July 14 to 20, 2021

july 14-20, 2021

local. independent. fresh.

the original guide to tahoe & truckee since 1982

e-bike trail access expands electric mountain bikes for beginners

safe boating practices robin orr’s persuasive pop

famed “thunderbird”

turns 80

K C A B S I N U F R E SUMM E G A L L I V E H T N I

V FREE WEEKLY E

ENTS

BLUESDAYS rts Free Blues Conce

8/31 Tuesdays, 7/13 – Mark Hummel ivors 7/20 s Surv

7/27 8/3 8/10 8/17 8/24 8/31

& The Blue ft. Rusty Zinn Chris Cain Alastair Greene JC Smith Band Terry Hanck Nightcats Rick Estrin & The Roy Rogers thm Kings & The Delta Rhy

OGA FIRST STREET Y ga Sessions o Y r o o td u O e re F - 8/25 Wednesdays, 7/7

SUNSETS go in the Village in B & c si u M e re F Revival The Great Bingo - 7/29 Thursdays, 6/24

Live Music

- 8/28 Saturdays, 5/29

EVENTS & S L A IV T S E F R SUMME FUNK BREWS, JAZZ &

8/14 & 15

d aky Creatures an e n S , lla e V t, te o Featuring The M & The Kingtide t rt u B h p se Jo r Pete

S VS GUITAR STRING S CHICKEN WING

9/3

ST ALPEN WINE FE

9/5

OKTOBERFEST

9/18 & 19

SPARTAN NSHIPS IO P M A H C A IC NORTH AMER

9/25 & 26

SKYRACE BROKEN ARROW

9/18 & 19

LL FESTIVAL A F E O H A T IN E MAD

10/9 & 10

.COM E IN P L A W A U Q S

D O N AT I O N

G I V E A W AY

this custom table built by Tahoe Slab Furniture A long-time Tahoe Weekly reader has generously donated a new, custommade, handcrafted coffee table from Tahoe Slab Furniture valued at more than $2,000 to Tahoe Weekly for a fundraiser for our locally owned publication.

The 24”x 48” English walnut and Tahoe Blue epoxy coffee table was built by Tahoe Slab from lumber salvaged from an orchard in Chico exclusively for this donation giveaway.

Donate at

kly PayPal.me/TahoeWee Mail checks to sta, CA 96148 P.O. Box 154, Tahoe Vi required Email addresses are for notification.

The more you donate the better your chances for bringing home a gorgeous heirloom quality table.

For every $40 donated, you will have a chance to win.

Donations are not tax-deductible | No purchase necessary, donations only Winner will be drawn at random from all donations received by end of day on Monday, Aug. 9, and contacted by email.

Tahoe Weekly thanks Winnie F. of San Francisco for this donation.

HELP TAHOE WEEKLY MAKE IT THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING TIMES, HELP SUPPORT LOCAL, INDEPENDENT MEDIA THAT IS OWNED BY LOCALS, RUN

BY LOCALS, EMPLOYS LOCALS AND SUPPORTS THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

23 24

in this issue TRAIL ACCESS EXPANDS TO E-BIKES

Boating Safety

10

E-Bike Trail Access Expands

12

FROM THE PUBLISHER

E-Bikes for Beginners

16

Mark Twain’s Tahoe Adventures

18

One of the topics that I’ve been committing to covering since I became only the third owner of Tahoe Weekly in 2013, is the issue of opening and providing more public access to our public lands in the Tahoe Sierra. From providing better trailhead parking, transportation to trailheads and the larger issue of opening more trails and expanding trail access to all users from ADA accessible trails to motorized and nonmotorized trails. In this edition, Sean McAlindin looks at the recent Tahoe National Forest decision to open 35 miles of its trail system to Class 1 e-bikes (e-bikes that require pedal assist).

GET OUTSIDE Lake Tahoe Facts

5

Sightseeing 6 Events 8 Summer Fun

8

Hiking 11 Mountain Biking

15

Beaches & Parks

19

THE LINEUP Robin Orr

20

Live

20

FUN & GAMES Horoscope & Puzzles

22

There are passionate arguments made on both sides of whether or not to open trails to allow e-bike access on trails. When Sean asked for people’s opinions on the issue in a post on the Truckee Tahoe People Facebook group, he received 216 comments, many sharing their concerns, constructive comments and some unique perspectives, all mixed with a bit of vitriol.

The Tahoe National Forest is one of the first districts in the nation to open trail access to e-bikes, with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit now looking at allowing trail access to e-bikes with an environmental analysis on the proposed plans due out later this year. Read more about these plans in Sean’s latest feature on public access “E-bike trail access expands.”

Among those mountain bikers now enamored with e-bikes is our own Priya Hutner, who recently joined Dennis and Rachel Elste of Bike Truckee on her first e-bike trail ride. She shares her experience riding Happy Face in her feature “Electric mountain bikes for beginners.”

THE GRAND “THUNDERBIRD”

THE MAKERS Sahra Otero 23 The Arts 23 EAT & DRINK

One of the most breathtaking sights on Lake Tahoe is when the “Thunderbird” yacht glides across the waters of Big Blue from her home on the East Shore. I’ve also had the privilege of riding on “Thunderbird,” and that is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Still, each time I see her, I’m in awe of her power and beauty.

Curried Chicken Salad

25

This grand lady celebrates her 80th birthday this month and Thunderbird Tahoe’s Bill Watson shares the history of this historic craft in this edition. Some tours of the estate where you can see “Thunderbird” are also being offered this summer.

Tasty Tidbits

25

SUPPORT TAHOE WEEKLY

Salsa 24

Minty Pink Cranberry Cooler 26 Glasses Wine Bar

26

Donate to our Donation Giveaway for a chance to win a custom coffee table built

by Tahoe Slab Furniture valued at $2,000. All proceeds benefit the Tahoe Weekly.

Find details on page 3.

DONATE paypal.me/tahoeweekly

Checks P.O. Box 154, Tahoe Vista, CA 96148 n

on the cover The “Thunderbird” yacht slices gracefully through the waters of Lake Tahoe. The famed yacht celebrates her 80th birthday this month. Read more about this historic boat in Bill Watson’s article in this edition and available at TheTahoeWeekly.com. | Photography by Steve Lapkin, h2Omark.com, courtesy Thunderbird Tahoe

4

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

E-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBE

to our e-newsletter at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Publisher/Owner & Editor In Chief Katherine E. Hill publisher@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 102

FEATURES 7

TM

making it happen

JULY 14-20, 2021

The “Thunderbird”

Volume 40 | Issue 10

P.O. Box 154 | Tahoe Vista, CA 96148 (530) 546-5995 | f (530) 546-8113 TheTahoeWeekly.com Facebook.com/TheTahoeWeekly @TheTahoeWeekly

Priya Hutner

Elevated Image Photography | Squaw Alpine

12

Courtesy Sahra Otero

fun. unique. everywhere.

