold leaves among dark green Ponderosa pines, and black-streaked incense cedars punctuated by holly-leaf red berries produces stunning photography.

Sacramento has been named “city of trees” second only to Paris, France in sheer number. Highway 50 starts in Sacramento and heads to South Lake Tahoe. Eastbound travelers on the 50 cruise toward Lake Tahoe through the lower elevation towns of Folsom and Cameron Park realize the change in elevation at Placerville. Flaming Chinese pistaches and liquid ambers line the roadway with loud red-orange foliage. Native redbud trees are everywhere as well.

In spring their magenta blossoms seem impossibly brilliant and by October the spray of willow-like branches begin again to turn light yellow or red.

Redbuds were extraordinarily useful to early settlers who found the blossoms a delicious addition to their salads. Early folk healers used the bark to treat common maladies and sometimes even leukemia.

Many Native Americans chose the long branches of the California Redbud for their bows.

A changing canvas

In the endless ranch lands of Shingle Springs and Cameron Park spotted cows and svelte auburn horses roam verdant fields or stand in dirt corrals observing motorists.

Hired goats trim entire fields from tall grass to nubs as fire season approaches.

The front yards of Placerville and Camino often display indigenous dogwoods which bloom in spring with impressive white and pink bracts on gray branches which grow in pleasing horizontal patterns. The pedals

aren’t blossoms but are colorful leaves which hide tiny yellow flowers. In winter new buds appear on complex bare branches in highly symmetrical crowns.

Throughout the freeway landscape redbarked madrona trees increasingly occupy weedy hillsides along with their oil-rich cousins, the Indian manzanita. Shrub oaks and chaparral fight for every square inch of dirt.

The mandate to be colorful is in the DNA of virtually every plant, critical to advancement of its species and the organic blush of foothill flora is no exception.

Rocks and water color the landscape

Pollock Pines and Kyburz stand miles apart on either side of the midpoint to Lake Tahoe. In that stretch Highway 50 parallels the splashy and rocky American River south fork wending its way to the Coloma sawmill where a few flakes of gold found in the tailrace triggered the world-altering migration of 1849.

Beyond Kyburz lies tiny Strawberry with its friendly lodge and restaurant, a required stop on the forested trek. The Strawberry Lodge commands a stretch of the mountainside and river where nature has produced a speckled behemoth, the 600 foot high granite promontory known as Lover’s Leap. Climbing can be scheduled to one’s ability and experience. Nearby giant gray boulders frame eddies of clear water where visitors can sit and watch 50 million years disappear.

From Folsom to South Lake Tahoe the evolving environment of color and texture, geometry and uniqueness startles and comforts visitors on their colorful day trip.

But the living tapestry of the Sierra is not complete without the growers.

From the pumpkin patches to red grape vineyards, from cherry and apple orchards to Christmas Tree farms, the Apple Hill area of Camino introduces a colorful panorama of tasty farm goods.

Supported by 55 ranches and farms, the popular district showcases apples, plums, peaches, grapes, apricots, melons, berries and the golden crusted pies and turnovers made from these natural treats. Piles of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and other vegetables await in farm-to-fork bins and table displays up and down Carson Road.

On the other side of the freeway south of Camino, fields of tomatoes, vineyards, livestock and cultivated acres line Pleasant Valley Road, a rural highway bordering the dark and timbered Cosumnes River Valley, an other-worldly locale with quaint bridges and a Hansel-and-Gretel atmosphere.

A few hours of driving from Folsom to Lake Tahoe proves that although the dynamic and visual elements of this region change with the season, the Sierra Nevada and its accouterments remains forever beautiful, free and available to everyone — without blowing the vacation budget on airfare and ho-hum motels.

Visitors planning to visit the lake can contact El Dorado County Visitors Authority, c/o Chamber of Commerce, 542 Main St., Placerville, 95667, 530-621-5885 or call Hope Valley Outdoor Center, 530-694-2266, for firsthand foliage reports, bike rentals and recreation suggestions. %

El Dorado County Adventures | 11

SALLY LONGJOHNS

12 | El Dorado County Adventures

Local Family Owned & Operated for Over 30 Years!

Full Service Heating & Air Company Call for Current FinanCing and rebate offers.

• Air Conditioners • Heating & Heat Pumps • Furnaces • Top Industry Warranties • We Service All Makes & Models • Maintenance Contracts • New Construction • Remodels • 100% Financing O.A.C.

916-988-6137 • 530-677-1918 www.goldenaire.net Senior DiScountS

• License #423363 • EPA Refrigerant Handling Cert.

• Qualified Duct Testing & Sealing • CF-6R Compliance Angies List Super Service Award Winner!

Sly Park/Jenkinson Lake

Here’s a few things you can enjoy.

Day use and overnight camping — individual sites and group areas; equestrian camping area with corrals 640 surface acres of lake water

Oldest Hardware Store West of the Mississippi

Est. 1852

8.5 miles of shoreline Black Oak equestrian trail and campground

2 boat ramps (no personal water craft) Boat rentals available (see website for hours and online reservations) More than 9 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails

THE STORE THAT HAS IT ALL! COME MEET OUR GHOST!

Event facility with full kitchen available for rent

4771 Sly Park Road, Pollock Pines, CA (530) 295-6810 | www.EID.org/Recreation Sly Park Recreation Area is owned and operated

by El Dorado Irrigation District and is just one of our recreation facilities.

441 Main Street, Placerville 530-622-1151

El Dorado County Adventures | 13

tOP 6

Most Haunted Sites in El Dorado County

L

ooking at the dangling outlaw effigy at the Hangman’s Tree building on Placerville’s Main

Street, it is clear that many interesting, adventurous and rugged folks once populated the hills of El Dorado County.

Not only was the Gold Rush filled with gunslingers, wicked women and criminals of every stripe – along with

photos: SHELLY THORENE

the good folk, of course – but some of them might never have left.

14 | El Dorado County Adventures

1

Cary House Hotel 300 Main St., Placerville

An elevator that carries ghostly passengers and numerous reports from guests of the hotel convinces ghost hunters this spot is well worth a visit. Stan the long-dead clerk may even offer to carry your bags.

photo: PAUL COCKRELL

2

PEARSON’S SODA WORKS 594 Main St., Placerville

Where a bearded man has been seen in the upstairs of the building. Employees call him Charley. Reports, too, have been made regarding a phantom cat.

photo: PAUL COCKRELL

El Dorado County Adventures | 15

3

tHE SEQuOiA mANSiON

(formerly the Bee-Bennett House) 643 Bee St., Placerville

Built in 1853 by Judge Marcus Bennett, the building is said to remain home to a little girl, Molly Bennett, who died after falling down a steep staircase there. A Bennett son also is said to have died at age 4 and is buried in the cemetery across the street. The building was a restaurant for several years, with guests reporting unexplained noises, apparitions, objects moving, lights turning on and off by themselves and water running suddenly, unexplainably from faucets. It is now a wedding venue and home to the Nello Olivo Wine Tasting room in the cellar. The spirits of mischievous children are a common occurrence.

4

El DORADO COuNty CHAmBER OF COmmERCE BuilDiNg 542 Main St., Placerville

Actually another site where a hangman’s tree saw duty back in the mid1800s. At one time a hotel stood here, but closed for unknown reasons. It also was a veterans’ gathering place and a community center. Reports of pictures falling off walls, toilet flushing upstairs when no one’s there, hearing footsteps and a door opening of its own accord. Passersby report the specter of a bearded man with a top hat on the second story mezzanine where the hanging-branch once was located. A disembodied woman’s voice has been heard emanating from a balcony.

16 | El Dorado County Adventures

5

The Diamond Springs Hotel

545 Pleasant Valley Road, Diamond Springs Built on the site of what was a Miwok tribe crematorium. Some people report hearing noises in the restrooms, feelings of being watched. Food and other items seem to disappear once they are set down. There have been reports of the specter of a “filmy” man who tends to sit in the back booth of the building. Upstairs, children can be heard giggling and running about as if playing. People driving by have reported seeing the apparition of a woman in an upstairs window, peering out.

6

The Georgetown Hotel 6260 Main St., Georgetown

Strange noises, said to be haunted by a former owner. Also, the sound of a child bouncing a ball in a hallway, thought to be the ghost of a 3-year-old who died in his sleep. A baby’s laughter is heard, along with footsteps walking down the stairs. There even is a report of a transparent nightgown floating up the stairs to the rooms above.

El Dorado County Adventures | 17

Talisman Collection Inc. is a full-service fine jeweler.

Certified by GIA and AGS, we charge 25% over wholesale for diamonds.

CUSTOM JEWELRY DESIGN FINE JEWELRY STORE GIA APPRAISALS | JEWELRY REPAIRS

2021

18 | El Dorado County Adventures

2021

Experience Matters

Choosing the right real estate partner is the most important decision you will make.

