February 22 - March 7, 2023

EVENT SCHEDULE

FRIDAY FEB 24

8am-5pm Vendor Village

5:30pm Kick Off Parade

5:45pm Stifel Palisades Cup Welcome Ceremonies

6:15pm Giant Slalom Public Bib Draw

7pm Free Concert with Black Jacket Symphony featuring Marc Martel

SATURDAY FEB 25

8am-5pm Vendor Village

9:40am Giant Slalom Opening Ceremonies

10am Men’s Giant Slalom Run 1

1:15pm Men’s Giant Slalom Run 2

1:45pm Giant Slalom Awards

4pm-5pm U.S. Team Autograph Signing

6pm Giant Slalom Awards and Slalom Bib Presentation

6:30pm Free Concert with Noah Kahan

8pm Free Concert with 311

9:30pm Fireworks

SUNDAY FEB 26

8am-5pm Vendor Village

9:40 Slalom Opening Ceremonies

10am Men‘s Slalom Run 1

1:15pm Men‘s Slalom Run 2

1:45pm Slalom Awards

Event details at worldcup.palisadestahoe.com

on the cover

NIGHTTIME WINTER FUN IN TAHOE

Fun in Tahoe doesn’t stop when the ski lifts stop turning. I recommend exploring the night sky on cross-country skis or snowshoes. We have features on two such adventures in this edition – Tim Hauserman’s feature on ASC Training Center’s new nighttime skiing “Skiing under the stars” and Priya Hutner’s feature “Full moon snowshoe adventure.”

While Priya and I could barely see the moon through a blanket of pea-soup thick fog during our nighttime outing, we still had fun. We also have details on local guided snowshoe treks from daytime history tours to star tours and outings with naturalists in this edition.

World Cup returns

Two amazing events are on tap in North Lake Tahoe in the next two weeks. First up is the World Cup, returning to the region for the first time since 2017 at Palisades Tahoe.

Featuring the men’s slalom and giant slalom competitions, Palisades Tahoe will be a buzz of activity from Feb. 24 to 26 with free live music nightly and a fireworks show on Saturday night. In addition to thousands visiting the region during President’s Day week for a school break, upwards of 20,000 spectators are expected for the World Cup alone.

My tip: Don’t attempt to drive your car to Palisades. The parking lots at both the Alpine and Olympic Valley base areas will fill up by 7:30 a.m. daily according to the ski area. Along with the free TART bus, there will be additional free park and ride options leaving from Tahoe City and Truckee on Feb. 25 and 26. You’ll find all the details on the event and transit options in this edition.

SnowFest! celebration

Second, one of the region’s best events every winter is the annual SnowFest! celebration – a mountain Mardi Gras-style event featuring 40 events over 10 days kicking off on March 2.

The parade in Tahoe City on March 4 and Kings Beach on March 11 are fun, family-friendly events for locals and visitors to enjoy. Get to town early on parade days, attend the pancake breakfasts and enjoy all the festivities.

41 years strong

This edition marks our 41st anniversary since our first edition on Feb. 18, 1982. As Tahoe’s original (and I’ll say best) visitor guide to the region, I want to thank our readers and clients for supporting Tahoe Weekly’s work. And a special thank you to our subscribers. In November, we launched our mail subscriptions for the first time with great response. If you are interested in having Tahoe Weekly delivered to your mailbox, visit TheTahoeWeekly.com/subscribe.

On the cover, Lynn Hamill makes her way along tranquil Donner Creek and out to Donner Lake, one of the many locations to enjoy a snowshoe trek. Read our snowshoe feature in this edition. | Photography by Paul Hamill Photography, PaulHamillPhotography.com, @paulhamillphotos

PUBLISHER/OWNER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

SIGHTSEEING

EAST SHORE

CAVE ROCK

This iconic sight is part of an old volcano. Take in the view from Cave Rock State Park.

NORTH SHORE

GATEKEEPER’S MUSEUM

(530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org

Featuring historic photos, the Steinbach Indian Basket Museum and historical memorabilia in Tahoe City.

KINGS BEACH

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.

NORTH TAHOE ARTS CENTER

(530) 581-2787 | northtahoearts.com

Featuring works by local artists with locations in Kings Beach and Tahoe City.

TAHOE CITY

visittahoecity.com

Popular for shopping and dining with historical sites. Visit the Tahoe Dam, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, and Fanny Bridge. Peer into Watson Cabin (1908) for a glimpse at pioneer life. Free parking at Commons Beach, Grove St., Jackpine St. and Transit Center.

TAHOE SCIENCE CENTER

Tues.-Sat. by reservation

(775) 881-7566 | tahoesciencecenter.org

University of California, Davis, science education center at Sierra Nevada University. Exhibits include a virtual research boat, biology lab, 3D movies and docent-led tours. Ages 8+.

LAKE LEVELS

WATSON CABIN

(530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org

Watson Cabin, built by Robert Watson and his son in 1908, is the oldest building in Tahoe City and on the National Register of Historic Places (summer tours).

OLYMPIC VALLEY

HIGH CAMP

(800) 403-0206 | palisadestahoe.com

Aerial tram rides with views of Lake Tahoe, Olympic Heritage Museum, events and more. Ticket required.

OLYMPIC MUSEUM

(800) 403-0206 | palisadestahoe.com

Palisades Tahoe, host of the VIII Winter Olympic Games in 1960, celebrates its Olympic History with the Tower of Nations with its Olympic Flame and the symbolic Tower of the Valley at Highway 89. The Olympic Museum at High Camp features historic memorabilia and photographs. Tram ticket required.

SOUTH SHORE

EXPLORE TAHOE

(530) 542-2908 | cityofslt.us

Urban Trailhead at base of Heavenly Gondola with local exhibits and programs.

HEAVENLY

(775) 586-7000 | skiheavenly.com

Enjoy a 2.4-mile ride on the gondola to the top with panoramic views. Ticket required.

LAKE TAHOE MUSEUM

Sat. (closed holidays) & by appt. (530) 541-5458 | laketahoemuseum.org

Washoe artifacts and exhibits on early industry and settlers. Pick up walking tour maps.

Readings on Feb. 16, 2023

Lake Tahoe ELEVATION: 6,224.42’ IN 2022: 6,223.96’ NATURAL RIM: 6,223’

Truckee River FLOW AT FARAD: 302 CFS TROA NET

TAHOE ART LEAGUE GALLERY

(530) 544-2313 | talart.org

Featuring works by local artists & workshops.

TALLAC HISTORIC SITE

(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 year-round. Tours in summer.

TRUCKEE

DONNER SUMMIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

At Old Hwy 40 & Soda Springs Rd. 20-mile interpretive driving tour along Old 40.

EMIGRANT TRAIL MUSEUM

(530) 582-7892 | parks.ca.gov

The Emigrant Trail Museum features exhibits and artifacts on the Donner Party (1846-47) at Donner Memorial State Park. See the towering Pioneer Monument.

KIDZONE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Tues.-Sat. | (530) 587-5437 | kidzonemuseum.org

Interactive exhibits, science & art classes for kids up to age 7. BabyZone & Jungle Gym.

MUSEUM OF TRUCKEE HISTORY

Fri.-Sun. | (530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org

Housed in the original Depot, built in 1901. Exhibits cover different eras in Truckee history.

OLD JAIL MUSEUM

(530) 659-2378 | truckeehistory.org

One of a few surviving 19th Century jailhouses used from 1875 until May 1964 (summer tours). Closed for winter.

TOWN OF TRUCKEE

truckeehistory.org | truckee.com

Settled in 1863, Truckee grew quickly as a stagecoach stop and route for the Central Pacific Railroad. During these early days, many historical homes and buildings were built including The Truckee Hotel (1868) and the Capitol Building (1868). Stop by the Depot for a walking tour of historic downtown. Paid parking downtown.

TRUCKEE RAILROAD MUSEUM

Sat.-Sun. & holidays

truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com

Learn about the historic railroad. Located in a caboose next to the Truckee Depot.

WESTERN SKISPORT MUSEUM

Closed this season

(530) 426-3313, ext. 113 | auburnskiclub.org

Showcasing the history of skiing, exhibits include antique ski and snowshoe equipment, and a pair of 8-foot-long skis used by legendary mail carrier John “Snowshoe” Thompson. On Donner Summit next to Boreal.

WEST SHORE

EAGLE ROCK

Eagle Rock, one of the Lake’s most famous natural sites, is a volcanic plug beside Highway 89 on the West Shore. Trail to top is on the south side.

FANNETTE ISLAND

(530) 541-3030 | parks.ca.gov

Lake Tahoe’s only island is in Emerald Bay & is home to an old tea house. Boat access only. (Closed Feb. 1-June 15 for nesting birds.)

HELLMAN-EHRMAN MANSION

Parking fee | parks.ca.gov

(530) 525-7232 Park | (530) 583-9911 Tours

Sugar Pine Point State Park is home to the historic Ehrman Mansion. See boathouses with historic boats and General Phipps Cabin built in the late 1800s. Summer tours.

VIKINGSHOLM CASTLE

(530) 541-3030 | (530) 525-9529 ADA parks.ca.gov | vikingsholm.com

Tour the grounds of Vikingsholm Castle (interior tours closed for season), see Eagle Falls and Fannette Island (the Lake’s only island), home to an old Tea House.

Find more places to explore at TheTahoeWeekly.com

TRANSIT

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

ROAD CONDITIONS

California road conditions

quickmap.dot.ca.gov, (800) 427-7623

Nevada Road conditions nvroads.com, (877) 687-6237 or 511 (while in Nevada)

VISITORS’ CENTERS

East Shore

Spooner Lake State Park (775) 831-0494

Kings Beach

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

Incline Village 969 Tahoe Blvd. (800) 468-2463

South Shore At Heavenly Village. (530) 542-4637

Tahoe City 100 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 581-6900

Truckee 10065 Donner Pass Rd. (530) 587-8808

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

National Forest access info

fs.fed.us/r5/webmaps/RecreationSiteStatus

Boots McFarland by Geolyn Carvin | BootsMcFarland.com

Views from the Tahoe East Shore Trail at Memorial Point. The trail can be snowshoed from Sand Harbor State Park to Incline Village, Nev. | Katherine E. Hill

lake tahoe facts

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

Age of Lake Tahoe: 2 million years

Fed By: 63 streams and 2 hot springs

Only Outlet: Truckee River (Tahoe City)

Watershed Area: 312 square miles (808 sq km)

Visitors: 15 million annually

HOW THE LAKE WAS FORMED

About 3 to 5 million years ago, the valley that would become the Tahoe Basin sank between parallel fractures in the Earth’s crust as the mountains on either side continued to rise. A shallow lake began to form in the resulting valley.

Roughly 2 to 3 million years ago, erupting volcanoes blocked the outlet, forcing the lake to rise hundreds of feet above its current elevation, and eventually eroded down to near its current outlet.

Between 1 million and 20,000 years ago, large masses of glacial ice covered the west side of the Tahoe Basin. Current geologic theory suggests an earthen berm (moraine) left by a receding glacier near Olympic Valley acted as a dam, causing the lake level to rise and then draw down rapidly when the dam catastrophically failed. Between 7,000 and 15,000 years ago, a 4-mile segment of

the West Shore collapsed into the Lake causing a massive submerged debris avalanche, widening the Lake by 3 miles and creating McKinney Bay.

The Tahoe Basin is mostly granite, with little topsoil, and therefore few nutrients have washed into the lake to promote the growth of algae and other organisms that make water murky.