TheTahoeWeekly.com

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

bears & wildlife BEAR EMERGENCIES BEAR League (530) 525-7297 (24 hours) | savebears.org A bear walking nearby or through your yard is not an emergency unless it is trying to enter your home or car.

INJURED ANIMALS Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center, South Shore (530) 577-2273 | ltwc.org The Wildlife Shelter, North Shore (866) 307-4216

TAHOE WEEKLY is published weekly throughout the summer and biweekly the rest of the year, with occassional extra issues at holiday times by Range of Light Media Group, Inc. Look for new issues on Wednesdays.

Subscribe to the free digital edition at issuu.com/ TheTahoeWeekly. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com.

TAHOE WEEKLY, est. 1982, ©2007. Reproduction in whole or in part without publisher’s express permission is prohibited. Contributions welcome via e-mail. The Weekly is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Member: North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, North Tahoe Business Association, Incline Community Business Association, Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce, Tahoe City Downtown Association, Truckee Downtown Merchants Association, Tahoe South Chamber of Commerce and Alpine County Chamber of Commerce. Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks. Please recycle your copy.

July 14-20, 2021

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.

GRAY ’S CROSSING

TAHOE DONNER

COYOTE MOON

OLD GREENWOOD

Truckee

Reno & Sparks

GRAY ’S CROSSING

TRUCKEE GRAY ’S CROSSING AIRPORT COYOTE MOON TAHOE DONNER

BOCA RESERVOIR OLD GREENWOOD RENO-TAHOE PROSSER RESERVOIR GRAY ’S CROSSING OLD GREENWOOD TAHOE DONNER COYOTE MOON INTERNATIONAL TRUCKEE PONDEROSA BOCA RESERVOIR AIRPORT STAMPEDE RESERVOIR AIRPORT DONNER OLD GREENWOOD TAHOE DONNER COYOTE MOON TRUCKEE BOCA RESERVOIR PROSSER RESERVOIR LAKE AIRPORT Donner Lake PONDEROSA TRUCKEE RENO-TAHOE PROSSER RESERVOIR STAMPEDE RESERVOIR BOCA RESERVOIR DONNER AIRPORT INTERNATIONAL PONDEROSA Donner Summit SCHAFFER’S RENO-TAHOE MILL LAKE AIRPORT RESERVOIR PROSSERSTAMPEDE RESERVOIR DONNER INTERNATIONAL ra T Summit PONDEROSA m i LAKE eR AIRPORT STAMPEDE RESERVOIR DONNER ho a SCHAFFER’S MILL T LAKE INCLINE VILLAGE a r SCHAFFER’S MILL Rim T MOUNTAIN oe a r T NORTHSTAR ah im R T SCHAFFER’S MILL INCLINE VILLAGE oe PLUMAS PINES r ah MOUNTAIN R i m TT INCLINE VILLAGE OLD BROCKWAYh o e GRAEAGLE INCLINE VILLAGE NORTHSTAR a MOUNTAIN T MEADOWS CHAMPIONSHIP INCLINE VILLAGE NORTHSTAR Truckee MOUNTAIN WEST EAST GRIZZLY RANCH River OLD BROCKWAY INCLINE VILLAGE SNORTHSTAR OUTH CHAMPIONSHIP WHITEHAWK OLD BROCKWAY INCLINE VILLAGE RANCH CHAMPIONSHIP OLD BROCKWAY INCLINE VILLAGE NAKOMA CHAMPIONSHIP DEEPEST COON ST. POINT FEATHER BOAT LAUNCH SIERRA RIVER PARK BOAT CO. DEEPEST COON ST. POINT SANDDEEPEST BOAT LAUNCH SIERRA COON ST. NORTH TAHOE CITY HARBOR BOAT CO. POINT Marlette BOAT LAUNCH TAHOE SIERRA RESORT AT DEEPEST Lake BOAT CO. COON ST. SAND SQUAW CREEK POINT BOAT LAUNCH SIERRA NORTH TAHOE CITY HARBOR LAKE TAHOE VISTA SAND BOAT CO. TAHOE RESORT AT MARINAS NORTH FOREST TAHOE CITY REC AREA HARBOR SQUAW CREEK TAHOE SAND RESORT AT NORTH CITY LAKE HARBOR TAHOE VISTA SQUAW CREEK TAHOE TAHOE TAHOE RESORT AT CITY FOREST REC AREA LAKE TAHOE VISTA SQUAW CREEK MARINA FOREST RECTAHOE AREA LAKE TAHOE VISTA CITY FOREST TAHOE REC AREA MARINA BOAT RAMPS CITY SUNNYSIDE TAHOE MARINA CITY li Spooner Lake a MARINA Tr SUNNYSIDE l SUNNYSIDE ai Tr l ai SUNNYSIDE r Eagle Rock T GOLF COURSES l ai HOMEWOOD Tr

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Incline Village

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Tahoe Vista

HOMEWOOD

CAVE ROCK

m Tr a i l

m Tr a i l

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CA

MEEKS

BAY Cave Rock

Natural rim: 6,223’ (1,897 m)

Ta h o e R i m

Ta h o e R i m

Zephyr Cove CAVE ROCK Cave Rock South EDGEWOOD CAVE ROCK Lake Tahoe Zephyr Cove TAHOE EDGEWOOD CAVE ROCK Stateline Emerald Bay Average Water Temperature: 42.1˚F (5.61˚C) Zephyr CoveSouth TAHOE Fannette Island South Lake Tahoe Zephyr Cove SKI RUN Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe South Average Surface Water Temperature: 51.9˚F (11.1˚C) Fannette Island LAKESIDE Stateline Emerald Bay TAHOEEagle Lake Tahoe SKI RUN Fannette Island Stateline Lake KEYS Emerald Bay BIJOU SKI RUN Average Surface Temperature in July: 64.9˚F (18.3˚C) Watershed Area: 312 square miles (808 sq km)

Cascade SKI RUN Lake TAHOE

CAMP

RICHARDSON Highest Peak: Freel Peak at 10,881 feet (3,317 m)

Ta h inches (10.4 m) Average Snowfall: 409 o e R i m Tr ail

Permanent Population: 66,000 Ta h oe

Ta h oe

R i m Tr ail

CAMP RICHARDSON CAMP RICHARDSON Ta h o e R i m Tr ail

R i m Tr ail

Number of Visitors: 15 million annually

Learn about the natural history of the Tahoe Sierra

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

lake tahoe facts 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 four-mile segment of the West Shore collapsed into the Lake causing a massive

TAHOE KEYS

Meyers

TAHOE LAKESIDE KEYS LAKESIDE

KEYS

EDGEWOOD TAHOE

Size: 22 miles long, 12 miles wide (35 km long, 19 km wide)

Stateline

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

LAKESIDE BIJOU

BIJOU

Shoreline: 72 miles (116 km)

CAMP RICHARDSONBIJOUFREEL LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT Fallen

PEAKSouth

Shore

Leaf Lake

FREEL Meyers TAHOE PARADISEPEAK FREEL LAKE TAHOE Meyers AIRPORT PEAK LAKE TAHOE Meyers Echo Lakes AIRPORT LAKE TAHOE

LAKE TAHOE

Kirkwood Kirkwood

LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT

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).

