Lake Tahoe - Recommendations

[Rob S]

Has anyone been to Lake Tahoe? My wife and I will be spending a week out there from the 23rd to the 30th of October. They have already gotten some light snow at the lake elevation which is around 6200 ft. The surrounding mountains top out at over 10,000 ft.

Anyway, I was wondering about hikes in that area, which may require snowshoes and/or crampons this time of year. It is too early for downhill skiiing at the resorts, but was also wondering about cross-country skiing (probably also too early).

I've been told that permits are required for hiking in some areas, and that the Squaw Valley Hiking Center has info on hiking (guided hikes, full-moon hikes, etc.) but was also told that the Hiking Center may now be closed.

I think that we may be going at a time that is too cold for water sports but too early for winter sports. If that's the case, what other activities would you recommend? I still need to do some google searches before we leave, but thought I'd ask here since you guys have been very helpful in suggesting hikes and sightseeing stuff in the past.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Bob Smith]

Rob, you may want to check some of these out

http://www.tahoesbest.com/Hiking/shorthikes.htm#Eagle

many of the permits needed require you to fillout a form and put a couple of dollars in an envelop and drop it in a box.
I haven't been in Tahoe in 18 years but it very nice

Enjoy

 

[rdl]

I've been to Tahoe several times -- my avatar is from the Tahoe area.

The Sierra Nevada's have seen snowfall already this year but it's tough to predict what it will be like in October at higher elevations -- don't plan on skiing though.

Mt Tallac is a nice hike(7-8 miles) to a 10K peak, overlooks Emerald Bay -- very scenic. Countless other peaks to climb.

If you're into Mountain Biking, the Flume trail is a classic.

If you're into kayaking, their isn't anything better than kayaking into Emerald Bay and checking out VikingsHolm -- water will be a little nippy but if you're comfortable in a kayak you should be fine.

Don't know about rafting or white water kayaking this time of year but the Truckee River is right there also.

My experience is all on the CA side of Tahoe, tends to be less developed and more regulated.

I have several friends in Tahoe, if you have specific questions about any hike, PM me and I'll get their feedback.

 

[trailbiscuit]

Muther and I visited Tahoe for the first time this summer, and it is beautiful. Like, super-wow beautiful.

We did a hike from Squaw Valley up the Granite Chief Trail to the PCT and then beck down via the ski area. I'm not sure about access because of snow, but it's a great hike.

Some pics here:
http://homepage.mac.com/daniellenryan/PhotoAlbum2.html

 

[Danielle]

Tahoe

We went to Lake Tahoe this summer for a friend's wedding and loved it. Beautiful area.

We hiked from the base of Squaw up the Granite Chief Trail to the PCT, went along the PCT for a few miles to the top of Squaw Valley ski area and then down the Shirley Lake Trail. It was a gorgeous hike with great views. Probably about 10 miles or so.

Unfortunately we didn't get in any other hikes, but I did do some research before we left about other hikes, and from browsing around on the web, it looked like there would be many options in the area.

Have fun!
-Danielle

 

[trailbiscuit]

WOW! Danielle, your trip sounds a lot like mine!

Clearly, we need help.

 

[hilldog]

6 years ago I vacationed (honeymooned really) for 7 days in Tahoe. We didn't get any hiking in but boy did we ski! It was an El Nino year and the snow wasn't the usual 'Sierra Cement' that we had heard about....it was perfect. And the scenery is just beyond beautiful. Even to this day, 6 years later, we talk about retiring to that area someday....

Have a great trip. You'll love it!

 

[nazdarovye]

The hiking should be good all around there at that time of the year - probably won't be snow on the ground near the lake, but you never know.

The Desolation Widerness (Echo Lakes and north), and various access points along the west shore including Sugar Pine Point State Park, are all good places to start out for a hike. Permits are required for overnights in some of those areas, though. The Donner Pass area (west of the lake and up in the mountains) has access to lots of nice hiking and XC-ski trails, plus the country's biggest XC-ski area (Royal Gorge) and the Sierra Club's Clair Tappan Lodge.

On the southeast shore, I've been to Spooner Lake, and there are some pleasant hikes up from there (as well as some nice little cabins for rent that you can hike, snowshoe or ski into).

The Tahoe Rim trail is a good bet, too, though parts are at elevations where the weather (afternoon thunderstorms and the tiny chance of snow) may be something to keep an eye on.

If you're into boating, there are lots of nice places along the lake to sail or kayak or go powerboating, and I'd guess that there are places to rent them (though I've not done that). There's also a ferry boat that runs the length of Echo Lakes.

South Lake Tahoe (the town) turns into a mini-Reno, with noisy slot machines and all that goes with that, when you cross into Nevada. I stay as far away from that as possible

 

[rambler]

My son lives in Tahoe City, 15 minutes or so from Squaw. He is a ski coach and his summer passion is trail biking. The area is full of hiking and biking trails. An outdoor equipment retail store in the center of town would be a good resource for maps, etc. It is the first one on the left as you come into town from the Squaw direction ie. heading east. They have had a long drought so rain is not an issue, but bears are. Ask about them before you head off for a hike. I'll try to get more specific info for you later in the month. There is a cabin beyond Granite Peak that tele skiers use in the winter. If in Truckee you might want to check out Oware USA Give them a call and ask about the area.

 

[Rob S]

Thanks to all for the great information!!!
And thanks for the links, they contain exactly what I was looking for.

 

[Rob S]

Just wanted to thank everyone again for all of your great replies and suggestions. We had a great time!

Of all the places I've been, I think Lake Tahoe is the most beautiful. It's gorgeous beyond imagination, and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Emerald Bay is the 2nd most photographed place in country (so we were told) and it's easy to see why. We hiked down to Vikingsholm ..... amazing beyond words. (I will try to make the time to post a short trip report and upload the photos to Webshots.)

We ended up getting nearly 18 inches of snow on Tuesday, October 26. It was awesome! Of the 17 local (within an hour) ski areas, only 2 were open, with most of the others opening this week ..... wish we were still there.

As luck would have it, we won a snowmobile excursion. Never having done it, we just had to go. It was a 2-hour ride through beautiful backcountry near the Heavenly ski resort. I never realized how much fun snowmobiling was. Although I had nothing to compare it to, I was told that these new snowmobiles are much quieter and far less polluting than older models. So at least the environmentalist in me didn't feel too guilty!

Anyway, thanks again to all of you for helping us plan our trip. We really appreciate it!

Rob