Choose partners who have proven results. Choose local. Choose experience.

Andi and her husband Kaleb have lived in El Dorado County for 25 years where they have raised their children. Trent and his wife Heidi have called El Dorado County their home for 18 years where they raise their children. Andi and Trent are committed to their community. They know the terrain and have built strong relationships that benefit their clients.

*Buyers * Sellers * Short-Sales * Foreclosures * First-Time Home Buyers * 1031 Exchanges * Residential Income * Commercial

Trent Andra

Realtor Associate | DRE #01453724

916.220.9966

trent@trentandra.com www.trentandra.com

Andi Wagner

Broker Associate | DRE #01706844

530.409.3984

andiwagnerrealtor@gmail.com www.AndiSellsNorCal.com El Dorado County Adventures | 19

HISTORY COMES ALIVE AT

Gold Bug Park

photos: KRYSTEN KELLUM & SHELLY THORENE

20 | El Dorado County Adventures

Priest Mine

Passing by the golden poppies at the entrance to Placerville’s Gold Bug Park just north of town, one might think the nearly hidden little haven of history doesn’t have all that much to offer. However, park volunteers would have to disagree.

Gold Bug Park e

S

v e. ord A

el

St.

49

t.

S p r in g S

To Tahoe

To Sacramento 50

t aS lom Co

Once gold was discovered in January 1848 at Coloma, it wasn’t long before some $7,000 worth of gold nuggets was pulled out in two days from Big Canyon Creek that still winds through Gold Bug Park today. That happened

n Tun

THE DISCOVERY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

L an

To Auburn

POPULAR SITE What better way to understand the rigors and hardships faced by the Fortyniners than to see the actual pick-marks in the rock walls of the Priest Mine, which lies up Vulture Claim Trail from Gold Bug Mine.

“I wouldn’t have wanted to be a miner,” said a visitor from Southern California after hearing talk about the dynamite it required to blast through the rock — the job of the “powder monkey” being the most dangerous in the mines. “It looks way too hard.”

Indeed.

A tour through the Gold Bug and Priest mines gives visitors an inkling of what it took to live this tough life, taking a pick to dig and slice through rock for a day’s wages.

The Priest Mine contains carefully chiseled archways likely designed and chopped by miners from Cornwall, England, who had come to this country once the tin mines in their homeland petered out. Chilean miners also lent their expertise in pursuing their own dreams of riches in the Mother Lode.

Bug

Be d f

There are several history-loving volunteers on hand to show folks through Gold Bug Park and visitors are welcome daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guided tours are ideal, since the knowledge imparted by the Gold Bug experts includes questions tossed out by the students and others taking the tour.

Gold

E

DOCENTS DO THEIR JOB

W

N

50

Ma

i

Main St

.

t. nS

FROM SACRAMENTO: Take Hwy. 50 E to Placerville. Continue to the 3rd stoplight on Hwy. 50 at Bedford Avenue. Turn left at Bedford Ave., continue about one mile to the park entrance. Turn right on Gold Bug Lane into the park.

FROM TAHOE: Take Hwy. 50 W to Placerville. Turn right at the first stoplight on Hwy. 50 at Bedford Avenue, continue about one mile to the park entrance. Turn right on Gold Bug Lane into the park.

FROM AUBURN: Take Hwy. 49 S to Placerville to Hwy. 50. Turn left. Exit at Bedford Ave., continue about one mile to the park entrance. Turn right on Gold Bug Lane into the park.

El Dorado County Adventures | 21

THE LINGO Visitors will be told of the unique mining terms used by those who sought to become rich, words like “drift” to describe the quartz they chased, “stope” for the wooden steps that aided in seeking the gold at different levels in the mine, “powder monkey” for the intrepid miner who handled the dynamite.

It was the powder monkey who was sent back into the mine in the morning after the charges from the day before had been ignited, blowing chunks of rock off the walls so the hunt for gold could proceed.

The dynamite blasts were counted and sometimes one would not explode — that’s when the powder monkey’s job became extremely dangerous, as he was the guy sent back in to check the faulty charge that could explode at any time.

But hey, that’s why they got an extra 25 cents a day.

MORE TO SEE when gold was $20 an ounce — most recently the price was running upward of $1,700 an ounce.

In other words, that was a lot of gold for two days’ panning in the creek and soon there were more than 240 claims staked in the 60-acre Gold Bug area.

After the easy pickins’ from panning the creek ran out, the miners turned toward the hard-rock hill where tantalizing veins of gold-bearing quartz beckoned, daring them to take pick and ax to burrow their way to fortune.

The tunnel at the lower Gold Bug Mine goes back 352 feet into the hill, while the Priest Mine is more compact but has a depth of 110 feet, with a 55-foot air shaft created by the sweat and toil of the hardy men.

Both mines are fascinating, with the imagination giving life to the driven souls who knew that their future lay just one more swing of the pick, just one more turn of the tunnel.

Unfortunately, because records were destroyed in three different fi res that swept through Placerville over the years, no records are available of just how much gold was taken from the Gold Bug and Priest mines.

After checking out the mine shafts, a short walk up a hill north of Hattie’s Gift Shop takes visitors to the Joshua Hendy Stamp Mill and Gold Bug’s blacksmith shop, must-sees on any trip to the park.

A quarter-scale replica of the Joshua Hendy Stamp contraption was built by El Dorado High School student Henry Garcia back in 1999, with the young man donating the working model to the park.

SPECIAL PROPERTY

”

Gold Bug Park belongs to the city of Placerville, the only city in California with its own gold mine. The Gold Bug Park Development Committee was formed in 1980 to protect and present the property for public use and in February 1985 Gold Bug was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It also is registered as a California State Point of Interest.

If you live anywhere near Placerville’s Gold Bug Mine or are visiting the area and haven’t taken the time to explore this historical treasure, do yourself a favor and this time don’t pass the poppies. Pop on in, pick up a gold pan, walk through the mines and marvel at the skill of the miners. This is one bug you’ll want to catch.

For more information visit goldbugpark. org or call 530-642-5207. Self-guided tours are also available.

AMERICA’S TRANSMISSION EXPERTS SINCE 1962 Check Engine Light On?

“Get it checked ”

FREE!

Includes Road Test & Electronic Scan ($85 Value) WE OFFER DRIVELINE SERVICE AND REPAIR FOR MOTOR HOMES AND MEDIUM DUTY TRUCKS

PLACERVILLE 3024 Briw Road • (530) 626-8740

Transmission Only $2995 Service Includes up to 5 qts of ATF. Filter & specialty fluids extra.

Most Cars

One coupon per customer. Must be present at time of sale.

Not valid with other offers. Expires: 3.31.23 ADV22

All Durabuilt Transmission 530-626-8740

22 | El Dorado County Adventures

“

There’s nothing like the Gold Bug!

Transmission Repair $100 Off Any Major InternalAutomatic One coupon per customer. Must be present at time of sale.

Not valid with other offers. Expires: 3.31.23 ADV22

All Durabuilt Transmission 530-626-8740

TRANS CHECK

21 PLUS

INSPECTION

Hours: Monday – Friday 8am - 5pm

FREE AN $85 VALUE!

Includes Roadside Electronic Scan

One coupon per customer. Must be present at time of sale.

Not valid with other offers. Expires: 3.31.23 ADV22

All Durabuilt Transmission 530-626-8740

Experience The Gold Rush Era At The

American River Inn Enjoy The Magic Of This 1853 Historic Victorian Mansion

Originally a private residence, the American River Inn is a welcoming and elegant Bed & Breakfast Inn situated between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe in the heart of California’s Gold Country. Close proximity to all American River recreational activities. Enjoy old-fashioned hospitality in a charming setting!

EVENTS | WEDDINGS | REUNIONS | MEETINGS

6600 Orleans Street, Georgetown (530) 333-4499 www.americanriverinn.com El Dorado County Adventures | 23

The Spirit of Winter Awaits…

Sierra-at-Tahoe

24 | El Dorado County Adventures

Nestled among the pines above Echo Summit, just 13 miles from the crystal blue waters of South Lake Tahoe, Sierra-at-Tahoe has been a winter-time staple for those living and traveling along the Highway 50 corridor for generations.

B

ut what is it about the unassuming, The closest resort to Placerville, Sacramento and privately operated mountain that keeps the Bay Area, Sierra is the first ski area that those skiers and riders returning season after coming eastbound on Highway 50 encounter. This season, year after makes it a logical choice year? The Tahoe Basin alone for those looking to forego Sierra-at-Tahoe’s prime boasts 14 different ski areas lodging and come to the location. The closest resort and yet the 2,000 acre resort mountains for a simple day to Placerville, Sacramento continues to stand out as trip. It’s also worth noting and the Bay Area, Sierra a place where locals and that, thanks to its geographic visitors alike choose to play. As location and high elevation, is the first ski area that temperatures begin to drop Echo Summit historically those coming eastbound on and the local resort begins to gets the most snow in all of Highway 50 encounter gear up for winter, the time the Tahoe Basin. Sierra-atis perfect to take a deeper Tahoe averages 400-inches of look. At first snow annually, glance, the turning its treemost obvious covered slopes answer is into a wintry Sierra-atplayground for Tahoe’s prime all to explore. location.

