Magical
by Sandi Solomonson
L
ake Tahoe is Mother Nature’s playground; full of nooks and crannies to discover. A place where you can explore for decades, only to overhear someone chatting about last weekend’s hike to a place you’ve never heard of. Quick add it to your Bucket List. One must-do Tahoe destination on your dance card is Chickadee Ridge, located in The Meadows on Highway 431 between Incline Village and Reno. Known as the home of the ever-adorable Chickadee Birds, this popular north Tahoe hike is short and easy. Yet, a kaleidoscope of scenery, jawdropping views of Lake Tahoe,
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and a photographer's paradise await. It’s perfect for nature lovers of all ages who enjoy a winter snowshoe, admiring spring wildflowers, or just putting your face to the sun on a warm summer's day. Laughter for all ages - guaranteed. On a good day, Chickadees weigh in around .38 ounces. These little feather puffs flit around gathering up to 80,000 individual seeds to cache for winter. They’re cheerful extroverts, naturally fearless around humans, and have an insatiable curiosity. In other words, they’re always ready for the next party dressed in black, white, and grayish taupe.
For this popular hike, don’t worry about finding Chickadees. When you’re close to the ridge, you’ll spot these charismatic acrobats darting in and around trees, hearing their signature “Cheese - Burg - Eer” song. Mornings are the optimum time to catch the action and there’s plenty of smooth boulders to sit and enjoy the views of Lake Tahoe. If it’s windy, the pine trees sway with haunting whispers and groans. It's quite magical. Remember, these are wild birds in a wild, scenic area. Some advocate that the birds should not be fed at all. The main point is be respectful, don’t feed them any human food, and leave