As well, 40 percent of the precipitation falling into the Tahoe Basin lands directly on the lake. The remaining precipitation drains through the decomposed granite soil found in marshes and meadows, creating a good filtering system for water.

Urbanization of the Tahoe Basin has eliminated 75 percent of its marshes, 50 percent of its meadows and 35 percent of its steam zone habitats. About 85 percent of all wildlife in the Tahoe Basin use these habitats.

LAKE CLARITY

The University of California, Davis, operates the Tahoe Environmental Research Center (tahoe. ucdavis.edu), which monitors the clarity of Lake Tahoe. Clarity has been measured since 1968 and was first recorded at 102.4’.

The waters of Lake Tahoe were clear to an average depth of 61’ (18.6m) in 2021. Lake Tahoe is losing clarity because of algae growth fueled by nitrogen and phosphorus.

ABOUT THE LAKE

Lake Tahoe is located in the states of California and Nevada, with two-thirds in California. It is fed by 63 streams and two hot springs.

The Truckee River is Tahoe’s only outlet and flows from the dam in Tahoe City east through Reno and eventually drains into Pyramid Lake in Nevada.

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

LAKE CLARITY:

2021: 61 feet avg. depth (18.6 m)

1968: First recorded at 102.4 feet (31.21 m)

AVERAGE DEPTH: 1,000 feet (304 m)

MAXIMUM DEPTH: 1,645 feet (501 m)

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S. (Crater Lake in Oregon, at 1,932 feet, or 589 m, is the deepest), and the 11th deepest in the world.

VOLUME: 39 trillion gallons (147.6 trillion liters)

There is enough water in Lake Tahoe to supply everyone in the United States with more than 75 gallons (284 liters) of water per day for 5 years.

NATURAL RIM: 6,223’ (1,897 m)

Lake Tahoe sits at an average elevation of between 6,223’ and 6,229.1’. (1,897-1,899 m)

The top 6.1’ (1.8 m) of water is controlled by the dam in Tahoe City and holds up to 744,600 acre feet of water (91,845 m).

SIZE: 22 miles long, 12 miles wide (35 km long, 19 km wide) Lake Tahoe is as long as the English Channel is wide.

SHORELINE: 72 miles (116 km)

Lake Tahoe has a surface area of 191 square miles (307 km). If Lake Tahoe were emptied, it would submerge California under 15 inches of water (.38 m)

Sources: Tahoe Environmental Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, “Tahoe Place Names” and David Antonucci (denoted by 1).

However, water releases are not permitted when the lake surface level falls below the natural rim at 6,223’ (1,897 m). The lowest lake level on record (measured since 1900) was 6,220.26’ (1,896 m) on Nov. 30, 1992.

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

LAKE TAHOE’S DISCOVERY

The first recorded discovery of Lake Tahoe by white explorers was on Feb. 14, 1844, when John Charles Frémont and Charles Preuss spotted the lake from atop Red Lake Peak. The lake went through many names before it was officially named Tahoe in 1945. Tahoe is a mispronunciation of the first two syllables of the Washo’s word for the lake – Da ow a ga, which means “edge of the lake." n

GET outside

Skiing under the stars

ASC LIGHTS UP CROSS-COUNTRY TRAILS

BY TIM HAUSERMAN

ASC (Auburn Ski Club) Training Center is now lighting the first kilometer at its cross-country ski area on Donner Summit with hopes that in the future several more kilometers will be added. The trail will be lit on Wednesdays and Fridays for nighttime skiing until 7:30 p.m., providing an opportunity for ski teams and the public to put in more hours on snow.

While ASC accommodates a wide range of Nordic skiers, its primary focus is on training ski racers from a variety of ski clubs in the region. According to the website: “Our vision is to be the West’s premier high-altitude training center and to inspire a life-long love of snow sports.”

The center has several times been home to the Junior Nationals for cross-country skiing and is a regular venue for school and adult races, as well as the region’s cross-country ski teams.

Given the limited amount of time between the last school bell and darkness, trail lighting could become a true savior for cross-country ski programs. While my school days are long past, I thought it would be fun to give the night skiing experience a try, so I went up for a ski on Jan. 25.

Since it was a sunny day, I had a lovely drive up Interstate 80, but I noticed ethereal waves of snow clouds blowing over the ridge tops of the Sierra Crest. A little voice in my head said, “Ruh roh.” When I arrived at ASC, I discovered it was blowing ferociously from the east. After I parked my truck, it was rocking like there were two gorillas wrestling in the bed. It was a struggle putting the skis on without getting knocked over, but once I skied away from the open stadium area and into the shelter of the trees, the wind was manageable and the skiing was awesome.

The cross-country trails are located adjacent to Boreal Mountain Resort. ASC Training Center grooms 25k nightly in a series of loops that wind up and down the north-facing slopes, occasionally dishing out spectacular views of Castle Peak. If I was going to make the drive, I thought I might as well get a full ski in, so I arrived at ASC around 4 p.m., which allowed me to ski for an hour before the lights came on.

CheckOff

#34 Tahoe Winter bucket list at bit.ly/tahoe-bucket-list

on our ultimate

Big Blue Adventures REGISTER EARLY FOR ADVENTURE RACES

NIGHT SKIING

Until 7:30 p.m. | Wednesday & Friday ASC Training Center | Donner Summit | asctrainingcenter.org

NORDIC NIGHTS

5-7 p.m. | Feb. 24 & March 24

North Tahoe Regional Park | Tahoe Vista facebook.com/NorthTahoeRecreation

This was a great move, as I enjoyed a rare treat: Skiing in the golden hour just before sunset and then, even better, getting to watch the rose-colored glow rise up the slopes of Castle Peak right as the sun went down. In addition, the ancient lodgepole pines and red firs were truly stunning in the just-before-sunset light. The wind blowing wispy blankets across the snow was an added bonus.

The interconnected loop trail network at ASC means that whomever you see skiing, you will almost certainly see again shortly. I was joined on the trails by several after-school training programs. I marveled at one of the more advanced groups using the wind at their backs to roar down the initial hill that was most affected by the wind. Those kids have a lot more guts than me — and they ski faster.

Eventually, after a quick break in the large comfy lodge, it was dark enough to enjoy the lighted trails. It was a unique experience to have the opportunity to be skiing when normally I would

be inside trying to avoid writing. I was joined on the trails by a large master class that was skiing interval laps.

“The reaction has been very positive. The master’s program doubled in size by putting it under the lights. It is mainly composed of people who work 9 to 5,” said ASC Nordic director Gus Johnson of the lighting program.

The nonprofit ASC built the lighted trails system through a fundraising effort. The hope is that if they can come up with enough funding they can lengthen the trail to 2k next year and eventually up to 5k, which will be a distance that will allow for night-time racing, as well as more terrain to make nighttime skiing more enjoyable.

“We are trying to expand access to people who work or go to school during daylight hours. It should broaden our base and it fits in with our mission and vision. We want to be affordable and accessible,” said Johnson. | asctrainingcenter.org n

Big Blue Adventure announces that registration is open for all triathlon, trail running, mountain biking, swimming, adventure racing and running events in Tahoe, Truckee and the Sierra. Events coming up in June alone include Olympic Valley Half Marathon, Lake Tahoe Mountain Bike Race, Burton Creek Trail, Tahoe City Swim and more all summer long until the Great Rail Race on Sept. 30. | bigblueadventure.com

GREAT SKI RACE ON TAP

One of the largest Nordic ski races west of the Mississippi, The Great Ski Race, is on March 5 at Tahoe XC. The first wave of the race will begin at 9 a.m. with new waves starting every 3 minutes. All skiers are welcome, whether they come to race or to have fun.

The course is a 26k-loop course, starting and ending at Tahoe XC. The race is the main fundraising event for Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team, a nonprofit all-volunteer organization.

The cost to enter is $80 ($30 ages 17 and younger) until March 2, $90 ($40 ages 17 and younger) on March 3 and 4, and $120 ($60 ages 17 and younger) on the day of at registration. | thegreatskirace.com

Troy Corliss, Great Ski Race

A master’s class at ASC Training Center skiing night-time intervals. | Tim Hauserman

SNOWFEST! 10 DAYS, 40 EVENTS

SnowFest!

The 41st annual North Lake Tahoe SnowFest!, a family-friendly, mountain Mardi Gras celebration, will return from March 2 to 12 with 40 events in Tahoe City and Kings Beach.

Highway 28 will be closed during the Tahoe City Parade on March 4. The parade will be staged at Tahoe Lake Elementary School, then leave the school, turn on Tahoe Street, then Jackpine Street and then onto Highway 28. There will be no access around town on Fairway or Bunker drives due to parade staging. Check the website for event updates and a complete schedule. Many events are free. Events after March 8 will be included in the next edition. | tahoesnowfest.org

March 2

3-5:30 p.m. | Build your own SnowFest!

pendant | Tahoe Boho, Tahoe City

5-10 p.m. | Kick-off party & King and Queen Coronation w/Blues Monsters | Gar Woods, Carnelian Bay

March 3

3-5:30 p.m. | Build your own SnowFest! pendant | Tahoe Boho, Tahoe City

5-8 p.m. | Fireworks w/The Nomads | Tahoe City Golf Course

March 4

7-11 a.m. | Pancake breakfast | Tahoe City fire station

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Tahoe City SnowFest! Parade

12-4 p.m. | Polar Bear Swim | Gar Woods, Carnelian Bay

12-4 p.m. | Parade after party | Pete ‘N

Peter’s, Tahoe City

12:30 p.m. | Snowball Drop | The Bridgetender, Tahoe City

12:30-7 p.m. | Brewfest | Cobblestone Center, Tahoe City

1-3p.m. | TCNS fundraiser w/Jenni Charles | Pints & Pies Pizza Co., Tahoe City

3-5:30 p.m. | Build your own SnowFest! pendant | Tahoe Boho, Tahoe City

March 5

9 a.m. | The Great Ski Race | Tahoe XC, Tahoe City

11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Dog Pull | Pete ‘N Peter’s, Tahoe City

3-8:30 p.m. | Luau | Sunnyside Restaurant

March 6

5-8 p.m. | Clam Bake | Za’s, Tahoe City

7-11 p.m. | Milk Jug Curling Qualifying | Tahoe City Winter Sports Park

March 7

5-7 p.m. | Paint & Sip | Boatworks Mall, Tahoe City

6:30-8:30 p.m. | Black Out Bingo | Rosie’s, Tahoe City

7-11 p.m. | Bar Olympics | Pete ‘N Peters, Tahoe City

AXE THROWING COMES TO NORTH SHORE

Bowl Incline in Incline Village, Nev., is now offering axe throwing in the upstairs lounge every Wednesday and Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. The unique axe-throwing lanes offer digital projected targets for game variety and additional challenges, such as tic-tactoe, zombie hunter, duck hunter, target practice and more. Groups of two to 16 are welcome and bookings can be made online. | bowlincline.com

SNOWSHOE ADVENTURE

BY PRIYA HUTNER

There is something magical about a nighttime adventure in nature after snowfall under a full moon. A gentle mist rose as I drove with Katherine Hill, publisher of The Tahoe Weekly, for a full-moon snowshoe. I didn’t think much of the mist as I drove.

My destination was Prosser Reservoir near Truckee where I had recently cross-country skied. I thought that the vastness of the open space would be gorgeous under a full moon. The moon was set to rise at 7:30 p.m.