A great deal but

{

{

“

”

El Dorado County Adventures | 25

Sierra’s snowy and convenient location isn’t all that sets it apart. Since the mountain first opened for operation in 1946, Sierra-at-Tahoe (then known as Sierra Ski Ranch) has maintained a strong commitment to providing incredible value for its guests.

One of Sierra’s old slogans reads, “Everybody Just Chill,” in an effort to bring people away from the stresses of life and back to the playful nature of skiing and snowboarding. Throughout the resort — from its terrain to its employees to the vibe in the air — a welcoming and laid back atmosphere can be felt, inviting people to let their inhibitions go and truly enjoy their time in the mountains. Whether it’s someone’s first day on the slopes or their 100th, if they are on rental skis or the new year’s top model, all are invited to come and play as they are. The spirit of winter sports is alive, well and thriving at Sierra-at-Tahoe and it shows no signs of changing anytime soon. Easy to get to and thoughtfully priced, the energy and community on its slopes are truly one of a kind. First-timers in jeans share the mountain with Olympic Gold Medalists, high-fiving each other on chairlifts and reveling in the fun of sliding on snow.

2022 Keepsake Ornaments in Store Now!

Cards ● Collectibles ● Ornaments ● Gifts Gift Wrap ● Stationery ● Art Supplies ● Music 409 Main St., Downtown Placerville 530-622-4510 • pvillenews.com Family Owned & Operated Since 1912 26 | El Dorado County Adventures

AMERICAN FUSION AMERICAN FUSION SCAN FOR MENU

LUNCH & DINNER BEER & & WINE LUNCH DINNER • BEER & WINE CRAFT COCKTAILS COCKTAILS • PATIO DINING CRAFT

629 Main Street | Placerville, CA 95667 530-344-7645 www.IndependentPlacerville.com 629 Main Street |Ste. 102 | Placerville, CA 95667 530-344-7645 | www.IndependentPlacerville.com “The Working Man’s Outfitter Store”

Since 1948 H 469 Main Street, Placerville

H 622-3414 H

Mon–Sat: 9:30–6 • Sun 10–4

GUIDED KING SALMON FISHING SACRAMENTO RIVER • FEATHER RIVER

• 24’ Custom Alumaweld Jet Boat • US Coast Guard, Master License • Best Equipment & Guides Provided • DFW Licensed • CPR & First Aid Certified • Fish Cleaned & Processed GUIDED FISHING & JET BOAT TOURS SALMON SHAD RAINBOW TROUT STURGEON STEELHEAD STRIPED BASS NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GUIDE SERVICE SINCE 1985

530.755.7196 • NORCALSALMONGUIDE.COM El Dorado County Adventures | 27

Passport To Your Financial Future

LPL Financial Set your self up for adventure, travel and peace of mind.

Japan

Having a Destination for Retirement Can Be So Refreshing.

Let’s talk about financial planning and get an investment strategy designed to meet your needs!

A successful retirement is a dream shared by every working American.

India We specialize in helping my clients meet their retirement goals by providing them the guidance they need to achieve the retirement of their dreams.

And we can help you do the same.

Call or email us for your retirement planning, or other areas of investing!

Alpine Meadows Ski Resort 2600 Alpine Meadows Road, Tahoe City 530-583-4232 Skialpine.com

Mt. Rose – Ski Tahoe 22222 Mt Rose Hwy., Reno 775-849-0704 Skirose.com

Boreal Mountain Resort 19749 Boreal Ridge Road, Soda Springs 530-426-3666 Rideboreal.com

Northstar California 5001 Northstar Drive, Truckee 530-562-2267 Northstarattahoe.com

Diamond Peak 1210 Ski Way, Incline Village 775-832-1177 Diamondpeak.com

Sierra-at-Tahoe 1111 Sierra-at-Tahoe Road, Twin Bridges 530-659-7453 Sierraattahoe.com

Donner Ski Ranch 19320 Donner Pass Road, Norden 530-426-3635 Donnerskiranch.com

New Zealand

Columbia

2021

Providing investment advice and financial services to individuals and businesses in the Sacramento and El Dorado Hills area since 1988.

Shari Merle, CFP® Branch Manager (916) 933-2117 • shari.merle@lpl.com • Lic#0761226

Stephen Merle, CFP® Investment Planner (916) 933-2117 • stephen.merle@lpl.com • Lic#0F85243 Securities Offered Through LPL Financial • Member FINRA/SIPC

(916) 933-2117 • www.sharimerle.com 981 Governor Drive, Ste. #101 • El Dorado Hills 28 | El Dorado County Adventures

Area Ski Resorts in and around El Dorado County

Heavenly Mountain Resort 3860 Saddle Road, South Lake Tahoe 775-586-7000 Skiheavenly.com Homewood Mountain Resort 5145 Westlake Blvd., Homewood 530-584-6800 Skihomewood.com Kirkwood Mountain Resort 1501 Kirkwood Meadows Drive, Kirkwood 209-258-6000 Kirkwood.com

Soda Springs 10244 Soda Springs Road, Soda Springs 530-426-3901 Skisodasprings.com Sugar Bowl 629 Sugar Bowl Road, Norden 530-426-9000 Sugarbowl.com Palisades Tahoe 1960 Squaw Valley Road, Olympic Valley 800-403-0206 Squaw.com Tahoe Donner 11509 Northwoods Blvd., Truckee 530-587-9400

Sno-Parks

P

P

Wanted P P Bright Pearly Whites

A permit is required for each vehicle parked at a Sno-Park site from Nov. 1 to May 30. Permits are sold as day permits or seasonal permits by permit vendors throughout Northern California. Day permits are sold for $5 and are valid for one single day. Season permits are sold for $25 and are valid for the entire Sno-Park season.

Taylor Creek Taylor Creek parking lot is on the west side of Highway 89, just north of Camp Richardson in El Dorado County.

There is cross-country skiing to Fallen Leaf Lake. Limited snowmobiling and snow play. Call USFS at 530-5732600.

Iron Mountain Iron Mountain parking lot is on the north side of Highway 88 in El Dorado County, at the Mormon Emigrant Trail Road, 40 miles east of Jackson in Amador County. There are extensive snowmobile trails, cross-country trails and snow play areas. Call USFS at 209-295-4251.

Jeff Little DDS

o

General and Cosmetic Dentistry

Thank You for Voting us Best Dentist!

Serving Children & Adults in a Relaxing Atmosphere!

F Sedation Dentistry F Massage Chairs F Movies Available!

F Laughing Gas Available

q q q

Carson Pass Ranger Station Carson Pass is on the south side of Highway 88 at Carson Pass 60 in Alpine County. It is a popular cross-country ski area with limited snow play. No snowmobiles. Call USFS at 209-295-4251.

Echo Lake Echo Lake is on the north side of Highway 50 at Echo Lake Road a half mile west of Echo Summit in El Dorado County.

Popular cross-country ski area with limited snow play. No snowmobiles and no parking on entry road. Call USFS at 530-543-2600.

Hope Valley Hope Valley parking lot is on the south side of Highway 88 at Blue Lakes Road 5 miles east of Carson Pass and 2 miles west of Picketts Junction (Highway 88 and 89) in Alpine County. There are snowmobile trails, cross-country skiing, dog sledding and limited snow play. No overnight parking is allowed. Call USFS at 775-884-8101.

Look for Dr. Little's informative column every Wednesday in the Mountain Democrat on Page (3) New Patients and Emergencies are Always Welcome!

"Thank You, El Dorado County!"

Mountain Democrat Mountain Democrat

22 0 00 1 09 22 0 01 1 06

22 0 1 04 01

Mountain Democrat

Mountain Democrat

344 Placerville Drive, Suite 19, Placerville (530) 626-9127 Visit us at www.JeffLittleDDS.com

More information: parks.ca.gov/?page_id=1233 El Dorado County Adventures | 29

story: WENDY SCHULTZ photos: COURTESY Borges Sleigh & Carriage Rides

the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh

Borges Carriage and Sleigh Rides

I

t’s not just the stuff of Christmas songs. Sleigh rides through snow-covered forests really do exist — and at the Nevada State Park at Sand Harbor, the horses also jingle their bells along a snow-covered beach. It’s that irresistible combination of snow, beach and the Sierra Nevada mirrored in crystal clear Lake Tahoe waters that add a definite “wow” to oldfashioned fun with the Borges Family Sleigh Rides.

