January 13 to February 9, 2021 by Tahoe Guide (Tahoe Weekly)

local. independent. fresh.

january 13-february 9, 2021

nordic ski & snowshoe guide

winter recreation access pushed to limit skunk harbor snowshoe back-country access in 2021

magic and muse of

aaron oropeza history of

ski jumping delivering the fun since 1982

ALL RIDES ARE

FREE

Erik Bergen

Just hop on the bus.

TAHOE TRUCKEE AREA

REGIONAL TRANSIT

WIN TE R 2021 B US SERVICE S FREE Park and Ride Weekends | President’s Day To/from Squaw Valley, Northstar, and all Winter Recreation From area Park and Ride lots January 2021: 2–3, 9-10, 16–17, 23–24, 30–31 February 2021: 6–7, 13–15, 20–21, 27–28 March 2021: 6–7, 13–14, 20–21, 27–28

Transit Service Highlights · Hourly Mainline (Tahoe City–Incline Village) · Hourly Hwy. 89 (Tahoe City–Squaw Valley) · Hourly Hwy. 267 (Crystal Bay–Northstar) · Hourly Hwy. 89 (Tahoe City, Squaw Valley, Truckee) · Hourly Hwy. 267 (Crystal Bay, Northstar, Truckee) · Hourly Truckee Local Route Night service on both the Northshore and in Truckee is currently suspended. Check TahoeTruckeeTransit.com for schedule updates.

Park and Ride Lots are located at: Truckee Tahoe Airport District 10356 Truckee Airport Rd, Truckee CA Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Admin. Offices, 11603 Donner Pass Rd., Truckee CA Tahoe City Transit Center, 180 W. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, CA For more details, go to: TahoeTruckeeTransit.com/park-ride

I-80 South Shore Dr.

Donner Lake

Old Highschool PARK &

RIDE

TRUCKEE Gateway Center

Donner Memorial State Park

Regional Park

Depot

Brockway Rd.

28 Grove St.

Tahoe Bilitmore

INCLINE VILLAGE

Minnow

North Tahoe Event Cntr.

CRYSTAL BAY Hyatt

CARNELIAN BAY

Diamond Peak

PARK &

TAHOE CITY

Homewood Mountain Resort

Sand Harbor

SUNNYSIDE

LAKE TAHOE HOMEWOOD TAHOMA Sugar Pine Point

Covid-19

431

KINGS BEACH

Truckee Airport Town Hall

RIDE

National /28

Alpine Meadows

RENO

I-80 PARK &

TAHOE VISTA

SQUAW VALLEY

Granlibakken

Hourly service on Highway 267 and Highway 89 to/from Truckee.

267

NORTHSTAR

Deerfield Dr. | Crossroads

RIDE Tahoe City Transit Center

Daily Regional Routes

Henness Flat

MEEKS BAY

TART PUBLIC BUS

P PUBLIC PARKING

PARK & RIDE to Northstar, Squaw Valley and Winter Recreation

TART is taking several precautions to keep passengers and employees safe. Visit TahoeTruckeeTransit.com for details. Schedule times vary. Visit TahoeTruckeeTransit.com for detailed schedules, more transit options, and Covid-19 information.

MASK UP. ADVENTURE OUT..

TahoeTruckeeTransit.com – Text “TART” to 24587 Take the North Lake Tahoe Express: Daily airport shuttle from 5:30am–midnight. NorthLakeTahoeExpress.com | (833) 709-8080

January 13-February 9, 2021

Courtesy Tahoe Fund

Volume 40 | Issue 1

Ming Poon

fun. unique. everywhere.

P.O. Box 154 | Tahoe Vista, CA 96145 (530) 546-5995 | f (530) 546-8113 TheTahoeWeekly.com Facebook.com/TheTahoeWeekly @TheTahoeWeekly

SUBMISSIONS Events & Entertainment Submit at TheTahoeWeekly.com Click on Events Calendar Editorial Inquiries editor@tahoethisweek.com

Entertainment Inquiries entertainment@tahoethisweek.com Cover Photography production@tahoethisweek.com

Holly Shankland

E-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE

to our e-newsletter at TheTahoeWeekly.com

in this issue

making it happen Publisher & Editor In Chief Katherine E. Hill publisher@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 102 Sales & Marketing Manager Anne Artoux anne@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 110 Art Director Alyssa Ganong production@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 106 Ad Production graphics@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 101 Entertainment Editor Sean McAlindin entertainment@tahoethisweek.com Food & Well Being Editor Priya Hutner priya@tahoethisweek.com Family Editor Michelle Allen michelle@tahoethisweek.com Copy Editor Katrina Veit Contributing Writers John Dee, Barbara Keck, Bruce Ajari, Mark McLaughlin, David “Smitty” Smith, Priya Hutner, Katrina Veit, Kayla Anderson, Lou Phillips, Sean McAlindin, Tim Hauserman, Alex Green, Lisa Michelle, Cam Schilling, Alex Silgalis

bears & wildlife BEAR EMERGENCIES BEAR League (530) 525-7297 (24 hours) | savebears.org A bear walking nearby or through your yard is not an emergency unless it is trying to enter your home or car. INJURED ANIMALS Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center, South Shore (530) 577-2273 | ltwc.org The Wildlife Shelter, North Shore (866) 307-4216

TAHOE WEEKLY is published weekly throughout the summer and biweekly the rest of the year, with occassional extra issues at holiday times by Range of Light Media Group, Inc. Look for new issues on Wednesdays. Subscribe to the free digital edition at issuu.com/ TheTahoeWeekly. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com. TAHOE WEEKLY, est. 1982, ©2007. Reproduction in whole or in part without publisher’s express permission is prohibited. Contributions welcome via e-mail. The Weekly is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Member: North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, North Tahoe Business Association, Incline Community Business Association, Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce, Tahoe City Downtown Association, Truckee Downtown Merchants Association, Tahoe South Chamber of Commerce and Alpine County Chamber of Commerce. Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks. Please recycle your copy.

JANUARY 13-FEBRUARY 9, 2021

FEATURES

TAHOE A REFUGE OF WINTER FUN

Skunk Harbor Snowshoe

Ski Jumping in Berkeley

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Back-country Access in 2021

The new year has already been challenging for many reasons that have been heart-breaking and exasperating, but I have to count my blessings to live in Tahoe. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else or be anywhere else during these challenging times. Tahoe is a refuge for many of us – visitors and residents, alike. We come to the mountains to escape what ails our hearts and mind, to replenish the soul, to rediscover our creativity, to breath in the mountain air and to find solace. The Tahoe Sierra is all of these things and more to me and has been since I first saw Big Blue more than 25 years ago. In this edition – our first digital-only edition – we’ve packed the pages with lots of winter activities, outings and insights to this place we all love. For winter fun, I recommend snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding at one of our many developed areas or venture into the woods. Try snowshoeing to Skunk Harbor or read about our local groomed and ungroomed ski areas and state parks for lots of winter fun that’s safe, open and, in some cases, free in our 14th annual Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Guide.

Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Guide 13 Tahoe Donner Celebrates 50 Years

Winter Recreation Access Pushed to Limit

GET OUTSIDE Sightseeing

Lake Tahoe Facts

THE MAKERS Betts Fit

FUN & GAMES

Sean McAlindin takes on public access issues in this edition, as well, looking at the state of back-country access in the Tahoe Sierra in his feature “Back-country Access in 2021: Tahoe Sierra Readies for Year like No Other.”

Puzzles

Astrology Forecast for 2021

And he looks at a question many have been asking for years: Why are so many public recreation sites closed for the winter? And, for the ones that are open, why is there no parking? In his feature “Winter Recreation Access Pushed to Limit” many officials say they are grappling with this as winter tourism has been increasing for years and even more so now due to the pandemic. Read the story to see how officials are trying to address this problem, how local and state officials are working to find solutions and what the public can do in the meantime.

THE LINEUP

DIGITAL-ONLY EDITIONS I mentioned above that this is our first digital-only edition, which marks a large shift from our normal print publication. The last 10 months have brought lots of changes in how we run our local business, and now faced with continuing restrictions (which we know we need to keep everyone safe) and the normal challenges of a winter season in Tahoe, I made the decision to suspend our print publication for the winter. In its place, we’ll be publishing a monthly digital-only version of the magazine through April. Our print edition will resume in May. Our free digital edition – the full version of the magazine available for reading online or download – has been a companion piece to our print edition since 2014. This winter, we’ll be publishing only the digital version of the magazine out on Feb. 10, March 10 and April 7. As well, we’ll still have our content available free at TheTahoeWeekly.com and @TheTahoeWeekly on Facebook and Instagram. You can get updates on new editions and content by following us on social media, subscribing to our newsletter (sign up at TheTahoeWeekly.com) or subscribe to our digital edition at issuu.com/ TheTahoeWeekly. n

Aaron Oropeza

EAT & DRINK Grilled Cheese

Plan a Wine & Dinner Pairing at Home

Easy Tomato Soup

on the cover A rainbow descends from winter storm clouds onto the groomed trails at ASC Training Center on Donner Summit, one of the Tahoe Sierra’s Nordic ski areas featured in our 14th Annual Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Guide in this edition and at TheTahoeWeekly.com. | Courtesy ASC Training Center

TheTahoeWeekly.com

LAKE LEVEL Lake Tahoe Natural rim 6,223’

Readings taken on Wednesday, January 13, 2021 ELEVATION :

RESERVOIR CAPACITY

6,225.57 |

IN 2019:

C ACITY CITY:: 40 CIT 0,870 ,8 BOCA 12,362 CAPA

PROSSER 11,061

Eagle Rock

West Shore

Eagle Rock, one of the lake’s famous natural sites, is a volcanic plug beside Highway 89 on the West Shore. TART

Explore Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 542-2908 | cityofslt.us Urban Trailhead at base of Heavenly Gondola with local exhibits and programs. South Tahoe

Fannette Island

Emerald Bay

(530) 541-3030 | parks.ca.gov Lake Tahoe’s only island is located in Emerald Bay & is home to an old tea house. Boat access only. (Closed Feb. 1-June 15 for nesting birds.)

Heavenly

South Lake Tahoe

(775) 586-7000 | skiheavenly.com Enjoy a 2.4-mile ride on the gondola to the top with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe and the Carson Valley. South Tahoe

Hellman-Ehrman Mansion

$10 parking | parks.ca.gov (530) 525-7232 Park | (530) 583-9911 Tours Sugar Pine Point State Park is home to the historic Ehrman Mansion (open for tours in the summer), see boathouses with historic boats, and General Phipps Cabin built in the late 1800s. TART

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

North Tahoe Arts Center

Tahoe City

(530) 581-2787 | northtahoearts.com Featuring exhibits of work by local artists and works for sale by local artists. TART

Tahoe Art League Gallery

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 544-2313 | talart.org Featuring local artists, workshops. South Tahoe

Tahoe City

North Shore

visittahoecity.com Tahoe City is popular for shopping and dining with historical sites. At the junction of highways 89 & 28, visitors may see the Tahoe City Dam, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, and Fanny Bridge. Peer into Watson Cabin (1909) in the center of town for a glimpse at pioneer life. Free parking at Commons Beach, Grove Street, Jackpine Street, and 64 acres at Highways 89 & 28. TART South Lake Tahoe

(530) 541-5227 | tahoeheritage.org Once known as the “Grandest Resort in the World” as the summer retreat for three San Francisco elite families with the Baldwin Estate, Pope Estate & Valhalla. Grounds open yearround. South Tahoe

Truckee

FLOW AT FARAD

314

IN 2019:

Measured in Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS)

CAPACITY: C 226,500

6,227.42

225

6,225.57 |

200,000 AF

125

ELEVATION :

175

150,000 AF

Readings taken on Wednesday, January 13, 2021

TROA.NET

Measured in Acre Feet (AF)

Lake Tahoe Museum

South Lake Tahoe

Vikingsholm Castle

Tahoe City

Tours in summer only (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org Watson Cabin, built by Robert Watson and his son in 1909, is the oldest building in Tahoe City and on the National Register of Historic Places. TART

MUSEUMS Donner Memorial Visitor Center

Truckee

(530) 582-7892 | parks.ca.gov The Donner Memorial State Park features exhibits and artifacts on the Donner Party (184647) at the visitor center, and see the towering Pioneer Monument. TART

Donner Summit Historical Society

225

200,000 AF

175

125

Old Jail Museum CLOSED Emerald Bay

Parking fee | Tours in summer only (530) 541-3030 | (530) 525-9529 ADA parks.ca.gov or vikingsholm.com Tour the grounds of Vikingsholm Castle, see Eagle Falls and Fannette Island (the Lake’s only island), home to an old Tea House, and explore snowshoeing trails. TART

Watson Cabin CLOSED

150,000 AF

CAPACITY: 29,840 2 PROSSER 11,061| truckee.com truckeehistory.org (530) 541-5458 | laketahoemuseum.org The historic town of Truckee was settled Features Washoe artifacts and exhibits 5 DONNER 4,690 CCAPACITY: 9,500 in 1863, and grew quickly as a stagecoach on early industry and settlers. South Tahoe stop and route for the CentralCCAPACITY: Pacific 18,300 Railroad. INDEPENDENCE 1,3763 During these early days, many of Truckee’s Museum of Truckee History Truckee CAPACITY: A 20,400 0 MARTIS 1,052 and historical homes buildings were built inThurs.-Mon. | (530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org cluding The Truckee Hotel (1868) and the Capitol Building (1868). Stop by the Depot for a walking Housed in the original Depot, built in 1901. Exhi| FLOW FARAD 314 Measured in Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS) TROA.NET Truckee River tour of historic downtown. PaidAT parking downbits cover different eras in Truckee history. TART town. TART 100,000 AF

North Shore

Find more places to explore

Tallac Historic Site West Shore

northtahoebusiness.org Kings Beach is a popular spot for dining and shopping with the North Shore’s largest sandy beach located in the heart of town. Free parking at North Tahoe Beach, Brook Street, Minnow and the Christmas Tree lot on Hwy. 28. TART

Truckee River C ACITY CAPA CITY:: 40 CIT 0,870 ,8 BOCA 12,362

Donner Summit

RESERVOIR CAPACITY

STAMPEDE 19,9661

Kings Beach

CAPACITY: 18,300 C

LAKE LEVEL A 20,400 0 MARTIS 1,052 CAPACITY: Lake Tahoe Natural rim 6,223’

100,000 AF

INDEPENDENCE 1,3763

Olympic Valley

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com Aerial tram rides with views of Lake Tahoe, Olympic Heritage Museum, ice skating, events and more. Ticket required. TART

Donner Summit, just west of Truckee, holds the record for the United States’ snowiest April. On April 1, 1880, a storm dumped 4’ of snow on the Sierra Nevada west slope within 24 hours. A massive snow slide near Emigrant Gap buried Central Pacific Railroad’s tracks under 75’ of snow, ice and rock. For the rest of the month, storm cycles continued to flow in, dropping a total of 298”.

CAPACITY: 9,500 C 5

High Camp

Drive through one of the area’s natural wonders at Cave Rock, the neck of an old volcano. The area is named for the small caves above Highway 50 that were cut by waves when Lake Tahoe was 200 feet higher during the ice ages. Truckee

CAPACITY: 29,840 2

East Shore

DONNER 4,690

Cave Rock

CAPACITY: C 226,500

Sunset on a winter’s day at Kings Beach State Recreation Area on the North Shore. | Katherine E. Hill

ATTRACTIONS

Measured in Acre Feet (AF)

SIGHTSEEING STAMPEDE 19,9661

6,227.42

Soda Springs

donnersummithistoricalsociety.org Museum at the corner of Old Highway 40 & Soda Springs Road. Take the 20-mile interpretive driving tour along Old 40. TART

Truckee

(530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org One of a few surviving 19th Century jailhouses of its kind in the West used from 1875 until May 1964 (open for tours in summer). TART

Olympic Museum

Olympic Valley

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com Squaw Valley, host of the VIII Winter Olympic Games in 1960, celebrates its Olympic History with the symbolic Tower of Nations and Olympic Flame at the entrance to the valley. The Olympic Museum at High Camp features historic memorabilia and photographs. TART

Tahoe Science Center CLOSED

Incline Village

Tues.-Fri. & by appt. | Free (775) 881-7566 | tahoesciencecenter.org University of California, Davis, science education center at Sierra Nevada College. Exhibits include a virtual research boat, biology lab, 3D movies and docent-led tours. Ages 8+. TART

Truckee Railroad Museum

Truckee

Sat.-Sun. & holidays truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com Located in a caboose next to the Truckee Depot. Exhibits include the train’s role in logging, fighting snow on the railway, the role of Chinese emigrants and a children’s area. TART

VISITORS’ CENTERS Kings Beach

Gatekeeper’s Museum

Daily (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org Featuring historic photos, the Steinbach Indian Basket Museum and local historical memorabilia. TART

KidZone Children’s Museum CLOSED

NO. 1 FOR OUTDOORS & RECREATION, FAMILY FUN, LIVE MUSIC, EVENTS, ENTERTAINMENT, ARTS, FOOD & WINE DELIVERING THE FUN SINCE 1982 E-newsletter: subscribe at TheTahoeWeekly.com @TheTahoeWeekly facebook.com/TheTahoeWeekly TheTahoeWeekly.com issuu.com/TheTahoeWeekly 4

Tahoe City

Kings Beach State Rec. Area (Thurs.-Mon., July-Aug.)

Incline Village 969 Tahoe Blvd. (800) 468-2463 Stateline 169 Hwy. 50 (775) 588-4591 Tahoe City 100 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 581-6900 Truckee 10065 Donner Pass Rd. (Depot) (530) 587-8808

Truckee

Tues.-Sun. | Locals’ first Tues. half price (530) 587-5437 | kidzonemuseum.org For kids up to age 7 with interactive exhibits, science & art classes, the BabyZone & the Jungle Gym. TART

U.S. Forest Service | Incline Village 855 Alder Ave. (775) 831-0914 (Wed.-Fri.)