We parked at Donner Camp Picnic Site and Interpretive Trail off Highway 89 and put our snowshoes on. It was a relatively warm evening considering the recent snow. We turned on our headlamps and climbed over the berm. I set my GPS and we headed in the same direction I’d skied a few days prior and followed a trail someone had snowshoed.

The mist turned to a light fog. It was dark and a quick thought crossed my mind, “I wonder if we’d see the moon tonight.”

Crossing a snow-covered bridge, we shoed over the frozen marsh and plodded forth. An eerie haze blanketed the woods as the fog thickened. The snow was deep. Half an hour into our journey, the fog became denser and there was little visibility. We soon realized we were heading in the wrong direction. There was no moon, only darkness. Our headlamps illuminated the heavy particles of fog. We could barely see in front of us. Katherine looked at her phone and determined we were on the north side of the meadow.

The thick mist was disorienting. This is how one gets lost in her own backyard where I’ve hiked, skied and biked many times. I realized I’d made several rookie moves. I didn’t check the weather. I didn’t follow my intuition when I saw the fog and my pack didn’t have the necessary items it should contain. I should have known better after writing a recent story about what

to pack when heading into the backcountry. I had no extra layers, no lighter and no food. In my mind we weren’t in the backcountry, we were in a familiar place and only going out for a short hike. Katherine, on the hand, was totally prepared with a full pack that included food, an emergency blanket, a whistle and a first-aid kit.

After an hour, the moon remained safely tucked behind clouds. We saw a dim light in the distance, but the moon was not visible through the fog entombing us. We started back to the car. Prosser Reservoir on a clear evening is a beautiful place to snowshoe on a moonlit night.

If you decide to go out on your own, make sure to be prepared. A great option is a guided full-moon snowshoe tour — especially if you are in unfamiliar territory. The next full moons are Full Worm Moon on March 7 and Full Pink Moon on April 5.

Full moon snowshoeing

There are several places to snowshoe under the full moon that are easy to enjoy. Local state parks close at dusk, but Sugar Pine Point State Park does offer full moon snowshoe tours.

Lake Tahoe | Commons Beach in Tahoe City, Kings Beach State Recreation Area and Lakeview Commons in South Lake Tahoe are great places to snowshoe. Olympic Valley | Snowshoe through the meadow. Truckee | Donner Rim Trail from Glacier Way parking lot in Tahoe Donner or Coldstream Canyon Tour companies | There are also a number of tour companies that offer regular snowshoe adventures and custom tours including Tahoe Adventure Company, a long-time supporter of Tahoe Weekly, and our friends at Snowshoe Tahoe. | tahoeadventurecompany.com, snowshoetahoe.net n

SNOWSHOE TOURS

Fridays | Sunset tours | tahoeadventurecompany.com

Saturdays | Historian-led tours, Donner Memorial State Park

| bit.ly/donner_events

Saturdays | 1960 Winter Olympic tours, Sugar Pine Point State Park

| bit.ly/sugarpineevents

Sundays | Historian-led tours, Donner Memorial State Park

| bit.ly/donner_events

Sundays | 1960 Winter Olympic tours, Sugar Pine Point State Park

| bit.ly/sugarpineevents

Feb. 23 | Nature Photography Snowshoe | tahoerimtrail.org

Feb 25 | Twilight Snowshoe Tour | northstarcalifornia.com

March 2 | Wildlife Survival Snowshoe | tahoerimtrail.org

March 4 | Twilight Snowshoe Tour | northstarcalifornia.com

March 4 | Full-moon tour, Sugar Pine Point State Park | sierrastateparks.org

March 6 & 7 | Full-moon tours | tahoeadventurecompany.com

March 10 | Evening tours | diamondpeak.com

March 11 | Twilight Snowshoe Tour | northstarcalifornia.com

March 11 | Snowshoe Star Tour | tahoeadventurecompany.com

March 16 | Wildlife Survival Snowshoe | tahoerimtrail.org

April 4 | Full-moon tour, Sugar Pine Point State Park | sierrastateparks.org

April 4 & 5 | Full-moon tours | tahoeadventurecompany.com

April 14 | Snowshoe Star Tour | tahoeadventurecompany.com

BELOW: Guided full moon snowshoe tours at Sugar Pine Point State Park. | Sierra State Parks

The mist turned to a light fog. It was dark and a quick thought crossed my mind, “I wonder if we’d see the moon tonight.”

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

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

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, Truckee, 4:30-11 a.m., (530) 5827846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

Storytime

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 11 a.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

Lego Robotics

Incline Village Library, 1 p.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Presidents’ Week Superstar Competitions

Downhill Ski Resort, Truckee, 1:30 p.m., (530) 5879400, tahoedonner.com

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, Truckee, 4 p.m., (530) 582-7846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

“Wow! The views were spectacular yes! And the snow was epic! What I also really appreciated was the kindness of the staff all over the mountain, the heartfelt acceptance from other skiers and boarders and the smiles from everyone there.” - Georgia V. (Google Review)

Katherine E. Hill

CELEBRATE VIKING OF THE SIERRA

The 21st annual Snowshoe Thompson Ski & Snowshoe Celebration is on March 5 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum in South Lake Tahoe.

Snowshoe Thompson, known as the Viking of the Sierra, was a legendary postman and father of California skiing. This free event will celebrate him and his achievements with a portrayal by David Woodruff, Norwegian folk dancing, a longboard ski-racer demonstration by Adam Henriques, speakers, hot drinks, cookies and a raffle. Also, Snowshoe Thompson books and merchandise will be for sale, as well. | laketahoemuseum.org

“Chasing the Line” Introduction by Daron Rahlves Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema, Tahoe City, 5 p.m., tahoearthauscinema.com

THURSDAY, FEB. 23

Golden Meet & Greet

Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District, Truckee, 9:30-10:30 a.m., (530) 582-7720, tdrpd.org

Family Storytime

Incline Village Library, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Preschool Storytime (Tahoe City)

Tahoe City Library, Tahoe City, 10:30 a.m., (530) 5462021, placer.ca.gov/2093/Library

Mother Goose on the Loose

South Lake Tahoe Library, 10:30 a.m., (530) 5733185, eldoradolibrary.org

Preschool Storytime

Truckee Library, Truckee, 10:30 a.m., (530) 582-7846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

Presidents’ Week Superstar Competitions

Downhill Ski Resort, Truckee, 1:30 p.m., (530) 5879400, tahoedonner.com

Petiquette: Living Harmoniously With Pets & Kids

Pet Network Humane Society, Incline Village, 5:15 p.m., (775) 832-4404, petnetwork.org

“Chasing the Line” Introduction by Daron Rahlves Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema, Tahoe City, 8 p.m., tahoearthauscinema.com

FRIDAY, FEB. 24

Ski With a Ranger

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

The Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup

PURCHASE

Sierra State Parks Foundation

FREE XC SKI DAY

Sierra State Parks Foundation offers the fourth annual free ski day at Sugar Pine Point State Park in Tahoma on March 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are groomed trails where you can take a beginner’s cross-country and snowshoe clinic.

The state park was a site during the 1960 Winter Olympics, Olympic history tours will be given, as well as a biathlon demo. Cross-country ski with local Olympians Glenn Jobe and Biby Xantus. Shoot a laser rifle at a target for accuracy. Hot cocoa and coffee will be provided. Register online to receive a free parking pass. | sierrastateparks. com

Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 10 a.m., (800) 4030206, palisadestahoe.com

Interpretive Mountain Tours

Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

Ski With a Ranger

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 1 p.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

Presidents’ Week Superstar Competitions

Downhill Ski Resort, Truckee, 1:30 p.m., (530) 5879400, tahoedonner.com

Nordic Nights

North Tahoe Regional Park, Johnny Winters Field (Field #1), Tahoe Vista, 5 p.m., northtahoeparks.com

Meet the Winery - La Mesa Vineyards

Tahoe Wine Collective, Tahoe City, 5 p.m., tahoewinecollective.com

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

LIFT TICKETS, SEASON PASSES, RENTALS & GROUP LESSONS ONLINE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 events

SATURDAY, FEB. 25

Wilderness First Aid

Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Stateline, 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m., (775) 298-4485, tahoerimtrail.org

Banked Slalom

Sugar Bowl Resort, Norden, 9 a.m., (530) 426-9000, sugarbowl.com/home

The Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup

Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 10 a.m., (800) 4030206, palisadestahoe.com

Interpreter-Guided Snowshoe Tours

Sugar Pine Point State Park, Tahoma, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Donner Snowshoe Historical Tours

Donner Memorial State Park, Truckee, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Petiquette: Living Harmoniously With Pets & Kids

Pet Network Humane Society, Incline Village, noon, (775) 832-4404, petnetwork.org

Presidents’ Week Superstar Competitions

Downhill Ski Resort, Truckee, 4:30-6:30 p.m., (530) 587-9400, tahoedonner.com

Twilight Snowshoe Tour

Village at Northstar, Truckee, 5 p.m., northstarcalifornia.com

SUNDAY, FEB. 26

“Fresh Tracks” 5K Snowshoe Walk and Race

Camp Richardson Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., (800) 544-1801, camprichardson.com

The Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup

Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 10 a.m., (800) 4030206, palisadestahoe.com

Alpenglow 10K & 20K Race

Tahoe XC, Tahoe City, 10 a.m., (530) 583-5475, tahoexc.org

Interpreter-Guided Snowshoe Tours

Sugar Pine Point State Park, Tahoma, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Donner Snowshoe Historical Tours

Donner Memorial State Park, Truckee, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Ski With a Ranger

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 1 p.m.

MONDAY, FEB. 27

Crawl Space

El Dorado County Community Hub 5, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., eldoradocommunityhubs.com/hub-5

Crawl Space Baby and Toddler Program

South Lake Tahoe Library, 10 a.m., (530) 573-3185, eldoradolibrary.org

TUESDAY, FEB. 28

Play and Learn Program

South Lake Tahoe Library, 9 a.m., (530) 573-3185, eldoradolibrary.org

Family Storytime

Incline Village Library, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Preschool Storytime (Kings Beach)

Kings Beach Library, Kings Beach, 10:30 a.m., (530) 546-2021, placer.ca.gov/2093/Library

Golden Hour 55+

North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, 11:30 a.m., (530) 546-7249, northtahoeevents.com

Reading Furends

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 3:30 p.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

Teen Tuesday

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Meet the Grosh Brothers Expedition Athletes

Gatekeepers Museum, Tahoe City, 5:30 p.m., northtahoemuseums.org

Pj Storytime

Incline Village Library, 6:30 p.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Play & Learn Program

El Dorado County Community Hub 5, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m., eldoradocommunityhubs.com/hub-5

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

Meet the Grosh Brothers Expedition Athletes

The Village at Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 8:30 a.m., (800) 403-0206, palisadestahoe.com

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, Truckee, 10:30-11 a.m., (530) 5827846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

Storytime

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 11 a.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

IV Quad

Incline Village Library, 3 p.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Weird Science Wednesdays

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, Truckee, 4 p.m., (530) 582-7846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

THURSDAY, MARCH 2

Golden Meet & Greet

Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District, Truckee, 9:30-10:30 a.m., (530) 582-7720, tdrpd.org

Family Storytime

Incline Village Library, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Preschool Storytime (Tahoe City)

Tahoe City Library, Tahoe City, 10:30 a.m., (530) 546-2021, placer.ca.gov/2093/Library

Mother Goose on the Loose

South Lake Tahoe Library, 10:30 a.m., (530) 5733185, eldoradolibrary.org

Preschool Storytime

Truckee Library, Truckee, 10:30 a.m., (530) 582-7846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

Snowshoe Tour & Chalet Dinner

The Chalet at Alpine, Alpine Meadows, 4 p.m., (800) 403-0206, palisadestahoe.com

Alpenglow Sports Winter Speaker Series

Olympic Village Event Center, Olympic Valley, 7 p.m., palisadestahoe.com/events-and-activities

Garwoods Kick-Off / King & Queen Coronation

With the Blues Monsters

Gar Woods, Carnelian Bay, 5-10 p.m., garwoods.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

Ski With a Ranger

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

Interpretive Mountain Tours

Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

Ski With a Ranger

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 1 p.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

Snowfest Fireworks with the Nomads

Tahoe City Golf Course, Tahoe City, 5-8 p.m.