30 | El Dorado County Adventures

Since 1969, the Borges family has been providing wintertime “wow” for couples, families and special events such as bachelorette parties and weddings. Starting when Sam Borges built a homemade sleigh to take his four children to school in South Lake Tahoe and expanding to include visitors to the Tahoe area, Borges Carriage and Sleigh Rides has been part of the Tahoe experience for more than 50 years.

The ride

Through the years, Borges Sleigh Rides has moved from a meadow where the Edgewood Golf Course is now located, to a meadow near Bally’s Lake Tahoe Casino Resort, to its current location in Sand Harbor State Park. It’s a great location, with plenty of parking, a Visitor Center and an amazing view of Lake Tahoe and the Sand Harbor beaches.

Guests check in for either a one hour or a 30 minute ride at Borges’ little hut, where they meet their driver and maybe get a cup of hot chocolate. Your driver introduces you to the horse or horses that will pull you on this wonderful adventure. After a blanket is tucked securely around you, the ride begins, whisking you down the beach of Sand Harbor. Lake Tahoe’s mirror-like beauty unfolds before you, the snow-covered mountains surround you and it’s a stunning view. If you’re lucky, you might be out when it’s snowing and big, daisyshaped flakes float down to land lightly on your cheeks. Sleigh rides occur in most weather conditions, whether there is snow on the ground or not; whether flakes are coming down or not. When there is no snow on the ground, the sleighs are adapted to wheels instead of sled runners and the show goes on.

The sleigh turns into the day use

picnic area and then into thick forest — stands of fragrant cedars and jeffrey pines —going the back way around to the huge boulders of the North Beach.

Along the way, the driver will entertain you with the history and legends of the area, songs (you’ll be encouraged to join in, even if your singing voice is usually restricted to your car or shower) and stops for photos and selfies.

“This is the prettiest place this side of heaven,” said Dianna Borges, who runs Borges Carriage and Sleigh Rides along with her husband Dwight. “Even when Mother Nature is at her worst, you see the waves on the lake, the sun sparkling on the snow. It’s both marvelous and spiritual.”

Horses

The second most amazing part of the ride, besides the scenery, is probably the huge blonde Belgian horses. Strong and friendly beauties with easy-going temperaments, Belgian draft horses are the choice of the Borges family.

“We found that the Belgians had just the right temperament,” said Dianna.

“Easy-going, calm and friendly. They are very social and seem to like getting their pictures taken. They love the pats they get from people and the carrots.”

Sleigh riders may meet Bert and Ernie, the smallest of the amiable horses that willingly pull sleighs and carriages for Borges. Unlike the huge blonde Belgian draft horses who weigh about 2,000 pounds, Bert and Ernie are Halflingers, smaller, 1,000 pound draft horses who pull the lighter sleighs. “Those two are regular cards," said Dianna.

Some people are concerned that the horses are overworked or doing something they are forced to do. “They love the exercise and the interaction with people," said Dianna. “Between the rides, the horses rest. It’s not many employers who allow napping on the job.”

Horsing around

The horses also have a month off in April when the sleigh rides close down and horses and equipment move back to the Borges ranch in Gardnerville, Nev. “Everyone gets a nice rest and the horses eat and play,” said Dianna. “They miss the work, though; they are always eager to come back to the carriage rides

in the summer.”

Exercise was one of the factors in starting the sleigh rides. The first horse was Little Joe, a pony that David Borges, son of Borges Carriage Rides founders Sam and Rosie Borges, won in a raffle given by a South Lake Tahoe car dealership. As Little Joe grew, Sam Borges used him to give carriage rides for visitors during the summer. But horses need exercise all year around. “Our first sleigh was built by Sam Borges,” said daughter-in-law Dianna. “He copied it from one he saw in a Sears catalog.”

Little Joe ferried Sam and Rosie’s four children to and from school in the sleigh, much to the delight of their friends who often came along. At a suggestion from another parent, Sam approached the Park family who owned much of the Tahoe area to use one of their meadows near Stateline to offer sleigh rides for winter visitors.

Sleighs

Two person sleighs, four person, nine person and even 20 person sleighs meet just about everyone’s needs whether they are in for a romantic ride, family fun, a bachelorette party or even a bit

of corporate team building. Sip hot chocolate with a cozy blanket tucked around you and even the coldest day becomes a magical experience.

The sleighs are hand-built by the Borges or purchased from the Amish.

During the spring break, they are put into perfect order by workers on the Gardnerville ranch.

Named by Romantic Travel Guide as “One of the Best Places to Kiss in Northern California,” Borges sleighs have been the location for proposals, weddings and anniversaries.

The drivers

“Our crew is our family,” said Dianna.

This is the literal truth as the whole family, Sam and Rosie, their four sons, David, Dwight, Don and Dean and their grandchildren have all worked the sleigh and carriage rides. Youngest son Dwight and his wife Dianna have operated the business for many years and one of their daughters works in the office.

“Crew members start from the ground up, learning to groom and brush the horses first,” said Dianna who fell in love with Dwight during a sleigh ride and El Dorado County Adventures | 31

THAI PARADISE ADVENTURES IN EATING Voted “BEST ASIAN RESTAURANT”

ONLINE ORDERING FOR DELIVERY AND TAKE-OUT ON OUR WEBSITES

DELIVERY BY DOORDASH, SNAPTOWN, UBEREATS AND GRUBHUB

In Folsom. 916-984-8988 2770 E Bidwell St #100 www.thaiparadisefolsom.com

In El Dorado Hills. 916-939-0389 4361 Town Center Blvd #110 www.thaiparadiseedh.com

Friends of El Dorado Trail Take a walk, bike, or ride your horse through history via old railroad corridors, old mining towns, and the Pony Express Trail!

Friends of El Dorado Trail advocate, publicize, and strategize on behalf of the trail.

Year ‘Round!

♦ 60+ Miles of trail from El Dorado Hills to Tahoe ♦ 14 Miles of Class 1 Bike Path ♦ 50+ Miles of Single Track

eldoradotrail.com

www.facebook.com/eldoradotrail 32 | El Dorado County Adventures

It’s a job that carries some wonderful benefits. “No corner office can compare with what we get to see daily,” said Dianna. “It’s important that both crew and horses enjoy what they do — they are more confident and they do better when they enjoy the work. I think that’s one of the reasons we’re so successful as a business. We take each other’s needs into consideration and make sure our customers have a good time.”

“The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh…” sings Dianna. “Really, they do.”

INDOOR AND PATIO DINING

TRAIL

returned the following year to join the business and, later, marry Dwight. “For the whole first year, all I did was walk the horses.” She works in the office, but she also does reupholstering of the sleighs.

“We all wear a lot of different hats and we can all do each other’s work.”

Making reservations

You can make reservations for the summer carriage rides at South Lake Tahoe or the winter sleigh rides at Sand Harbor online at sleighride.com. The summer rides are from May through October and the winter season is from November through March. Reservations are recommended although walk up rides are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Rides are weather dependent, but the sleighs are adapted for most circumtances.

For more information about Borges Sleigh Rides visit the website sleighride. com or call or text (775) 588-2953. You can also learn more about the amazing life of Borges Carriage and Sleigh Rides founder, Sam Borges, who helped to build the Tahoe Keys through the book

by Dianna Borges, “Sleigh Rides in Lake Tahoe: Memoirs of Sam Borges” which can be ordered for $10 or purchased at the Borges office in Sand Harbor.

LITE BITES | LOCAL BEER & WINE | CRAFT COCKTAILS

YOU HAVE A CHOICE!

TELL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY YOU WANT ABSOLUTE!

MONTHLY GIVE-AWAYS!

Go to @AbsoluteAutoGlas @AbsoluteAutoGlass or @AbsoluteAutoGlass Locally Owned. We Give Back To Our Community. We Provide Quality Products, Installation & Service.

50OFF! FREE

WINDOW Call for Details $ TINTING $ Starting as Low as

99

Trust your flawless window tinting to the most experienced tinter in Northern California. Visit Jon at Absolute Auto Glass Today!

ANY SERVICE

See store or call for details. Some restrictions apply. Not good with any other offer. Please present coupon. For a limited time only.

Absolute Auto Glass • 530-295-1818

10

$

00

OR

CHIP REPAIR

RV WINDSHIELDS

With Insurance

OFF

See store or call for details. Some restrictions apply. Not good with any other offer. Please present coupon. For a limited time only.

Absolute Auto Glass • 530-295-1818

We Make It Simple

Get Your RV Ready for the Road with Absolute Auto Glass Specialists Be Prepared for Winter Travel Call Today for a FREE Estimate Mountain Demo

crat

OFF HWY 50 ~ 3020 Briw Rd., Placerville

530-295-1818 • 530autoglass.com

Lic# 045233

Open Mon. – Fri. 8am – 5pm • Sat. 8am –1pm

Vo Voted ted#1 #1Au Auto toGla Glass ss 109 Years Straight

El Dorado County Adventures | 33

Experience Placerville (Old Hangtown, Dry Diggins)

bell tower by paul cockrell

How did it get its name?