U.S. Forest Service | South Lake Tahoe 35 College Dr. (530) 543-2600

U.S. Forest Service | Tahoe City 3080 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 583-3593 (Fridays)

U.S. Forest Service | Truckee 10811 Stockrest Springs Rd. (530) 587-3558

TRANSIT North Tahoe & Truckee (TART) | laketahoetransit.com South Tahoe | tahoetransportation.org

National Forest access info fs.fed.us/r5/webmaps/RecreationSiteStatus

January 13-February 9, 2021

lake tahoe facts |

CLAIR TAPPAAN

Donner Summit

Truckee Donner Lake

TRUCKEE AIRPORT

MT. ROSE

RENO-TAHOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

DONNER MEMORIAL STATE PARK

DONNER SKI RANCH

ROYAL GORGE

SKY TAVERN

h Ta

SUGAR BOWL

ra Rim T

SQUAW VALLEY SQUAW CREEK ALPINE MEADOWS

Tahoe Vista

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

Ta h o e R i m

CASINOS

Dollar Hill

Lake

Spooner Lake

Tahoe

l ai

Eagle Rock

Carson City

NEVADA NORDIC

East Shore

o Ta h m Tr a i l

SUGAR PINE POINT STATE PARK

Meeks Bay

Cave Rock

Lake Tahoe sits at an average elevation of between 6,223’ and 6,229.1’. The top 6.1’ of water is controlled by the dam in Tahoe City and holds up to 744,600 acre feet of water.

Zephyr Cove

Size: 22 miles long, 12 miles wide

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Age of Lake Tahoe: 2 million years Watershed Area: 312 square miles

Emerald Bay Eagle Lake

Average Water Temperature: 42.1˚F

Cascade Lake

Average Surface Water Temperature: 51.9˚F

Fannette Island

South Lake Tahoe

South Shore Ta h oe

R i m Tr ail

Average Snowfall: 409 inches

Lake Tahoe is as long as the English Channel is wide.

Stateline HEAVENLY

CAMP RICHARDSON

Average Surface Temperature in July: 64.9˚F Highest Peak: Freel Peak at 10,881 feet

Fallen Leaf Lake

Meyers

Shoreline: 72 miles

BIJOU PARK / LAKE TAHOE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT

Lake Tahoe has a surface area of 191 square miles. If Lake Tahoe were emptied, it would submerge California under 15 inches of water.

FREEL PEAK

ECHO LAKES

Permanent Population: 66,000

Volume: 39 trillion gallons

Natural rim: 6,223’

e Ri

Tahoma

Lake Tahoe is the 2nd deepest lake in the U.S. (Crater Lake in Oregon, at 1,932 feet, is the deepest), and the 11th deepest in the world.

There is enough water in Lake Tahoe to supply everyone in the United States with more than 75 gallons of water per day for 5 years.

Glenbrook

Homewood

HOMEWOOD

Learn about the natural history of the Tahoe Sierra

Maximum depth: 1,645 feet

Marlette Lake

GRANKLIBAKKEN

West Shore

Average depth: 1,000 feet

DEEPEST POINT

TAHOE CROSS COUNTRY

Tahoe City

SNO-PARKS

Lake Clarity: 2018: 70.9 feet avg. depth. 1968: First recorded at 102.4 feet

Crystal Bay

Kings Beach

Carnelian Bay

Sunnyside Tr

DIAMOND PEAK

Incline Village

NORTH TAHOE REGIONAL PARK

Olympic Valley

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI AREAS

North Shore

NORTHSTAR

Truckee River

DOWNHILL SKI AREAS

WEST EAST SOUTH

Lake Tahoe is located in the states of California and Nevada, with two-thirds in California.

SODA SPRINGS

Reno & Sparks

TAHOE DONNER

AUBURN SKI TRAINING CENTER BOREAL

Read about how the lake was formed, Lake Tahoe’s discovery, lake clarity and more at TheTahoeWeekly.com. Click on Explore Tahoe.

Number of Visitors: 15 million annually Kirkwood

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE

HOPE VALLEY

Hope

Markleeville Valley

Why is the lake blue? The Lake of the Sky appears blue in color as other colors in the light spectrum are absorbed and the blue light is scattered back.

KIRKWOOD

TheTahoeWeekly.com

GET outside

the outdoors | recreation | events | mountain life

S T U N N I N G L A K E TA H O E V I E W S S N OW S HO E I N G TO

Skunk Harbor S TO RY & P H OTO S BY K AT H RY N R E E D

No matter where one looked, it was a winter wonderland. It didn’t take long for Lake Tahoe to come into view.

TOP: The beauty of Skunk Harbor is worth

hile I normally try to avoid going downhill at the start, some snowshoe destinations are worth it. Such is the case with Skunk Harbor. This is often an overlooked excursion with snow on the ground. While plenty of people go there, seldom are there many people at the same time. This is perfect as you try to stay isolated even in the outdoors during this pandemic.

the trek down to Lake Tahoe. LEFT: Remnants from when this area

was private property still exist.

What is always visible are the remnants of Skunk Harbor’s past. While the U.S. Forest Service owns this swath of land on the East Shore, that wasn’t always the case. Stone buildings near the waterfront once belonged to George and Caroline Newhall. They used it as a second home for their San Francisco friends in the 1920s. George Whittell Jr. then became the landowner. He also owned Thunderbird Lodge along with most of the East Shore down to Zephyr Cove and portions of the North Shore. Pilings for what once was a pier protrude from the water. Despite these manmade intrusions, it is an otherwise undisturbed plot of forest.

THE TRAIL 3 miles roundtrip | Moderate Dogs OK

Explore more trails at TheTahoeWeekly.com

It’s a gradual 1½-mile descent from Highway 28 to the beach. The uphill ascent doesn’t feel so gradual, though. The elevation change is 560 feet. Sometimes there is no clear starting point because of all the snow. Some years it’s a pretty steep first 15 feet before it flattens out. Fortunately, a snowmobiler had laid a track for us, as had other snowshoers and crosscountry skiers. While I stay on dirt trails for erosion reasons, the virgin white snow can be so inviting that breaking trail can be fun.

Sometimes it was fluffy; other times it was crunchy. No matter where one looked, it was a winter wonderland. It didn’t take long for Lake Tahoe to come into view. The openness of the trail in many ways made me feel like I was much farther removed from civilization than I was. Tracks led to a knoll that we scampered up to get what was a stunning view of much of Lake Tahoe. Depending on the snowfall and temperatures, ice may be clinging to the shoreline rocks and a stretch of sand could be exposed.

Parking is located along Highway 28 on the East Shore, 2.4 miles before the junction of Highway 50. There is no sign. Nevada Department of Transportation clears small parking lots near the gate, but do not block the access gate to the start of the trail.  Kathryn Reed is the author of “Snowshoeing Around Lake Tahoe,” available at kathrynreed.com and local retailers.

January 13-February 9, 2021 GET OUTSIDE

Tahoe

Find a full

winter 2020-21 BY K AT H E R I N E E . HILL

Courtesy Squaw Valley Alpine

Meadows

EVENT CALENDAR

at TheTahoeWeekly.com Events are subject to change & cancellation; always check in advance for current schedules.

Ski resorts will be open biathlon

scenic gondola

nordic skiing

cat skiing

childcare

back-country access

tubing & sledding

military discount

Indoor mini golf, pub

DOWNHILL SKI GUIDE

20th annual

downhill ski guide

night skiing

utv tours

ice skating

fat tire biking

mini snowmobiling

roller coaster

snow shoeing

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Check out the 2020-21 Tahoe Downhill Ski & Nordic Ski guides

coming to Tahoe

face masks required

Keith Sutter | forlornhope.org

Flatstick Pub recently broke ground on its second Northern California location at Zalanta Resort in South Lake Tahoe. Flatstick Pub is a craft brew pub with challenging mini golf and a variety of other mini-golf inspired games. Flatstick will occupy the vacant 4101 Lake Tahoe space between Ace High Saloon & Smokehouse and Big Vista Clothing Store across from the base of the Heavenly Village gondola.

Forlorn Hope retraces

Donner Party steps

The 8,000-square foot space will feature a challenging 9-hole mini golf course, large outdoor patio, full restaurant, 32 taps and will only serve beer and wine from local independently-owned breweries and wineries in the region. The holes will be designed to spell “Tahoe.” The Tahoe location will be family friendly during certain hours. The $1 million project is expected to employ 22 locals and is expected to open in early 2021. | tipsyputt.com

Four Californian ultrarunners left Donner Lake on Dec. 16, 2020, on snowshoes to cross the Sierra in a reprise of the 1846 winter journey of the Donner Party’s Forlorn Hope, according to a press release. Recreating one of the most renowned journeys in American pioneer history, the team wanted to establish the route taken by the ill-fated group. The story of the Forlorn Hope has captured the imagination of friends and trail runners, Bob Crowley and Tim Twietmeyer, for more than 7 years leading them to spend much of their spare time delving into every aspect of the story. With Elke Reimer and Jennifer Hemmen completing the expedition team, the group set off on the route researched by Crowley and Twietmeyer, starting with considerably less snow than faced by the pioneers, 174 years before. In the winter of 1846, 80 or so members of the Donner Party became snowbound and trapped in the Sierra Nevada. On Dec. 16, 17 of the emigrants set out on snowshoes in a desperate attempt to reach a settlement 100 miles away and find help. After enduring punishing physical, mental and emotional hardship, only seven survived. The rest met a terrible fate. Together, this brave group became known as the Forlorn Hope. Carrying cards featuring details and photographs of each member of the original Forlorn Hope party, the team aimed to spend time reflecting on the ordeal faced by the group. The journey of 100.7 miles was completed by the team in 5 days, it took the Forlorn Hope group 33 days to reach help in 1846. The team today arrived at the trail’s end safe and well, holding the cards representing the members of the Forlorn Hope. The group held a short commemoration ceremony to the pioneers, after being met by a small number of family and friends. The expedition members aim to further document their experiences using various media in the future including articles, exhibitions, possible material for schools, and plans for a documentary film. They are in contact with several descendants of the original pioneers and hope to meet with some of them in the coming year. | forlornhope.org 7

Greg Zirbel

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Ingrid Backstrom

featured

Ingrid Backstrom, an extreme skier of international fame, will present at the fourth show of the free Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series on Feb. 4. The show is in a virtual format this year. Backstrom, who established herself in Matchstick Production’s 2004 “Yearbook,” was the only female to be featured as one of Powder Magazine’s Future Big Mountain Heroes in 2002. She has also won the prestigious awards for performances in ski films including “Best Female Performance” and “Breakthrough Performance” at the 2005 Powder Magazine Video Awards. Backstrom’s show “Little Big Mountain Skiing” will depict a few of her best trips and ski lines, followed by the transition of a continuing ski career while becoming a mother. With more than 4,000 attendees annually, the 15-year-old Alpenglow Winter Speaker Series has become the premier North American forum for adventure storytelling. Every show is free. Giveaways, in conjunction with anonymous donations, raise more than $50,000 per show for local nonprofits. To date, the series has raised more than $500,000.

named historical landmark Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission recently approved the Charles McGlashan Butterfly Collection as a historical landmark. The collection was the passion of Charles McGlashan, one of Truckee’s most influential residents. “C.F. McGlashan was a leading citizen and businessman, as well as a noted Donner Party historian, newspaperman, scientist, educator and attorney. He is also known as the father of winter sports since he ardently promoted their development in Truckee and Lake Tahoe at the turn of the 20th Century,” according to historian and author Mark McLaughlin. The Truckee-Donner Historical Society worked to have the collection, housed in the Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District on Truckee Way, declared a historical landmark. Call (530) 582-7720 in advance before visiting the Collection for current COVID restrictions. | truckeehistory.org

The National Hockey League announced in a press release on Jan. 11 that it will host NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe in February featuring two regular-season outdoor games at Edgewood Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe. The games will showcase the Colorado Avalanche and the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 20. Honda NHL Outdoors Sunday will feature the Philadelphia Flyers 8

The event is free and open to anyone, though those who become TINS members (starting at $35 a year) will enjoy additional perks during the Tahoe Big Year. | tahoebigyear.org, tinsweb.org

Homewood opens

snow play area Homewood Mountain Resort recently opened the Adventure Center with two-hour sledding and snow play sessions available three times per day at Homewood’s South Base. A Magic Carpet lift will take sledders back to the top of the sled hill.

The program will be aired live at 7 p.m. or may be watched later but registration is required for either option. | alpenglowsports.com

NHL to play on outdoor rink in Tahoe

Tahoe as a birding destination and cultivate a thriving community of nature and wildlife enthusiasts. With two categories to compete in, Adult and Youth, the entire family can join in.

Courtesy Homewood Mountain Resort

Nic Alegre | Alpenglow Sports

Butterfly Collection

and the Boston Bruins on Feb. 21. Both games will be broadcast at 3 p.m. ET on NBC in the United States and on Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada. Both games will be played without spectators.

Tahoe’s birds

The rink for NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe will be located on the lakefront 18th fairway of Edgewood Golf Course, the annual site of the American Century Championship since 1990 and host of the 1985 U.S. Senior Open and 1980 U.S. Amateur Public Links. | nhl.com

The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science kicked off the 2021 Tahoe Big Year on Jan. 1 and is asking volunteers to take part in the friendly competition to search for as many birds as possible in the Tahoe region during the year. The yearlong event is meant to inspire people to explore Tahoe’s natural areas, promote

Help sight

“Our goal this season is to offer fun, organized experiences that offer our guests the ability to spend time outdoors,” said Kevin Mitchell, Homewood Mountain Resort general manager, in a press release. “We have implemented new protocols designed to help keep our guests and employees safe and physically distanced, and our new Adventure Center activities and après-ski takeout offerings are no exception.” Sledding and snow play sessions must be reserved online in advance at skihomewood.com. Guests may bring their own sleds or rent one. | skihomewood.com

January 13-February 9, 2021 HISTORY

Ski Jumping I N S A N F R A N C I S C O & B E R K E L E Y, P A R T I S TO RY BY M A R K M c L AU G H L I N

he Tahoe Sierra is one of the snowiest regions in the United States, but timing is everything when it comes to ski season. Getting enough natural snowfall by Thanksgiving has always been a challenge for our regional resorts, but colder temperatures usually provide ski areas an opportunity to pump out a manmade base with energy-efficient snowmaking equipment. In the last decade or two, snowmaking capability has advanced in leaps and bounds, and Lake Tahoe resorts have invested heavily in state-ofthe-art technology.

Roy Mikkelsen jumping at Berkeley, circa 1934. | Courtesy William B. Berry Collection

Watch a film of the January 1935 ski jumping event in Berkeley

at TheTahoeWeekly.com Located between sun-drenched California and bone-dry Nevada, it is simply amazing that the higher terrain west of Lake Tahoe is blessed with an average of 35 to 40 feet of snow each winter. Boasting the greatest concentration of ski resorts in North America, the Tahoe Sierra is a relatively close by car, train or plane from major urban centers. Its picturesque winter beauty has lured snow-starved flatlanders since the 1800s. Upon completion of its train tracks over Donner Pass in 1868, Central Pacific Railroad started selling tickets for winter excursions into the snowbound Sierra. The rowdy party town of Truckee was a primary destination. Automobiles showed up around 1910, but it wasn’t until 1932 that the road over Donner Summit was plowed during winter months. Prior to that, the only alternative was to load vehicles onto Southern Pacific flatbed cars and ship them over the mountains to Reno or Sacramento. The state began plowing Highway 40 (pre-cursor to Interstate 80) at the behest of the Auburn Ski Club in Placer County, an organization supported by influential businessmen and politicians. The cleared road translated into abundant crowds of people anxious to sled, ice skate, toboggan and cross-country ski. Ski jumps large and small always attracted an audience. Across the United States, the 1930s was the breakout decade for modern downhill skiing. Open highways helped, but the principal catalyst for the surge in its popularity was the development of the uphill rope tow. Early versions used an automobile engine to power a revolving rope that pulled Alpine skiers up the slope quickly and effortlessly. The ride could be tricky, however, as some churlish tow operators were known to suddenly boost the speed of the rope by giving the engine a bit more gas. Before the advent of automated tows and chairlifts, powder seekers had to climb for their turns and only the most fit and dedicated pursued the sport. During this period, European ski instructors arrived and began teaching Americans a new, dynamic parallel turning style known as the Arlberg technique, first developed in Austria.