WORLD CUP ACTION AT PALISADES TAHOE

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

The Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup, a stop on the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Tour, will host men’s slalom and giant slalom events on Palisades Tahoe’s Dog Leg and Red Dog Face, from Feb. 24 to 26. Check out the course and the action from the base area, cheer on the world’s best male athletes, catch outdoor concerts, fireworks and a vendor village. Premier viewing and experience packages include heated viewing areas, farm-to-table dining options, activities and events, as well as premium parking and other benefits. Tickets are on sale online at worldcup.palisadestahoe.com.

The best way to get information during the event will be to download the Palisades Tahoe app at bit.ly/palisades_app.

In addition to the World Cup events, Tahoe Art Haus in Tahoe City will host showings of “Chasing the Line” about Austrian downhill skier Franz Klammer, who won the 1976 Olympics, in honor of the World Cup, at 5 p.m. on Feb. 22 and 8 p.m. on Feb. 23. Olympian Daron Rahlves, who was the stunt double in the movie, will introduce the film both nights. | tahoearthauscinema.com

Transportation, parking info

Parking will be limited and traffic will back up to Truckee and Tahoe City. If driving, plan on arriving to Palisades Tahoe by 7:30 a.m. and expect to sit in traffic for prolonged periods during peak times. Parking updates may be found in the Palisades Tahoe app.

Mountaineer | Free on-demand, doorto-door shuttle service within Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows. Download the app. Runs Friday-Monday 7 a.m.-5 p.m. in Alpine; Friday-Sunday 5 a.m.10:30 p.m. in Olympic Valley. | mountaineertransit.org

Park & Ride | Free Park & Ride shuttles will run on Feb. 25 and 26. Lots are in Truckee (behind Wild Cherries and the fire department on Donner Pass Road) and Tahoe City (Tahoe City Transit Center) with free shuttle services to Olympic Valley. Shuttles runs 5:33 a.m.5:33 p.m. for Truckee and 6 a.m.-6 p.m. for Tahoe City.

TART bus | Free bus service from Tahoe City and the North and West shores with a direct stop in Olympic Valley. Runs 6:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | tahoetruckeetransit.com

TART Connect | Free on-demand, door-to-door shuttle service for Tahoe City, Truckee and the North and West shores using the TART Connect app. Runs 5:30 a.m.–6 p.m. | (530) 214-5811, tahoetruckeetransit.com

Alpine parking | There are about 75 premier parking spots that can be reserved in advance online for $60 each. All other parking is first-come, firstserved. There will be lots at Deer Park and Hidden Valley with shuttle service to the base lodge.

Palisades parking | Club ticket holders receive premier parking. All other parking is first-come, first-served. Find updated information, schedules, mountain closures and parking details at worldcup.palisadestahoe.com.

World Cup

Feb. 24

8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Vendor Village

5:15 p.m. | Kick-Off Parade

5:45 p.m. | Welcome Ceremonies

6:15 p.m. | Public Bib Draw

7 p.m. | Black Jacket Symphony featuring Marc Martel

Feb. 25

8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Vendor Village

9:40 a.m. | Giant Slalom Opening Ceremonies

10 a.m. | Giant Slalom Run 1

1:15 p.m. | Giant Slalom Run 2

6:30 p.m. | Noah Kahan concert

8 p.m. | 311 concert

9:30 p.m. | Fireworks

Feb. 26

8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Vendor Village

9:40 a.m. | Slalom Opening Ceremonies

10 a.m. | Slalom Run 1

1:15 p.m. | Slalom Run 2

Palisades Tahoe

Read Mike Akay’s feature on creating the World Cup circuit in this edition

Challenges OF HOSTING THE WORLD CUP

BY MIKE A.K. AKAY

In2002, I wrote in Tahoe Weekly about the U.S. Alpine Nationals being held at Palisades Tahoe and how the events there and at Sugar Bowl Resort were a big success. In 2017, a flawless women’s World Cup event was pulled off at Palisades Tahoe and was magnified by the dominance of Mikaela Shiffrin’s season of victories including a slalom win here.

Now in 2023, Tahoe takes center stage as the best group of slalom and giant slalom skiers on the planet will be arriving at Palisades Tahoe to put on a weekend show of skiing mastery. The men’s World Cup appearance on Feb. 25 and 26 will establish our region as a legitimate tour stop, something that hasn’t taken place since Heavenly hosted the great Ingemar Stenmark in 1986.

We have been largely ignored by the international alpine racing world in spite of having great mountains, being home to the 1960 Winter Olympics and turning out, in my estimation, the most Olympians per capita in America.

Managing the logistics

Putting on the Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup is an enormous task that ultimately funnels down to one man: Phil GilanFarr, chief of race. He has the final say on race day, making him one of the busiest people at Tahoe these days. Recently, on top of everything else on his plate, he must field calls from every country’s ski coaches to give them a preview of the snow conditions their athletes will potentially be facing.

Prepping a World Cup venue for elite skiers alone is daunting as everyone expects a perfectly consistent course. Phil and his team are striving to provide not only the best course conditions but a challenging course that will earn us some international respect. That is a job in itself, but, he must also manage installing the television camera stands, fencing, miles of cables, banners, hundreds of volunteers and much more.

Setting challenging courses

Phil and his team have set a course that maximizes the face of Red Dog as the slalom will have the maximum allowable vertical drop for the F.I.S. at 220 meters, making it a long and tiring course for the racers, especially since the face is also steeper than your average World Cup slope.

The giant slalom will have a vertical drop of 386 meters, a bit below the

maximum of 400 meters, so again, steep and challenging. The most critical, non-engineered component of the races is nature’s snow and organizers worldwide routinely turn their race venue into a sheet of ice that will withstand 100 racers at a time with little variation from one racer to the next.

Phil, an architect by trade and race chief by sacrifice (a labor of love), explained how he must build a slope that is basically 65 percent ice. That hardness will support the racers throughout the event — a bigger challenge this year with the men as opposed to the women’s event held at Palisades Tahoe in 2017 because the men are almost 100 pounds heavier than the women on average, dictating that a harder snow surface must be created to sustain the added weight.

American skiers to watch

Although the races are held here on our turf, America’s chances for a topthree finish in either event are slim, so brace for the typical European parade on the podium. We do have a few American skiers to watch and cheer on to possible victory. Ryan Cochran-Siegle has been a surprise, whether finishing high or crashing — a possible Bode Miller on the rise. Veterans Tommy Ford and Jared Goldberg will race and they are due for a big win on U.S. soil.

Local and former Palisades Tahoe team member Erik Arvidsson might come here to race, as well. He knows the mountain better than any of the other racers since Red Dog was his training ground when he came here from Bear Valley’s team. Luke Winters and River Radamus are the slalom experts that will hope to shine here and make it to the podium.

America is hungry for a men’s World Cup slalom champion to follow in the footsteps of Jimmie Heuga, Billy Kidd and Phil and Steve Mahre. Personally, I wish local speed skiers Bryce Bennett and Travis Ganong could be entered to race and give it their all here on their home turf. n

Read details on World Cup events & transit in this edition

Phil Gilinfarr | Mike Akay

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 events

SATURDAY, MARCH 4

Donner Snowshoe Historical Tours

Donner Memorial State Park, Truckee, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

34th Annual Famous Polar Bear Swim

Gar Woods Grill & Pier, Carnelian Bay, 11:30 a.m., (530) 546-3366, tahoesnowfest.org

Tahoe City Snowfest Parade

Downtown Tahoe City, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., tahoesnowfest.org

Post Parade Party

Pete ‘n Peter’s Sports & Spirits, Tahoe City, noon to 4 p.m., (530) 583-2400, tahoesnowfest.org

Snowfest! Brewfest

Tahoe Tap Haus, Tahoe City, noon to 6:30 p.m., (530) 584-2886, tahoesnowfest.org

Twilight Snowshoe Tour

Village at Northstar, 5 p.m., northstarcalifornia.com

Nighttime Guided Snowshoe Tour

Sierra State Parks Foundation, Tahoe City, 5-7 p.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Sam Adams Air and Apres Big Air Show

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, 6:30 p.m., (775) 586-7000, skiheavenly.com

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

Retro Ski Day

Diamond Peak Ski Resort, Incline Village, 9 a.m., (775) 832-1177, diamondpeak.com

The Great Ski Race

Tahoe XC, Tahoe City, 9 a.m., tahoexc.org

Free Ski Day

Sugar Pine Point State Park, Tahoma, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Donner Snowshoe Historical Tours

Donner Memorial State Park, Truckee, 11 a.m., (530) 583-9911, sierrastateparks.org

Tahoe City Dog Pull

Pete ‘n Peter’s Sports & Spirits, Tahoe City, 11 a.m. to noon, (530) 583-2400, tahoesnowfest.org

Snowshoe Thompson Celebration

Lake Tahoe Historical Society, South Lake Tahoe, 1 p.m., (530) 541-5458, laketahoemuseum.org

Sunnyside Luau

Sunnyside Restaurant, Tahoe City, 4-8:30 p.m., tahoesnowfest.org

MONDAY, MARCH 6

Crawl Space

El Dorado County Community Hub 5, South Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., eldoradocommunityhubs.com/hub-5

Crawl Space Baby and Toddler Program

S. Lake Tahoe Library, 10 a.m., eldoradolibrary.org

Full Moon Snowshoe Tour

North Lake Tahoe/Truckee. Specific location based on conditions, Tahoe Vista, 5-8 p.m., (530) 913-9212

Snowfest 8th Annual Clam Bake

Za’s, Tahoe City, 5-8 p.m., tahoesnowfest.org

Milk Jug Curling

Tahoe City Winter Sports Park, Tahoe City, 7-11 p.m., tahoesnowfest.org

TUESDAY, MARCH 7

Play and Learn Program

South Lake Tahoe Library, 9 a.m., eldoradolibrary.org

North Tahoe Toddler & Me

North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, 10 a.m., (530) 546-7249, northtahoeevents.com

Family Storytime

Incline Village Library, 10:30 a.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/libraries/incline-village.php

Preschool Storytime (Kings Beach)

Kings Beach Library, Kings Beach, 10:30 a.m., (530) 546-2021, placer.ca.gov/2093/Library

Bilingual Songs With Brooke Chabot

KidZone Museum, Truckee, 11:30 a.m., (530) 5875437, kidzonemuseum.org

Golden Hour 55+

North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, 11:30 a.m., (530) 546-7249, northtahoeevents.com

Reading Furends

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 3:30 p.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

Full Moon Snowshoe Tour

North Lake Tahoe/Truckee. Specific location based on conditions, Tahoe Vista, 5-8 p.m., (530) 913-9212

Bar Olympics

Pete ‘n Peter’s Sports & Spirits, Tahoe City, 7-11 p.m., (530) 583-2400, tahoesnowfest.org

Play & Learn Program

El Dorado County Community Hub 5, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m., eldoradocommunityhubs.com/hub-5

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, 10:30-11 a.m., (530) 582-7846

Storytime

Zephyr Cove Library, Zephyr Cove, 11 a.m., (775) 588-6411, library.douglascountynv.gov

Wine & Ice Competition

Gatekeeper’s Museum, Tahoe City, noon to 3 p.m., tahoesnowfest.org

TWICE THE SNOW, TWICE THE FUN.