FREEL PEAK

TAHOE PARADISE

TAHOE PARADISE

TAHOE PARADISE

Kirkwood

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).

Cave Rock

EDGEWOOD

Cave Rock TAHOE

Fannette Island

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.

e Ri

e Ri

e Ri

Meeks Bay MEEKS BAY

o Ta h

Tahoma

o Ta h

MEEKS BAY

m Tr a i l

Tahoma Age of Lake Tahoe: 2 million years Tahoma MEEKS BAY Meeks Bay Fed By: 63 streams and 2 Meeks hot springsBay

e Ri

OBEXER’S

East Shore

LAKE

Hope Valley TAHOE Markleeville

LAKE TAHOE

Kirkwood Hope Valley Hope Markleeville Valley Markleeville

submerged debris avalanche, widening the Lake by three miles and creating McKinney Bay.1 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.

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.

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)

o Ta h

Homewood Glenbrook Glenbrook OBEXER’S

West

HomewoodShore CASINOS Tahoma OBEXER’S Homewood

Only Outlet: Truckee River (Tahoe City)

Maximum depth: 1,645 feet (501 m)

Glenbrook

o Ta h

Ta h o e R i m

Eagle Rock

HOMEWOOD

Meeks Bay

Average depth: 1,000 feet (304 m)

Glenbrook

HOMEWOOD

Eagle Rock

Lake Clarity: 2020: 63 feet avg. depth (19.2 m) 1968: First recorded at 102.4 feet (31.21 m)

Carson City

Lake

Tahoe

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

Incline Village

Incline Village Crystal Incline Village Kings Bay Tahoe Vista Crystal Beach Carnelian BayTahoe Vista Crystal Kings Bay Olympic Tahoe Vista Kings Crystal Beach Carnelian BayBay Valley Kings Beach Bay Olympic Carnelian Bay Beach Olympic CarnelianValley Bay Valley Olympic Tahoe Dollar Hill Valley City Tahoe Alpine Dollar Hill Tahoe City NV Dollar Hill Meadows TahoeCity Alpine Dollar Hill Carson City Meadows Alpine City Sunnyside AlpineMeadows Carson Meadows Sunnyside Carson City Sunnyside City Sunnyside Homewood

LOGO here

anne@tahoethisweek.com

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The Lost Sierra

Eagle Rock OBEXER’S

Your business’

Reno & Sparks Reno & Sparks RENO-TAHOE Reno & Sparks INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Email

Truckee

Truckee Truckee

Ta h o e R i m

er

t

YOUR BUSINESS COULD

SPONSOR THIS PAGE

Hope Valley Markleeville

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 the Nevada desert.

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 clarity The University of California, Davis, operates the Tahoe Environmental Resarch Center, which monitors, among other things, 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 63’ (19.2m) in 2020. Lake

Why is the lake blue?

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

Tahoe is losing clarity because of algae growth fueled by nitrogen and phosphorus.

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 several names before it was officially named Tahoe in 1945.

Tahoe is a mispronunciation of the first two syllables of the Washoe’s word for the lake – Da ow a ga, which means “edge of the lake.” 

Learn more: Visit the Tahoe Science Center in Incline Village or tahoesciencecenter.org. Sources: Tahoe Environmental Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, “Tahoe Place Names” and David Antonucci (denoted by 1).

5

LAKE LEVEL Lake Tahoe Natural rim 6,223’

Readings taken on Thursday, July 8, 2021 ELEVATION :

RESERVOIR CAPACITY

6,224.66 |

IN 2020:

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

Explore Tahoe CLOSED

South Lake Tahoe

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

Fannette Island

Tahoe City Field Station

Tallac Historic Site Emerald Bay

North Shore

Summer | (530) 583-3279 | terc.ucdavis.edu This 1920s-era building features a history of the field station, current UC Davis research projects, interactive exhibits and demonstration garden. Ages 8+. TART South Lake Tahoe

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

TART/South Tahoe

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

Heavenly

Taylor Creek Visitor Center

South Lake Tahoe

OPENS JUNE 18 (775) 586-7000 | skiheavenly.com Enjoy a 2.4-mile ride on the gondola to the top with panoramic views. Ticket required. South Tahoe

Hellman-Ehrman Mansion

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 543-2674 | fs.usda.gov Features Stream Profile Chamber to view slice of Taylor Creek, nature trails & more. South Tahoe East Shore

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 (summer tours), see boathouses with historic boats and General Phipps Cabin built in the late 1800s. TART

May-October | thunderbirdtahoe.org The former Whittell estate. This magnificent lakefront home features the Lighthouse Room, Old Lodge, 600’ underground tunnel (with a former lion cage) and Boat House, home to the “Thunderbird,” a 1939 wooden boat. Ages 6+ only.

No on-site parking. Tours by reservation only.

High Camp

Truckee

Olympic Valley

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

Ticket required. TART

Kings Beach

North Shore

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

North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden

Incline Village

Summer | Free (775) 586-1610, ext. 25 | demogarden.org Demonstrations of lake-friendly landscaping using native and adaptive plants, water conservation, soil stabilization techniques, defensible space from wildfires & BMPs. Self-guided tours & clinics. TART

North Tahoe Arts Center

Tahoe City

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

Tahoe Art League Gallery

South Lake Tahoe

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

6

STAMPEDE 19,9661

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. TART

Vikingsholm Castle

497

IN 2020:

Measured in Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS)

6,227.71

225

200,000 AF

175

150,000 AF

125

FLOW AT FARAD

TROA.NET

Measured in Acre Feet (AF)

CAPACITY: C 226,500

Emigrant Trail Museum

Tahoe Science Center

Truckee

2 PROSSER 11,061 CAPACITY: 29,840 (530) 582-7892 | parks.ca.gov CAPACITY: C 9,500 5 features exhibits DONNER 4,690 The Emigrant Trail Museum and artifacts on the Donner Party (1846-47) at 8 INDEPENDENCE 1,3763 CCAPACITY: 18,300 Donner Memorial State Park. See the towering Pioneer Monument.

A TART 20,400 40 MARTIS 1,052 CAPACITY:

Gatekeeper’s Museum

Tahoe City

Truckee River | FLOW AT FARAD 497 (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org

Featuring historic photos, the Steinbach Indian Basket Museum and historical memorabilia. TART

KidZone Children’s CLOSED Museum

Truckee

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

Lake Tahoe Museum

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 541-5458 | laketahoemuseum.org Features Washoe artifacts and exhibits on early industry and settlers. Pick up walking tour map. South Tahoe

Incline Village

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

Truckee Railroad Museum

Measured in Cubic Feet Per Second (CFS)

TROA.NET

Truckee

Open by appt. truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com Learn about the historic railroad. Located in a caboose next to the Truckee Depot. TART

Find more places to explore

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

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

Incline Village 969 Tahoe Blvd. (800) 468-2463 Stateline 169 Hwy. 50 (775) 588-4591

Museum of Truckee History

Thunderbird Lodge West Shore

|

6,224.66 |

200,000 AF

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

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

ELEVATION :

175

West Shore

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

RESERVOIR CAPACITY

Readings taken on Thursday, July 8, 2021

150,000 AF

Eagle Rock

North Shore

125

Drive through one of the area’s natural wonders at Cave Rock, the neck of an old volcano.