Ski equipment evolved, too. Wooden skis got shorter, lighter and easier to turn. Metal edges were screwed in and boot bindings improved. It was a huge advancement over the previous era of an arduous climb up a steep mountain slope for one long schuss back down. Now a descent was filled with turns. The thrill of Alpine skiing

Before the advent of automated tows and chairlifts, powder seekers had to climb for their turns and only the most fit and dedicated pursued the sport. captured the imagination of California and the nation. Family-run downhill ski areas sprouted up along Highway 40 in the Sierra snowbelt. Lodges were built and rope tows installed. Hollywood celebrities mingled with average Joes during busy weekends and social class distinctions were routinely ignored. Despite the economic crash of the Great Depression, these were the glamour years of skiing before World War II — at least for those who could afford it. In 1933, Governor James Rolph proclaimed the first week of January 1934 as Winter Sports Week for California. He stated, “In recent years the people of California have come to realize the value of this winter recreation to the point that winters sports are being developed in this state to a higher degree than in any other part of the world. In the promotion of this new industry for California, it is my sincere wish that all the people of the state participate in this healthful recreation.” The announcement inspired the Auburn Ski Club, the largest ski club west of the Mississippi River with many members from Sacramento and the Bay Area, to

organize a ski jumping tournament on the campus of the University of California in Berkeley. Under the joint auspices of the ASC, the San Francisco Winter Sports Club and the Winter Sports Committee of the State Chamber of Commerce, a jumping exhibition was scheduled for early 1934. To prepare for the Berkeley competition, 43,000 cubic feet of snow were shoveled into six Southern Pacific boxcars and then hauled down from the mountains. The extraordinary event, held at the head of Hearst Avenue, attracted more than 50,000 spectators and some of the best ski jumpers in California and Nevada. High schooler Earl Edmunds represented the Truckee Ski Club, while University of Nevada, Reno freshman Wayne Paulsen, the future co-founder of Squaw Valley ski resort, competed for Auburn. The novelty of ski jumping in the verdant Berkeley hills captured media attention, but the tournament ended in disarray when a riot broke out just as the first jumpers poised at the top of the 200-footlong slide. An estimated 5,000 college students, many who had never seen snow, stormed past fences and police barriers. The event soon turned into a massive snowball fight with paying spectators in full retreat. Another sizeable crowd without tickets had clambered up “Tightwad Hill” to watch the entertainment. “Tightwad Hill” earned its moniker because thrifty spectators climbed it to watch Cal football games for free. Dismayed tournament officials estimated the number of paid admissions at only 500, and organizers charged Berkeley police with incompetence and insufficient protection. Despite the fiasco, a second Berkeley tournament was scheduled for Jan. 13, 1935. As promoters of the jump, the Auburn Ski Club again received support from the Chamber of Commerce and other like-minded organizations that hoped to make the spectacle an annual affair. This time volunteers erected a scaffold 85 feet high on the crest of a grassy hill just north of the Greek Theater. The 170-foot-long ramp was angled at a steep 45 degrees, which enabled jumpers to reach speeds in

excess of 60-miles-per-hour. Snow from Donner Pass was spread over straw bedding to create an expanded landing zone that allowed for jumps of more than 150 feet. Daring athletes from around the country launched themselves with grace and skill into the sky, high above the audience. Norwegian immigrant and former U.S. ski jumping champion Roy Mikkelsen of Auburn took first place with a soaring leap of 139 feet. The good-natured Mikkelsen laughed after sliding into the encroaching throng following his landing. “I guess we can’t stretch the jumps too long here,” he said, “You might land down in the Berkeley shopping district.” Stay tuned for the 1939 San Francisco ski jumping extravaganza on Treasure Island in the Feb. 9 edition and at TheTahoeWeekly.com.  Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlin is a nationally published author and professional speaker. His award-winning books are available at local stores or at thestormking.com. You may reach him at mark@thestormking.com.

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JOSH DAIEK AND ALEXI GODBOUT SKINNING I N T H E B A C K C O U NT RY O F L A K E TA H O E .

BACK-COUNTRY

ACCESS

IN 2021 S TO RY BY S E A N M c A L I N D I N | P H OTO S BY M I N G P O O N

TAHOE SIERRA READIES FOR YEAR LIKE NO OTHER Make no doubt about it: the crowds are coming to an avalanche zone near you. Over the past decade, back-country skiing has been the fastest growing winter sport in the Tahoe Sierra. In 2021, its popularity is expected to surge like never before. With ski resorts operating at limited capacity and the uncertainty of what other changes the pandemic may bring this year, more outdoor enthusiasts are turning to the freedom and flexibility of our public lands. “With the current Covid situation, we are going to see an increase of people in the back country,” says Tahoe Backcountry Alliance executive director Greg Garrison. “We expect an onslaught of new users and we are working with a number of partners to get ahead of the curve to make sure everyone is safe, courteous and kind as they ski.”

A Ski Community Steps Up As a voice of human-powered winter travel in the Tahoe Sierra, the Alliance has posted a back-country tips and etiquette guide on its website to remind skiers of some important concepts around education, safety and respect. After helping to organize the first Backcountry Read our “Back Safety Awarecountry 101” guide at ness Week in December, they TheTahoeWeekly.com are hoping to get the message out to hordes of first-time explorers who plan to visit the winter wilderness this year. “We are concerned there are people going into the back country who are not avalanche educated, who are not familiar with their equipment, who have not practiced,” says Garrison. “That would be concern No. 1; that we are going to see people get hurt or worse.” The Alliance has adding a “Report an Access Issue” button on the website for back-country users and land managers to relate problems 10

in real time. Their biggest single message: be prepared, self-reliant and considerate. In anticipation of the increased use of the back-country this season by first-timers, the Tahoe Weekly featured our guide “Back country 101: Training, gear essential to back-country travel” in the Dec. 16, 2020, edition, which is also available online. “The responsibility is on the user to keep themselves safe while they are out there,” says Garrison. “Don’t posthole the skin track. Pick up your dog poop. When parking is not plowed, don’t park in the road. Get your shovel out and dig yourself a spot ... It’s everyone’s responsibility make sure we are good stewards.”

Donner Lake Run access With trailhead access an ever-present issue, the Alliance scored a big win this year by securing long-term parking for the iconic Donner Lake Run. After negotiations with local homeowners associations, they partnered with Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District to utilize the parking lot at West End Beach for winter access to the popular backcountry route. The famous run begins on the Pacific Crest beyond the gates of Sugar Bowl Resort and ends in the neighborhood west of Donner Lake. For years, skiers parked illegally on nearby side streets, angering homeowners with concerns of trespassing, littering, blocking snow removal and increasing avalanche danger. In return for a five-year winter lease of the established lot, the nonprofit Alliance has agreed to pay for snow plowing, pavement resurfacing and informational signage at an upfront cost of more than $30,000. The Donner Land Trust has assumed liability for parking and negotiated with private homeowners to lease an easement that provides entry and exit to the trailhead at the bottom of the run on Cottonwood Street. While the lot is a half-mile walk from the trailhead, the Alliance sees this as a big step toward establishing the positive community relationships critical sustainable back-country access.

January 13-February 9, 2021 FEATURE

“I feel good about not adding new pavement and reusing an existing facility seems like an obvious choice,” says Garrison, who is also a civil engineer. “Getting access is step one, but that’s not the most important point. It’s that we form relationships to prove that backcountry users are responsible. This is going to be a long-term effort.” Last year, the Alliance piloted a microtransit program to experiment with ridesharing in the Tahoe Basin. The program, along with all in-person events, have been put on hold for 2021 due to the pandemic. Its newest project is the installation of laser-technology trailhead counters at Castle Peak and Tamarack Peak, with plans to put in more later on. “It will quantify users at the trailhead in order to demonstrate how important public lands are and how essential public assess is,” says Garrison. “Tahoe Rim Trail uses the same counters.” The volunteer-driven Tahoe Backcountry Ski Patrol will download the stats on a monthly basis and maintain the counters throughout the changing snow cycle to ensure they are consistently placed at the correct height to collect data in relation to the snowpack.

Guide Services Booming While Zeb Blais was disappointed to see his Spring expeditions to Bolivia and Iceland cancelled due to coronavirus, he took the hiatus as opportunity to finally start his own business, Blackbird Mountain Guides. So far, this winter has been a windfall. “Last March we had a massive storm; the timing was perfectly in line with when Covid hit,” says Blais. “The snow was at its best when the ski areas completely shut down. People needed to figure out a way to keep skiing without the lifts running. The phones started ringing off the hook at guide services, gear rentals and retail shops, and basically everyone sold out of back-country gear.” Local guides are now offering more avalanche training than ever before. “It’s been pretty crazy,” says Blais. “People are booking months in advance. Things are selling out fast … As educators, we’re psyched to see the enthusiasm. We have great programs that provide people with the skills they need to recreate safely.”

RESOURCES AIARE courses | avtraining.org Avalanche information & education | avalanche.org Sierra Avalanche Training Center | sierraavalanchecenter.org Sno-Park Permits | (916) 324-1222, ohv.parks.ca.gov Tahoe Backcountry Alliance | tahoebackcountryalliance.org

Trailhead Parking Guidelines Courtesy Tahoe Backcountry Alliance

• Roadside parking is illegal & may result in ticketing and/or towing. • Park off the road in approved parking areas only. • Do not park in areas that have not yet been plowed. • If your preferred destination trailhead is full, please head elsewhere. • Do not park in homeowners’ driveways regardless of the current occupancy situation. • Just because other people are parking there doesn’t mean it’s legal. • Permits are required at California Sno-Park & must be purchased in advance. • Be courteous.

Trailhead Parking Conditions Courtesy Tahoe Backcountry Alliance

Rubicon Peak | There is no legal parking to access Rubicon Peak. Back-country skiers are being ticketed aggressively. Ward Canyon | There is no confirmed legal parking to access public lands from the Ward Canyon trailhead. Donner Summit/Castle Peak | The only legal parking for the Castle Peak area is at the Sno-Park location. West Bound I-80 Rest Area | The Rest Area is patrolled by CHP and they are enforcing the “No Snow Play” parking rules.

C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 12

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FOR TAHOE

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JOSH DAIEK SKIING NEAR HIS HOME I N S O U T H L A K E TA H O E , C A .

BELOW JOSH DAIEK AND ALEXI GODBOUT S K I N N I N G I N T H E B A C K C O U NT RY O F L A K E TA H O E .

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 11

Blais sees the uptick in interest as a positive trend for a U.S. guiding industry that has long lagged in comparison to Europe and other parts of the world. “In the U.S., people are often opposed to hiring guides,” he says. “They would rather go on their own and learn from their mistakes. I hope people open up to the idea that hiring a guide can fast track learning back-country skills and it can be a lot more fun. It’s also less responsibility. You don’t have to plan, you just get to go out and have a great time.” Like other area guiding services, Blackbird Mountain Guides offer American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) level one, level two and rescue practice courses, along with privately guided ski tours. “It’s been shown through research that recreationalists don’t rescue their friends,” says Blais. “They often fail. They don’t have enough hours of practice to enact a rescue … This year it seems that most people are doing it right and are prioritizing getting the education they need before they get out in the field. The most important piece of gear in the back country is education.” Emily Hargraves is the owner and self-proclaimed chief executive babe at Backcountry Babes, a Truckee-based guide company that offer courses for women in California, Colorado and a number of international locations. With coronavirus in mind, she’s made a few changes to her avalanche training program to keep people safe and streamline educational services. Instead of groups of 12 with two guides, courses will run in groups of six with one guide, masked and socially distanced. Hargraves has also introduced online coursework with homework and Zoom meetings, rather than in-person classroom sessions. “We tried to make it intentional to have a better teaching product, rather than just a Covid band aid,” she says. “It’s a more safe and paced learning, which gives students time to take in the material.” Hargraves sees the greatest issues facing back-country skiers this season as parking access, overcrowding and safety. “People don’t want to carpool these days and they aren’t encour12

aged to,” she says. “We are encouraging skiers to double park in your partners … My biggest advice for the back-country season is to be kind. I think it’s going to be crowded and popular. It’s always nice to say hi to people at the trailhead, get info on conditions, be patient on the skin track and help each other stay safe out there.”

Nonprofits Skin Onward When Tahoe Weekly spoke with Sierra Avalanche Center executive director David Reichel, he was on his way to Elephant’s Back on Carson Pass to examine a potentially persistent weak layer of faceted snow left over from early season storms. The nonprofit he oversees is a collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, which provides avalanche forecasting for the Tahoe Sierra on a daily basis. Much like Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, it is funded primarily through grants and donations. And in the current economic climate, their bottom line in suffering. “We’re looking at about a 25 percent hit to our budget,” says Reichel. Last year, the Center reached more than 2,000 people through shop talks, film festivals and other events. With everything cancelled, overall donations are down. But the biggest hit to the Center’s approximately $360,000 operating budget is the loss of ski area day-pass donations. For the past decade, the Center has sold these passes as a way to generate revenue. However, under new California Covid protocols, ski resorts can no longer sell day-of passes to limit capacity. “We’re burning some reserves to maintain the level of services because we anticipated a need for it this year,” says Reichel. “Hopefully, this is a one-time emergency and we’ll make that up for the future, so we don’t have to make cuts down the road.” Thanks to an OHV grant from California State Parks, the Center will continue to offer free avalanche training specifically designed for motorized users such as snowmobilers. “The way motorized users move through the mountains is different,” says Reichel. “We’re trying to meet the needs of the mechanized community.” The trainings are first-come, first-serve and enrollment opens a month prior to each course. As always, the Center’s No. 1 priority is providing the informational awareness for people to make good decisions in the mountains. From a scientific standpoint, Reichel believes there could be a statistical increase in human-triggered avalanches this year based on the anticipation of more users, especially those who are new to the back country. “If there are x number of trigger points in the back country and we have more people than in the past, it stands to reason that it’s more likely we will find those triggers,” says Reichel. “In general, I would encourage people to check the forecast before you head out there. I’m a big fan of making my personal back-country skiing sustainable. Let’s enjoy it, but also take the long view.” n

January 13-February 9, 2021

NORDIC SKI & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

Tahoe Sierra

14th annual

nordic ski & snowshoe guide winter 2020-21

Courtesy Kirkwood

Brian Walker Photography | Sierra-at-Tahoe

BY K AT H E R I N E E . H I L L

note: As of press time, Camp

these are the days we dream of

Richardson Resort, Hope Valley Outdoors, Lake Tahoe Community College trails and Resort at Squaw Creek were not operating. Follow us @TheTahoeWeekly on Facebook and Instagram for updates on winter operations for these areas.

masks required

biathlon

dog friendly

food

nordic ski

cat skiing

gondola

hot springs

camping

back-country access

tubing & sledding

back-country huts

night skiing/ snowshoeing

ropes course

ice skating

fat tire biking

mini snowmobiling

long boarding

snow shoeing

downhill skiing

NORDIC SKI & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

TheTahoeWeekly.com

auburn ski club training center Courtesy Auburn Ski Club

50 30

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

% of terrain Events Jan. 23 | Biathlon Challenge Feb. 14-15 | Chuck Lyda Race Feb. 20-21 | Nordic Races

kilometers

25 # of trails

The trails are open to the general public with the 25km trail system groomed nightly to competition standards providing an always-perfect snow surface. Its wide, overlapping loops for all abilities keeps skiers no more than 5km from the lodge with lots of terrain options. At 7,200 feet elevation, its season is the longest in the Sierra.

grooming

25km warming huts

bijou community park

ASCTC is a national level training and racing venue hosting the XC Junior National Championships in 1971, 2005, 2009, 2015 and 2020. It offers youth programs in alpine, snowboard, cross-county and biathlon. Auburn Ski Club is one of the oldest winter sports organizations, founded in 1928.

Lodge limitations | The lodge will be closed, and guests will need to use their vehicles to put on gear and eat. As well, there will be no lockers. Portable toilets will be available at the Green Building. Passholder access | Trail passes will be color-coded this year, and staff will perform routine checks to ensure all skiers are passholders. There will be times when blue-colored passes are blacked out and unusable, mostly during weekend mornings and race days. Too many skiers or limited groomed runs may also trigger trail closures.

kilometers

4 warming huts

0 Centrally located in South Lake Tahoe, Bijou features 4km of marked trails that is mostly flat and great for beginners at Bijou Community Park. Free access | There is no fee for skiing or snowshoeing. No rentals or services are available on site.

Day passes & equipment | Only season passes are available and daily rentals are not being offered.

Fun for all | The park features a historic railroad exhibit, skateboard park and fenced dog park. n

Live webcam | Check the live webcam at asctrainingcenter.org/webcam. n

asctrainingcenter.org

(530) 542-6056

clair tappaan lodge 60

donner memorial state park 67

0 NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

% of terrain

kilometers

14 # of trails

7 grooming

no warming huts

Courtesy Sierra Club

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

Individuals and small groups can access the grounds for skiing, snowshoeing and walking this winter, but the lodge is closed for the winter. However, the trails are not being groomed this season, nor is the sled hill being grooming. There is no building access offered and no services available. Large groups will be asked to leave, however, if they gather on the grounds following local and state guidelines. Masks and physical distancing is required on the property. Lodging reopening | A tentative reopening of Clair Tappaan Lodge is scheduled for March 1, but that may change based on state restric-

clairtappaanlodge.com 14

kilometers

tions. Reservations will be accepted starting Feb. 1; check the website for updates. During the closure, the Lodge is undergoing renovations. Hutchinson Lodge is also closed until summer. Back-country huts closed | Sierra Club has closed its back-country hut system in the Sierra Nevada until at least April 1, which includes the Benson, Bradley, Ludlow and Peter Grubb huts. The reservation system may reopen on Feb. 1 depending on current restrictions and hut reservations will be available online or by phone at (530) 426-3632 on a first-come, firstserved basis. n

16+ # of trails

5 grooming

no warming huts

Donner Memorial State Park has more than 16km of trails throughout the park. Although the trails are not groomed, visitors can make his or her own route to Schallenberger Ridge, Coldstream Canyon or along the shores of Donner Lake.

Annual parking pass | Purchase a Tahoe Regional Parking Pass for $75 good at all of the state parks in the Tahoe region for a year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; D.L. Bliss, Donner Memorial, Ed Zâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Berg Sugar Pine Point, Emerald Bay and Kings Beach State Recreation Area.

Free trail access | Access to the trails is free; parking is $5 for the winter. Dogs are welcome but must be on leash.

Donner Project | The Sierra State Parks Foundation is currently fundraising to restore the more than 100-year-old Pioneer Monument at the park. The Pioneer Monument was dedicated on June 6, 1918, and was erected in honor of all who made the difficult trek across the western plains and mountains to reach California during the 1840s. Donate at sierrastateparks.org. n

Sierra history | The Visitor Center exhibits and theater are currently closed due to state restrictions, but the restrooms and gift shop with a great selection of local books are open.

parks.ca.gov

January 13-February 9, 2021

granlibakken

NORDIC SKI & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

grover hot springs state park

75 25 0 NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

Courtesy Granlibakken

kilometers

Courtesy CA State Parks

% of terrain

7.5 # of trails

2 grooming

1.5 miles warming huts

Cross-country skiers and snowshoers can explore the historic resort’s 74 acres. Follow a 1.5-mile trail around the property and a groomed access trail to Paige Meadows (flat-groomed, without stride-skiing tracks) when weather and snow conditions permit. Resort access | All guests must purchase both sledding and ski lift tickets online. Guests will be able to make reservations for 1.5-hour sledding time blocks. The ski hill will be open and offering learn-to-ski lessons for private groups and/or families.