First visited by white men in 1848, Placerville was known as Dry Diggings because the gold laden dirt had to be hauled to the creek to be washed.

In 1849, three men were hanged on Main Street and the town became known as Hangtown. By 1854, Hangtown had become the third largest town in California, with the increasing population came a temperance league, a Methodist Episcopal church and agitation for a less morbid name. Placerville had been suggested as early as 1850. It became official when the city was incorporated in 1854.

What is the history?

Because of fires a group met in 1853 and formed the Neptune Hose Company No. 1, a volunteer fire department to protect life and property.

In spite of its preparation, 1856 brought three great fires and nine years later a Belltower was erected in the plaza to call volunteer firemen. With gold mining on the wane, things remained fairly quiet in town until 1888, when the railroad arrived. Placerville soon became the hub of business. In the 1960s, the crooked and winding two-lane Highway 50 became a fourlane freeway, making Placerville an easy drive from and to Sacramento and Lake Tahoe.

What’s unique about the area?

Today, historical Downtown Placerville offers visitors a unique place to shop and experience life in an authentic gold rush town.

34 | El Dorado County Adventures

hangtown christmas parade

octoberfest weiner dog races

main street

Visitors Welcome Take a break from the usual El Dorado County adventures with a visit to our Alpaca ranch.

VISITORS WELCOME

Get up close andtopersonal with Take a break from the usual El Dorado County adventures with a visit our Alpaca these magical and gentle animals ranch. Get up close and personal with these magical and gentle animals Please call for an appointment

Please call for an appointment 530-620-6033/530-744-7474 530-620-6033/530-744-7474 • www.alpacasofsomersetfarm.com

Alpacas of Somerset Farm ~ 8226 Stoney Creek Rd. • Fair Play, CA

Alpacas of Somerset Farm 8226 Stoney Creek Rd| 35 El Dorado County Adventures

Experience Coloma (Gold Panning)

How did it get its name?

Coloma gets its name from a nearby Southern Maidu village called Culloma.

What’s the history?

Coloma is most noted for being the site where James W. Marshall found gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills, at Sutter’s Mill on January 24, 1848, leading to the California Gold Rush.

In 1890 Marshall was buried on a hill above the park. His statue points to the location where gold was discovered.

What’s unique about the area?

Today, countless prospectors visit the area to try their luck at gold panning.

Of particular note is the rafting industry as the South Fork American River is one of the most popular white-water trips in North America.

36 | El Dorado County Adventures

CONTACTLESS MENU

CHOCOLATES GIFTS • LOCAL WINES

• Large selection of handmade artisan chocolates • Our chocolates paired with wines from El Dorado & Amador Counties • Gift boxes of all sizes for any occassion

Located at the Gateway of AppleAVAILABLE Hill View our menu at smithflathouse.com

Look at me through Wee kly your smart phone Even camera! ts

Holiday & Gift • Treats & Pairings!

From Farm To House Everything Made Fresh For THE OurHEALTH Friends AND SAFETY OF OUR TEAM AND Serving Cold Artisan Craft Beers GUESTS & Local Wines!

IS OUR TOP PRIORITY EVERY DAY. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEKTHANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! You can also visit smithflathouse.com/menus

2021

(530) 295-9390 • 6240 Pleasant Valley Rd., El Dorado www.annabelleschocolate.com

Mon-Thur 5pm-9pm | Fri 11am-9pm | Sun 10am-9pm Made with

by Popmenu 2021 Smith Flat Rd, Placerville • smithflathouse.com

El Dorado County Adventures | 37

AC L P M

A

ERVILLE’

S

. JUNCTI IN ST O Yogur t • Breakfast Coffee • and More!

13 Sweet Years!

N

Proudly Pouring Serving You Since 2009

placerville coffee Depot 70 Main St. (530) 295-3920 Open 7 Days a Week

Whistle stop Yogurt Mountain Demo

crat

2021

58 Main St. (530) 642-TOOT (8668) Open 7 Days a Week

thedepotjunction.com

BRAND NEW! Rest in comfort in our newly remodeled rooms!

Coming Soon Coming Soon Downtown Downtown Placerville Placerville

Fall 2022 Spring 2022

• Rare Beads • Unique Crystals • Large Inventory • Bead Design Classes • Owned by skilled beading artist

SCAN TO SHOP

Visit Nature’s Wonderland!

Best Western Stage Coach Inn 5940 Pony Express Trail Pollock Pines, CA 95726

530-644-2029 38 | El Dorado County Adventures

530-363-2475 • 440 Main Street artisticbeadsstudio.com

HOME LOANS, LLC

Hangtown’s

Gold Bug Park & Mine

Divide Chamber of

Take a walk into Gold Rush History!

Commerce - Treasurer

• Unique, inexpensive, educational family fun • Mine tours and gem panning • Free mining museum & stamp mill • Blacksmith shop • Gift shop • Miles of dog friendly hiking trails • Covered picnic pavilion • Free parking

Community Leader/ Youth Advocate Long time El Dorado County Resident Sol Nisbet

I’m dedicated to my clients and to the community I have called home for 20 years. I’m here for all your mortgage needs.

TION ATTRAC T LOCAL !

FOR BES Years In A Row 10

Best Local Attraction

2635 Gold Bug Lane Placerville, CA 95667 530.642.5207 www.goldbugpark.org

DRE #02058505 NMLS #1729528

Mortgage Loan Officer 530-401-5605 sol@homeloansbysol.com www.homeloansbysol.com

NMLS 703009

DRE 02107713 El Dorado County Adventures | 39

Experience Camino (Apple Hill)

How did it get its name?

This area, now known best for its orchards, vineyards and wineries, started in the 1860s as a lumber town when two Scottish brothers, James and John Blair built a sawmill and called the area Camino.

What’s the history?

The successors to the Blairs established a mill and drying yard in Camino and transported lumber over the South Fork of the American River by way of a unique cable tramway. Because of its excellent, fertile soils and pleasant ridge-top climate, the Camino area is known for its apple and stone fruit orchards. In the 1970s wine grape vines were introduced to the area.

What’s unique about the area?

Thousands of people now visit what is known as Apple Hill® to enjoy the fruit harvest and partake in the Christmas tradition of selecting and cutting their holiday Christmas tree.

40 | El Dorado County Adventures

Experience El Dorado Hills (Town Center)

How did it get its name?

The founders chose the name because the area is located in the foothills of El Dorado County.

What’s the history?

El Dorado Hills was built on land that for years was used to graze cattle and horses. To the north, Green Valley Road was the major route for people and supplies heading to the mines. Immigrants heading to the fertile soils of the valley used a road to the south, near present-day Highway 50. Both routes had numerous inns and waystations. In the 1960s the first residential development occurred, based on a village concept. El Dorado Hills includes the longest surviving section of the Lincoln Highway, the first U.S. transcontinental highway. This section passes through historic Clarksville and is the predecessor of the modern U.S. 50 route.

What’s unique about the area?

El Dorado Hills offers an exquisite upscale shopping and dining experience.

El Dorado County Adventures | 41

On your next adventure Protect you and your family • UV Protection • Heat Protection • Privacy and Glare Protection • Energy Savings Certified 3M Installer

a Niem nn’s

Automotive Window Tint Discover all the wonderful benefits 3M Auto window film can do for you!

Inc.

530- 622-5418

126 Forni Road, Placerville • Inside Thompsons CDJR • www.WeLoveDetailing.com Want to relax and laugh more with friends? Trouble getting good sleep away from home? Sore after a day of play? We can help with that!

Bring in this ad for

YOUR CANNABIS & HOLISTIC WELLNESS CENTER Come in for a FREE CONSULTATION with our knowledgeable staff to discuss how cannabis may assist you in finding relief from • Pain • Anxiety • Insomnia • PTSD • Cancer • Arthritis • and many other ailments

5% OFF

your purchase!

Scan for Menu

C10-0000752-LIC

CHUCKS WELLNESS CENTER AND CANNABIS DISPENSARY 530-303-3120 • 1318 Broadway, Placerville • chuckswellnesscenter.com 42 | El Dorado County Adventures

Experience Fair Play (Wineries) How did it get its name?

The original settlement of Fair Play is attributed to two gentlemen, Charles Staples and N. Sisson, who arrived there around 1853. One day the two apparently fell into a disagreement that grew into what must have been a not-too-gentlemanly fight. The fight ended when some of the other newly arrived residents appealed to them to “play fair.” Thus, we’re told, the town became known as Fair Play.

What’s the history?