The area is named for the small caves above Highway 50 that were cut by waves when Lake Tahoe was 200 feet higher during the ice ages.

Tahoe City

100,000 AF

East Shore

25

Cave Rock

CAPACITY: 18,300 C 8

75

25

covid19.ca.gov | nevadahealthresponse.nv.gov

INDEPENDENCE 1,3763

LAKE LEVEL A 20,400 40 MARTIS 1,052 CAPACITY: Lake Tahoe Natural rim 6,223’

75

Check schedules before visiting. Masks are required in California and Nevada for those who are not vaccinated.

Enjoying a walk along Lake Tahoe at Commons Beach in Tahoe City. | Katherine E. Hill

CAPACITY: 9,500 C 5

100,000 AF

DONNER 4,690

CAPACITY: 29,840 2

50

ATTRACTIONS

PROSSER 11,061

Measured in Acre Feet (AF)

CAPACITY: C 226,500

50

SIGHTSEEING

STAMPEDE 19,9661

6,227.71

225

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Truckee

Sat. & Sun. & by appt.

Thurs.-Mon. | (530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org Housed in the original Depot, built in 1901. Exhibits cover different eras in Truckee history. TART

Tahoe City 100 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 581-6900 Truckee 10065 Donner Pass Rd. (Depot) (530) 587-8808 U.S. Forest Service | Incline Village 855 Alder Ave. (775) 831-0914 (Wed.-Fri.)

Old Jail Museum

Truckee

Open by appt. | (530) 659-2378 | truckeehistory.org One of a few surviving 19th Century jailhouses used from 1875 until May 1964 (summer tours). TART

Olympic Museum

Olympic Valley

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com Squaw Valley, host of the VIII Winter Olympic Games in 1960, celebrates its Olympic History with the Tower of Nations with its Olympic Flame and the symbolic Tower of the Valley.

The Olympic Museum at High Camp features historic memorabilia and photographs. TART

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

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

Emerald Bay

Parking fee | (530) 541-3030 | (530) 525-9529 ADA parks.ca.gov or vikingsholm.com Tour the grounds of Vikingsholm Castle (May 29-Sept. 30), see Eagle Falls and Fannette Island (the Lake’s only island), home to an old Tea House. TART/South Tahoe

Watson Cabin

Tahoe City

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

MUSEUMS Donner Summit Historical Society

Soda Springs

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

Boots McFarland by Geolyn Carvin | BootsMcFarland.com

July 14-20, 2021 GET OUTSIDE

GET outside

Email news to editor@tahoethisweek.com

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS FOR FREE

the outdoors | recreation | events | mountain life

Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to add your Event for our print & online calendars.

Famed “Thunderbird” turns 80

Click on Events; then the blue Add Event button.

Lake Tahoe’s water clarity measurements, which are indicators of the health of the watershed, averaged 62.9 feet through 2020, the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency announced on July 8 in a press release.

Average clarity in 2020 was 63 feet, which is just slightly better than the 2019 average of 62.7 feet. Lake Tahoe’s clarity peaked in February 2020 when it was deeper than 80 feet. It was at its lowest in mid-May when it measured at slightly more than 50 feet.

These readings were within the average range of the last decade.

Clarity has been measured by UC Davis researchers since the 1960s as the depth to which a 10-inch white disk, called a Secchi disk, remains visible when low-ered through the water. Because lake clarity measurements vary from day to day and year to year, managers and scientists remain focused on long-term trends as an indicator of the lake’s health.

I

n 1939, flamboyant Tahoe summer resident Captain George Whittell Jr. commissioned naval architect John L. Hacker to design a new kind of speedboat: one having the lines of his Duesenberg automobiles and DC-2 aircraft. He envisioned a powerful and stylish yacht that would seamlessly cut through the afternoon chop kicked up by zephyr winds along Lake Tahoe’s East Shore.

Whittell specified the boat’s fit and finish: double-planked Honduran mahogany over a frame of sawn white oak, polished stainless-steel houses and gleaming crystal accents.

A year-round boat, there was forcedair cabin heat to keep passengers cozy on inclement days, hot- and cold-running water, a shower, wardrobe, four Pullmanstyle berths, galley and an ample head.

No creature comfort was overlooked.

Nathan Dethlefsen

Lake Tahoe clarity improves slightly

BY B I L L WAT S O N , C H I E F E X E C UT I V E & C U R ATO R

V-12 aircraft engines. He then coined her his “70 mile-an-hour cocktail lounge” and entertained on board Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minelli and many more.

Today, the party continues aboard “Thunderbird” yacht. The nonprofit Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society meticulously cares for “Thunderbird”

A year-round boat, there was forced-air cabin heat to keep passengers cozy on inclement days, hotand cold-running water, a shower, wardrobe, four Pullman-style berths, galley and an ample head.

Historical Whittell photos from the Thunderbird Archives

In 2020, UC Davis scientists took 27 individual readings at Lake Tahoe’s long-term index station. Using technology beyond the Secchi disk, researchers continue to refine their understanding of lake physics and ecology to determine the evolving causes of clarity change.

“While there is a good understanding of how fine clay particles and tiny algal cells reduce clarity, the biggest challenges are in reducing their presence in the surface water,” said Geoffrey Schladow, director of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

“Here climate change, and in particular the warming of the surface water, is exerting an undue influence.”

A recent review of clarity data by the Tahoe Science Advisory Council reaffirmed the understanding of main drivers of clarity loss, which concluded that fine sediment particles and algae continue to be the dominant variables affecting Tahoe’s clarity.

Past UC Davis research and the council’s report has also pointed to climate change altering precipitation and snowmelt patterns and increasing the temperature of the lake and impeding deep lake mixing. | Full report tahoe.ucdavis.edu

Eric Jarvis

Measurements show Lake Tahoe’s annual clarity has plateaued over the past 20 years.

Despite this progress, summer clarity continues to decline by over a half-foot per year.

When Hacker lost his own shop in the Great Depression, he worked from Ben Huskins’ Bay City, Mich., boat works.

Hacker anticipated a 36-month construction schedule. However, with laborers desperate for employment and working three shifts each day, Thunderbird was delivered in 11 months for a then-staggering price of $83,500. After November trials on the Saginaw River, Hacker shipped her the following summer by rail to Lake Tahoe.

Thunderbird arrived at Mayfield’s Boatyard in Tahoe City on July 12, 1940.

Mayfield’s, the former railroad engine house and shops, is now home to Tahoe Yacht Club and Tahoe City Marina.