Dining | The Cedar House Pub is open for to-go orders with ordering available online. Kids ski & sled free | Kids younger than 3 ski and sled for free. Treetop adventures | The Tahoe City Treetop Park offers 97 tree platforms within a secluded forest with large pine trees and old-growth cedars with 27 zip lines and 60 bridges/events to accommodate participants ages 5 and older. Book a session at tahoetreetop.com. 

granlibakken.com

Grover Hot Springs is open for day use and visitors may snowshoe or ski on the of trails in the park. There are no groomed ski trails in the park, but snowshoeing to Grover Falls is a popular outing at the park. Call in advance to check on snow conditions. Parking is $8. Hot springs access | The hot springs are open year-round with access available using an online pool reservation system at reservecalifornia.com. The springs were still closed as of press time due to state restrictions but check

with the park for updates on reopening. Check the schedule by calling (530) 694-2249. Winter camping | Winter camping is available at the park on a firstcome, first-served basis for tents and RVs with access to water and restrooms. The campground was still closed as of press time due to state restrictions but check with the park for updates on reopening. Dogs OK | Dogs are allowed on leash in the park. 

parks.ca.gov

kirkwood’s cross country &

snowshoe center

60 20

TAHOE’S BEST XC PHYSICAL DISTANCING HAS NEVER BEEN SO FUN

% of terrain kilometers

60 # of trails

18 grooming

60km warming huts

Courtesy Kirkwood Mountain Resort

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

Offering 60km of groomed trails at 7,800 feet, Kirkwood features three interconnected trail systems and two trailhead facilities with parking areas. Reservations are required for all guests for the season at all Vail Resorts. Lift tickets | There will be no inperson ticket sales. All sales will be online only. Lessons are also being offered by advance reservation only. Cashless | All transactions will be cashless this year at all Vail Resorts.

kirkwood.com

Dining | The nearby historic Kirkwood Inn was closed as of press time but limited to-go options are available in the valley at Monte Wolfe, the General Store and at Timber Creek. Fat Bikes | Rent a fat bike or bring your own to explore three interconnected trail systems. Dogs welcome | Dogs are allowed on the High Trail located behind the Kirkwood Inn and the Outer Loop on the meadow. 

TAHOE DONNER CROSS COUNTRY SKI CENTER VOTED BEST CROSS COUNTRY SKI AREA IN NORTH LAKE TAHOE + TRUCKEE

5 YEARS IN A ROW

Over 100 km of groomed trails across 3,000+ acres of diverse terrain 65 trails climbing as high as 7,729 ft Pristine grooming for skating + classic skiing

Top-of-the-line rental + demo gear Dedicated snowshoe trails Professional ski school offering private lessons Masks + physical distancing required

VISIT TAHOEDONNER.COM/XC FOR MORE INFORMATION 15

TheTahoeWeekly.com

nevada nordic

northstar cross country telemark & Courtesy LTCC

NORDIC SKI & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

snowshoe center

Courtesy Nevada Nordic

% of terrain

2+ # of trails

Nevada Nordic is a nonprofit organization bringing a groomed crosscountry ski presence back to the state of Nevada. Trails are offered at several locations in the region and are groomed and open depending on conditions. Donations are needed to continue to offer groomed trails and may be made online.

grooming

12km+ warming huts

Tahoe Meadows | Trails are operated at Tahoe Meadows near the Mount Rose summit off Highway 431 with 2km of groomed skating and striding trails. Dogs are allowed on the trails, but owners must pack out all dog waste.

kilometers

35 # of trails

Parking is available along Highway 431 on either end of the trail system. There is no parking fee and detailed driving instructions are available on the website. Spooner Lake | When conditions permit, skating trails will be groomed by volunteers at Spooner Lake State Park on the East Shore with a new PistenBully 130 the group has been waiting to be delivered. State Parks will need to determine if and where snow levels are sufficient to permit grooming. There is a $10 parking fee.

18 grooming

35km warming huts

Lift tickets | There will be no inperson ticket sales. All sales will be online only. Lessons are also being offered by advance reservation only. Cashless | All transactions will be cashless this year at all Vail Resorts.

Telemark skiers welcome | Northstar is one of the few resorts offering a full line of downhill telemark equipment and instruction. Kids ski free | Kids 4 and younger ski free. Fat tire biking for everyone | Northstar offers fat tire bike rentals, as well as rentals for pedal assist e-bikes. All rentals require advance reservations. n

Dining | A numbers of to-go options are available in the Village and at the mid-mountain area near the crosscountry center.

Check for updates and grooming reports at facebook.com/inclinemeadowsxc. n

nevadanordic.org

northstarcalifornia.com

north tahoe regional park 45

Northstar California provides 32.5km of Nordic terrain right in the middle of a world-class downhill ski resort. Reservations are required for all guests for the season at all Vail Resorts.

plumas-eureka state park

50 5

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

kilometers

11 grooming

11km warming huts

Pam Emmerich | NTPUD

% of terrain

Trail access is free in the park, but parking is $5. No rentals are available on site. The trails are groomed when conditions permit. Check the North Tahoe Regional Park Facebook page for updates. Snowshoe tours | Guided snowshoe tours are offered through Tahoe Adventure Company including full moon, sunset and star tours. Visit tahoeadventurecompany.com for upcoming dates. Sled hills | North Tahoe Winter Adventures operates the main groomed sled hill and a sled is included with a sled hill ticket. A childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sled hill

northtahoeparks.com 16

kilometers

12 # of trails

is located at the entrance of the park and is not groomed; bring your own sled or tube. Snowmobile track | The park boasts a snowmobile track for those wanting to try out a snowmobile; personal snowmobiles are not permitted. Ropes course | Tahoe Treetop Adventure Park consists of 70 tree platforms connected by a variety of bridges and/or ziplines open on select dates in the winter. Visit tahoetreetop.com for details. n

8 grooming

12km warming huts

Plumas-Eureka State Park in the Lost Sierra offers 12km of groomed trails for skating and classis skiers, along with three designated snowshoe trails that are snowmobile groomed. The trail system is managed by Plumas-Eureka State Park Association volunteers and trail maps are available at each trailhead. Visit plumas-eureka.org for grooming report, a trail map and information on the trails. Free trail access | The use of the trails is free, but donations are requested to maintain the trails for $5 per day or $20 for the season.

parks.ca.gov

Longboard races | The Plumas Ski Club hosts the Historic Longboard Revival Races each year at the Plumas Eureka Ski Bowl at Johnsville in the park. The races are open to everyone. The Jan. 17 race has been cancelled, but as of press time the February and March dates are still on schedule. Check in advance before visiting at plumasskiclub.org for details and current plans. Skiing with Fido | Dogs are not allowed on the main trails, but a separate dog trail is groomed and accessible across from the Jamison Trailhead, a beginner, 1 mile out and back trail. n

Courtesy Johnsville Ski Bowl

kilometers

Courtesy Northstar California

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

royal gorge 32

Courtesy Royal Gorge

January 13-February 9, 2021

NORDIC SKI & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

Winter Fun Everyone! for

50 18

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

% of terrain kilometers

169.7 137 grooming

169.7

Courtesy Royal Gorge

# of trails

SLEDDING · CROSS COUNTRY SKIING SNOWSHOEING · ICE SKATING

warming huts

North America’s largest crosscountry resort, Royal Gorge offers six distinct trail systems featuring eight warming huts across 6,000 acres, seamlessly integrated with the Village at Sugar Bowl. From classic striding to cross-country skating, snowshoeing and dog trails, Royal Gorge offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy scenic winter adventures with some of the finest views in the Sierra. Lift tickets & rentals | All trail passes need to be purchased at least one day in advance online. and rentals and lessons need to be purchased at least two days in advance online. Trail updates | Yuba was widening for the season. The teaching area near Summit Station was also increased by 30 percent allowing for more space between lesson groups. In the Van Norden area, the removal of the Van Norden Dam resulted in a loss of the Dam Trail. In its place, there is a new trail from Summit Connection to West End Hut to complete a loop around Van Norden Meadow.

There is new directional signage along each snowshoe trail and the snowshoe-only Hawks Run, Fast Draw and Mountain View trails have been modified to accommodate for snowshoe trail grooming. Limited indoor access | Summit Station lodge will be closed to the public with few exceptions (such as picking up rental equipment). There will be no opportunity to enter the lodge for restroom use, booting up or to warm up. Portable restrooms are available outside.

ADVANCE RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE ‘20-21 SEASON

RESERVE ONLINE AT

TCPUD.ORG/WINTER No walk-ups will be permitted. Face mask/covering is required at the park this season. Visit tcpud.org/winter for more Know Before You Go tips, details on sessions, health and safety protocols, season passes, and reservations.

Dining options | Select grab and go food and beverage items will be available for purchase outside. There will be no indoor dining available. The Royal Gorge | One of the most breathtaking experiences in the Tahoe Sierra is skiing to The Royal Gorge. The Gorge is one of the natural wonders of the Sierra – a 4,417-foot deep gorge that is the namesake for the ski area. n

530.583.1516 251 NORTH LAKE BLVD. TAHOE CITY royalgorge.com 17

NORDIC SKI & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Snow Trails

Tahoe Donner celebrates 50 years S TO RY & P H OTO S C O U R T E SY TA H O E D O N N E R

SKI TOURING, SNOWSHOEING & SNOWMOBILING Explore more snow trails at TheTahoeWeekly.com. Click on the Winter tab under the Get Outside menu. See the Events calendar for guided snowshoe treks. TRUCKEE

CABIN CREEK TRAIL Easy to moderate

Marked route follows old logging roads and Cabin Creek Road for 3 to 6 miles. The terrain has gentle, rolling slopes. Cabin Creek Road south of Truckee on Highway 89. The unmarked trailhead is 1 mile from the highway. Limited parking is available in a road cut, when plowed.

DONNER MEMORIAL STATE PARK Easy | (530) 582-7892 or parks.ca.gov

The park is mostly flat and open year-round. Skiers can enjoy the forests and boulder fields, glide down to the lake and meander through the park. Unmarked, 9.6-km, skier-packed trail starting near the Emigrant Trail Museum. For the more adventuresome, glide over the hills into Coldstream Canyon. Parking fee. TART

LITTLE TRUCKEE SUMMIT

Easy to advanced | (530) 994-3401 or fs.usda.gov Marked routes with 110 miles of groomed trails follow roads to Webber Lake and Yuba Pass, Rim and Ridge Loops, Bald Ridge Loop and Treasure Mountain, Pass Creek Loop, Independence Lake Loop, Meadow Lake Loop and Jackson Meadow. Trailhead at Jackson Meadow Road, 14 miles north of Truckee on Highway 89. Overnight camping OK in parking area. Heavy use.*

PETER GRUBB HUT & CASTLE PEAK

Moderate to advanced | clairtappaanlodge.com A marked Nordic ski trail begins at the Castle Peak/Boreal interchange on Donner Summit off Interstate 80, west of Truckee. Take the Castle Peak exit and follow it for one-quarter mile to the intersection for the trailhead to the north. Follow unmarked trail to Peter Grubb Hut. Overnight parking available at the Sno-Park*. For overnight stays at the hut, call (530) 426-3632 for reservations.

POLE CREEK TRAIL SYSTEM Easy to strenuous

Unmarked trails follow roads along Pole Creek and Silver Creek Drainages. Trailhead 6 miles south of Truckee on Highway 89. Some parking on west side of highway.

TAHOE MEADOWS Easy to advanced

On Mount Rose high above Lake Tahoe, Tahoe Meadows offers an expansive area where skiers can stretch their legs. Head up Highway 431 from Incline Village until you reach the meadows before the summit. South side designated for skiers and snowshoers, while the north side is designated for snowmobilers. Heavy weekend use.

WEST SHORE

BLACKWOOD CANYON Easy to advanced

The meadows in Blackwood Canyon offer a great place to get into the wilderness off Highway 89 on the West Shore. Follow Highway 89 south from Tahoe City and park at the Kaspian Recreation Area. Skiers can glide along the road (not plowed) or through the meadows. Snowmobilers should follow the road about 2.5 miles, then take a left across the bridge and continue up Barker Pass Road to large open areas, steep bowls and many roads. Limited parking.*

MEEKS MEADOWS Easy | fs.usda.gov

Meeks Meadows on the West Shore off Highway 89 offers a vast area to ski. The trailhead is across from the Meeks Bay Fire Station; look for the log cabin with red trim. Follow the U.S. Forest Service road or meander through the meadow and down to Meeks Creek.

SUGAR PINE POINT STATE PARK

Easy to moderate | (530) 525-7982 or parks.ca.gov The Ed Z’berg/Sugar Pine Point State Park is a spectacular spot to cross-country ski or snowshoe among the dense forests of the West Shore or along Lake Tahoe’s shores. The park offers more than 18 km of marked ski trails. Three groomed trails begin at the campground, 9 miles south of Tahoe City, with two skier-packed trails on the lake side of the park, accessed from the Day Use entrance. Winter camping available. Guided tours and programs. Parking fee. TART

HOPE VALLEY

An unmarked route follows the road to the creek bottom. Lateral roads offer many side trips. Trailhead at Sagehen Summit on the west side of Highway 89, 8 miles north of Truckee. Limited parking.

Sno-park on the south side of Highway 88 at Blue Lakes Road. Much of Hope Valley is open to snowmobiling, but some areas are not; stay in designated areas. Ungroomed routes to Willow Creek (8.5 miles) and Tamarack Lake (1 mile) and groomed routes to Blue Lakes (11.5 miles) and Forestdale (3.5 miles). Stage from Hope Valley Sno-Park.*

CISCO GROVE

TAYLOR CREEK

Steep canyon and side slopes at lower end of trail with 7 miles of groomed access. Upper elevations feature ridges and bowls. Route follows Rattlesnake Road to Magonigal Summit. Trailhead at Cisco Grove exit north off Interstate 80.*

Developed for beginners, this well-marked series of trails allows skiers to explore the area. Terrain is mostly flat and is good for the entire family. Take Highway 89 to Cathedral Road and park in the Sno-Park. Marked trails start at the parking lot with three trails near Fallen Leaf Lake. On the lake side of Highway 89, follow the road to access the Tallac Historic Trail.*

NORTH SHORE

BROCKWAY SUMMIT & MARTIS PEAK Easy to advanced

Brockway Summit off Highway 267 offers an abundance of areas to ski with turnouts on both sides of the highway where Nordic skiers and snowshoers can follow logging and utility roads. For snowmobilers, the best access and limited parking about one-quarter mile north of Brockway Summit below the top of Highway 267 on the Truckee side. No groomed trails, but many old lumber roads exist. Take a good map, as it’s easy to become turned around.

PAGE MEADOWS Easy to moderate

Ski or snowshoe along an old road that meanders through a forest and into a cluster of meadows. Take Highway 89 south from Tahoe City, then turn right on Pine Avenue and right on Tahoe Park Heights Road. At the crest of the hill, take the middle fork, which becomes Big Pine Road, then take a left on Silver Tip. The parking area is at the top of the road.

Easy | (530) 573-2600 or fs.usda.gov

LOST SIERRA

YUBA PASS

Easy to advanced | fs.usda.gov The route north from Yuba Pass off Highway 49 is popular for snowmobilers, and shares the trail system with Nordic skiers for the first mile before branching off. For skiers and snowshoers, the route goes north for 2 miles with views of the Sierra Valley, then leads west for 1 mile and rejoins the snowmobile trail. For a short loop, go south (a left) on the snowmobile route back to Yuba Pass. Alternately, you can continue west through a meadow for 1.5 miles, then head south (a left) onto the Lunch Creek Ski Trail 1.25 miles, then north (a left) on 3 Knobs Trail for 1.5 miles. 3 Knobs Trail ends back at the snowmobile trail. Snowmobilers can head north from the branch 1 mile in and travel through Gold Lake Highway. Then, head south to Bassett’s or north to Gold Lake. This route offers a variety of terrain and beautiful views of the Sierra Buttes and the Lakes Basin. More than 100 miles of trails. Take Highway 89 north of Truckee, and then take Highway 49 to Yuba Pass. Trailhead parking is 6 miles east of Bassett’s Station.*

* SNO-PARK PERMIT REQUIRED; (916) 324-1222 OR OHV.PARKS.CA.GOV/SNOPARKS.

more than 25,000 member homeowners. Members and guests today enjoy a18-hole championship golf course, cross-country ski center, downhill ski area, beach club marina, tennis center, equestrian center, campground, 60-plus miles of a multiuse trail system, recreation center and multiple year-round restaurants such as The Lodge Restaurant & Pub and Alder Creek Cafe.