The settlement of Fair Play was a result of the discovery of gold in and along many of the nearby streams. This occurred only a few years after gold was discovered in Coloma as newly arriving miners found the good claims taken and set out to search for new, undiscovered deposits. The actual site of the town of Fair Play was about 1/2 half mile east of the southern intersection of Fairplay and Perry Creek roads, just to the north of the Fair Play cemetery. It burned in 1944 and was never rebuilt.

What’s unique about the area?

Fair Play is now known for its world class vineyards and wineries and is such a unique grape growing area that it earned its own American Viticultural Area designation: Fair Play.

Placerville Body Shop Serving the Community Since 1969

~ Authentic Italian Cuisine ~

WE ARE OPEN!!

Your safety matters to us!

Providing a sanitized office OR wait in your car

PAPA GIANNI’S

The Genuine

#1

Family Owned & Operated Since 1992

UP TO

10000 OFF

$

YOUR REPAIR UPON COMPLETION

Fresh Seafood Dishes Choice Meat Entrées Italian-Style Salads Delectable Pastas Award-Winning Homemade Desserts Fabulous Wine List

Mountain Dem ocrat

MUST PRESENT AD. SEE STORE FOR DETAILS. 22 0 01 2 01

1125 Broadway Ct. Placerville • 622-5955

Catering • Private Parties • Gift Certificates • Take-Out

3450 Palmer Drive, Cameron Park (530) 672-2333 El Dorado County Adventures | 43

Placerville Public House lunch, dinner & craft beer

open daily family friendly

weekly events

305 main street - placerville PlacervillePublicHouse.com > edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

TAMALES Fresh Daily!

We Understand Commitment At Edward Jones, we deliver candid guidance and personalized investment strategies to help you plan for and realize the possibilities of your future – for Christie Johnson, CRPC™ you, your Financial Advisor family and 1000 Fowler Way, Suite 3a generations Placerville, CA 95667 530-622-5286 to follow.

MKT-1952H-A © 2022 EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 44 | El Dorado County Adventures

GREAT FOR GIFTS! SALSA FRESH DAILY! Mild • Spicy • Sweet TAMALES Chicken • Vegetarian Chilli Cheese • Pork MEAT PIES Walk-Up Window

530-672-1190 • 530-305-3727

3300 Coach Lane Cameron Park, Ste. A-14 www.thecrazygringotacowagonsalsaco.com

Experience Georgetown (Jeepers Jamboree)

How did it get its name?

The first miners on the Georgetown Divide were a party of Oregonians arriving in 1849. A town was soon established and named George’s Town and then Georgetown after either the first miner to pitch a tent at that location, a sailor named George Phipps or a miner named George Ehrenhart.

What’s the history?

On July 14, 1852 a fire started in the Round Tent Saloon and consumed all but two buildings. It was decided to rebuild Georgetown on top of the ridge and to properly lay out the town with wide streets, including one a full 100 feet wide. After several additional fires, including one on July 7, 1856, a brick kiln was soon constructed and many of the destroyed buildings were replaced with brick structures. In the early 20th century, the mines in and around Georgetown began to close, due to the high cost of operation and the lack of cheap power. But, when the Great Depression hit in 1929 , Georgetown began to thrive again with the resurgence of mining. The town that the pioneering citizens of 1852 laid out, with its broad streets, remains today, thoroughly sprinkled with century old buildings and uncountable bits of Gold Rush history.

What’s unique about the area?

For many years the miners called Georgetown Growlersburg after the sound made by the large gold nuggets that “growled” in their pans.

El Dorado County Adventures | 45

Experience Pollock Pines (Sly Park Lake)

How did it get its name?

Most towns along the Mother Lode were named after early settlers who located there. However, Pollock Pines was named after the people who actually created it, Hiram Robert Pollock, his wife Anna and son Claude Earl.

What’s the history?

On April 4, 1860, at Sportsman’s Hall, William “Sam” Hamilton, the first Pony Express rider eastbound from Sacramento handed the mail to rider Warren Upson who carried it over the Sierra Nevada. Shortly after Pollock’s arrival, he built a box mill. The mill was destroyed by fire in 1932.

In 1935 Pollock subdivided the land and sold building lots. They called it Pollock Pines and continued selling lots by subdividing more of the land.

What’s unique about the area?

Pollock Pines today offers commercial centers, services and recreational activities to both residents and visitors.

46 | El Dorado County Adventures

Where to go What to do AMERICAN RIVER CANYON

EL DORADO COUNTY

Bridal Veil Falls

The county of El Dorado oversees the maintenance and operation of 19 cemeteries.

However, there are more than 200 cemeteries and burial sites in the county. Most are old pioneer cemeteries and interments have not been performed in these cemeteries in many decades. In addition to the county-operated cemeteries, there are several private, fraternal and religious cemeteries and two cemeteries organized as special districts. The most

The 67-foot waterfall of Esmeralda Creek spills along the south side of Highway 50. An upper falls is not visible from the highway. There is a turnout to stop on Highway 50 and take photos next to the falls, which is at its best in the winter and spring. Many people like to swim in the summer in a quiet stretch of the South Fork of the American River just below the falls.

Location: 19 miles east of Placerville

Cemeteries

river cherry c n om A ic

Am

ny pA

Relax by the shore of Cameron Park Lake — take a refreshing walk, try fishing or wade into the lagoon at Cameron Park’s blue jewel. A large gazebo and picnic areas are available to rent and the area also includes a playground and tennis courts.

Location: 2989 Cambridge Road, Cameron Park More information: 530-677-2231; cameronpark. org/cameron_park_lake.html

er

CAMERON PARK Cameron Park Lake

noteworthy graveyard in El Dorado County is the Pioneer Cemetery on Highway 49 in Coloma across from Monument Road. Also worth viewing is the still active Union Cemetery on Bee Street in Placerville. Here visitors will find a past editor of the Mountain Democrat and those who died in the 1903 Battle of Manzanita Hill, a shootout between Folsom Prison escapees and Company H, 2nd Regiment of the California National Guard.

Historical and genealogical information on individuals buried in El Dorado County is available from the El Dorado County Historical Museum.

More information: 530-621-7594

CHERRIES • BERRIES • HONEY

You Pick Or Pre-Picked

Cherries & Berries Open Seasonally Sunday thru Friday 8am to 5pm

(530) 748-9957 • 2240 Dias Drive, Placerville • www.americanrivercherryco.com

CAMINO Some of the members of the Apple Hill Growers Association have pumpkin patches with you-pick pumpkin fields open in the fall and pumpkins for sale.

Location: Farms and ranches More information: 530-644-7692; applehill.com

California Welcome

Center

YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR MORTGAGE LOANS

(916) 358-3700 visitcwc.com

Stop in El Dorado Hills!

We are your personal travel concierge! 800+ FREE brochures, maps, restroom, and gift shop. Open 7 days a week! We are dog friendly!

Look for our big blue and yellow signs off Highway 50.

Mention this ad for a FREE GIFT!

Crystal Miller

Mortgage Loan Originator NMLS# 297240 916-539-6464 • crystal.miller@htlenders.com All applications are subject to underwriting guidelines and approval. Not all programs available in all areas. Rates and terms are subject to change without notice. This form may not be reproduced. Licensed by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act. NMLS# 65084. rv 10/21 El Dorado County Adventures | 47

Where to go What to do Trails

The El Dorado Trail is a multi-use trail for walkers, runners, bicyclists, equestrians and pet owners. Users might be seen on foot, bikes, horses or roller blades. Locals and visitors can enjoy a mile or 10 miles on its paved and unpaved surfaces. Section one is from Mosquito Road in Placerville to Camino Heights, section two is from Mosquito Road to Clay Street in Placerville and section three is from Missouri Flat Road to Oriental Street.

The trail is maintained by the city of Placerville and the county of El Dorado with support from Friends of the El Dorado Trail.

More information: eldoradotrail.com; eldoradotrail.com/contact-us/

EL DORADO HILLS Dry Diggings Distillery

Dry Diggings Distillery, located a couple of minutes off Highway 50, is focused on locally produced farm fruit, grains and wine for its vodka, whiskey, brandy and bourbon. The distillery’s team works with local farmers, vintners and breweries to craft spirits that represent El Dorado County. The tasting room captures the Gold Rush Era and has many unique historical elements. There are tours, tastings and a variety of items for sale.

As barrels age and more products become ready for bottling the tasting room experience will change as well. The tours take visitors through the production cycle from field to glass.

Location: 5050 Robert J. Mathews Parkway, El Dorado Hills More information: 530-313-4000; inquiry.drydiggings@gmail.com

PLACERVILLE El Dorado County Historical Museum

Located next to the fairgrounds, the museum has innovative displays that will take visitors back in time. Visit the museum to take a tour, view the historical artifacts, or research a family ancestor, land, or building. A unique collection of local historical books is available for sale.