Making headlines across the nation, Whittell deprived the waiting press of a “scoop” when, in the wee hours of July 15,

1940, he slipped “Thunderbird” quietly out of Mayfield’s as reporters slept soundly nearby. Whittell berthed his new toy in a cavernous steel boathouse blasted into solid rock and connected to his stone castle — Thunderbird Lodge — by a 600-footlong tunnel.

During World War II, at the age of 60, the U.S. government deemed Whittell too old to serve the war effort. Possibly feeling dejected, he lost his passion for technology, socializing and gallivanting, which included cruising aboard his yacht.

Twenty-two years after building his prized vessel, Whittell sold “Thunderbird” to casino magnate Bill Harrah. Harrah added a flying bridge and replaced her twin Kermath Sea Raider engines (having only 83 operating hours) with Allison

yacht at her original home, the historic Thunderbird Lodge estate on Lake Tahoe’s East Shore. The preservation society uses the yacht extensively for its school and maritime heritage programs, partnerships with children’s organizations such as Make-a-Wish Foundation and Boys and Girls Clubs, and as a fundraising vehicle for its own museum and preservation endeavors.

Read the chronology of “Thunderbird” yacht’s first 80 years

at TheTahoeWeekly.com “Thunderbird” is on view at Thunderbird Lodge, which is offering limited tours this summer. | thunderbirdtahoe.org 

7

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Summer Fun

Heritage Trail 2021 Area venues Tahoe City | July 14-21

9 a.m. | placer.ca.gov

National Forest Week Area venues South Lake Tahoe | July 14-18

8 a.m.-5 p.m. | sierranevadaalliance.org

Tahoe Blue Crew Training Zoom | South Lake Tahoe | July 14

9 a.m. Free | keeptahoeblue.org

Tahoe City Explorathon Tahoe City | July 14-21

Free | (580) 583-3348, visittahoecity.org

Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more Summer Fun Activities.

Always check operating schedules before visiting.

Ice Cream Social North Tahoe Regional Park Tahoe Vista | July 15

2-4 p.m. Free | northtahoeparks.com

The Lost Sierra Convergence Sierra Valley Basecamp Beckwourth | July 15-18

10 a.m. $50 | eventbrite.com

TBY Bird-a-thon Hike Burton Creek State Park Tahoe City | July 15

GEOCACHING

PUBLIC POOLS

OLYMPIC VALLEY

INCLINE VILLAGE

High-tech treasure hunt on mountain using GPS to find 10 caches. Free with Aerial Tram ticket; GPS rentals available. TART

25-yard, 8-lane indoor pool at Incline Recreation Center, swim lessons, aqua fitness, 1-meter spring diving board, inflatable slide (weekends). Daily rates & memberships available.

CRUISES

OLYMPIC VALLEY

“SIERRA CLOUD”

Swimming Lagoon & Spa at High Camp at Squaw Valley, free form lagoon with 50-meter lap lanes, two islands with waterfalls and native boulders. Closed for season. TART

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com

(775) 831-4386 | awsincline.com Catamaran cruises. Daily cruises, parasailing and rentals.

7:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m. Free | tinsweb.org

Truckee Thursdays Historic Downtown | Truckee | July 15

5-8:30 p.m. Free | chamber.truckee.com

Ward Creek Workday Ward Creek | Stateline | July 15, 17, 20 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | tahoerimtrail.org

Cool Car Cruizen Fridays Heavenly Village Gondola South Lake Tahoe | July 16

5-8 p.m. Free | goodsamsaferide.com

Lacey Meadows ft. Headwater Science Institute Webber Lake Campground Sierraville | July 16

9 a.m.-12 p.m. Free | eventbrite.com

Trivia at Vikingsholm Castle Vikingsholm Castle Tahoe City | July 16

5-7 p.m. | visittahoecity.org

Death Ride: Tour of the California Alps Turtle Rock Park Markleeville | July 17

5:30 a.m. | (530) 694-2475, deathride.com

Donner Summit Canyon Hike Donner Summit Canyon Trailhead Truckee | July 17

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free | eventbrite.com

Kid Train Rides Truckee River Regional Park Truckee | July 17

11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free | truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com

ABSOLUTE CUSTOM!!

Located in Boatworks Mall at the Tahoe City Marina SteveSchmiersJewelry.com · 530.583.5709

8

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Ponderosa Cup Ponderosa Golf Course Truckee | July 17

2-5 p.m. | (530) 587-3501, ponderosagolfcoursetruckee.com

(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

DISC GOLF

(530) 542-6056 | cityofslt.com

DONNER SKI RANCH

(530) 426-3635 | old40barandgrill.com 18-hole course. Free to play; must register at restaurant.

Practice basket.

INCLINE VILLAGE

(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com 18-hole course at Incline Park at 980 Incline Way. Free. Daily dawn-dusk. TART

KIRKWOOD

25-yard indoor/outdoor year-round pool. Lessons.

BlueGo

TRUCKEE

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com 25-yard indoor pool with 6 lanes, 1-meter spring diving board, swim training, hydraulic lift at Tahoe-Truckee High School. TART

ROCK CLIMBING WALLS

(209) 258-7277 | kirkwood.com

TRUCKEE

Experience disc golf at 7,800 feet with the notorious DiscWood disc golf course. The 18-hole course weaves through the trees and over mountainous terrain. Free. Scorecards and maps may be picked up at the General Store.

Community Recreation Center offers 29’ climbing wall & 12’ bouldering wall. All ages & levels. Lessons available. TART

MARKLEEVILLE

(530) 694-2140 | alpinecounty.ca.gov Located at Turtle Rock Park Campground.

OLYMPIC VALLEY

(530) 583-6985 | squawalpine.com 18-hole course at Squaw Valley’s High Camp. Disc rentals. TART

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE A mostly flat and moderately wooded course is located at Bijou Community Park featuring 27 holes covering 8,324 feet. The course features mixed tees with varied fairways with slight elevation changes. On Al Tahoe Boulevard off Highway 50. BlueGo

TAHOE VISTA

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

SKATE PARKS INCLINE VILLAGE

(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com Intermediate/advanced area with two, 5-foot tall bowls with a spine, 3-foot box and 2.5 foot bowl for beginners. Street course on top, with 8-foot flat rail, 6-foot down rail, four stairs and a 10-foot downward ramp. Corner Hwy. 28 & Southwood. Daily dawndusk. TART

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

Bijou Community Park | cityofslt.us Bijou Community Park features a skateboard park on Al Tahoe Boulevard off Highway 50. BlueGo

(530) 546-4212 | northtahoeparks.com

Skatehouse | @skatetahoe

18-hole course at North Tahoe Regional Park, off National Avenue. Parking $5. Daily dawn-dusk. TART

40’x80’ warehouse with indoor skate rink. 867 Eloise, South Lake Tahoe.