Easy to moderate

RATTLESNAKE Easy to advanced

Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

SAGEHEN SUMMIT Easy to moderate

ahoe Donner kicks off its 50th anniversary and will be celebrating this historical milestone throughout 2021. In celebration, Tahoe Donner will offer special discounts and surprise giveaways at Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort and Cross Country Ski Center and other celebratory offers as COVID-19 safety restrictions allow throughout the year. In the late 1960s, former Navy pilot and professional NFL football player Jack Kirby purchased 4,020 acres from a Christmas tree farmer in Truckee. As an entrepreneur and real estate developer, Kirby saw the potential to create a familyfriendly mountain community with endless recreational opportunities. After visiting the property and viewing an area

badly burned by the Donner Ridge fire in 1960, Kirby believed the scorched area would be ideal for a downhill ski resort that appeals to beginners and intermediate skiers. The downhill ski resort became Tahoe Donner’s first amenity. In 1971, Tahoe Donner started selling lots, exceeding $20 million in homesite sales before the golf course or ski hill even opened. “Tahoe Donner was built on a vision for a vibrant and desirable mountain community for generations to enjoy,” said David Mickaelian, general manager of Tahoe Donner, in a press release. “We are proud to celebrate 50 years of memorable history and the spirit and adventurous community that is Tahoe Donner today.” Tahoe Donner is Northern California’s largest resort community and one of the largest homeowners associations in the United States. The community includes nearly 6,500 homes on 7,300 acres, with

Tahoe Donner also boasts an awardwinning forestry department recognized nationally for its work in fire safety and responsible forest management. Tahoe Donner continues to invest in capital projects and community improvements. Recent examples include the new energy-efficient Alder Creek Adventure Center, completed in 2015, and the remodel of its Trout Creek Recreation Center, completed in early 2020. In honor of its 50th anniversary, Tahoe Donner completed tee and fairway repairs, as well as a greens replacement project at the Tahoe Donner Golf Course in summer and fall 2020. The golf course is scheduled to reopen in early summer 2021. In the fall of 2020, Tahoe Donner completed the recent construction on its Nature Loop Trail and the paving of the Bermgarten Trail parking lot. Looking forward, the association is in the planning phase of building a new downhill ski lodge and is adding snowmaking capabilities at its cross-country ski center and Snowplay area. Visit the website for a timeline of historical highlights. | tahoedonner.com/50years 

January 13-February 9, 2021

tahoe city winter sports park

Courtesy California State Parks

sugar pine point state park

kilometers

Courtesy TCPUD

# of trails

The Ed Z’berg/Sugar Pine Point State Park is a spectacular spot to cross-country ski and snowshoe along the dense forests of the West Shore or along Lake Tahoe’s shores. The park offers more than 20km of marked trails for all levels. However, the trails are not being groomed this year. It is also a popular sledding location.

grooming

no warming huts

Free trail access | Use of the trails is free; it is $5 to park. Dogs on leash are allowed only within the developed areas but are not allowed on the beaches or in the Nature Preserve. Restrooms are available in the parking lot.

Winter camping | Sugar Pine Point is one of the only winter campgrounds open year-round in the Tahoe area, offering 16 campsites on a first-come, first-served basis. The campground was closed due to state restrictions as of press time; check for reopening as conditions change.

grooming

4km+

The Tahoe City Winter Sports Park offers ice skating, sledding, crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing and is a great spot for family fun.

warming huts

Annual parking pass | Purchase a Tahoe Regional Parking Pass for $75 good at all of the state parks in the Tahoe region for a year – D.L. Bliss, Donner Memorial, Ed Z’Berg Sugar Pine Point, Emerald Bay and Kings Beach State Recreation Area.

Tickets | Reservations for all activities are available in one-week blocks and open for registration on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. (subject to change). Season Passes are available, and no walk-ups will be permitted this season.

Courtesy Tahoe Cross Country

wintersportspark.com

tahoe cross country

tahoe donner cross country 40 36

NOVICE | INTERMEDIATE | ADVANCED

% of terrain

kilometers

50 # of trails

21 grooming

50km warming huts

Dining | The on-site restaurant Café Zenon is open for to-go ordering from the bar window or online. Webcam | Check out the webcam of the action on the ice rink at tcpud. org/winter-webcam. n

parks.ca.gov

Trail access | The park provides 4km for both skating and striding, as well as a snowshoe loop/walking trail. Online reservations for skiing and snowshoe will be available as conditions allow the trails to open. Dogs are allowed on the trail system.

Tahoe Donner | Tahoe Donner

NORDIC SKI & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

100+ Events Jan. 22-26 | Old Skool Klassic Race Feb 7 | Shooter Bowl Sunday Tennis Ball Biathlon Feb 14 | Share the Love Valentine’s Day Ski Feb. 19-22 | Alpenglow 20k Race The nonprofit Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area offers stunning lake views along the trails making it one of the area’s best spots for cross-country skiing. Fat tire bikes are not allowed on the trail system. Tickets & lessons | The ski area offers lessons and equipment rentals for cross-country and skate skis by advance online reservations only.

tahoexc.org

Ski free | Youth ages 18 and younger ski for free, as well as seniors ages 70 and older.

# of trails

79 grooming

Dog trails | Dogs are allowed on the 9km of dog trails only from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Saturday. On Saturdays, dogs are not allowed from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Read the full dog trail rules online. Trail cam | A web camera was installed last year at the trailhead on Yellow Trail. Navigate to all the web cams, weather and snow gauge by clicking the camera icon on the top corner of the website. n

100km+ warming huts

Tahoe Donner Cross Country Ski Center offers more than 100km of world-class trails open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Tahoe Donner celebrates its 50th in 2021 and special discounts and surprise giveaways will be offered at the cross-country center and Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort. Fat biking is no longer allowed on Tahoe Donner trails beginning this winter. No clinics will be offered this season.

Tickets | No reservations are required for season passholders. All day trail passes and rentals must be prepurchased in advance online. No walkup purchases will be available. Dogs | Those that already have dog season passes may bring their dogs, however, no additional dog passes will be available this winter. Dining | Enjoy grab-and-go options at Alder Creek Cafe open daily for breakfast, lunch and snacks. No indoor dining is available. n

tahoedonner.com 19

TheTahoeWeekly.com

WINTER

RECREATION ACCESS A B OV E

A busy day at the Spooner Summit sledding area at the intersections of Highways 50 and 28. | Courtesy Tahoe Fund

“I think access is a big question for Tahoe all year-round. With winter, there is less pavement to put cars on. That exacerbates the situation … We don’t have enough parking for everyone who wants to access the public lands.” –Amy Berry

P U S H E D TO L I M IT S TO RY BY S E A N M c A L I N D I N

We’ve all been there. You packed everything you need to safely enjoy a snowy day in the Tahoe Sierra. You’re out of the house and on your way. Everything is going great. Until you arrive at your destination. The parking lot is packed and there’s nowhere to go. You sit in a traffic jam or drive around aimlessly hoping for something to open up. We used to think this was only a problem in a city, but not anymore. These days, it’s more than likely the crux of your Tahoe adventure will be finding a place to park. Many have experienced this phenomenon on a powder day at local ski resorts. However, in recent years the parking dilemma has become even more acute at the trailheads accessing local public lands. With the pandemic limiting ski resort capacity, more people are seeking off-the-grid recreation opportunities as land managers struggle to keep up. “This summer we had an incredible onslaught of visitors, more than we usually have,” says Eldorado National Forest spokesperson Kristi Schroeder. “That wasn’t expected because it was a closure order and you were supposed to stay home. Ironically, many of them were people who had never been hiking or camping before, so they didn’t know what they were doing.”

The U.S. Forest Service oversees land use and public access in the Tahoe Sierra through its six districts – Eldorado, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, Humboldt-Toiyabe, Plumas, Stanislaus and Tahoe. In addition, there are also five wilderness areas in the region – Carson-Iceberg, Desolation, Granite Chief, Mt. Rose and Mokelumne – that are popular areas for back-country skiers and snowmobilers, all looking for parking. Read our story on “Back-country Access in 2021” in this edition and at TheTahoeWeekly.com. While the tidal wave of tourists used to be more of a summer occurrence, winter travel is steadily on the rise. When the parking areas close for the season and snow plowing operations limit roadside parking, the conundrum of where to put all the cars only grows worse.

Why is parking closed? Once folks get into the woods, there is plenty of space to spread out, physically distance and enjoy a bit of solitude. The biggest challenges often occur at the last stop before the adventure: the parking lot. Or, in this case, a lack thereof. There are only a handful of official parking lots open for the winter. “The problem with [Forest Service] winter parking areas is they are only open if they are sponsored by the state Sno-Park program,” says Schroeder. “We can’t open any of our other facilities because we don’t have a budget for it. And the areas are not engineered with the use of snow in mind. It could be a perfectly safe parking lot in the summer, but with a ton a snow on it, it may not be. It’s not as simple as running a plow through it and we’re good to go.”

January 13-February 9, 2021 FEATURE

Ice Skating & Tubing EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Find more family-friendly activities to enjoy. MASKS ARE REQUIRED & MOST LOCATIONS REQUIRE RESERVATIONS.

ICE SKATING

ECHO LAKE

EDGEWOOD TAHOE

Highway 50 at Echo Lake Road. Bring equipment.*

(530) 644-2324

(888) 769-1924 | edgewoodtahoe.com Open air rink. Rentals available. Open until April 18.

HANSEN’S RESORT

HEAVENLY VILLAGE

400-foot-long groomed tube run on Ski Run Blvd. First-come, first-served.

(530) 542-4230 | theshopsatheavenly.com Open air rink. South Tahoe

HEAVENLY

NORTHSTAR

(530) 562-1010 | northstarcalifornia.com Open air rink. Free access. TART

Off Highway 207. Bring equipment. South Tahoe

Indoor facility open year-round. South Tahoe

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

RESOURCES

(530) 583-1516 | wintersportspark.com

California Sno-Parks | ohv.parks.ca.gov

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

Tahoe Fund | tahoefund.org

Opening existing summer parking areas to winter use would be a sizable project for the Forest Service and the costs associated with designing, approving and operating the lots year-round are not currently budgeted. While Sierra Nevada snow falls from the sky by the foot, money unfortunately doesn’t. “In the winter, you can’t see the parking stalls,” says Schroeder. “The signage is not designed for winter; it’s all under snow. Can we get to the bathroom? Does it have to be dug out? ... When you have snow berms out there do you still have that parking? Generally, you’d design winter ones to be larger.” The heart of the issue dates back to 1972 when President Richard Nixon issued an executive order requiring federal land-management agencies to minimize environmental impacts and conflicts on public lands. While the Forest Service invested millions of dollars to create sustainable public access for the summer months, it by and large neglected to consider winter travelers. “Most National Forest facilities were designed for summer use that doesn’t require the type of road grades that are safe to plow,” says Joseph Flannery, Tahoe National Forest public affairs officer. “We’re talking 1-inch overlay over dirt.” As a result, National Forests in the Sierra Nevada enter a seasonal road closure period each year from Dec. 31 through March 31, at a minimum, in order to protect the dirt roads from damage. A full list of road closures is available on the Motor Vehicle Use Map for each district at fs.usda.gov. “It goes back to these factors,” says Flannery. “Were they analyzed for winter use? And were they designed for winter use? Once those two questions are answered, we have a short list of places that are available for plowed parking. The next challenge is then finding a cooperator or partner to provide that access, to do the actual plowing. You can see we’re starting to go down a narrow path here.” In response, California State Parks built 18 SnoParks throughout the Sierra Nevada to accommodate back-country access and snow play. The maintenance costs are paid for by winter and summer use permits with Caltrans providing snow plowing. But even with seven Sno-Parks in the greater Tahoe area, it’s simply not enough to accommodate the ever-increasing demand. As well, users must purchase a permit online C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 2 2

On Lake Tahoe Blvd. Bring equipment. South Tahoe

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE

TRUCKEE

Blizzard Mountain offers two lift-accessible snow tubing lanes, snow play and sledding area. Opening TBD

(530) 659-7453 | sierraattahoe.com

At Truckee River Regional Park. Skate rentals, broomball leagues, ice dancing & hockey lessons. Skate rentals & season passes available. TART

TAHOE SNOWMOBILE TUBING

SLEDDING & TUBING

TAYLOR CREEK

OPEN AS CONDITIONS PERMIT.

Highway 89, north of Camp Richardson Road. Bring equipment.* South Tahoe

(530) 542-3294 | tahoesnowmobiles.com Two locations at Tahoe Paradise & Stateline, Nev. Reserve online.

(530) 543-2600

SPOONER LAKE

TUBETAHOE

State park open for general snow play. Bring equipment. Parking fee.

500 feet of machine-groomed tubing lanes in Meyers. Equipment provided. South Tahoe

(530) 600-2304 | tubetahoe.com

(775) 831-0494

Cars routinely park along busy highways to access closed recreation areas in the winter. Pictured are cars parked on Highway 28 on the East Shore near the closed Chimney Beach entrance in late December. | Katherine E. Hill

SAWMILL POND

Ice skating & rentals. Clubhouse. TART

EAST SHORE

A B OV E

Tubing at top of gondola with four lanes. Opening TBD

(775) 586-7271 | douglascountynv.gov

(530) 542-6262 | cityofslt.com

Forest Service Recreation Site Status | go.usa.gov/xwurX

skiheavenly.com

KAHLE PARK

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map | fs.usda.gov

(530) 544-3361 | hansensresort.com

TRUCKEE & BEYOND

HOPE VALLEY AREA

CARSON PASS

BOREAL MOUNTAIN

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

HOPE VALLEY

Tubing open to everyone 42” and taller; smaller children are limited to snow play area only. Personal sleds not permitted. Night sessions available. Reserve online.

Highway 88 at Blue Lakes Road. Bring equipment.*

DONNER SKI RANCH

MEISS MEADOW

Tubing hills with moving carpet.

rideboreal.com

(209) 295-4251

(775) 882-2766

(209) 295-4251

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

donnerskiranch.com

DONNER SUMMIT (530) 587-3558

South side of I-80, Castle Peak exit. Bring equipment.*

NORTH SHORE

INCLINE VILLAGE

NORTHSTAR CALIFORNIA

Snow Play Area on Fairway Blvd., next to the Chateau, on the driving range. Bring equipment.

northstarcalifornia.com

Closed for the 2020-21 season. TART

MOUNT ROSE

SODA SPRINGS

Near the Mount Rose summit, enjoy sledding in Tahoe Meadows off Highway 431. Bring equipment.

NORTH TAHOE REGIONAL PARK

(530) 546-0605 | northtahoeparks.com End of National Avenue off Hwy 28. Rentals available. Opening TBD. TART

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

skisodasprings.com Mountain Adventure offers kids tubing carousel, all-age tubing, Snow Jeep rides, Start Park, snow play area and mini snowmobiles. Reserve online.

TAHOE DONNER

(530) 587-9437 | tahoedonner.com At Trout Creek Recreation Ctr. No personal sleds. Reserve online.

(530) 583-1516 | wintersportspark.com

YUBA PASS

Sledding & cross-country trails. Rentals available. Clubhouse. Reserve online. TART

Highway 49 at Yuba Pass. Bring equipment.*

(530) 994-3401 WEST SHORE

OLYMPIC VALLEY

SQUAW VALLEY

BLACKWOOD CANYON

Tubing area. TART

Snowplay area off Hwy. 89, 3 miles south of Tahoe City. Bring equipment.*

(530) 452-4511 | squawalpine.com

SQUAW VALLEY PARK

(530) 543-2600

GRANLIBAKKEN

placer.ca.gov

Free snowplay area. Free parking to access cleared walking paths in Olympic Valley to Tahoe City. Bring equipment. TART

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

(530) 581-7533 | granlibakken.com Machine-groomed snow play area; no tubes or toboggans allowed. All ages. Reserve online.

HOMEWOOD ADVENTURE CENTER (530) 525-2992 | skihomewood.com

ADVENTURE MOUNTAIN

(530) 659-7217 | adventuremountaintahoe.com

At Homewood Mountain Resort with Magic Carpet. Reserve online.

On top of Echo Summit with machine-groomed sledding, tubing & snowplay. First-come, first-served.

TAHOE CITY Gentle slope on Highway 89 South, one-eighth mile south of the wye. Bring equipment. TART

ALL ACTIVITIES ARE WEATHER DEPENDENT. * Sno-park permits required. Go to ohv.parks.ca.gov/snoparks or find locations at (916) 324-1222. BUS & SHUTTLE SCHEDULES

North Tahoe & Truckee: laketahoetransit.com (TART) | South Tahoe: tahoetransportation.org

TheTahoeWeekly.com

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 2 1

or at a local retailer before they arrive. There are no kiosks to pay for parking onsite and a permit doesn’t guarantee that visitors will have a parking space. “I think access is a big question for Tahoe all yearround,” says Amy Berry, CEO of Tahoe Fund. “With winter, there is less pavement to put cars on. That exacerbates the situation … We don’t have enough parking for everyone who wants to access the public lands. We appreciate that Tahoe is finite space and the number of people who want to enjoy it continues to grow and grow.”

Limited parking in Tahoe Basin These issues are especially prevalent within the Lake Tahoe Basin itself, where the majority of public lands are supervised by the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU). In order to host more than 8 million visitors per year, most of whom arrive in personal vehicles, the LTBMU manages more than 50 parking areas with

“We keep open as long as we can depending on ice and snow conditions,” says Dan Canfield, acting deputy director for the Sierra District of California State Parks. “[In December] the snow and ice got the point where we couldn’t get to it safely. The first 20 or 30 yards of the trail [at Vikingsholm] was a like a steep skating rink. It took great care not to crack my head open … It becomes a liability issue at some point.” State parks on the West Shore conduct winter maintenance with one front loader and a pickup truck with a plow blade. According to Canfield, the paved areas at Vikingsholm and D.L. Bliss are simply too steep and icy to safely clear for public access with this limited equipment. “It’s not perfect,” he says. “A big thing on the horizon is what equipment or improvements we need to make it all seasons. It’s my commitment as a manager to keep looking at those things.” With state budget cuts looming on the horizon, however, improvement projects like these have been left to the wayside, at least for now. “The state is sending the message that it’s going to

The one Conservancy area that does have its own parking, Van Sickle Bi-State Park in South Lake Tahoe, closes its lot in the winter. “The access road is a little bit steep in spots,” says Butler. “Van Sickle was designed as a walk-in park to accommodate the tourist core. It’s a beautiful place to hike and snowshoe.” On the North Shore, the Conservancy’s lakeside lands in Carnelian Bay and King’s Beach do have parking areas that are plowed by California State Parks or adjacent businesses such as Gar Woods Grill & Pier. Eagle Rock, south of Tahoe City, is a popular destination owned by the Conservancy. Although it doesn’t have its own parking lot, Caltrans typically carves a few spaces alongside Highway 89 where people can park. “If they’re blocking our ability to maintain the highway and the opportunity for our plows and blowers to operate, or if there is a ‘No Parking’ sign and one of our workers sees that, we would report it,” said Caltrans spokesperson Steve Nelson in an interview with Tahoe Weekly last year. “If they are completely off the highway and it’s not signed as ‘No Parking,’ that’s fine.” Nevertheless, on busy days, popular places like Eagle Rock or the turnouts nearby D.L. Bliss can quickly overflow with folks pulling up outside the white lines while cars and trucks zip past.