Location: 104 Placerville Drive, Placerville More information: 530-621-5865

Fountain-Tallman Museum

Built in 1852 the Fountain-Tallman building was originally a soda works factory, providing flavored, carbonated water to the miners. The building survived the great fires of 1856 that effectively leveled Placerville and was the home of the Tallman family. Donated to the El Dorado County Historical Society in 1982, it now houses a large collection of Gold Rush and historical artifacts, along with a selection of books, post cards and souvenirs available for sale.

Location: 524 Main St., Placerville More information: 530-626-0773 48 | El Dorado County Adventures

WELCOME TO VOITELI Be changed • Be Voiteli

Adriane Mace, Founder & CEO

Full Esthetic Services

V

OITELI Wellness Center

Massage and Body Work

Infrared Sauna

ServiceS Offered By Our PrOfeSSiOnal Team:

• Full Esthetics Services (Advanced Facials, Waxing, Lashes, Permanent Make-Up) • Massage and Body Work • Infrared Sauna • Personal Training • Fitness Classes • Specialty Fitness Classes for Parkinson’s, MS and Cancer • Health and Wellness Classes • Wellness Coaching • Hormone Testing • Nutrition Plans • Thermal Imaging • Pre and Post Natal Services

Voiteli Wellness Center • 3916 Missouri Flat Road, Suite C, Placerville

530-303-3799 • voitelliwelless.com

Pure Life is Honored to have Received the 2021 EDC Reader’s Choice Award for Best Cannabis Dispensary! It Has Been Our Pleasure to Continue to Serve the EDC Community for Over 10 Years!

Adult Use Recreational Sales Now Available Pure Life Offers the Widest Selection of Cannabis in El Dorado County!

Our caring and knowledgeable Budtenders will be happy to assist you with all your cannabis needs. Be sure to stop by on the 20th of each month for vendor demos, discounts, and giveaways!

Check out our full menu here:

purelife.wm.store BCC Lic.# C10-18-0000090-Lic

Hours: Open 7 Days/Week Mon–Sat 10am-8pm Sunday 10am-7pm

(530) 622-7873 537 Pleasant Valley Road #2, Diamond Springs

Sacred Roots in Placerville NOW OPEN for recreational sales (530) 344-7394 651 Main Street in Placerville Offering Recreational & Medicinal Cannabis Sales!

Democrat Mountain

Check out our full menu here:

sacredroots.wm.store BCC Lic.# C10-18-0000836-Lic

Open 7 Days/Week: Monday–Sunday: 10am – 8pm El Dorado County Adventures | 49

Preferred Lodging of El Dorado County

Hotels & Motels Bed & Breakfast Bed & Breakfast HOTEL NAME

PHONE

CAMERON PARK Cameron Park Motel 6 Quality Inn And Suites

530-677-7177 530-677-2203

EL DORADO HILLS Holiday Inn Express

916-358-3100

GEORGETOWN Rock Creek Inn

530-333-4359

KYBURZ Sierra Inn

530-293-3382

PLACERVILLE Best Western Placerville Inn Gold Trail Motor Lodge Historic Cary House Hotel Mother Lode Motel National 9 Inn

530-622-9100 530-622-2906 530-622-4271 530-622-0895 530-622-3884

POLLOCK PINES Best Western Stage Coach Inn Westhaven Inn

530-644-2029 530-644-7800

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE 3 Peaks Resort & Beach Club 7 Seas Inn Alder Inn Alpenrose Inn Alpine Inn & Spas Ambassador Motor Lodge Americana Village Angora Lakes Resort Aston Hotel Lakeland Village Avalon Lodge Basecamp Hotel Beach Retreat & Lodge @ Tahoe Beverly Lodge Big Pines Mountain House of Tahoe Blue Jay Lodge Blue Lake Inn Camp Richardson Historic Resort & Marina Forest Suites Resort Grand Residences by Marriott Hansens Resort Heavenly Inn Hotel Becket Inn By The Lake Lake Tahoe Resort Hotel Marriott’s Timber Lodge Paradice Motel Pinewood Inn POSTMARC Hotel & Spa Suites Secrets Inn Sky Lake Lodge Sunray Tahoe Hotel Tahoe Beach & Ski Club Tahoe Chalet Inn Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge & Spa Tahoe Seasons Resort The Landing Resort & Spa The Trailhead Three Peaks Resort Thunderchief Motel 50 | El Dorado County Adventures

530-544-4131 530-544-7031 530-544-4485 530-544-2985 530-544-3340 530-544-6461 530-541-8022 530-541-2092 530-541-7711 530-544-2285 530-208-0180 530-541-6722 530-544-2857 530-541-5155 530-494-4343 530-544-6459 530-541-1801 530-541-6655 530-542-8400 530-544-3361 530-544-6767 530-544-6000 530-542-0330 530-544-5400 530-542-6600 530-544-6800 530-544-3319 530-541-4200 530-544-6767 530-544-0770 530 600-3535 530-541-6220 530-544-3311 530-541-2180 530-541-6700 530-541-5263 530-544-3642 530-544-4131 530-541-6231

HOTEL NAME

PHONE

CAMINO North Canyon Inn

530-957-6952

FAIR PLAY Lucinda’s Country Inn

530-409-4169

GARDEN VALLEY The Green Toad B & B

530-957-5452

GEORGETOWN American River Inn

530-333-4499

PILOT HILL Casa Bella Verde

916-358-5600

HOTEL NAME

PLACERVILLE Bella Vista Bed & Breakfast Davies Family Inn Eden Vale Inn Glen Morey Country House Bed & Breakfast Ponderosa Ridge B & B Seasons Bed & Breakfast The Villa Agave

PHONE

530-622-3456 530-295-1000 530-621-0901 530-306-3481 530-344-9220 530-626-4420 415-696-2670

SOMERSET Saluti Cellars B & B The Ranch at Stoney Creek

530-626-0800 530-401-4940

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE Black Bear Inn Bed & Breakfast

530-544-4451

Welcome to El Dorado Hills' Premier Steakhouse.

A throwback to times past when things were done right!

FEATURING •• USDA USDA Prime, Prime, Angus Angus Grain Grain Fed Aged Fed and and Dry Grass FedCuts Cuts •• Seafood Entrees Seafood Entrees •• Great Great selection selection of of Local Local and and Regional Regional Wines Wines •• Artisan Artisan Cocktails Cocktails

Let Let C.Knight's C.Knight's Steakhouse Steakhouse be be your your destination destination for for Prime Prime Grade Grade Steaks Steaks and and Fine Fine Cuisine!

Cuisine!

(916) 235-1730

2085 2085 Vine Vine St, St, Ste.101; Ste.101; El El Dorado Dorado Hills Hills CKnightsSteakhouse.com CKnightsSteakhouse.com

Lava Cap WINERY

Alpine Wines From 2,700 ft in the Sierra Nevada Mountains

Lava Cap is honored to be included in Wine & Spirits list of Top 100 Wineries of the World in 2022!

Three locations to serve you 24/7 Georgetown: 6292 Main Street

Lotus:

Come visit our tasting room, open year-round, 7 days a week, from 10am-5pm. www.lavacap.com

We Love El Dorado County and Helping Buyers & Sellers Transition Smoothly!

7312 Hwy 49

Cool:

5020 Ellinghouse Dr., Suite C & D

For More Information Scott & Jen Ziegler (530) 333-4162 Contact Kristin Lloyd for training (530) 906-1544 ironworksfitness.biz

Let Us Help You with All Your Real Estate Needs

MARgAREt

HoLLANd 530.663.3026 DRE#01385077

ElDoradoAgent@gmail.com El Dorado County Adventures | 51

Wedding & Event Specialists Catering Capital Sierra Catering Custom Catering & Event Planning 530-622-9300 capitalsierra.com The Ring of Fire BBQ Specializing in true southern BBQ we have 3 tiers of catering to fit every event and budget. Choose from Drop Off, Full Service or the Wedding/Special Event package. Meats including Brisket, Pulled Pork, and Santa Maria Tri-Tip are dry rubbed and gently smoked.

Sides and Hors d’oeuvres choices are perfectly paired. Crowd pleasing satisfaction is served up in every bite.

(916) 223-1667 theringoffirebbq.com

Beauty & Smiles

Dr. Jeff Little, DDS You want your smile to be bright and white on your wedding day. Feel confident as the photographer snaps the photos of your special day.

We offer easy and fast One Hour Zoom Bleaching. Call us to schedule your appointment.