TRUCKEE

TRUCKEE

18-hole course at Truckee River Regional Park, off Brockway Road. Dogs must be on leash. Free. Daily dawn-dusk. TART

Truckee River Regional Park with several bowls with a spine and channel, a long rail and ledges. Knee and elbow pads and helmets required. Free. Daily dawn10 p.m. TART

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

TRUCKEE

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

WOODWARD TAHOE

(530) 550-2225 18 holes at Sierra College Campus. Free. Daily dawndusk. TART

(530) 426-1114 | rideboreal.com

ZEPHYR COVE

Featuring two skateparks – The Sierra Skatepark and the Eastern Sierra Skatepark. Plus, indoor skate park inside The Bunker.

The Zephyr Cove course is 18 holes covering 5,256 feet with holes of varying lengths. On Warrior Way. BlueGo

MINI GOLF COURSES Village at Northstar

northstarcalifornia.com Free. First-come, first-served. Thurs.-Sun. TART

Call (530) 546-5995, ext. 110, to be listed in Summer Fun.

July 14-20, 2021 GET OUTSIDE

Truckee Thursdays returns

Truckee Downtown Merchants Association presents Truckee Thursdays, part street fair and part block party, in historic downtown with live music, activity booths, local vendors and food trucks from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on July 15, Aug. 12 and Sept. 9 this summer.

The July 15 event features live music by Coburn Station. The series is sponsored by Tahoe Weekly. | truckeethursdays.com

eve nts Stay Local’s Meet Up & Cleanup Area venues | South Lake Tahoe | July 17 2 p.m. Free | facebook.com

Tahoe Rim Trail 100-Mile Endurance Run Spooner State Park |Incline Village | July 17, 18 5 a.m. | trter.com

Big Chief 50k Northstar California Resort Truckee | July 18

7 a.m.-4 p.m. $85-$ | (800) 466-6784, calendar.ultrarunning.com

Jr. Ranger Programs Donner Memorial State Park Truckee | July 18

10 a.m. Free | facebook.com

South Lake Butterfly Count Osgood Swamp | Incline Village | July 18 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free | tinsweb.org

Tahoe History Talks on the Beach Lakeview Commons South Lake Tahoe | July 20

7-8 p.m. Free | (530) 541-5458, laketahoemuseum.org

Volunteer Garden Club Sugar Pine Point State Park Tahoma | July 20

9-11 a.m. | sierrastateparksfoundation.org

Water Warriors TJ Maxx | South Lake Tahoe | July 20

6 p.m. Free | sugarpinefoundation.org

Fundamentals & Cornering Tahoe Cross Country | Tahoe City | July 21 5:15-7 p.m. | visittahoecity.org

Court Leve | Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows

Mike Dawson | Truckee Thursdays

Washoe Cultural Tours offered

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is now offering Washoe Cultural Tours in August and September as part of partnership between the resort and the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.

With this tour, guests will experience the mountains through the eyes of the Washoe people led by Darrel Cruz, director of the Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Cultural Resources Office of the Washoe Tribe. He will share stories of Washoe history and culture from the Valley and surrounding mountains. He will also discuss why changing the name of the resort that sits on Washoe ancestral land is important to the Tribe. The new resort name is expected to be announced in the fall.

Guests can also view artifacts that show the Washoe way of life that Tribe members seek to preserve. A Washoe exhibit is also being created at High Camp. Tours will be offered Aug. 9; September date TBD. The event is free with an Aerial Tram ticket. | squawalpine.com, washoetribe.us

RENTALS | TOURS | LESSONS | SALES | DELIVERY

$5 OFF Rentals & Tours Must mention ad at booking & present upon arrival.

NIGHTLY

SUNSET KAYAKS & KAYAK PADDLEBOARDS TOURS IN STOCK

TAHOE CITY

Shop at 521 North Lake Blvd.

Rentals on the water at Commons Beach SAND HARBOR STATE PARK

Rentals next to the boat ramp

Reservations 530.581.4336

|

TahoeCityKayak.com & SandHarborRentals.com

THUNDERBIRD Lake Tahoe

Historic George Whittell Estate · Thunderbird Lodge Thunderbird Yacht · Museum of Lake Tahoe Art & History

Lily Lake

trail opens

Tahoe’s newest nonmotorized trail, Lily Lake Trail, is officially open. The 2.1-mile trail provides regional connectivity for hikers, trail runners and cyclists; it connects the Angora Lakes parking area to the Glen Alpine trailhead parking area near Lily Lake. | tamba.org

Historic golf course remains shuttered The historic Bijou Municipal Golf Course, a nine-hole executive course featuring five par 4s and four par 3s, will remain shuttered for the 2021 season, according to the City of South Lake Tahoe, which operates the course. Officials cited staffing issues and high operation costs for the golf course, as well as the need to review future course operations as part of the Master Plan for Bijou Park. The course opened in 1920 and was designed by Virgil Gilcrease. | cityofslt.us

George Whittell Jr. 1881-1969

THUNDERBIRD LODGE PUBLIC TOURS

Exclusive guided tours of historic Thunderbird Lodge are offered on select weekdays all summer long. Afternoon wine and cheese tasting tours feature custom-labeled wines by Darcie Kent Vineyards plus a chef’s selection of artisan cheeses. Experience the magic and lore of Lake Tahoe’s Castle-in-the-Sky.

Call 1-800-GO-TAHOE for Reservations.

Visit our website for more details and information about weddings, corporate, and family events.

ThunderbirdTahoe.org All purchases benefit the charitable programs of the Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society, a Nevada non-profit corporation.

9

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Life in Tahoe is a new feature

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or pick up a copy at: Geared for Games • Word After Word Bookshop • Donner Memorial State Park • Gratitude Gifts • Mind Play • Alice’s Mountain Market located at Squaw Valley •

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10

ake Tahoe, Jewel of the Sierra, is undeniably one of the most beautiful lakes in the country. Before venturing out on the lake there are a few things that every boater should be aware of. Lake Tahoe is a large lake with a surface area of about 190 square miles. The water temperature ranges from the mid-40s in winter to the mid-60s during the summer months, so it is a very cold lake.

Whether you are a SUP boarder, kayaker, personal watercraft operator or boater, there are some precautions one should take before heading out.

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530.412.1105

First and foremost, wear a life jacket that is properly sized, in good condition and the appropriate style for the water sport you are enjoying.

Download the guide for choosing a life jacket at TheTahoeWeekly.com WEAR A LIFE JACKET First and foremost, wear a life jacket that is properly sized, in good condition and the appropriate style for the water sport you are enjoying. Of the casualties that have occurred in the past few years almost none of the victims were wearing a life jacket. Remember that all children age 13 and younger are required to wear a life jacket when underway.

U.S. Coast Guard uscgboating.org U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary sierracgaux.org

- Since 2000 -

Rooster to Cricket Maintenance

lake is not the same as a life jacket used for whitewater kayaking or operating a personal watercraft. When shopping for a life jacket always look for the U.S. Coast Guard Approval icon on the label. It is fine to wear life jackets with either the old or new label as long as the jacket is in good condition.