A dangerous situation

more than 2,800 spaces. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these parking areas are closed for the winter. “I think this year we reached a tipping point in the perception of the issue,” says Forest Service landscape architect Ashley Sibr. “People are really starting to feel the actual impacts.” Considering its environmentally sensitive mountain environment and the plethora of land management agencies involved, the process to increase winter parking in the Tahoe Basin is especially complicated. “In the Emerald Bay area, for example, we’d have to work with rock fall issues to allow Caltrans to do avalanche blasting, so someone could actually get to the parking lot in question,” says Sibr. “Then you have to find someone to get there to plow. You have the maintain the trash clean up, etcetera. For one [agency], it doesn’t make a lot sense … It’s hard. It takes money.” For years, LTBMU has been collaborating with numerous organizations including Tahoe Regional Planning Agency to develop long-term plans for development in the Basin. While some of these proposals will be coming to fruition in 2021-22, there is nothing concrete on the table for this season. “As of right now, we don’t have any plans to do anything mainly because we don’t have the resources to plow those areas and we haven’t had anyone come to us to offer to plow those areas,” says Sibr. “It’s a basin-wide effort and it does take a lot of resources to spool together these projects … I really do think it’s taken a long road to get to where we have some of the planning in place to make some of these specific steps going forward.” California State Parks takes a slightly more progressive view toward keeping its parking lots open through the winter, albeit with varying success. Rather than having a hard closing date, decisions are based on weather and safety. All of the parks are currently open from sunrise to sunset with about half providing winter parking including Sugar Pine Point, Donner Memorial, Grover Hot Springs, D.L. Bliss visitor center lot and Kings Beach State Recreation Area. Parking at Emerald Bay including Vikingsholm and Tahoe State Recreation Area are all closed for the winter. In Nevada, Spooner Lake, Sand Harbor and Cave Rock parks are all open with parking. 22

be tough economic times,” says Canfield. “Eventually, things are going to turn around. At some point, the pandemic will be gone and we’ll be back to normal. Right now, we’re just trying to nibble away at it with the resources we have at hand to provide as many recreation opportunities as we can.” While Martis Creek Lake in Truckee is open to public access, the federally-run Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t provide winter parking for similar reasons. Meanwhile, many local towns and cities along with recreation districts in unincorporated areas do cover the costs of parking access to most of its beaches and parks year-round. Like other land management agencies, the California Tahoe Conservancy relies on town, county and state services to take care of snow removal. While all of its 4,700 parcels and 6,500 acres are open to public use year-round, there are no specific parking lots providing access at most of these locations. “It’s mostly street parking that the city and county are keeping clear,” says Shawn Butler, program director for California Tahoe Conservancy. “General parking impact is becoming more and more prevalent. Especially in the last year or two we’ve seen tremendous roadside parking issues. It leads to the need for better transit options to get people to their sites. The parking has simply exceeded the capacity to be sustainable.” A recently installed sled corral with new signage: ‘Leave sleds here. Take your memories and trash home.’ | Katherine E. Hill

On the weekend after Christmas, there were reports of “No Parking” signs being stolen from Crystal Bay Road at Emigrant Gap. According to Nevada County Public Works, an officer arrived at the scene to find more than 20 cars parked illegally while families sledded into the road. The officer declined to ticket anyone because he couldn’t give a citation without a sign. “In general, even on the state highways there have been issues with parking, mostly by people not familiar with snow removal,” says Nevada County public works director Trisha Tillotson. “Nowhere on county-maintained roads do we have a specific location for people to pull over and do that type of activity and, in fact, it’s not legal to park on county roads where snow removal activity is occurring.” This incident is just one example of how a scarcity

January 13-February 9, 2021 FEATURE

Winter Paved Walking Paths

of parking access amid soaring demand can quickly lead to hazardous circumstances. “Once people leave the house, they are determined to do what they are going to do,” says Schroeder of Eldorado National Forest. “They don’t have a back-up plan. When they get there, it’s ‘I will stuff myself in.’ You need to have a plan B and C if your first spot is full of people, so you don’t put yourself at risk.”

“Once people leave the house, they are determined to do what they are going to do. They don’t have a back-up plan. When they get there, it’s ‘I will stuff myself

DOGS OK

BOOT-PACKED PATH

PLOWED PATH

Distancing guidelines remain in place & masks are required in California and Nevada.

in.’ You need to have a plan B and C if your

PAVED MULTIUSE TRAILS

first spot is full of people, so you don’t

• Keep dogs leashed

CHECK CONDITIONS AT TAHOEBIKE.ORG.

• Pedestrians must yield to bikes • Don’t stop on the trail; move to the side

put yourself at risk.”

• E-bikes allowed on most paths; check in advance

–Kristi Schroeder

• Cyclists call out when passing pedestrians • Limited service in winter. Pack out all trash, including dog waste bags.

No sled left behind

The harsh reality is once people make the snowy trek up to the Tahoe Sierra, they are going to find a place to recreate one way or another. Many end up at unsupervised locations where evidence of their winter merriment lives on long after they’ve gone. Exhibit A: The sledding at hill at Spooner Summit at the intersections of Highways 50 and 28. “Last year, the litter on the sled hill got out of control,” says Berry of the Tahoe Fund. “It’s so hard in the winter because there is no official manager. If you leave a Dumpster unattended, random people will fill it with their garage. So that doesn’t work. We thought maybe if we had someone go out once a week and clean it up, we’d have better success.” This year, the Fund has organized a pilot program to alleviate litter by allocating $3,900 to Clean Up Tahoe to gather trash once a week for pickup by Nevada Department of Transportation. Citing the broken window theory popularized by Malcolm Gladwell, Berry hopes that by limiting the amount of visible trash each week, visitors will be deterred from leaving their own. For the past five years, the Fund has also installed sled corrals for people to leave broken sleds, rather than discarding bits of plastic all across the frozen landscape.

Tahoe Fund is running billboards on I-80 and Highway 50 encouraging people to clean up after their plastic sleds. The campaign includes humorous signs about Leave No Trace sledding etiquette. | Courtesy Tahoe Fund

Easy | 4 miles RT | tcpud.org A 2-mile trail runs beside Squaw Valley Road to the ski area from the Squaw Valley condos to Victoria Road, with views of the meadow and surrounding peaks. Public parking at Squaw Valley Park or Village at Squaw. Electric assist OK. TART SOUTH LAKE TAHOE Easy | 3.2 miles RT Connections Lake Tahoe Boulevard (Highway 50) and Pioneer Trail with access to Lake Tahoe Community College.

EAST SHORE TRAIL

O P P O S I T E & I N S ET

OLYMPIC VALLEY

AL TAHOE BOULEVARD EAST SHORE

The secret to safe winter travel through the Sierra Nevada is preparation, planning and flexibility. The Forest Service recommends being prepared with tire chains, water, blankets, warm clothes, flashlights, food and other items to survive a winter emergency. “A key thing for us is know before you go,” says Schroeder. “Do your research. Our rangers spend a lot of time teaching people how to do things. We try to get people to know what they need to do. We give citations when we need to give citations, but we spend a ton of time doing education so people know how to use the forest. They need to be prepared if they want to do it safely.”

BIKES OK

Easy-moderate | 6 miles RT | tahoefund.org Runs along Lake Tahoe and connects to Hwy. 28 from south end of Incline Village, Nev., to Sand Harbor State Park. Parking near Ponderosa Ranch Road. Electric assist OK. Paid parking. TART NORTH SHORE

CAMP RICHARDSON BIKE PATH Easy | 6 miles RT The trail parallels State Route 89 (Emerald Bay Road) for more than 3 miles, offering access to a number of local historic and recreational amenities. Limited parking.

SAWMILL TO MEYERS

INCLINE VILLAGE Easy | 7.4 miles RT | washoecounty.us Walking path runs along Hwy. 28 through Incline Village. Access to shopping and parks. Paved between both intersections of Southwood Blvd. Boot packed between east intersection of Southwood Blvd. and Country Club Drive. TART

LAKESHORE BOULEVARD

Easy | 7 miles RT Section cleared along Sawmill Road starting at Lake Tahoe Boulevard then connects to run along Highway 89 to Meyers ending at Luther Pass Road.

SIERRA BOULEVARD Easy | 1.2 miles RT Connects from Lake Tahoe Boulevard to Barbara Avenue.

Easy | 5 miles RT | washoecounty.us Runs along Lake Tahoe Boulevard and connects to Hwy. 28 at each end of Incline Village. Park at Preston Field on Hwy. 28. Electric assist OK. TART

SKI RUN BOULEVARD

NATIONAL AVENUE

Easy | 7 miles RT | cityofslt.us Follow the bike trail along South Shore, with sections along Lakeview Commons, Reagan Beach and playgrounds. Public parking at Parks and Recreation lot on Rufus Allen Boulevard.

Easy | 1.8 miles RT Starts on shore of Lake Tahoe at Tahoe Vista Recreation Area and continues up National Avenue past Grey Lane. Parking at Tahoe Vista Recreation Area. TART

PINE DROP TRAIL Easy | 3 miles RT | northtahoeparks.com Located at North Tahoe Regional Park the trail connects to to Pinedrop Lane off Highway 267. Parking fee.

TAHOE CITY TO CARNELIAN BAY Easy-moderate | 8+ miles RT | tcpud.org First 2.5 miles mostly level with a half-mile climb up Dollar Hill. Cross Highway 28 to access 2.2-mile section to Fulton Crescent above Carnelian Bay. Public parking at 64 Acres, Commons Beach, Jackpine and Grove Street. Electric assist OK. Section from Dollar Hill to Fulton Crescent bootpacked only. TART

TRUCKEE RIVER CANYON Easy | 9+ miles RT | tcpud.org 4.5 miles from the Tahoe City wye to Alpine Meadows Road, with trails continuing to Olympic Valley. The trail is scenic, separate from the highway, and is mostly flat terrain with a few short, gentle grades with trout fishing, river rafting and picnicking along the way. Connects with Squaw Valley Road or continue to Truckee. Public parking at 64 Acres and Squaw Valley Park at Squaw Valley Road. Electric assist OK. TART

Easy | 1.2 miles RT Connects from Lake Tahoe Boulevard to Pioneer Trail.

SOUTH SHORE BIKE PATH

TRUCKEE

DONNER PASS ROAD Easy | 5.4 miles RT Runs through the heart of the town of Truckee from the west end to historic downtown Truckee.

DONNER PASS ROAD TO MOUSEHOLE Easy | 1.8 miles RT Runs along Highway 89 connecting Donner Pass Road to the Mousehole.

JOEGER DRIVE Easy | 1.2 miles RT Connects from Soaring Way and runs along Joeger Drive to River View Sports Park.

STEVENS LANE TO ALDER DRIVE Easy | 2 miles RT Runs from Stevens Lane along Donner Pass Road, turns down Rue Ivy to connect to Alder Drive. Park at U.S. Forest Service office on Stevens Lane.

TROUT CREEK TRAIL Moderate | 3 miles RT Wooded path from Trout Creek Park (paid parking) in downtown Truckee to Northwoods Boulevard (parking free).

WEST SHORE

TAHOE CITY TO MEEKS BAY Moderate | 25+ miles RT | tcpud.org Mostly separate from the highway, the trail includes a few miles of highway shoulder and residential streets. Terrain is varied with a few steep sections. Access to picnicking, beaches and playgrounds. Public parking at 64 Acres. Electric assist OK. Boot-packed only starting at Timberland. TART

TRUCKEE LEGACY TRAIL Easy | 10 miles RT | tdrpd.org Stretches from downtown Truckee to Truckee River Regional Park, River View Sports Park and Glenshire. Park at either park or East River Street. Electric assist OK. TART

BUS & SHUTTLE SCHEDULES C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 2 4

North Tahoe & Truckee: laketahoetransit.com (TART) | South Tahoe: tahoetransportation.org

TheTahoeWeekly.com

“We’ve got to look at it holistically,” she says. “If one entity closes something, it doesn’t mean the people who went there disappear. They just go somewhere else. When Sand Harbor went to half capacity last summer we had more people leaving cars on the side of the road.” In reaction to environmental damage and parking issues, the Town of Truckee relocated the popular sledding hill at McIver Dairy meadow in 2019 but doesn’t provide any parking in that area. While there are still a number of free and paid sledding areas available within town limits, it’s one more example of how a lack of planning and oversight can lead to the destruction of public access for all. This winter, TruckeeDonner Recreation and Parks District attempted to leave West End Beach open for outdoor recreation, but within the first couple weeks of it not being staffed, large graffiti showed up. So, the gate is now closed Map of California Sno-Parks in the Tahoe Sierra. | Courtesy California State Parks for the winter. “What we are tryC O N T I N U E D F R O M PAG E 2 3 ing to do is find ways to support people still “We want them to take their sleds, but they won’t being able to access these areas without the negative do it,” says Berry. “We have an internal struggle with impacts on our community and environment,” says this. We are not encouraging them to do it, but we Truckee mayor Anna Klovstad. “Particularly since have compassion for it. You have this great vision of fewer people are going to actual resorts, it means getting you kids out there, but then their hands get more people are going to areas not specifically built to cold and their piece of junk sleds breaks into a milaccommodate public access. That is a problem for us. lion pieces. At that point you have to get in the car We need to look at the big picture as how we function and get out of there.” as a community with the ski resorts and without the This season, Tahoe Fund invested more than ski resorts. We want to create access, but it needs to be $30,000 in sledding clean-up projects, including responsible to the community and the environment.” $23,000 for billboards signs along Highway 50 and I-80, which provide humorous public messaging Any new ideas out there? around Leave No Trace sledding etiquette. Berry sees the environmental impacts as one aspect While there has been a lot of talk about how to of the larger questions about long-term sustainability solve the ongoing parking issues in the Tahoe Sierra, in the region. solutions have not materialized.

Shop tahoe

When the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit released its initial proposal of Over-the-Snow Vehicle (OSV ) management in late 2019, it proposed expanding West Shore parking at Spring Creek Tract from eight to 20 spaces and Fountain Place Road from 30 to 40 spaces. It designated new sites suitable for snow play on the west side of Spooner Junction and nearby Sawmill Pond in South Lake Tahoe. (OSV management refers to winter use of Forest Service lands by motorized vehicles including snowmobiles.) In an idea welcomed by both motorized and human-powered users, the proposal also called for additional areas allowed for groomed trails at Blackwood Canyon, Watson Creek, Granlibakken, Taylor Creek, Rabe Meadow, Echo Lake Road and Meeks Meadow. However, like other Forest Service proposals, this one remains in hiatus as the coronavirus pandemic slows down projects at most government agencies. That being said, there are a few bright spots where creative thinkers are working to collaborate on solutions for this winter. In efforts to increase public access, the Town of Truckee is working with the Tahoe National Forest to analyze the potential for three new plowed lots at Cabin Creek, Penny Pines and Castle Valley.

Download the list of

California Sno-Parks & the Forest Service’s

Winter Recreation guide at TheTahoeWeekly.com “We have initiated resource surveys in support of a potential proposed action to improve these access points,” said Jonathan Cook-Fisher, district ranger at Tahoe National Forest, in a Dec. 31 email. “From an environmental analysis perspective, all three sites are fairly straightforward as there are not unique resources that might otherwise limit activities. However, we have not yet found the right partnerships to make it a reality.” While recent Forest Service documents clearly identify the need to address trailhead access parking for a variety of recreational uses, so far, the solutions have yet to be realized. “Across the entire Truckee Ranger District, I believe that the record level of visitation that we experienced last spring and summer is likely to continue,” says Cook-Fisher. “As such, we are at a crossroads and the challenge before us is to either proactivity address our antiquated facilities as a community, or remain reactionary and unsatisfied with how we access our cherished National Forest.” 

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January 13-February 9, 2021 THE MAKERS

THE makers

Funding needed for

FOREST⇌FIRE Nevada County Arts Council has launched of an online campaign to match state and local funds in contributing to the movement to save forests and watersheds. Nevada County Arts Council’s groundbreaking project, FOREST⇌FIRE, is a multi-partner project to raise awareness for the forests and the connection between history, current management and health, and the health of the watersheds and air, according to a press release.

FOREST⇌FIRE addresses the fact that much of California is faced with the threat of catastrophic fire. This year, 4 million acres have burned in California, the most in recorded history, while choking smoke has at times blotted out the sun, and scientists warning that if predictions hold, this year may soon seem mild by future comparisons. “FOREST⇌FIRE shatters common misperceptions that art exists only in service to itself. Rather, it places art in service to fundamentally important issues of forest resiliency, the health of our land, water and air and the impact of these on our watersheds and open spaces,” says Eliza Tudor, executive director at Nevada County Arts Council.

creative awareness | arts & culture | the makers movement

Betts Bra BUILDING A BETTER SPORTS BRA S TO RY & P H OTO S BY T I M H AU S E R M A N

atherine Betts’ Truckee-based small business Betts Fit is focused on one simple goal: Building a better sports bra. The idea sprung from Betts’ own frustration with the lack of comfort and support she found with the sports bras she needed as a high school and collegiate soccer player. As a large-breasted woman, she found that available bras didn’t provide enough support. Sometimes she had to wear three sports bras at once to prevent painful bounce and she still suffered neck, shoulder and nerve pain. Later, as a personal trainer for six years, she would often

“ I got my new bra and climbed Mt. Rose and have been enjoying it

“FOREST⇌FIRE invites science-based solutions to catastrophic fire and an economically sustainable, hopeful future. It exposes the public to the 13,000-year history of our forest ecology, its relationship to fire, and the human role within that relationship. Our goal is to create a common understanding of our fireadapted, forest ecology and a shared vision for the future of our forests,” says Heather Llewellyn of Llewellyn Studio.

running and jump roping.

“Over the course of four months, Truckee Recreation Center’s public art wing will immerse visitors in the living evolution of their forest’s ecology. In wandering through the art and story of the FOREST⇌FIRE exhibition, they will be able to imagine the oldgrowth forest as it was created and cared for by the Washoe Tribe and their ancestors, understand the volatile and vulnerable forest of modern times, and be inspired by a vision for a vibrant, future forest and the role they can play in making it so,” says Llewellyn.