Ski With a Ranger

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 1 p.m. RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, Truckee, 4 p.m., (530) 582-7846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

West Shore Market Cornhole Tournament

West Shore Market, Tahoe City, 4-10 p.m., tahoesnowfest.org

The Giving Fund Winter Speaker Series

The Lodge Restaurant & Pub, Truckee, 5 p.m., (530) 587-9400, tahoedonner.com

Milk Jug Curling

Tahoe City Winter Sports Park, Tahoe City, 7-11 p.m., tahoesnowfest.org

The snow is deep and the fun is endless! From backyard play to backcountry adventures, Mountain Hardware & Sports has the gear you and your family need to keep making memories this winter season. Check

Snow Toys & Sleds

TRUCKEE

/ INCLINE VILLAGE / BLAIRSDEN

Discover more at TheTahoeWeekly.com/family

WINTER FAMILY FUN

HANSEN’S RESORT

(530) 544-3361 | hansensresort.com

400-foot-long groomed tube run on Ski Run Blvd.

HEAVENLY skiheavenly.com

Tubing at top of gondola with four lanes.

KAHLE PARK

(775) 586-7271 | douglascountynv.gov

Off Highway 207. Bring equipment.

SAWMILL POND

On Lake Tahoe Blvd. Bring equipment.

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE

(530) 659-7453 | sierraattahoe.com

Lift-accessible tubing lanes, snow play and sledding area.

TAHOE SNOWMOBILE TUBING

(530) 542-3294 | tahoesnowmobiles.com

At Tahoe Paradise & Stateline, Nev. Reserve online.

TAYLOR CREEK

(530) 543-2600

Hwy. 89, north of Camp Richardson Road. Bring equipment.*

TUBETAHOE

(530) 600-2304 | tubetahoe.com

500 feet of machine-groomed tubing lanes in Meyers.

TRUCKEE

BOREAL MOUNTAIN rideboreal.com

RSVP in advance. Night sessions available.

DONNER SKI RANCH donnerskiranch.com

Tubing hills with moving carpet.

DONNER SUMMIT

(530) 587-3558

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

KINGVALE RESORT

TAHOE CITY CHOCOLATES

World’s Best Selection of Chocolates, Candies & Gummies! Old Fashion Ice Cream Fountain Gifts Confections Sodas Espresso

BOATWORKS MALL | 760 NORTH LAKE BLVD., TAHOE CITY | FREE PARKING | TAHOECITYCHOCOLATES.COM

295-4251

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

HOPE VALLEY

(775) 882-2766

Highway 88 at Blue Lakes Road. Bring equipment.*

MEISS MEADOW

(209) 295-4251

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

NORTH SHORE

INCLINE VILLAGE

On Fairway Blvd., next to the Chateau.Bring equipment.

NORTH TAHOE REGIONAL PARK

(530) 546-0605 | northtahoeparks.com

End of National Avenue off Hwy 28. Rentals not available.

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

(530) 583-1516 | wintersportspark.com

Sledding & cross-country trails. Rentals available. RSVP required.

OLYMPIC VALLEY

OLYMPIC VALLEY PARK

placer.ca.gov

Free snowplay area. Bring equipment.

PALISADES TAHOE

(530) 452-4511 | palisadestahoe.com

Tubing area. Disco Tubing with DJ & lasers at night.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

ADVENTURE MOUNTAIN

(530) 659-7217 | adventuremountaintahoe.com

Machine-groomed sledding, tubing & snowplay.

ECHO LAKE

(530) 644-2324

Highway 50 at Echo Lake Road. Bring equipment.*

(530) 427-5090 | kingvaleresort.com

Bring sleds or sleds available to buy.

NORTHSTAR CALIFORNIA northstarcalifornia.com TART

Tubing lanes in the Village.

SODA SPRINGS skisodasprings.com

Up to 10 lanes. RSVP in advance.

SUGAR RUSH TUBING sugarbowl.com 10-lane tubing area at Sugar Bowl.

TAHOE DONNER

(530) 587-9437 | tahoedonner.com

At Trout Creek Recreation Center. Reserve online.

YUBA PASS

(530) 994-3401

Highway 49 at Yuba Pass. Bring equipment.*

WEST SHORE

BLACKWOOD CANYON

(530) 543-2600

Sno-Play area off Hwy. 89. Bring equipment.*

GRANLIBAKKEN (530) 581-7533 | granlibakken.com

Machine-groomed snow play area. Reserve online.

TRANSIT

North Tahoe & Truckee | laketahoetransit.com South Shore | tahoetransportation.org

*Sno-Park permit required; (916) 324-1222 or ohv.parks.ca.gov/snoparks.

THE makers

makers’ movement

Jason Forcier

TRAVEL-INSPIRED, MOUNTAIN ABSTRACT ART

BY PRIYA HUTNER

VOTE FOR DONNER LAKE RECLAIMED SCULPTURE

The Town of Truckee is working with Building 180, an art production and consulting agency, to design and fabricate an art piece using litter removed from Donner Lake.

The art will be located at Donner Lake Boat Launching Facility in one (or two) of the existing planters, with the goal of installation by September 2023.

Ifirst saw Jason Forcier’s art at Piper J Gallery on West River Street in Truckee. Large canvases alive with bold, bright colors and textures jumped off the walls. Forcier is a mixed-media artist whose work is stunning.

Much of his art is inspired by his world travels. Cuba, Mexico and Thailand are a few places that are his current muses that motivate his creativity. Forcier says that traveling to these countries has opened a new color palette for his work.

“After traveling, I’d come home energized, seeing the doors and walls that have weathered effects. I went to Havana and Guanajuato, Mexico, two places where you see a lot of color and people reusing things 100 times over. We were just in Thailand and it was the same thing in Thailand,” says Forcier, who started drawing and sketching at a young age.

Forcier went to school for graphic design but admits that sitting at a desk behind a computer screen wasn’t his thing. When he moved to Tahoe almost 13 years ago, he decided that he was going to focus on his art full time. He set up a small art studio beneath his house. The first place he showed his work was at Coffeebar in Truckee. His partner, Kayla Anderson, a writer for Tahoe Weekly, set up the show. Forcier uses several art mediums to garner the textured effect on his canvas.

“In the beginning, I worked strict-

ly with oil because I liked the way it would blend together, but it took so long to dry that I moved to acrylic. I just started using spackle for texture,” he says. Forcier uses oil, pastels, pencils and markers. He is leaning in and incorporating different mediums this year. He also uses house paint from the hardware store as a base and a lot of tape.

“After traveling, I’d come home energized, seeing the doors and walls that have weathered effects. I went to Havana and Guanajuato, Mexico, two places where you see a lot of color and people reusing things 100 times over. We were just in Thailand and it was the same thing in Thailand.”

– Jason Forcier

“I just finished a piece last week with old pieces of wood and an old drawer top,” he says.

Forcier loves the way the wood grain adds to his work. His grandfather collected antiques and he uses some of those random antique pieces in his art. His grandmother made patchwork quilts. He says this patchwork effect also influences his art, which he calls mountain abstract. He acknowledges

that creating art allows him to travel and do the things he loves.

“It’s freedom, a freedom I learned from the pandemic. Many people sat around and did nothing or complained instead of looking at it as an opportunity,” he says.

A mountain-bike trip to Peru took an unusual turn for Forcier when he got stuck in the country for two months at the start of the pandemic. He used his time to create and sketch. He eventually had to hire a company to return home, but his time there was precious. His sketchbook entitled, “61 Days in Huaraz,” is one of his prized possessions. A large canvas with a mountain silhouette inspired by his sketches hangs at Piper J Gallery.

Forcier works on anywhere from five to seven paintings at one time, many in different stages of development, mainly due to the time it takes for each piece to dry. He loves painting on big canvases. His work can be seen and purchased at Piper J Gallery in Truckee, Vivant Gallery in Reno, Nev. and Sol Cannabis Dispensary in New Washoe, City, Nev. He also sells his pieces through three online galleries: Saatchi Art, Singulart and Art Finder.

The future is bright and expansive for Forcier as he creates, evolves and reinvents himself and the mediums he uses for his art. | jforcier.com n

Artists Joel Dean Stockdill and Yustina Salnikova are leading the creation of the art piece and have developed three concepts. The council is asking the community for feedback by voting for the proposed pieces. The results will be provided to Truckee Town Council for the final decision on which concept to approve. | bit.ly/donner_art_vote

TAHOE SITES SOUGHT FOR FILMS

The Placer County Film Office is asking residents to add their homes, cabins, barns or properties to its new location library for the possibility of being selected for the next big production in the region.

If chosen, residents will negotiate directly with filmmakers with additional assistance from the county film office. The county does not earn proceeds on any agreements.

Anyone in the county can upload photos and descriptions online and earn the chance to be selected for the next national commercial or major motion picture. | filmplacertahoe.com

Town of Truckee

FROM LEFT: “Wake the King.” Jason Forcier working in his studio. | Jason Forcier

the arts

Hannah Fridholm: Passed Recollection

Foyer Gallery, LTCC, South Lake Tahoe, Feb. 22-March 8, 8 a.m., (530) 541-4660, ltcc.edu

Sierra Native Alliance MMIW Quilt Exhibit

Truckee Donner Recreation & Park District, Truckee, Feb. 22-28, 8 a.m., (530) 582-7720, tdrpd.org

Will Barber Exhibit

Incline Village Library, Incline Village, Feb. 22-28, 10 a.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us/ libraries/incline-village.php

Winter in Lake Tahoe

Gatekeepers Museum, Tahoe City, Feb. 22-March 8, 11 a.m., northtahoemuseums.org

Michelle Sweeney: Wildland

Haldan Art Gallery, LTCC, South Lake Tahoe, Feb. 22-March 8, 11 a.m., (530) 541-4660, ltcc.edu

Pantone Color of the Year Exhibit

Piper J Gallery, Truckee, Feb. 22-25, 11 a.m., (775)

220-0325

At Home: Functional Art in Lake Tahoe Cabins

Gatekeepers Museum, Tahoe City, Feb. 22-March 8, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., northtahoemuseums.org

Incline Village Knitters Guild

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Incline Village, Wednesdays, 1 p.m., tahoeepiscopal.org

Writing Workshop

Truckee Library, Truckee, Feb. 22, 5:30 p.m., (530) 582-7846, nevadacountyca.gov/336/Truckee-Library

Fab N Funky Art Exhibit

North Tahoe Arts, Tahoe City, Feb. 23-27, 11 a.m., (530) 581-2787, northtahoearts.org

Winter Art Show

Tahoe Art League, South Lake Tahoe, Feb. 23-March 5, 11 a.m., (530) 544-2313, talart.org

Artist Demo Night

Tahoe Art League, South Lake Tahoe, Feb. 28, 5:30-7 p.m., talart.org

Field Notes Exhibit

Truckee Community Recreation Center, Truckee, March 1-8, 8 a.m., melhopgallery.com

Author Talk W/Leticia Aguilar and Eve Quesnel

Friends of the Truckee Library, Truckee, March 2, 5:30 p.m., (530) 582-7846, truckeefol.org

Meet the Artist: Michael Flohr

Marcus Ashley Fine Art Gallery, South Lake Tahoe, March 3-4, noon to 5 p.m., (530) 544-4278, marcusashley.com

UNIQUE ART & GIFTS MADE BY LOCAL ARTISANS

Voted

LOCATED AT TAHOE BACKYARD 8428 TROUT AVE. KINGS BEACH, CA

SHOP ONLINE AT: WWW CHICKADEETAHOE COM (530) 448-2471

"BestArt Gallery"

horoscopes

BY MICHAEL O’CONNOR SUNSTARASTROLOGY.COM

FIRE EARTH AIR WATER

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

Venus, Jupiter and Chiron all closely huddled in Aries indicate a pioneering impulse to express yourself more fully and assertively. This dynamic will continue throughout March and well into April. Yet, the Sun in Pisces currently is a call to go within, to retreat, meditate, contemplate, plan and rest.

Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20)

An emphasis on developing your sense of individuality more fully that began a few years ago but also went up a couple of notches in late January, continues now. Your sense of authenticity is strongly featured and can be understood to be steadily and strongly simmering.

Gemini (May 21 – Jun 21)

You might recognize yourself to be a realistic idealist. Which of these two poles predominates at any given moment is uncertain due to a rather rapid rate of spin. This theme is extra emphasized now and includes a rise in your sense of individuality and perhaps your popularity as well.

Cancer (Jun 22 – Jul 22)

A powerful boost of your powers of imagination and critical thinking is underway. Pisces time represents a golden opportunity to capture many epiphanies and creatively inspired ideas and visions. The key is to focus to capture them lest they flutter back into your subconscious to hopefully return one day.

Leo (Jul 23 – Aug 23)

A deep dive into the subjective realms of your subconscious mind is underway. The opportunity to undergo some measure of meaningful change, purification and transformation is available. If this is of interest in any way, mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually, this is your reminder to do it now.

Virgo (Aug 24 – Sep 22)

Who do you love and how and why? Answering such questions as these could prove illuminating and uplifting and perhaps sobering and motivating, as well. An attitude of gratitude and shifting from ‘having’ to more fully showing up to focus to consciously create healthier relationship patterns will prove very rewarding.

Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

Paying closer attention to your overall state of health is about to shift to a whole new level. Whether by inspiration or by various degrees of desperation, the time has come to be more disciplined. Breaking free of habitual patterns and limiting attitudes and self-concepts is a good place to start.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

Pisces is the sign of imagination and in your astrology is emphasizes creativity as well. On the high side, you can harness this impulse to establish a healthier overall

balance. Negatively, it could manifest as conjuring negative hallucinations and worry about the future. Choose health and ‘mind your own business.’

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

In your own way, you are a dreamer and a mystic at your core. This can manifest as high levels of idealism regarding how things should be. If you recognize this and feel it occurring now, focus to get a clearer reflection of yourself and direct your ideals to yourself for best results…

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

A whole new sense of confidence has been steadily rising and will continue. Yet, it has and continues to push you to know and understand yourself better. This trend will continue and deepen over the coming weeks. Positively, it will activate new perspectives, self-concepts and visions of possibility.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 19)

The time has come to build upon new foundations. These are directly associated with your sense of values and priorities. On one hand, circumstances are pushing you to be more sober and realistic. Alternately, the emphasis is on your dreams, ideals and spiritual aspirations.

Pisces (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

A fresh impulse of energy will manifest as taking some new leads. The future beckons and you will feel extra determined to meet it with a sense of both purpose and possibility. Doing has included a determination to get to the bottom of things and/or down to business and this impulse continues.

puzzles

answers

Lewis Keseber

GHASTLY GHOUL OR LUCKLESS EMIGRANT? PART II

BY MARK MCLAUGHLIN

aged Keseberg to sue Ned Coffeemeyer for defamation of character in court. The litigation requested $1,000 in damages. After a week reviewing evidence and hearing reluctant testimony by survivors, the jury ruled that Keseberg had indeed been slandered.

But instead of the $1,000 penalty, Alcalde John Sinclair awarded Keseberg just $1. Even the highest court in California could not reward a man-eater. For the rest of his life, Keseberg would be vilified as a heinous criminal and called the “cannibal at Donner Lake.”

was exchanged when the Great Flood of 1861-62 inundated Sacramento and destroyed the brewery along with nearly everything else. Once again, the Kesebergs lost their hard-earned assets.

McGlashan pens book

The real story of the Donner Party was revealed only reluctantly. When word spread in the 1870s that Truckee historian Charles McGlashan was writing a book on the tragic event, some families were relieved, but others were troubled about what may be revealed.

WhenLewis Keseberg reached Sutter’s Fort (Sacramento), his relieved wife Philippine was there to greet him. They consoled themselves with tears over the deaths of their two beloved children in the snow-covered Sierra mountains and determined to build a new life and family in California. Unfortunately for Keseberg, those dark days at Donner Lake continued to haunt him.

On June 5, 1847, the California Star newspaper in San Francisco published extracts from Capt. Thomas Fallon’s journal, a recount of his experiences leading the final relief party sent to salvage the abandoned possession of the star-crossed Donner Party.

Capt. Fallon’s lurid hyperbole doomed Keseberg for life: “[He] was found in truly a lamentable situation; a long subsistence upon the bodies of his deceased comrades had rendered him haggard and ferocious-looking, and the unsatiable appetite of the cannibal displayed itself on frequent occasions, even after animal meat had been placed before him. This fondness for human flesh he had suffered himself to acquire in preference to beef or horse meat of which he had an abundance.” The newspaper also published more unsubstantiated blood-curdling accounts of Keseberg’s alleged crimes.

In April 1847, after weeks of isolation and the ordeal of spending that brutal winter at Donner Lake, Keseberg was psychotic and delirious. Fallon and his men searched Lewis’ cabin and found silks and jewelry taken from the

Donner Camp at Alder Creek, some 5 miles away. They also discovered two pistols owned by George Donner and about $500 in gold coins. Keseberg told Fallon that after Donner died his widow Tamsen arrived at the lake campsite. She gave the gold to Keseberg with the promise that when he reached safety, he would give the money to her rescued children now in California. Tamsen died shortly after and Keseberg admitted to consuming her body.

Edward “Ned” Coffeemeyer, a French sailor on leave in California, was a member of the First and Fourth Relief parties who witnessed firsthand the horrors of mutilated corpses at the encampments. Coffeemeyer spread rumors that Keseberg had murdered Tamsen Donner, as well as Jacob Wolfinger whom he had left behind in the Utah desert. Other stories insinuated that the German immigrant had even suffocated children for food.

After his rescue and subsequent arrival at Sutter’s Fort on April 29, 1847, Keseberg was ostracized for cannibalism and other misdeeds. When he walked outside, children would torment him and throw rocks. Adults crossed the street to avoid him.

Sutter befriends Keseberg

Swiss émigré Capt. John Sutter, who had established his namesake fort after acquiring a generous land grant from the Mexican government in 1839, befriended Keseberg. No surprise given that both men were German-speaking Europeans. In early May, Sutter encour-

In 1847, Sutter hired Keseberg to captain his schooner that plied the Sacramento River and transported passengers and supplies from San Francisco through the delta to Sutter’s Fort. Keseberg was an intelligent and well-educated man, but he had a violent temper. His occasional outbursts and grisly reputation unsettled the crew and travelers that in 1848 Sutter removed him from the position.

Bad luck follows Keseberg

During the Gold Rush, Keseberg and Philippine opened a commercial boarding house. Business was good as tens of thousands of 49ers arrived needing a place to stay before they left for the mining districts. In 1851, they sold it and bought the Lady Adams Hotel in Sacramento, giving rise to the dark-humored story that a cannibal was running the restaurant.

On Nov. 1,1852, the couple auctioned off their hotel for a large sum of money. The deeds were signed, and funds were to be paid the following day. Unfortunately, the fire of 1852 sparked that night and destroyed most of Sacramento’s structures, including the hotel. The purchaser was also financially ruined, so the vexed pair were left with nothing to collect and were forced to start over again.

Keseberg’s next venture was the aptly named Phoenix Brewery built out of the charred ruins of the future capital city. (When the Keseberg family had first immigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1844, some evidence suggests that Lewis worked as a brewer or distiller there.) The Keseberg’s lived in a small shack behind the Phoenix Brewery. In late 1861 Keseberg was in the process of selling the business for $50,000, but the curse was still on him. The sale was finalized but no money

Tamsen Donner’s daughter Elitha sued and acquired a legal restraining order against publication. Through many notes and letters explaining his desire to write a truthful, balanced history, McGlashan assuaged the concerns of those involved. McGlashan found Lewis Keseberg in 1879.

Keseberg lamented to McGlashan: “I

Read Part I & more stories about the Donner Party at TheTahoeWeekly.com/donner-party

have been born under an evil star! Fate, misfortune, bad luck, compelled me to remain at Donner Lake. If God would decree that I should again pass through such an ordeal, I could not do otherwise than I did. Yet that camp has been the one burden of my life. Where I have gone, people have cried, ‘Stone him! Stone him! Even the little children in the streets have mocked me and thrown stones at me as I passed. Only a man conscious of his innocence and clear in the sight of God, would not have succumbed to the terrible things which have been said of me—would not have committed suicide. I often think that the Almighty has singled me out, among all the men on the face of the earth, in order to see how much hardship, suffering, and misery a human being can bear!”

Before her death in 1877, Philippine gave birth to eight more children in California, all girls. Several were mentally disabled, six died young. Only two outlived Keseberg, who died in 1895 at age 81, destitute and forgotten. Only his tragic memory lives on. n

Philippine Keseberg gravesite. Lewis’ marker was never found. | Mark McLaughlin collection

MARK’S COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY Official Sponsor of Good Times in North Lake Tahoe & Truckee! TahoeDaves.com

THE lineup

live music | shows | nightlife festivals | entertainment

Caltucky

GROWS GRASS VALLEY JAMGRASS

BY SEAN MCALINDIN

March 4 | Alibi Ale Works | Incline Village, Nev. April 1 |

Although flatpicking Auburn guitarist Gabriel Bingham listened to bluegrass radio with his parents as a kid, he was more of a metalhead when he picked up the instrument in his teens.

“I loved Pantera and Megadeth,” he says. “Anything that was fast that I could get my hands on.”

It wasn’t until his 20s that he rediscovered bluegrass. While teaching at Lake of the Pine Music in Grass Valley, JT Lawrence of local foothills roots group Pine Street Ramblers stopped in to show Bingham some hot licks on acoustic guitar.

“My favorite thing is being able to share a space with incredibly talented musicians and be challenged musically by these guys. It’s also great to see movement in the band. We’re not stopping. We’re growing. We’re pushing forward. The camaraderie we have — it’s like having a band of brothers.”

– Gabriel Bingham

“It was an aha moment,” Bingham says. “I’d been lost in my guitar world and never had a focus of my own. This just spoke to me. It was like coming home.”

Around the same time, Bingham found Billy Strings, the tattooed, 30-year-old, flatpicking phenom from Michigan who’s taken the bluegrass world by storm with his technical prowess and rock ‘n’ roll sensibility.