530-626-9127 jefflittledds.com 344 Placerville Dr., #19, Placerville

The Davies Family Inn Lodging & Events at Shadowridge Ranch

LODGING * EVENTS * GETAWAYS

3700 Fort Jim Road, Placerville TheDaviesFamilyInn.com • 530.295.1000 G O W H I T E W AT E R R A F T I N G • V I S I T A P P L E H I L L

52 | El Dorado County Adventures

S K I T H E S I E R R A • P L AY I N T H E N AT I O N A L F O R E S T • G O A N T I Q U I N G

H AV E A W E D D I N G • W I N E TA S T I N G • H AV E A R E U N I O N • C O R P O R AT E

E X P L O R E G O L D C O U N T RY • S TAY A N D P L AY • P I C N I C S

The Look Salon Let us help you achieve that wedding day confidence with a full array of hair, skin care and waxing services. From cuts to color & highlights your satisfaction is our top priority. You can rest assured that our experienced stylists will make you look your very best. Voted best salon 10 years in a row!

530-626-3510 thelooksalonplacerville.com 415 Placerville Drive, Ste I, Placerville Voiteli Wellness Center Feel and look your best on your big day by a pampering yourself with a massage, facial and infrared sauna. Other services include waxing, sugaring, permanent makeup, and brows & lashes. Offering private group spa services for your bridal party, girls day or corporate event.

Call to schedule your day of self-care now.

530-303-3799 voiteliwellness.com 3916 Missouri Flat Road, Placerville

Travel

El Dorado Hills Travel Count on the experts!

916-933-0476 www.edhtravel.com

Cary

House

HISTORIC HOTEL • SINCE 1857

Experience a Historic stay in the heart of Historic Main Street!

Perfect for Gatherings: Meetings. Weddings.

Reunions. Celebrations.

(530) 622-4271 300 Main Street • Placerville

www.caryhouse.com

Mention Code:

Adventures Fall 22

for $15 off per night *Some restrictions may apply

Wedding & Event Cakes/Desserts

Sweet Pairings Bakery All eyes will be on the bride and then they will be on the wedding cake. You can rest assured that your guests won’t be able to stop talking about it for years to come! Prefer cupcakes or a dessert bar? We can do that too. Call & book your cake tasting now.

530-903-3158 sweetpairingsbakery.com 681 Main St., Placerville

Wedding & Event Sites

The Davies Family Inn at Shadow Ridge Ranch Imagine your dream wedding surrounded by tranquil forest and serene landscape. The rustic elegance of this 1800’s homestead offers a picture perfect setting for your special day. On site lodging will make your experience relaxing and memorable.

530-295-1000 or 530-919-4169 (cell) thedaviesfamilyinn.com 3700 Fort Jim Road, Placerville The Green Room Social Club Rent our space on Historic Main St. by the hour or the day. Full Venue Buyout includes bar, lounge, & stage any day or time of the week.

Partial Venue Buyout includes Semi Private Ballroom, Bar or Lounge.

Complete your package with a curated menu of seasonal offerings.

(530) 344-7490 clubgreenroom.com 251 Main St., Placerville

Celebrating Celebrat ing

38 years

The Historic Cary House Hotel A boutique hotel creating historic weddings since 1857. One location for rehearsal, wedding & reception.

300 Main Street, Placerville 530-622-4271 caryhouse.com or www.facebook.com Roses & Acorns Creekside Weddings at Camp Nauvoo Stunning outdoor venue situated along Weber creek featuring beautiful meadow, Amish gazebo, lodge, rustic decor and everything to make your special day perfect (available May through October). We offer all types of packages and specialize in camping weddings.

916 207-9441 rosesandacornsweddings@gmail.com www.campnauvooplacerville.com Smith Flat House Pick your picture perfect setting from The Courtyard with seating for 350 or a more intimate setting in The Glasshouse seating up to 85 or The Carriage Room with a built-in stage. No matter which space you choose, you can count on our skilled staff serving your guests a meal to remember. Call now to schedule a personal consultation.

530-621-1003 smithflathouse.com 2021 Smith Flat Road, Placerville

Mother Lode Motel

1984-2022

ASK the EXPERTS Call us to help you plan trips of a lifetime anywhere in the world!

El Dorado Hills Travel

916-933-0476 800-963-SAIL

2021

3941 Park Dr., Ste 90, EDH www.edhtravel.com CST #2012537-10

Placerville, California

The Mother Lode Motel is located in Placerville in the heart of Gold Country.

It is 45 miles east of downtown Sacramento, 55 miles west of South Lake Tahoe and close to Apple Hill.

Enjoy our newly renovated rooms and relax in our pool. We provide many of the amenities found in larger hotel chains, but at the budget rates you’re looking for.

Point View Dr. Exit off Hwy 50

1940 Broadway, Placerville, CA 95667

530-622-0895 www.placervillemotherlodemotel.com El Dorado County Adventures | 53

More of what you’re looking for!

Area Code (530)

Area Code (530)

Aladdin Bail Bonds. . . . . . . . . . . . 622-7000 MC Nail Salon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621-0652 Best Cuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N/A Miracle Ear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-0337 Big Lots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 642-8927 Papa Murphy’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-8997 Carl’s Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-3542 Placer Tobacco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303-3482 Delta Bedding & Furniture. . . . . 622-6478 Rite Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-0801 Denny’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-1086 Subway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-2000 Dickey’s Barbecue Pit . . . . . . . . . 748-3445 Wiggles Pet Grooming . . . . . . . . 417-7980 Donut Factory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626-1320 54 | 21-99 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667 | 800-762-1641 El Dorado County Adventures

Apple Ridge Farms 530-647-0613 • 1800 Larsen Drive, Camino

exit 54

OPEN DAILY!

20

Aug. 27 thru Dec. 4 (Closed Thanksgiving Day)

Bus and RV parking available

appleridgefarms.com NEW Flower & Butterfly Trail

Bakery

Made from scratch daily Fresh baked pies • strudels Caramel apples • turnovers Apple cider donuts • fruit blossoms Apple dumplings w/caramel sauce Cinnamon rolls • crumb cakes & more

September is the perfect time to visit our new flower trail.

Thousands of flowers will be in full bloom for that perfect photo.

Don’t forget to take a picture with our giant butterfly wings.

Apple Ridge BBQ

Country Store & Fudge Shop

Farm maze with photo ops- open daily Nature trail (wear your walking shoes) Covered seating • picnic area Photo ops throughout the farm PUMPKIN PATCH Opening Saturday, September 24th ARTISAN CRAFTERS Visit our website for schedule

Apple Barn Fresh picked apples -rotating varieties Frozen pies, strudels and crumb cakes Fresh pressed apple cider Our own BBQ sauces CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE filled with unique holiday and gift items VISIT SANTA Fri, Nov. 25th- Sun 27th

FAMIL Y FUN

NORT

RD.

20

Y

LE BARK

CAMINO HEIGHTS DR.

R

XP

T R.

N

RD.

PO

8 MILE

50

ESS

YE

R OA D

.

LE R D

CAB

CARSON

R.

HIGH HILL RD.

RD.

CARSON RD.

SEN D

Available Year Round. Unbaked frozen pies or our delicious kettle corn make a great and profitable fundraiser for your group. email appleridgepies@gmail.com for more information.

LARSEN

LAR

Fundraisers

HASS L E R RD.

Apple Ridge Farms Take exit 54

D R.

Choose from a variety of mining bags filled with gems, fossils and arrowheads.

Use the running sluice box to pan your ore and take home all your found treasures

HIDDEN VALLEY LANE R OA D YON H CAN

SNOWS

Homemade jams • Five pepper jelly Apple butter • pumpkin butter Fresh made fudge and chocolates Fresh popped kettle corn Frozen pies and pastries Kitchen/Home decor •Apple peelers

Gem Mining

Attractions

GATL IN RD.

FULL MENU DAILY

Smoked pulled pork sandwiches Gourmet sausage sandwich with onions/peppers • All beef hot dogs Hamburgers • Veggie burgers Grilled chicken sandwiches Smoked turkey legs (Sat/Sun) Homemade chili • Salads French fries • Kids meals

BANK | BORROW | INVEST With 20 branches ranging from Redding in the North to Roseville in the South and Yuba City to South Lake Tahoe, we offer personal banking solutions, lines of credit, home and auto loans, commercial real estate lending and business banking services.

Voted #1 Credit Union, two years in a row!

We’re proud to donate over $100,000 annually to local non-profits and community events. If you’re looking for a new bank, come see why we are BETTER BANKING and have been since 1955.

225 Placerville Dr. - Placerville 3668 Lake Tahoe Blvd., Ste. J - South Lake Tahoe 2558-A Bell Rd. - Auburn 306 N. Sunrise Ave. - Roseville

“Proud to support all things local!”

Ron Sweeney CEO

20 branch locations • Access to nearly 30,000 ATMs nationwide through the Co-Op network

1-800-222-7228 • SierraCentral.com

*Membership open to anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in any of our branch location counties.

Membership and/or participation fees may apply. Other restrictions may apply; must meet account opening criteria to join.

Any rates, fees and terms subject to certain criteria and may vary. We reserve the right to correct printing errors.