–Lauren Klein

FOREST⇌FIRE’s exhibition is planned for 2021 and will include Spanish and Washoe translations. Donate to the campaign at charity.gofundme.com. | nevadacountyarts.org/forestfire

FilmStream

coming to Tahoe

Award-winning filmmakers, visionary conservationists and up and coming names in the outdoor filmmaking industry will be part of the FilmStream Festival coming to the Heavenly Village in South Lake Tahoe in April. FilmStream is dedicated to outdoor adventure short films celebrating the power of uncharted exploration. Submissions to the festival are being accepted until March 21. | filmfreeway.com

It supports my girls and other girls. In my eyes as an advocate for women, it’s an all-around win for the industry.”

teach 10 sessions a day of varying degrees of difficulty. Some sessions were vigorous, and she really needed a strong sports bra, while others were less strenuous, and she was more comfortable with a regular bra. She ended up having to change bras several times a day. “That was the icing on the cake, I decided there is a need for something that is supportive but comfortable enough to wear for the entire day,” said Betts. So, she decided she would create the perfect sports bra and set to work to produce it. The problem was “I came in with zero design background and had never touched a needle and thread before,” said Betts. What she had was a willingness to work hard, and the genes for invention. “My father and grandfather have a bunch of patents in the truck parts world,” she said. She spent the next two years ripping apart every sports bra she could get her hands on and experimenting with creating something more ergonomic and supportive. “My neuroscience background was helpful,” said Betts. Eventually she created a bra that accomplished all the goals: Comfort, support and flexibility. She beta tested it on more than 250 women who gave it rave reviews. One of the women who tested it was Lauren Klein, CEO of Girlmade, a consulting firm supporting female company founders.

Like Betts, Klein is a large-breasted woman that on occasion has had to wear three bras at once. She met Betts at a Change Makers event when Betts was pitching her concept to potential supporters. “I got my new bra and climbed Mt. Rose and have been enjoying it running and jump roping. It supports my girls and other girls. In my eyes as an advocate for women, it’s an all-around win for the industry,” says Klein. Once Betts knew she had a product that would serve the needs of women, she next had to figure out how to get it manufactured and onto the bodies of the women who needed it. “I really wanted to keep production local,” said Betts. But it took her nine hours of work to produce one sports bra. “The machine would jam up, and I would have to fix it. It was not fun, there were major meltdowns,” said Betts. This is when Betts learned that sewing bras is a unique skill set that is performed efficiently in only a few factories in the world. It’s also when she learned why there are not too many small firms producing bras as connecting with these factories is a challenge. She spent the next few years taking what she created in her basement and mailing it back and forth to eight bra factories. “Choosing one was a big deal, putting all my eggs in one basket. I’m extremely happy with the final product. Everyone is stoked with it. It is an exciting time to officially have our bra out there and it is everything I dreamed of creating,” said Betts. While trying to get the bra into production Betts had two children and was

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Catherine Betts in progress toward creating the perfect sports bra. | Betts Fit; The Betts Fit Bra. | Betts Fit; Betts Fit co-founders, from left, Danielle Rees and Catherine Betts. | Alley Rose Co Photography

dealing with the delays and frustrations of Covid, which pushed the production back six months. These delays turned out to be a good thing. “The Covid slow down allowed us to implement some last minute changes to squeeze in features our customers are super excited about,” said Betts. The changes included a nursing functionality and interchangeable straps, which allows for more flexibility in how women wear the bra. In 2019, Betts brought on a partner with co-founder Danielle Rees. Rees who co-founded Coalition Snow, which designs skis for women, and also served as the executive director of Girls on the Run Sierras noted that she “was inspired by her creativity and energy. We both share a passion in supporting women and girls in sports,” said Rees. Betts met Rees as she was presenting her bra business concept at the same pitch competition where she met Klein. “When I got to see the product, I was impressed. It’s high quality and the performance is huge. There should be as much attention to creating a sports bra as there is to running shoes,” said Rees. Betts and Rees have invested their savings in the company, which at this point consists of just the two of them. The inventory arrived in October and they hope that now bras will be flying off the shelves. | bettsfit.com 

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Puzzles

HOROSCOPE for In light of what is destined in 2021, the events of 2020 will pale by comparison. 2021 begins in the context of the Total Solar Eclipse that occurred on Dec. 14. It reveals a deeply spiritual impulse, yet also law yielding to authority. This will not prove easy for anyone, governments as well. The same basic theme is true of the June 10 Solar Eclipse. Winter Solstice also provides contextual themes for the year. It features the historic conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn launching not just a 20-year cycle, but an era of 220 years. Jan. 1, 2021, is the other key event and symbolizes a mass awakening stemming from alternative media. A Square Aspect implies themes at cross purposes and hard turns and there are some major Squares in 2021 between Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus, which is the real shaker theme for 2021 that encompasses the entire year. The key dates are Feb. 17, June 14 and Dec. 24. Mars ever plays a significant role in astrology regarding major events especially when in hard aspect to the far planets: Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Here is the list: • 2021 begins with Mars a Conjunction with Uranus, a bullish and revolutionary influence, on Jan. 20, the day of the U.S. Presidential Inauguration. • Mars Square to Jupiter on Jan. 22 will inflate the expression revolutionary, rights and freedoms-oriented Aquarius. • Mars opposing Pluto on June 5 will prove reactive and explosive. • Mars in Leo opposing Saturn in Aquarius on July 1 and forming an exact Square to Uranus on July 4 will produce patriotic sentiments colored by high emotions linked to religious/spiritual convictions. • On Oct. 22, Mars forms its final’ Upper Square’ to Pluto suggestive of unexpected events leading to transformational change. • On Nov. 11, Mars will form a Square to Saturn and then follow-up with an Opposition to Uranus by Nov. 18. This will activate even more revolutionary attitudes and the resolve of rebels. • The year ends with the final Square between Saturn and Uranus on Dec. 24, and carries through within 1-degree of orb until Jan. 1, 2022. • Destiny is ever at play and we are designed to co-create cooperatively. Stock up, prepare emotionally, try to keep an open mind respecting interpretations and choices that differ from yours, be willing to help your neighbors, adapt without compromising your truth and integrity, pray, laugh and love. 2021 is destined to be the most powerful year we have experienced collectively, perhaps ever.

If you happened to be there when someone’s really mad, would you be in the line of ire?

CryptoQuip

Hocus Focus differences: 1. Bow is smaller, 2. Skirt is shorter, 3. Table leg is missing, 4. Teapot is moved, 5. Hair is different, 6. Cuffs are missing.

January 13-February 9, 2021 FEATURE

the Year 2021

BY M I C H A E L O’ C O N N E R

Aries

Cancer

Libra

Capricorn

In 2020, the focus was centered on

Big changes are in store in 2021 and

Establishing a more solid based on

2021 will be a year of both consoli-

career and power. The emphasis did

the year begins with these underway.

your creative power and abilities are

dation and expansion for you. The

begin to shift to the rest of your life,

These changes could manifest as

highlighted in 2021. The going may

emphasis will be upon making every

your social life specifically, and this

both your personal values and your

not be fast, but it will be sure. You

effort count. Investment is a keyword

will continue. Now, returns for past

creative resolve. A revolutionary im-

may, however, have to contend with

and applies to both energy output

efforts have already begun to come

pulse is strong as 2020 begins lead-

a healing process and you are prob-

and finances. You will push to break

in, hopefully, your efforts were aligned

ing you to assert yourself to lay claim

ably wise to take this quite seriously.

through any existing barriers. Your

and integral. Your sights are set on a

to earned rights and rewards. You

This process includes learning as

pace will prove revolutionary guided

new future in a whole new way. Mak-

may feel pushed by circumstances

well and not just being told what you

by a determined resolve. Supported

ing efforts to increase your income

to yield, accept, and adapt. Positively,

need and what to do. Be open to

by a vision of service, your goal is to

or R.O.I. is featured. You will begin to

this will lead you even further into

understanding yourself and your

bring your dreams into reality. The

push harder in this regard early in the

a creative focus. You will feel guided

needs better and aim for self-honesty

challenge will be confronting whether

year. While dreams do play a role, your

and inspired to dig deep to access new

to see blind spots and negative at-

your interpretation of reality is realistic

focus will be much more fully on the

levels of originality. Genuine expres-

titudes and behavior patterns. Focus

or idealistic. Be open to discussion

here and now. New friendships play

sions of integrity and power will be

on a patient and realistic vision for

and make efforts to adjust to being

a key role.

the main challenge.

the longer-term.

more realistic.

Taurus

Leo

Scorpio

Aquarius

You will charge out of the gates early

A whole new level of commitment to

Some years push us to dig deeper

2021 will prove to be an expansive

in 2021. Your pace will be determined

building for your future and improv-

than others and this will be one of

year for you. Yet, it will also be a busy

yet possibly staggered to outmaneuver

ing upon existing projects, skills, and

them for you. The biggest challenge

one that will require patience, disci-

any opposition. This will lead you to

talents is featured. This refinement

may be deciphering which skills and

pline, and diligence. Some of the focus

aspire to power. If you gain authority,

process will likely also be directed to

talents to focus on first. Yet, there

will be directed to your home and

you will demand unwavering allegiance

your own personal growth in support

is also the possibility that given the

family as changes roll-in that require

from those who follow your lead. In

of this resolve. You will continue to

choice, you will take the lower, easy

your direct attention. Translating chal-

many respects, this will feel like your

reach out to meet new friends and per-

road, to passively settle for less. Make

lenges into goals and the prospect of

time and you fully intend to claim what

haps business partners and to expand

efforts to avoid this as the higher, if

realizing dreams will spur you on and

you deem yours. Your energy levels will

your overall scope of connection and

harder road, will bring greater rewards

sharpen your focus. The only concern

remain high. Your energy levels will not

influence in the world. This process will

all around. The overall process will

is that you could be charging ahead

only be running high, but they will also

come with changes in your career and

bring about changes on relationship

without a clear direction. The time is

be fueled with emotional resolve. Re-

public life. Whatever happens, trust

fronts. This could also apply to your

right to get clear on your dreams and

covering any lost ground will be your

they will be for the better and focus

career. Face your fears and take risks

goals and to make extra efforts to

first objective and then you will build.

to break through prior limitations.

to lay claim to what you truly want.

outline a realistic plan.

Gemini

Virgo

Sagittarius Pisces

Somehow, you have emerged from

A complex year is in store for us all

Themes of freedom, truth, and jus-

You have entered a cycle in your life

2020, transformed. Positively, you

and for you it will center on preparing

tice will become much more pro-

when it is time to bring many things

have become more assertive and

to increase your outreach to the world.

nounced in 2021. The biggest chall-

to completion. Finishing projects,

determined; a momentum that is likely

You will actually get a sneak preview

enge will be connecting the dots

clearing debt following through with

to continue. Now, you see a higher

of this in late spring into July. Yet, the

accurately of the multifarious know-

any and all initiatives not yet accom-

truth and vision. While committed,

preparation process is meant to occur

ledge you will feel excited and deter-

plished, will prove empowering. You

something else is also dissolving and

all year. Creativity is a keyword and

mined to learn. This learning curve

will venture out and enter uncharted

this may amount to certain dreams

part of the challenge includes tak-

will extend into 2023 so, you have

territory. This is probably not the best

and ideals. Yet, you will not yield

ing authority over unclaimed creative

time. In the short term, it may feel

year to start projects. Make a big list

without a fight. This is especially true

prowess. This will require clarity of

like you were in a dark room and now

of all the things that you have yet to

if you feel you have something to fight

focus and inner and outer work. Be

suddenly all the lights are on. You

complete. If you do not have items

for. Otherwise, you may choose to

ready to face your fears to expand

will likely get to work early in the year,

on such a list, it might prove more

slip away somehow to meditate upon

and become more fully you. Technical

and the learning curve could prove

worthwhile to direct your energies

higher truths. Either way you will dir-

knowledge will likely be required.

steep at times, which may include

and focus to work with or help others

ect your energies to activities behind

Get clear early to dig deep to access

unlearning what you previously under-

with their projects, problems, dreams,

the scenes.

your power.

stood or believed.

and goals.

(MAR 21-APR 19)

(APR 20-MAY 20)

(MAY 21-JUN 20)

(JUN 21-JUL 22)

(JUL 23-AUG 22)

(AUG 23-SEP 22)

(SEP 23-OCT 22)

(DEC 22-JAN 19)

(OCT 23-NOV 21)

(NOV 22-DEC 21)

(JAN 20-FEB 18)

(FEB 19-MAR 20)

Michael O’Conner is an astrologer, counselor and life coach. Michael O’Connor is a professional astrologer, counselor and life coach with an international clientele. He has 25 years of study in astrology, numerology and related psychological and spiritual modalities, more than 18 years of full-time practice, and a popular weekly column that appears in Tahoe Weekly. | sunstarastrology.com

TheTahoeWeekly.com

THE lineup live music | shows | nightlife

festivals | entertainment

Find a full

T H E M AG I C A N D M U S E O F

Aaron Oropeza

EVENT CALENDAR

at TheTahoeWeekly.com Events are subject to change & cancellation; always check in advance for current schedules.

S TO RY BY S E A N M c A L I N D I N

Classical Tahoe concerts on PBS

n a past time, you may have heard Aaron Oropeza blithely serenading your aperitifs at Truckee Tavern or telling pointless jokes at a local open mic. For years, he was a Lake Tahoe fixture, often seen walking downtown streets with his trademark curls, beatific grin and acoustic guitar on his back. But under the surface, it wasn’t all wines and roses. Upon returning from a raucous 2017 European tour with indie rock darlings Easy Giant, life began to turn dark. “That’s when everything came to a head and I realized I had a problem,” he says. “All I would do was sit in my room by myself and drink. When you’re that deep down, you can’t see anything else.”

Courtesy Classical Tahoe

The two homemade LPs released in November represent some of the most creative and innovatively produced music to ever come out of the Tahoe Sierra. Battling a growing addiction to alcohol, Oropeza split for Portland, Ore., and the support of his loving sister. More than once, he found himself in an emergency room and began to seek professional help. He moved home to Reno to stay with family and get clean. “Sobriety is always a struggle,” says the soft-spoken artist. “It’s not just one day you’re better. It’s crazy how much making music helps me stay focused and have something to look forward to.” Living in isolation, the typically prolific composer didn’t write a song for 12 months; until he penned “Year of Silence.” “The life I used to know completely went away,” he says. “Everything was gone … And I realized: in silence, there are answers.” It’s the best song on “Kid Sister Blue,” an imaginative amalgam of folky synth pop recalling the curious sensitivity of Yo La Tengo and Dr. Dog. It’s Beach Boys “Pet Sounds” meets Of Montreal’s “The Sunlandic Twins” through the eyes of an idiosyncratic Mexican-American poet. It’s also the companion album to the beautifully inventive “Say Hello Sad Pretty Pretty” where Oropeza’s distinctive approach to songcraft shines on impressionistic single, “Learned in a Love Song.” 28

LOCAL INDIE

Like eccentric author William S. Burroughs, Oropeza writes a poem, then proceeds to cut up the lines and rearrange them in random order. “It’s a collage,” he says. “If you’re writing truth, you don’t get to manipulate it. Truth gets to be in the order it wants to be.” Together, the two homemade LPs released in November represent some of the most creative and innovatively produced music to ever come out of the Tahoe Sierra.

Six Albums in Six Months Nowadays, Oropeza is anything but silent. A prolific string of recordings began in July with “Useless Doves & Tangled Daisies,” a tender compilation of older folk songs. “I kept waiting for somebody to give me the OK to do something,” he says. “I just needed to take hold and focus. Maybe it won’t be what I dreamed of, but it will be something. If you are going to go out, it’s nice to leave something behind.” In September, he wrote and recorded “Electric She,” a tongue-in-cheek British trip-hop album reminiscent of The Streets and Jimothy Lacoste paired with a waggish dose of Ali G. Cockney accent and all, Oropeza drops absurd lines such as, “When life gives you lemons make orange juice/What you talking ‘bout Willis, is your first name Bruce?” before mixing in samples of the Aflac goose.

“I used to take myself a lot more seriously,” he says. “I’ve been humbled … Now all I can do is laugh and see myself as this silly person. I’m a lot more free than I used to be.” October saw the release of Halloween album “Phantasmagoria FM.” Like the soundtrack to an 80s John Carpenter film, it lucidly paints bizarre nightmares from the mind of an immigrant child. “In Mexican culture, there’s just a lot more talk of death and ghosts,” he says. “Every time I crossed the border, my cousins would scare the shit out of me.” In December, Oropeza released his sixth LP of the year, a humorous Christmas album tentatively titled “Hark! The Lonesome Carols of Hattie Plum” followed up by brilliant French emo EP, “Elle Ectrique.” At this point, he is writing and recording an entire album in a week, playing all the instruments himself. “I work a lot better with time limits,” he says in the understatement of the year. “All I really need to do is focus. When you put your head down, it just comes. The stuff that I’m really proud of I’m taking my time with right now. I’ve got about 15 years’ worth of songs. So, don’t be surprised to have a lot more coming from me. I’m more inspired now than in a long time.” | aaronoropeza.bandcamp.com  Sean McAlindin is a writer and musician living in Truckee, who loves a secret powder stash just as much as a good jam. You can reach him at entertainment@tahoethisweek.com. Other writings and original music are available at seanmcalindin.com.

