Lake Tahoe – “The Jewel of the Sierra”
Just when I think I’ve seen the most intense beauty that God has ever created, he surprises me yet again. In Yosemite, I felt like I had experienced heaven on earth, and perhaps I did. But Lake Tahoe? Seriously, I know I am a bit of a Pollyanna (NOUN. A person who is constantly or excessively optimistic.) But I am being authentically me when I say I look at the things of this world with a glass not even half-full, but overflowing. So how could I not fall absolutely in love with Lake Tahoe? It has all of my favorite things—alpine forests, a giant, vibrant blue lake, boulders and waterfalls and ski slopes, oh, my!!
But even I can admit that not everything is roses and butterflies all the time. In this case, it’s that everything here—and in California in general—is so dang expensive. Especially gas. Yes, this is a period of time where gas prices are inflated everywhere. But $6.79 a gallon? Oy. Anyway, after settling in to our campsite in South Tahoe on Day 1, we spent a day hiking around the south end of the lake and just marveling at the alpine beauty.
We hiked down to Vikingsholm Castle – just a mile, but with a 500-foot elevation change and 8% grade, at an elevation of 6,232, to boot, the trip back up was taxing, to say the least. My heart was pounding with each step, going up and up and up! It’s admittedly sometimes hard for my ego to let me stop and rest on a hike like this. But I’m getting better at it, I promise!
Vikingsholm is located at the head of Emerald Bay, reportedly one of the most photographed spots in the United States. This magnificent castle—a national and California landmark built in 1929 by Lora J.M. Knight because Emerald Bay reminded her of a fjord in Norway—is considered one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture outside of the Nordic countries. The property on which Vikingsholm is built includes 232 acres of Tahoe’s most beautiful vistas, the only island in Lake Tahoe, and the only waterfall that flows directly into the lake.
We next headed to Eagles Falls and hiked UP to the waterall. I think Maisie is part mountain goat, the way she bounds up rocky slopes, over boulders and through streams. She really is the best travel buddy. Best sign of the day? “Avalanche Area Next 1 Mile”
There are quite a few beaches around the lake, many of which are public and some of which allow dogs. So we went down to Lakeside Beach at the southern end of the lake, and admired a soon-to-be setting sun as it moved lower in the sky. I guess I’m not really one to sit around and wait for the sun to set – literally and figuratively?! – so we headed back to rest up for another epic day in the mountains and around the lake.
I may have mentioned this before, but I’ll be darned if I forget this all the time. But it sure seems that the best stops on our little trip around the country are the ones that aren’t planned. When looking at the map before heading to bed, I noticed a town called “Olympic Valley.” In case you didn’t know, not just anyone can use the word “Olympic” in their name because it is trademarked and highly valued. On our drive up to the north end of the lake the next day, I realized that this “Olympic Valley” is just 6 miles off of our planned route. So I said, “Why not?”
And OH MY GOSH. Y’all. It is actually the area that houses what used to be called Squaw Valley. You know, like, one of the most well-known ski resorts in the West? They hosted the Winter Olympics here in 1960. Okay, that was a minute ago, but still … what a treat! I LOVE all things Olympics :D.
So, YES, Maisie and I walked all over the alpine ski resort village. My favorite type of place on earth! And of course we took the gondola to the top; it’s not even Maisie’s first gondola ride as we rode a couple in Vermont and New Hampshire last fall! I even missed some of the views from the ride up since I found myself deep in conversation with strangers over dogs (not the first time, and not the last, as Maisie is most definitely a people-magnet).
Nonetheless, when we arrived at the top of what is now called “Palisades Tahoe” (they changed the name from Squaw Valley in 2021), we were delighted to find snow at the top and even glimpsed some Spring skiers. Reminder: it is MAY. What?!! With Lake Tahoe in the distance over the snow-covered mountains, I found myself holding my breath. Just. Epic. Beauty. This ski resort actually has a massive 3,600 skiable acres across six peaks, and reaches a top elevation of 9,010 feet. It has 30 chairlifts, y’all. 30!
There is a small museum there dedicated to the 1960 Winter Olympics. TBH (to be honest), it didn’t really compare to the Olympic Museum we toured last summer in Park City, Utah, but it was actually quite cute and informative. Those 1960 Games were the first-ever live-televised Winter Olympics, and its airing helped to fuel an enormous nation-wide interest in winter sports that didn’t exist prior to then. It also was the first (and probably last) Olympics where ALL the athletes competing lived and ate under the same roof.
We headed to the North Shore of Lake Tahoe next, to a town called Tahoe City, with shops, restaurants and hotels, and a beautiful public park that spans the whole shoreline. It’s smaller than I anticipated and had a real home-town feel. The people there were so friendly, and everyone seemed healthy and engaged in life. We fell in love with a shop called Heather and Pine, “nature-inspired home decor in the heart of Tahoe City,” where I truly could see myself someday working (mostly for fun) and living, at least for a while. Had a nice long chat with the owner (Heather), and when I asked what the winters were like, she told me how they had 30 feet of snow at their west shore home a couple of years ago. 30 FEET! I said, “sign me up!” I mean, why not, right? Now … does anyone have a home they need someone like me to house sit?!!
@heatherandpine_tahoecity
Heather suggested we check out one of the trails along the western edge of the lake, so we headed over to Tunnel Creek Trail after strolling along various beaches, marinas, and turnouts along the way. I mean, the views!!! Sailboats, paddle-boarders, picnics on the beach … all with snow-capped mountains in the background. Just fabulous.
The trail was just perfect; it followed the coastline for a few miles; Maisie and I did a little over a mile before stopping at a place called Hidden Beach. If you know me, you know I spent my career at UT Athletics, and am still a massive follower of all our sports programs. I particularly enjoy following our softball team along with my sister Sarah and BIL Tony, who are huge fans. On this day, they were playing in the SEC Tournament, so I was hoping I could find a spot to sit and maybe watch it for a bit. What were the chances of having a signal strong enough to stream it live at Hidden Beach? Not great. But lo-and-behold, it worked! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! There was even another dog there that Maisie finally warmed up to and played with in the surf. Ahhhh … life is good :D.
I had one more full day in Tahoe and decided to head back to the east shore, most of which is in Nevada. More beautiful beaches and amazing scenic views were waiting for us. The drive down the edge of the lake is full of amazing views of the lake and snow-capped mountains on the other side. Then we heard about “Billionaire’s Row”—not an official name, of course, so figured, “Why not?” There’s a wonderful hike and bike trail through an area of Incline Village where spectacular homes face the lake. Most were behind 8-foot stone walls or iron fences, of course, these lavish estates not to be viewed by mere commoners. This one estate, called “The Bear’s Lair”, had enormous statues of bison, moose and horses on manicured lawns with beautiful landscaping outside their secured gates. What a hoot.
Before heading out to our next destination, I thought I’d share some fun facts about Lake Tahoe:
1. There are over 39 trillion gallons of water in Lake Tahoe. This volume of water could cover an area the size of California with 14 inches of water.
2. Tahoe is so clear that in some places objects can be seen clearly 67 feet below the surface.
3. 63 streams flow into Lake Tahoe. Only one, the Truckee River, flows out into Pyramid Lake. Unlike most bodies of water in North America, the lake’s water never reaches the ocean.
4. The third deepest lake in North America, Lake Tahoe is approximately 1,600 feet deep. The bottom of the lake is actually 95 feet below the elevation of nearby Carson City, Nevada.
All in all, Lake Tahoe is a place I hope to return to time and time again. I can’t wait to see it in the winter!