Life jacket labels have recently changed but the intent is the same: choose a life jacket that fits the wearer and is appropriate for the activity. For example, a jacket used for boating on an inland

Old life jacket label (top) and new life jacket label (bottom). | Courtesy U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary

CHECK THE WEATHER The environment can change rapidly throughout the day. Every boater should check the current and predicted weather conditions before going out. There are a number of good sources online from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service. 

July 14-20, 2021 GET OUTSIDE

Hiking

*Trails open depending on conditions.

Mileage is roundtrip, with levels based on family access.

All trails are more heavily used on weekends.

Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more Hiking Trails to enjoy.

TAHOE RIM TRAIL Moderate The Tahoe Rim Trail is a 164.8-mile loop trail that encircles Lake Tahoe. The trail is open to hikers and equestrians, and mountain bikers in some sections. It is generally moderate in difficulty, with a 10 percent average grade and elevations ranging from 6,300 to 10,333’. Visit tahoerimtrail.org for maps, guided hikes & descriptions.

LAKE TAHOE EAST SHORE

MARLETTE LAKE Moderate | 9 miles RT Walk along the dirt path through the picnic area and follow signs to Marlette Lake. Mostly sun exposed. Great wildflowers in early summer. Start at Spooner Lake State Park.

SECRET HARBOR & CHIMNEY BEACH Easy | 3 miles RT Follow the trail to Chimney Beach trail and follow the trail to the end and over a group of boulders to reach the sandy beaches of Secret Harbor (the wooden steps off the trail lead to the nude beach at Secret Cove). Off Hwy. 28.

SKUNK HARBOR Moderate | 2.8 miles RT This interesting hike ends at a beautiful cove lined with boulders and a luxurious sandy beach on the edge of Lake Tahoe with some of the warmest waters around the lake.

Visitors can look inside the historic party house owned by George and Caroline Newhall in the 1920s along beach.

Park north of gate; do not block gate off Hwy. 28.

SPOONER LAKE Easy | 1.8 miles RT Spooner Lake is a great, easy hike for any season with interpretive displays. At Spooner Lake State Park.

NORTH SHORE

PICNIC ROCK Moderate | 3.6 miles RT Just off the Tahoe Rim Trail, the expansive view from the top provides a panorama of both Lake Tahoe and the Martis Valley. A single track winds up, offering a gradual climb with no technical challenges, until reaching Picnic Rock, an old volcanic rock. Off Hwy. 267.

STATELINE LOOKOUT Easy | .5 miles RT This short hike offers superb views of Lake Tahoe.

A short, self-guided nature trail explains the history of the North Shore. Hwy. 28 in Crystal Bay. SOUTH SHORE

LOWER & UPPER ECHO LAKES Easy | 2.4-4.8 miles RT Lower and Upper Echo Lakes is a little-known paradise perched atop Echo Summit, 5 miles west of Meyers on Hwy. 50. The trailhead begins next to the dam. Once you reach Upper Echo Lake, 2.4 miles from the start, you’ll see a kiosk at a dock for a water taxi. You can take a taxi back or return the way you came, or continue into Desolation Wilderness.

The ride is a relaxing 20-minute tour through the channels connecting the two lakes. Taxi, cash only. (530) 659-7207.

WEST SHORE

CASCADE FALLS Moderate | 1.4 miles RT This boulder-strewn hike takes hikers to the waterfall descending from Desolation Wilderness into Cascade Lake. The falls are raging in the spring and are often a trickle by late summer. Near the end of the trail, walk up a large, flat boulder to the top of a hill where the trail can become confusing. Look for wooden posts marking the trail. Trailhead at Bayview Campground off Hwy. 89. Not recommended for small children or small dogs.

EAGLE ROCK Moderate | 1 mile RT Quick hike to the top of a volcanic outcropping offers panoramic views of the area off Hwy. 89 south of Tahoe City.

EAGLE FALLS & LAKE Easy-Moderate | .1-3 miles RT Great views of Lake Tahoe & Emerald Bay. Falls 5-minute walk from parking lot. Steady ascent to Eagle Lake not recommended for young children. West end of picnic area across from Emerald Bay, Hwy. 89.

EMERALD BAY & VIKINGSHOLM CASTLE Moderate | 2.5 miles+ RT | No dogs Steep descent to Vikingsholm Castle. Can continue to Eagle & Emerald Points around the bay for easy hikes. Connects to Rubicon Trail (see below). Park on either side of rocky overlook in Emerald Bay on Hwy. 89. ADA access (530) 525-9529.

GRANITE LAKE Moderate | 2.2 miles RT A small alpine lake situated on the cusp of Desolation Wilderness, the hike is a popular entrance for hikers and equestrians to the back country and a spectacular trek towering over the pristine waters of Emerald Bay. Steady ascent of 850’ in less than 1 mile. Trailhead at Bayview Campground off Hwy. 89.

PAGE MEADOWS Easy-Moderate | 4-6 miles RT The hike to Page Meadows is a local favorite because of its easy access and beautiful scenery through forests to an expanse of several meadows. You can start the hike to Page Meadows from 64 Acres off Hwy. 89 along the Tahoe Rim Trail for a longer hike or from Ward Creek Boulevard off Hwy. 89.

RUBICON TRAIL & LIGHTHOUSE Easy-Moderate | .5-9 miles | No dogs Hike starts at Calawee Cove at D.L. Bliss State Park or Emerald Bay. Trail follows cliffs and coves along Lake Tahoe, nesting ospreys and eagles, short side trail to Rubicon Lighthouse, which is easy to access with small children.

Park closees Oct. 31.

BALANCING ROCK Easy | .5 miles | No dogs A short, self-guided nature trail featuring Balancing Rock, an overlying rock of 130 tones balanced on a rock. At D.L. Bliss State Park.

SUGAR PINE POINT STATE PARK Easy | 1.5 miles RT The nature trail loops through the forest past an array of wildflowers and through several sections of dense slash bleached nearly white from years of sun exposure. There are great spots to relax on the beach below Ehrman Mansion.

ALPINE MEADOWS

FIVE LAKES Strenuous | 5 miles RT Five Lakes is a great hike inside Granite Chief Wilderness, with the first 1 mile+ a steady ascent with great views of Alpine Meadows. Trailhead 1.8 miles up Alpine Meadows Road from Hwy. 89 across from Deer Park Drive.

Dogs prohibited May 15-July 15.

OLYMPIC VALLEY

SHIRLEY CANYON & SHIRLEY LAKE Easy-Strenuous | .5-5 miles RT This hike follows a creek as it passes by waterfalls and spectacular granite boulders along Shirley Creek. Park at the end of Squaw Peak Road. The first section that follows the creek is great for kids. As you climb, the trail may sometimes be hard to distinguish, so keep the creek on your right going up and on your left going down. Can continue a strenuous climb to High Camp and take the Aerial Tram to the valley (schedule at squawalpine.com). Trams opens June 18.