PBS Reno is now broadcasting performances from Classical Tahoe on Fridays at 9:30 p.m. with an encore broadcast Sundays at 4 p.m. through Feb. 7. All episodes will also be available free of charge at pbsreno.org/classicaltahoe. New episodes will be available each Friday at 10:30 p.m. immediately following their on-air debut. This content is available on-demand and worldwide through PBSreno.org and will continue to be hosted indefinitely. The Classical Tahoe series is also available free of charge on the PBS Video app on smart TVs, and iOS or Android devices. Search for Classical Tahoe to view the performances. Each performance will be available at 10:30 p.m. on the Friday of its on-air debut. The PBS Video app does not require membership or any purchase and is available worldwide. After Feb. 7, the performances will continue to be available online and on the app. | classicaltahoe.org, pbsreno. org/classicaltahoe

Find more local music

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

EAT &drink

January 13-February 9, 2021 EAT & DRINK

food & libations | recipes | delicious events

Grilled Cheese: COMFORT FOOD FOR THE SOUL S TO RY & P H OTO S BY P R I YA H UT N E R

Courtesy Ladles by the Lake

Soups on at

Ladles by the Lake Ladles By The Lake: A Tahoe Soup Company, an expansion of Glazed And Confuzed Tahoe Donut, has opened in South Lake Tahoe. “With the negative effects we faced during the Covid-19 pandemic and the uncertainty if we would even be able to stay in business, our goal was to bring on an additional product that’s affordable, convenient and most importantly, delicious,” said owners owners Anthony and Mara Cavallaro in a press release. “Our menu is definitely pushing the bounds when it comes to a quick, filling and hearty selection. We offer 14+ soups on rotation and will be adding some really exciting specials like, Jalapeño/Bacon Mac & Cheese Bread Bowl, a Spaghetti & Meatball-Toasted Garlic Bread Bowl and even dessert bread bowls with melted Brie cheese and Cranberries. The list goes on and on,” according to the release. Pair a Grilled Cheese with Priya’s

Easy Tomato Soup

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Both eateries are open Wednesday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with plans to expand soup offerings into the early evening. Online ordering is available for takeout only. | ladlesbythelake.com

arm, cheesy goodness between two slices of crisp, buttery bread is comfort food at its best. The grilled cheese sandwich is an American classic that lives on the menu of diners across the country. It’s perfect for a stormy night with a steaming bowl of tomato soup or for lunch after a hard day of swooshing down the slopes. Actually, there isn’t a time when this sandwich isn’t a good time to eat, and that includes breakfast (think grilled cheese with an egg). Whenever I mention grilled cheese to someone, their eyes light up, a soft sigh emanates from their lips. A resounding yum follows, and then invariably, they explain the how-to of crafting the best grilled cheese.

Warm, cheesy goodness between two slices of crisp, buttery bread is comfort food at its best. My uncle is a purest; he uses a good white bread, butter (Kerry Gold) and six slices of Boar’s Head white American cheese and swears by his method. He butters one side of the bread, puts it in a frying pan on medium heat. He adds the cheese and covers it with a lid, cooking it low and slow. When the cheese melts, he puts the bread together, allowing the cheese to ooze into the pan and get crispy. He flips it once, and when the bread is toasted to a golden brown and the cheese is melted, he plates it. I, on the other hand, like to be creative with my grilled cheese. I use rye or sourdough bread. Some of my favorite cheese include Havarti, Fontina, Gouda and Jarlsberg. On a recent walk with local ski patroller Mark Cionek, we discussed his favorite sandwich. He espoused the virtues of a delicious grilled cheese, “I love a good grilled cheese with ham. I crisp up the ham or pork belly in a pan, and I use a legit sourdough and good mustard.” For Mark, provolone or blue cheese are top on his list. He agreed that dipping grilled cheese in a hot bowl of tomato soup is an excellent way to enjoy this meal. The deeper our grilled cheese discussion evolved, the further the pontificating on what constitutes a grilled cheese. He mentioned his love of rye bread and how it makes a delicious sandwich along with swiss cheese and pastrami. He followed this by asking, “Why isn’t a Rueben considered a grilled cheese?” My friend Adrian Hex took the love of grilled cheese down the philosophical

Priya Hutner prepares a grilled cheese sandwich.

route. He described grilled cheese by asking the question, “What does sunshine taste like? It’s cheese between two slices of bread.” Adrian prepares a version of grilled cheese using manchego sheep cheese (often easier to digest than cow cheese) and gluten-free bread. That doesn’t stop him from the occasional cow and gluten grilled cheese. Gourmet grilled cheese is a creative and delicious way to enhance your sandwich game. Adding meats, fruits and veggies take the grilled cheese to new levels. Think fontina, fig and bacon or blue cheese, pears and prosciutto, sharp cheddar with grilled red onions and salami are fun and tasty twists. On a whim, I perused my fridge to explore what I had on hand for this story. I found buffalo water mozzarella and a hard block of regular mozzarella. Neither were what I’d necessarily choose to make a grilled cheese. I pulled them out along with some fresh basil and spinach. I sliced a few pieces of sourdough I had recently baked, slathered butter on the bread, placed it in a heated pan, and layered the water mozzarella on one slice and the hard mozzarella on the other. I sautéed spinach and set it aside, covered the pan with a lid allowing the cheese to melt. I added spinach and basil and topped each with another slice of bread. They were ridiculously delicious, and I enjoyed them with a bowl of homemade tomato soup. The combination of grilled cheese sandwiches is infinite and perfect for a cold winter night.  Priya Hutner is a food writer, personal chef and owner of The Seasoned Sage, a local meal delivery and catering company. Priya has been creating and preparing meals from an early age. She has worked in the restaurant industry in New York City, attended catering school, and

was the head chef and executive director of a nonprofit spiritual community in Florida. Visit her website at TheSeasonedSage.com. Send your comments, story ideas and food tidbits to priya@tahoethisweek.com.

FONTINA, FIG & BACON GRILLED CHEESE From the kitchen of Priya Hutner Makes 2 sandwiches 4 slices of sourdough bread 4 pats of butter 6 slices of fontina cheese 3 dried figs, sliced 2 slices of cooked bacon

Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Butter bread and place it butter side down. Place cheese, fig and bacon on top, and top with bread butter side up. Turn down heat to low and cover. When the cheese starts to melt, flip the sandwich and cover for another few minutes and cook until golden brown. Serve with Priya’s recipe for Easy Tomato Soup found in this edition or at TheTahoeWeekly.com. 29

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Plan a wine & dinner pairing at home

Creative American Cuisine in an Elegant Log Cabin

S TO RY BY L O U P H I L L I P S

Courtesy Sushi 525

OPEN NIGHTLY FOR TAKEOUT

WITH OUR FULL MENU 5–7:30PM 9983 Cove St., Kings Beach, CA

530-546-7529 | souledomain.com

Sushi 525 opens in

Tahoma

Fine Italian Food & Spirits

Sushi 525 has opened in Tahoma featuring to-go rolls and bowls. Specialty rolls include the Tahoma Heights, 5th & Fir and the Stayhoma. Spider Beach Bowls feature a variety of toppings and choice of sauces. Or, order Nigiri Bites or Inari, among other offerings.

Locals Love Lanza’s! (530) 546-2434 7739 N Lake Blvd - Kings Beach

The eatery is open from Wednesday to Saturday through June 1. | (530) 525-2217, @sushi525_togo_rolls_bowls

LanzasTahoe.com

Kings Beach

Take Out Only

Full

Bar

12:00pm-8:00pm

ne true thing we know from 2020 is that it’s important to appreciate the good things in life. For wine lovers a Big Night Out of wining and dining is firmly in the good things category. We all know how limited we are as far as visiting our favorite wine and food haunts, but I am here to offer an alternative that gives us the same thrill and helps to support our favorite wine purveyors and restaurants. It’s called the Big Night In. So, come sail away with me on a fivestep journey for hybrid dine in/out experiences that bring some joy into our lives.

Come sail away with me on a five-step journey for hybrid dine in/out experiences that bring some joy into our lives.

(530) 546-4539 8345 North Lake Blvd. - Across from the State Beach in Kings Beach

Sierra Community House Food Distribution We’re delivering perishable food bags weekly in Truckee & North Lake Tahoe.

Delivery staff and volunteers are following best practices and wearing masks. Please follow social distancing and NOT interact. To sign-up or cancel, e-mail food@sierracommunityhouse.org or call 775-545-4083; Provide full name, address, phone number, birthdate and number of people in the household. 30

Level 3 (Advanced) Sommelier

Louis Phillips

Call or email today for your

NO-COST PROFIT CONSULT WineGuru123@gmail.com - (775) 544-3435 We Train Your Staff, Profitize Your Wine, Program, Represent Your Collection Sale and Make Your Fundraiser Money Don’t Get Taken When Selling Your Collectible Wines Most Wine Sales Programs Underachieve, We Can Fix That For You Make Your Non-Profit Fundraiser a Success

SOMMELIER SERVICES

Helping Businesses and Collectors Become More Successful for Over 30 Years

Planning | Perform your wine-pairing adventure in advance. Create a wine theme, such as a region or your favorite producer, or anything that strikes your fancy, and enjoy exploring local wine purveyors on their websites, in person if possible or even revisit the fun of ringing them up and talking vino. Set a fine-dining table | This is a wonderful opportunity to use the settings you probably reserve for special occasions and add some flowers to up the ante. This acts as eye-candy that sets your mind in motion anticipating the dinner to come.

Courtesy Evelina Freeman

Plan on not planning | Since this is a dining-out while you are dining-in experience, treat it as such, and don’t plan your food in advance. Yes, select your restaurant in advance, and get an idea of lead time, whether that be for delivery or pick-up. But then sit down or Zoom with your dinner-mates exploring the menu together. This lets us get back to the joy of “What looks good to you?”, “You order the Salmon en Crouté and I’ll get the Chicken Picatta, and we can share both”, or my favorite, “If you order that Molten Chocolate Coconut Cake, prepare for me to pilfer some.” Explore more wines with Lou

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Dress for dinner | Remember that velvet dress or pair of luxurious cord slacks you look great in and haven’t worn in a while? Rock those duds, and while you are at it groom and primp like a movie star. This helps create the feeling of special we are shooting for. Enjoy | Steps one through four bring the fun of planning and executing, delicious anticipation, the magical ingredient of atmosphere, and of course, the special occasion vibe wine and dine events bring. Bonus tip: I can attest from personal experience that this works just as well if you are dining solo.  Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Advanced Sommelier in Tahoe and his consulting business wineprowest.com assists in the selling, buying and managing wine collections. He may be reached at (775) 544-3435 or wineguru123@gmail.com.

January 13-February 9, 2021 EAT & DRINK

F RO M T H E S E AS O N E D SAG E

EASY

Tomato Soup S TO RY & P H OTO S BY P R I YA H UT N E R

FEATURING: Slow-Roasted Prime Rib | Baby Back Ribs | Full Bar

Steaks | Seafood | Pasta | Gourmet Hamburgers | Kid’s Menu

jasonsbeachsidegrille.com

•

(530) 546-3315

8338 NORTH LAKE BLVD., KINGS BEACH, CA

Organic

Find more of Priya’s recipes

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

It’s simple to make, delicious, and oh so comforting.

Family Meals

HEALTHY. ORGANIC. LOCAL. WITH

the

Seasoned

Sage

theseasonedsage.com

Priya’s Hutner’s tomato soup with cream drizzle.

omato soup is an easy meal for lunch or dinner, especially in the winter months. It’s simple to make, delicious, and oh so comforting. This soup pairs perfectly with a grilled cheese sandwich, delightful poured into a bread bowl and goes well with a tasty side garlic toast. Tomato soup topped with a handful of sautéed spinach or a touch of heavy cream or both gives it a delectable richness that adds to the soup’s flavor. Try my recipes for Grilled Cheese from this edition or find it at TheTahoeWeekly.com. 

Meal Delivery Service for Individual &

Famous for our Mexican Dinners

(772) 913- 0008

(530) 587-3557

personal menu

10186 Donner Pass Rd - Truckee

Call to set up your

Cooking is a meditation for Priya, it is from that place she curates her menus and recipes to create delicious and nutritious meals for The Seasoned Sage, her company catering to client’s culinary preferences and dietary restrictions. She is also working on a series of cookbooks. Visit her website at TheSeasonedSage.com or contact her at priya@theseasonedsage.com.

easy tomato soup 4-6 servings · From the kitchen of: Priya Hutner

be kind be calm be helpful

2 T olive oil 2 T butter 1 medium onion, rough chopped 3 cloves garlic, sliced 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth 1 can crushed San Marzano tomatoes, or diced tomatoes Salt & pepper to taste ¼ C heavy cream (optional). Save a bit to drizzle before serving. Parsley fresh or dried for garnish In a saucepan add oil and butter on medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook onion until translucent and soft, about 10 to 15 minutes, stir occasionally. Add tomatoes and stock. Simmer on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes. Purée the soup with an immersion blender or transfer to a blender. Return the soup to the burner over low heat and stir in the cream if using. Add salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and a drizzle of heavy cream. Serve with grilled cheese or croutons.

ChristyHill.com 115 Grove St., Tahoe City CA 530-583-8551 31

TheTahoeWeekly.com

the tahoe foodie Dine-In

Outdoor Seating

Take-out

Delivery

Catering

Happy Hour

Private Parties

Modern American

Tahoe’s premier dining experience, the restaurant sits just 100 feet above the shoreline of Lake Tahoe offering diners a panoramic vista. Using the freshest and finest seasonal ingredients, Christy Hill offers Modern American cuisine with refined Mediterranean influences. Diners enjoy a chance to explore fine wines from around the world with an extensive list that has received a Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence” since 1982.

115 Grove St. | Tahoe City, CA (530) 583-8551 | christyhill.com

TRUCKEE

Morgan’s Lobster Shack & Fish Market Seafood Morgan’s brings you the freshest seafood and produce available. With fresh fish arriving almost daily and locally grown produce when in season you’ll be sure to find something new and delicious. We love traditional East Coast fare; lobster rolls, fried clams, and haddock, and wanted to share these tasty treats with our friends out west. Named Top 24 Lobster Rolls in American on Yelp!

10089 West River St. | Truckee, CA (530) 582-5000 | morganslobstershack.com

Soule Domain

Creative American

The Soule Domain proudly uses natural, free range, and organic meats and poultry whenever possible. Our local, seasonal produce offers the highest quality of ingredients in our dishes. Chef and owner Charlie Soule brings passionate culinary skills to create twists to traditional dishes while infusing them with influences from around the globe.

9983 Cove St. (Stateline Dr.) | Kings Beach, CA 530.546.7529 | souledomain.com

Fat Cat Bar and Grill All-Natural American TAHOE CITY / RENO

TAHOE CITY

Christy Hill

CRYSTAL BAY / KINGS BEACH

Disclaimer: Due to Covid and changing regulations please check with restaurant for hours and dining options.

“The local’s AND traveler’s favorite, Fat Cat Bar & Grill offers the best in fresh, quality ingredients from local and thoughtfully-sourced purveyors. The restaurant boasts Niman Ranch all-natural beef, multiple protein options and premium craft cocktails in a relaxed ambience for the whole family. Daily happy hour specials, a vibrant nightlife and weekly events make Fat Cat the year-round choice for good fun and great food. 599 North Lake Blvd, Tahoe City. | 530) 583-3355 1401 S. Virginia St, Reno, NV | (775) 453-2223 fatcatrestaurants.com *Indoor/Outdoor dining & delivery at our Midtown location. *Lakeview outdoor dining & takeout at our Tahoe City location.

8345 North Lake Blvd. | Kings Beach, CA (530) 546-4539 | laspanchitas.com

LAKE TAHOE

KINGS BEACH

Las Panchitas is a family-owned establishment serving traditional Mexican food to locals and visitors to Lake Tahoe since 1982. From tacos and fajitas to a long list of house specials, Las Panchitas serves up meals that are satisfyingly delicious and easy on the wallet. Wash your meal down with a frosty margarita.

Louis Phillips

Jason’s Beachside Grille

Fine Mexican

TRUCKEE

sales@tahoethisweek.com 32

Meal Delivery

The Seasoned Sage is available to prepare dinners for your family, host your next dinner party or cater your special event specializing in themed-dinner parties, Ethnic cuisine, simple elegant meals, healthy organic dinners, or diet-conscious cuisine. We design and create dinners for all occasion and take the stress out of entertaining. Specializing in Asian Fusion, Vegetarian, Vegan, and Mediterranean.

Truckee, CA (772) 913-0008 | theseasonedsage.com

Advertise here for only

Lanza’s Restaurant KINGS BEACH

per issue this winter

Mexican

Located in historic Truckee, El Toro Bravo has been serving authentic Mexican cuisine and cocktails since 1988. El Toro Bravo both in Capitola (50 years) and Truckee (28 years) were started by Delia “Grandma” Rey. Creating a menu from recipes that she grew up with, El Toro Bravo is now into its third and fourth generations as family-owned and run restaurants. When you enter El Toro Bravo you are coming into our home and treated as family. Benvenidos y Gracias!

The Seasoned Sage

This could be

8338 North Lake Blvd. | Kings Beach, CA (530) 546-3315 | jasonsbeachsidegrille.com

10186 Donner Pass Rd. | Truckee, CA (530) 587-3557 | etbtruckee.com

Tahoe & Truckee (775) 544-3435 | wineguru123@gmail.com

YOU

American

Jason’s Beachside Grille located in the heart of King’s Beach in North Lake Tahoe is a family-friendly American restaurant offering lake views on our scenic lakefront deck and grassy sandbar area. Savor American classics like prime rib, steaks, baked chicken, baby back ribs, salads, and more. Full bar and kid’s menu.

El Toro Bravo

Sommelier Services

Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Sommelier offering Sommelier Services to a variety of clients including establishing wine collections, representing your collection sale, staff training and more.

TRUCKEE

KINGS BEACH

Las Panchitas

Italian

Lanza’s is a family-owned Italian restaurant located in Kings Beach/Tahoe Vista in North Lake Tahoe. Known for delicious, traditional, Italian dishes and huge portions. With a kid’s menu, gluten-free menu and full bar, it’s no wonder Locals Love Lanza’s.

7739 North Lake Blvd. | Kings Beach, CA (530) 546-2434 | lanzastahoe.com

Disclaimer: Due to Covid and changing regulations please check with restaurant for hours and dining options.

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