“I’m not one of the cool kids who was raised on Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe,” says Bingham. “Billy was a big part of that, too.”

Bingham knew he’d seen Pennsylvanian mandolinist Nick Dauphinais come by the music shop from time to time.

“Nick seemed to be omnipresent,” says Bingham. “Any concert I’d go to, any

| Twin Bridges

musical thing, he’d be there. You know when you run into someone and share a few words, but you want more? It’s like, ah, that was a really cool dude.”

They finally got the chance to play together at a friend’s birthday party. Bingham had just broken up with folk rock group Brotherly Mud when Dauphinais asked him to start a band.

“We immediately connected and jammed,” says Bingham. “It was one of those magical moments.”

Around March 2021, Bingham and Dauphinais headed up the Yuba River to North San Juan to meet Kyle Kunert, a banjo player raised in Iowa. Southern California jazz bassist Karl Chelette soon joined and the quartet started having weekly rehearsals.

Caltucky’s first live performance was Tree House Cafe in West Sacramento. Regular gigs at 1849 Brewing Company in Grass Valley and Crazy Horse Saloon in Nevada City soon followed. This year, Caltucky will appear at The String Cheese Incident Hog Farm Hideaway Festival at Black Oak Ranch in Laytonville from June 10 to 12.

“My favorite thing is being able to share a space with incredibly talented musicians and be challenged musically by these guys,” says Bingham. “It’s also great to see movement in the band. We’re not stopping. We’re growing. We’re pushing forward. The camarade-

Caltucky

rie we have — it’s like having a band of brothers.”

“My bandmates have become my family,” says Kunert. “And beyond that, we’ve got a lot of close friends who have become family through the band. It gives us epic experiences we wouldn’t get without being in the band. We’re just trying to be West Coast jamgrass, a perfect mashup of the Bluegrass State and where we’re at here in California. We’re all interesting characters. All of our life experiences give us a uniqueness of our own.”

Caltucky is currently working its debut album with single “Dead Man’s Head” set to come out at the end of February. Some of the songs are being worked on at Miner’s Harmony Music, the Grass Valley recording studio Bingham opened in November.

“It’s kind of a gambling song,” says Bingham. “It’s about being an outlaw. It’s very much kind of the Gold Rush vibe that permeates the area we live in.” Caltucky will perform on March 4 at Alibi Ale Works Incline Public House as part of the Road to WonderGrass Tahoe. Broken Compass Bluegrass will play at Alibi Ale Works Incline Public House on March 18 as the last stop in the series leading up to WinterWonderGrass Tahoe from March 31 to April 2 at Palisades Tahoe. | caltuckyband.com, winterwondergrass.com n

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS FOR

FOLK POP

Feb. 25 | Village at Palisades Tahoe | Olympic Valley

NOAH KAHAN

As Noah Kahan changes through life, he casts those experiences into songs like light through a film projector. The Vermont singer-songwriter composes music straight from the heart with upbeat energy and unfiltered lyrics that have gained millions of listeners since releasing his first single in 2017. He performs at KT Base Bar at 6:30 p.m. following the Giant Slalom event at Stifel Palisades Tahoe Cup.

Cover band extraordinaire Black Jacket Symphony plays on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. and Omaha, Neb., alternative icons 311 on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m., both also at KT Base Bar. | palisadestahoe.com

JAM

Feb. 26 | Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev.

TWIDDLE

Formed at Castleton University in Vermont in 2004, Twiddle is known for jaw-dropping live performances and infectiously optimistic songwriting. The group has repeatedly sold out some of the most legendary venues in the world including Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Capitol Theatre. They utilize instrumental improvisation in their live performances and incorporate influences from a variety of music genres including rock, jazz, bluegrass, reggae and funk.

Up-and-coming New Haven, Conn., jam band Eggy will open the show. | crystalbaycasino.com

Noah Kahan

Twiddle

Sierra-at-Tahoe

ALTERNATIVE

March 3 | Harrah’s Lake Tahoe | Stateline, Nev.

THE FLAMING LIPS

Formed in Oklahoma City, Okla., The Flaming Lips have shared their one-ofa-kind alternative rock with the world since 1983. Led by Wayne Coyne plaintiff vocals and quirky songwriting, the band broke into the mainstream in 1993 with “She Don’t Use Jelly” and gained critical acclaim for albums “The Soft Bulletin” (1999) and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” (2002). | caesars.com

NEW ORLEANS FUNK

Feb. 24-25 | Bally’s Lake Tahoe | Stateline, Nev.

GALACTIC

Classical Tahoe Chamber Music Series. Six orchestra concerts will be streamed live to the world for free from the Classical Tahoe Pavilion. Also, favorite community events will be included such as Classical Tahoe Academy, Family Concert & Music Makers Faire and Musikgarten. New subscriptions go on sale March 12 and single tickets go on sale April 2. | classicaltahoe.org

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Rustler’s Moon

Bar of America, Truckee, 8 p.m.

Sierra Night

McP’s Taphouse Grill, South Lake Tahoe, 8 p.m.

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEB. 24

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Friday Night DJ

Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 5:30 p.m.

Ben Fuller & Ryan Kinelski

Six Peaks Grille, Olympic Valley, 5:30 p.m.

Karaoke Night | Brewery & Barrel House

Brewery & Barrel House, Truckee, 6 p.m.

Apres Ski Fridays

Riva Grill, South Lake Tahoe, 6:30 p.m.

Galactic w/ Special Guests

Bally’s, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Black Jacket Symphony Feat Marc Matel

Village at Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 7 p.m.

Winter Burlesque

The Expendables

REGGAE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES LINEUP

Through 10 albums, more than 2,000 gigs and tens of millions of streams, this proud New Orleans ensemble has been a leading light in funk and jam circles for more than 25 years. In 2018, the band purchased and took over one of their city’s most hallowed venues, Tipitina’s. Their history with the venue predated the band because saxophonist Ben Ellman’s first job was as a cook in the old kitchen. Galactic graced its stage more than 100 times over the years. Joined by vocal powerhouse Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Galactic delivers unforgettable performances night in and night out. | casinos.ballys.com

CLASSICAL TAHOE ANNOUNCES 2023 SEASON

Classical Tahoe will take place from July 9 to Aug. 17 this summer for its 12th season at University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe in Incline Village, Nev.

The 16-concert series lineup will include jazz with the Brubeck Jazz Summit, featuring the Brubeck Brothers Quartet with Roxy Coss and Lucas Pino and the Ron and Maureen Ashley Oasis

Good Vibez Presents and PR Entertainment announce the lineup for the sixth annual Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival on July 22 and 23 at Palisades Tahoe. On July 22, the lineup will include Rebelution, Tribal Seeds, Hirie, Pipe Down and more. On July 23, expect Stick Figure, Pepper, Dispatch, J Boog and more. Tickets are on sale now. | laketahoereggaefest.com

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8 p.m.

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 p.m.

Live Music With Brother Dan Palmer

Grand Lodge Casino, Incline Village, 9 p.m.

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Magic After Dark Starring Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m.

Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 p.m.

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, FEB. 25

Brunch + Beats

Stateline location, Stateline, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Drag Brunch

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 10:30 a.m.

DJ Cat

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22

Wild Wild Wednesdays W/Dj

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 11:30 a.m.

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Ben Fuller at 22 Bistro

22 Bistro, Olympic Valley, 1 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 23

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Ikon Pass Live Music

Plaza Bar on Ikon Pass, Olympic Valley, 2-5 p.m.

Live Music With Ben Fuller

CB’s Bistro, Carnelian Bay, 6-8 p.m.

Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 p.m.

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, noon

DJs at Big Blue View Bar

Big Blue View Bar, Homewood, noon

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Live Music

Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 2 p.m.

Live Apres Music

Tamarack Lodge., South Lake Tahoe, 3 p.m.

Echo Rose Rising

Tahoe Wine Collective, Tahoe City, 5 p.m.

Winter Music Series

Pizza on the Hill & Alder Creek Cafe, Truckee, 5-7 p.m.

Noah Kahan Concert

Village at Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 6:30 p.m.

Galactic w/ Special Guests

Bally’s, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 & 9 p.m.

Super Diamond

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 8 p.m.

Winter Burlesque

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8 p.m.

311 Live

Village at Palisades Tahoe, Olympic Valley, 8 p.m.

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 p.m.

Balkan Bump With Rambo

Bally’s, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 p.m.

Live Music With Brother Dan Palmer

Grand Lodge Casino, Incline Village, 9 p.m.

Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 p.m.

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 p.m.

SUNDAY, FEB. 26

Brunch + Beats

Stateline location, Stateline, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DJ Cat

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Bread & Butter Band

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 1:30 p.m.

Live Music

Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 2 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 4:30 & 7 p.m.

9 Ball Pool Tourney

Pete ‘n Peter’s Sports & Spirits, Tahoe City, 6 p.m.

Sunday Bluegrass Jam | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6-9 p.m.

Twiddle Ft. Eggy

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 7 p.m.

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 p.m.

MONDAY, FEB. 27

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Open Stage Mondays | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 28

Live Music

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Tuesday Night Blues

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1

Wild Wild Wednesdays W/Dj

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 11:30 a.m.

Ben Fuller at 22 Bistro

22 Bistro, Olympic Valley, 1 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Blake Studdard Atria Creative

Josh Brasted Photography

THURSDAY, MARCH 2

Winter Music Series

Pizza on the Hill & Alder Creek Cafe, Truckee, 5-7 p.m.

Live Music With Vincenzo Thomas Amato

CB’s Bistro, Carnelian Bay, 6-8 p.m.

Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring David Goldrake

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Rustler’s Moon

Bar of America, Truckee, 8 p.m.

Sierra Night

McP’s Taphouse Grill, South Lake Tahoe, 8 p.m.

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3

Friday Night DJ

Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 5:30 p.m.

Ben Fuller & Ryan Kinelski

Six Peaks Grille, Olympic Valley, 5:30 p.m.

Karaoke Night | Brewery & Barrel House

Brewery & Barrel House, Truckee, 6 p.m.

Pink Talking Fish Ft. Jerry’s Middle Finger

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 7 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring David Goldrake

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Winter Burlesque

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8 p.m.

The Flaming Lips

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 p.m.

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 p.m.

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Magic After Dark Starring Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m.

Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 p.m.

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 4

Brunch + Beats

Stateline location, Stateline, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Drag Brunch

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 10:30 a.m.

DJ Cat

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, noon

DJs at Big Blue View Bar

Big Blue View Bar, Homewood, noon

Live Music

Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 2 p.m.

Live Apres Music

Tamarack Lodge., South Lake Tahoe, 3 p.m.

Pink Talking Fish Ft. Jerry’s Middle Finger

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 7 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring David Goldrake

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 & 9 p.m.

Winter Burlesque

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8 p.m.

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 p.m.

Wild Ginger | Truckee Public House

Alibi Ale Works, Truckee, 8:30-11:30 p.m.

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 p.m.

Live DJ Bally’s, Stateline, 10 p.m.

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 5

Brunch + Beats

Stateline location, Stateline, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

DJ Cat

Heavenly Mountain Resort, South Lake Tahoe, noon

Live Music

Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 2 p.m.

Tahoe Family Band

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 2 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring David Goldrake

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 4:30 & 7 p.m.

9 Ball Pool Tourney

Pete ‘n Peter’s Sports & Spirits, Tahoe City, 6 p.m.

Sunday Bluegrass Jam | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6-9 p.m.

One Night of Queen

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 p.m.

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 p.m.

MONDAY, MARCH 6

Open Stage Mondays | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring David Goldrake

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 7

Rosie’s Black Out Bingo

Rosie’s Cafe Tahoe City, Tahoe City, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring David Goldrake

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Tuesday Night Blues

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8

Wild Wild Wednesdays W/Dj

Sierra At Tahoe, Twin Bridges, 11:30 a.m.

Ben Fuller at 22 Bistro

22 Bistro, Olympic Valley, 1 p.m.

Alex Ramon Magic Show

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

& drink

Tonics & tinctures for winter wellness

STORY & RECIPES BY PRIYA HUTNER

fire cider

3 C apple cider vinegar

½ C ginger, peeled & chopped

15 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

½ C horseradish root, peeled & chopped *

2 T turmeric, peeled & chopped *

1 onion, peeled & chopped

2 jalapeños or 1 small habanero pepper, sliced

¼ C daikon radish

1 T fresh oregano

1 T fresh rosemary

1 T fresh thyme

2 cinnamon sticks

2 t of black pepper

1 lemon, juiced

1 t lemon zest

½ c honey

The throat is scratchy and the nose goes from endless drip to stuffed up and congested; coughing fits come and go; body aches and fatigue sets in as the body fights off illness. It’s time for some self-care.

The flu, Covid, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) colds and general malaise tend to increase during winter. Knowing your body is essential. I can tell I am getting sick when my throat gets scratchy or I am exhausted. This is when I pull out my arsenal of healing tonics, tinctures and natural remedies. I also prepare healing soups and eat a lot of vegetables. Most illnesses will run their course and natural remedies can help support the healing process.

There are several herbs and spices that can help support the immune system; some standouts are ginger, garlic, turmeric, oregano, thyme, rosemary, horseradish and cinnamon. Citrus has vitamin C and is good to include in the diet. When I feel like I am getting sick, I prepare a tonic with fresh peeled garlic cloves (lots, at least eight to 10 cloves), one cup of apple cider vinegar, one cup of water and ¼ cup of honey. I mix it well and let it sit for a least an hour. Take a shot of the liquid every couple of hours.

In addition to tonics and tinctures, rest is essential. Try a neti pot, which will push a saline solution through the nasal passages to clear out mucus and allergens and prepare a eucalyptus steam tent. Both are excellent ways to reduce congestion.

Gargling with salt water helps sorethroat symptoms, as well as tea brewed with herbs such as astragalus, mullein, elderberry, echinacea, peppermint, marshmallow root, oregano, thyme and sage.

Staying hydrated is imperative. Drink lots of water, juice and electrolytes. I start the day with warm lemon water first thing in the morning. Herbal teas are also helpful in staying hydrated and they are comforting.

Try some of my favorite tonics and tinctures to help support the immune system. Tinctures are prepared with herbs and alcohol. They take up to six weeks to cure. Prepare tinctures to have on hand once you are feeling sick.

herbal tincture for lungs

½ C elderberry flowers

¼ C echinacea, root

¼ C peppermint flowers

½ C mullein, leaves

½ C marshmallow root

2 C vodka

Fill a large glass mason jar halfway with herbs. Fill the remainder of the jar with vodka. Place a piece of parchment paper over the mouth of the jar and cover it with a lid. Allow the tincture to sit for four to six weeks. Shake daily.

Strain herbs and reserve liquid. Pour the tincture into amber dropper bottles. Take one dropper full, three times a day.

This recipe takes a long time so prepare in advance to have on hand.

Peel and chop ginger, garlic, horseradish, turmeric and onion and add to a large mason jar. Add herbs and spices. Pour the apple cider vinegar over the ingredients. Place a piece of parchment paper over the mouth of the jar and cover it with the lid. Shake well. Store in a dark cabinet or pantry. Shake the jar every day. After 4 weeks, strain the liquid into a clean jar. Add honey. Taste your cider and add more honey until you reach the desired sweetness. The fire cider can be kept in the fridge for up to 6 months.

*If fresh ingredients are unavailable, substitute with ground spices and herbs. If horseradish root is unavailable, use prepared horseradish.

immune tonic

2 C water

½ C apple cider vinegar

1 large nob ginger, peeled & sliced

1 nob fresh turmeric, peeled & sliced (or 1 T ground turmeric)

1/8 t cayenne pepper

¼ C honey

In a saucepan, add water and all ingredients except honey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Add honey.

elderberry immunity tonic

2 C water

1 C dried elderberries

1 large nob fresh ginger, peeled & grated

3 T Echinacea flower

2 C raw apple cider vinegar

1 T raw honey

In a medium saucepan, add water, elderberries, ginger and echinacea and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Pour ingredients into a large glass mason jar. Add vinegar and honey and shake well. Store in the refrigerator. Take 1 teaspoon, three times a day.

citrus tonic for immunity

2 lemons, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

2 oranges, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

1 lime, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

1 grapefruit, sliced into ¼-inch rounds

1 nob of fresh turmeric, sliced (or 1 t ground turmeric)

1 nob of ginger, sliced

3 T fresh oregano

Honey

Place the citrus slices, turmeric and ginger in a medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Add oregano and steep for 10 minutes. Serve with honey.

healing honey

1 C raw honey

2 organic lemons, sliced, seeds removed

1 nob fresh ginger root, peeled & sliced ¼ t cayenne, optional

1 small mason jelly jar

Layer ingredients in the jar. Add 1 tablespoon of honey, then lemon, then ginger, alternating until the jar is filled and the last layer is honey. If using cayenne, mix with honey before layering. Take a teaspoon of healing honey to soothe your throat or add it to hot water for a healing tea.

Ingredients for easy wellness tonic. | Priya Hutner

We were the first to arrive for an early dinner at Stella at Gravity Haus Truckee-Tahoe. Large steel beams and a wood interior grace the dining area to create a charming intimacy. The restaurant’s open kitchen and dining area boast a rustic, industrial vibe. My good friends Jani Osborne, owner of Alpenglow Home Care, and her finance Tilio Lagatta made arrangements with Chef Chris Watkins to sample Stella’s menu. Osborne has been friends with Chef Watkins for more than 30 years. Paco Ruiz, manager of Stella, greeted us and sat us at a high-top table facing the large open kitchen. Watkins, who recently took the helm of Stella in late 2022, prepared for the evening with team member Anthony Olsen. Lagatta brought two bottles of red wine for the occasion, a 1997 Brunello Di Montalcino and a 2000 Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera. Chef Watkins came over to say hello and introduced the menu and specials for the evening. We bowed to him and said we were happy to try whatever he was passionate about

Chef Chris Watkins CREATING MAGIC AT STELLA

BY PRIYA HUTNER

We completed our meal with homemade cheesecake topped with berries marinated in champagne and a mandarin puree over crushed graham cracker. It was a fantastic way to finish off one of the most delicious meals I’ve had in Tahoe.

“I was born to cook. I love to learn. I love to play. And I ask what can I do next. I love learning and creating,” said Watkins.

Wood-oven-roasted Bone Marrow.

preparing. Ruiz decanted the Brunello Di Montalcino to breathe, then poured a lovely Pouilly-Fume to start our culinary journey. Watkins came back with three different kinds of oysters on the half shell, on a bed of rock salt with seaweed and red peppercorns served with lemon and mignonette sauce.

The oysters were divine. Watkins then delivered his Dungeness Crab special with hearts of palm, fermented cucumbers and crab tamale, bathed in a yuzu butter and squid ink sauce. It was phenomenal.

“The complexity of the crab is incredible. The sweetness of the crab and texture combined with the radish, cumber and avocado was just delicious,” said Osborne.

Ruiz opened an Italian bottle of Ceretto Langhe Blange Arneis and we dined on a delicious Hamachi Crudo, seasoned with nutritional yeast and seasoned seaweed salt. Watkins also bought out his Spanish Octopus dish, prepared crispy purple potatoes from Tahoe Food Hub, charred sake cucum-

ber and greens served with Pine Cone Kitchen black garlic aioli.

“The octopus is a nice blend of flavors. The crunchiness of the crispy potatoes with the richness of the octopus and the sweet blend of flavors, create a contrast of textures and delicious flavor profiles,” said Lagatta.

I love dining with friends who love food. Olsen came over to check on us and make sure everything was fine. Panseared scallop with wood-oven maitake mushroom and brown butter sabayon was next on the menu and tasted divine. The dining hall started to fill and it looked like it would be a decent crowd for a Wednesday,

Watkins brought out the Wood Oven Roasted Bone Marrow served with homemade parker house rolls and a white anchovy chimichurri sauce. It was rich, fabulous and terrific.

Watkins finished with his Flannery Beef NY served with roasted garlic potato gratin, a beet and cippolini agrodolce, topped with a Madeira herb cream sauce.

We ate, drank and enjoyed our Stella experience, made even more palatable by sharing the evening with good friends, good food, excellent service and Chef Watkin’s delicious creativity. Clearly, Stella is one of the top restaurants in Tahoe in my opinion.

The restaurant is open daily for breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. and Wednesday to Sunday for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. | stellatruckee.com n

ABOVE:

| Priya Hutner

BELOW: Chef Watkins grating cheese in Stella’s open kitchen. | Tilio Lagatta

“The complexity of the crab is incredible. The sweetness of the crab and texture combined with the radish, cucumber and avocado was just delicious.”

– Jani Osborne

TAHOE BREWFEST TICKETS ON SALE

The sixth annual Tahoe Brewfest will return to Ski Run Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe on Aug. 26. The event celebrates all that is special about the area’s mountain culture: the beer, crafts, environment and community. Beer lovers from all over the world are invited to enjoy a day of craft brews with live music, food trucks and fun. Tickets are on sale now; VIP admission tickets are $75 and early bid general admission are $45. | tahoebrewfest.com

NOODLE HOUSE OPENS IN OLYMPIC VALLEY

Resort at Sq**w Creek in Olympic Valley has opened Iron Road Noodle House. The new restaurant’s menu features a variety of Asian dishes, including three ramen options — pork tonkotsu ramen, vegetarian miso ramen and wonton noodle soup. Diners can also select ramen add-ons including a soy pickled egg, chashu pork, wood-ear mushrooms, nori and more. Additionally, the restaurant is featuring a signature handcrafted cocktail menu, as well as a selection of beer and sake options.

The restaurant is located at the base of the hotel’s Resort Chair Lift connected to Palisades Tahoe. It is open daily between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. | (530) 4127034, destinationhotels.com

COOKBOOK CELEBRATES LOCAL LATINO COOKS

In September, during Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month, the Truckee Library Latino Cookbook Project was created to celebrate cooks of the Latinx community. Nataly Zarate gathered recipes from the community and gave them to Truckee Library staff to create and publish the cookbook, which is available at Nevada County library branches. There are six copies available at the Truckee Library. | library.nevadacountyca.gov

WINE WALK TICKETS ON SALE

Tahoe City Downtown Association will host the Tahoe City Wine Walk on June 10, with event tickets going on sale March 1. The event is part of the Tahoe City Food & Wine Classic, which includes the Grab Your Glass kick-off event on June 9 for all ticketholders.

The event will sell out. Volunteers and sponsors are now being sought to support the event, which is one of the primary fundraisers for TCDA. Email katie@visittahoecity.com for more information. | tcfoodandwine.com

Tahoe Brewfest

Truckee Library

Courtesy Destination Hotels

TCDA