SQUAW & EMIGRANT PEAKS Moderate | 3.4-4.4 miles RT Ride the Aerial Tram to High Camp, elev. 8,200’, and choose from a variety of trails (maps from Guest Services or squawalpine.com). Climb to the weathered buttresses atop Squaw Peak, visit the historic Watson Monument at Emigrant Peak or meander through the meadows covered with wildflowers, and enjoy the panoramic views afforded from Squaw’s spacious upper mountain. Tram ticket required. Hikes in the meadows good for small children.

TRUCKEE

GLACIER MEADOW LOOP Easy | .5 miles RT Short, self-guided nature loop with signs that explain how glacial action carved and polished the surface landscape. Take Interstate 80 W from Truckee to the Castle Peak/Boreal Ridge Road exit.

MARTIS CREEK WILDLIFE AREA Easy | 4 miles RT Loop through Martis Creek meadow for a walk along the creek. Off Hwy. 267.

11

TheTahoeWeekly.com

E-bike tours are offered at Squaw Valley. | Elevated Image Photography, Squaw Alpine

E-BIKE TRAIL

ACCESS EXPANDS

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

I

t ’s a classic case of humanity trying to keep up with tech nology. Be it the printing press, automobiles or iPhones, we’re often caught reacting to the changes around us as we seek to understand where they fit into our complex world.

Modern e-bikes have been around since the 1990s. They became popular in Europe and China before blowing up in the U.S. in recent years. In Germany and the Netherlands, they account for more than 50 percent of all bike sales and many American bike producers expect the same to happen here.

As e-bikes explode in popularity, the phenomenon is moving faster than the laws and ethics that regulate it. The introduction of this new technology, along with a pandemic-propelled population surge in the Tahoe Sierra, have transformed the dynamics on the trails.

As riders attempt to adapt, the debate around e-bikes, what they are, and where they should be allowed to go, has coursed through the bike community and the public agencies that supervise the trails.

Before we go any farther, it’s important to understand there are three classes of e-bikes recognized by California and the federal government (see sidebar). In most places, all classes of e-bikes are technically limited to roads and motorized trails.

While two national forests in the region are moving ahead with plans to increase Class 1 e-bike access to many of their 12

nonmotorized trails, the truth of the matter is they are everywhere already.

“Things are in flux,” says Nils Miller, vice president of Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA) board of directors. “We’ve started the process, but more is needed.”

Gary Gleason catches air on an e-bike on Tollgate Trail in Plumas National Forest outside of Quincy. | Courtesy Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship

Tahoe National Forest opens to e-bikes The recent decisions around e-bike access really began at an event on June 27, 2019, in Downieville where Tahoe National Forest representatives passed out brochures outlining 132 miles of trails as open to Class 1 e-bikes. The next day

Forest representatives posted a statement on the website to the same effect.

“As we saw e-bike use really increasing substantially, we looked at the travel management regulations that define what a motorized vehicle is,” says Tahoe National Forest supervisor Eli Ilano. “It said any vehicle with a motor that is selfpropelled. We read that, looked at e-bikes, rode them around, talked to our trail managers and crews and decided that in our interpretation Class 1 e-bikes (which you have to pedal to make go) did not fall under that definition.”

The “recommended trail opportunities” sparked litigation on Oct. 23, 2019, from Back Country Horsemen of America, The Wilderness Society and others charging that the Forest Service did not follow its own rules under the Department of Agriculture in changing motorized use designations on their land. The suit was settled on March 31, 2020, with all unmotorized trails left temporarily off limits to e-bikes, Tahoe National Forest was forced to go through a public scoping period to make any more alterations.

Five weeks later on May 7, 2020, the Tahoe National Forest East Zone Connectivity Project was put forth for public comment. The plan, approved on March 17, now designates 35 miles of the forest’s 682 non-motorized trails as officially open to Class 1 e-bikes. This was the first major addition of authorized e-bike use on national forest trails in the state of California.

“We get calls and emails from forests across the country every month asking how we’ve moved forward on e-bikes,” says Ilano. “Our region is very active in

recreation with a number of vendors selling or renting them. We were compelled to try to actively manage it and provide people information about how they can have a good experience in the forest.”

The trails opened in the plan include the popular mountain-biking destinations of Sawtooth Trail, Jackass Ridge, Emigrant Trail and Big Chief Trail. Class 2 and 3 e-bikes remain confined to roads and motorized trails only.

“Those trails were primarily designed for mountain bike use, so that’s where we started,” says Ilano. “To be honest, Class 1 e-bikers are using mountain-bike trails across the forest right now. Probably, in a lot of those places, it is appropriate to continue that. So far, in our analysis and monitoring, we haven’t seen that Class 1 e-bike users are increasing conflict on the trails or causing additional safety issues.”

Ilano expects Class 1 e-bikes will be approved for more access to Tahoe National Forest in the near future.

“It does take some resources to go through that process,” he says. “I don’t know when we’ll consider additional trails, but I’m hoping to expand those opportunities certainly in the next couple of years, possibly sooner.”

Tahoe Basin proposes e-bike expansion The next national forest to step up to the plate was Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), a special district that oversees 90,000 square miles of land surrounding Big Blue. They put out

July 14-20, 2021 FEATURE

a Basin Wide Trails Analysis on Feb. 26, which proposed the addition of 120 miles of e-bike access to their trail network.

LTBMU’s plan is widely considered to be a national test case in how the managers of heavily trafficked national forests and other public lands balance the wave of interest in e-bike technology.

“All recreation use in the basin continues to rise every year,” says LTBMU trails engineer Jacob Quinn, who worked on the proposal. “Managing that is a big challenge for us.”

As it stands, the proposal would open up 87 of the Tahoe Basin’s 375 miles of existing nonmotorized trails to Class 1 e-bikes. It also calls for constructing

“We’re always interested in learning what the public input is,” says Quinn.

“Our next official comment period will be after the draft environmental assessment. At that time, the public will have a chance to look at more maps and see some alternatives. So, there is definitely more information coming and another opportunity to comment on the project.”

THE

As e-bikes explode in popularity, the phenomenon is moving faster than the laws and ethics that regulate it. The introduction of this new technology, along with a pandemic-propelled population surge in the Tahoe Sierra, have transformed the dynamics on the trails.

U.S. Forest Service regional trails and travel management leader Garrett Villanueva rides an e-bike on Empire Creek Trail in Tahoe National Forest near Downieville. | Courtesy of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship

Absent a directive from the Department of Agriculture, most of the other national forests in the Tahoe Sierra including Eldorado, Stanislaus, Plumas, Lassen and Humboldt-Toiyabe continue to keep their nonmotorized trails off limits to all e-bikes. Forest representatives recently confirmed that they have no plans to further evaluate this topic, although it is likely e-bikes will be addressed during a Forest Plan Revision expected to occur in the next few years.

This doesn’t mean e-bikers don’t ride on all the national forests all the time. The prospect of enforcing this policy simply isn’t a priority. In Tahoe Weekly’s research for this article, no forest representative reported any tickets ever being given for riding an e-bike.

“Our enforcement is focused on higher priority issues at the moment, things like illegal campfires and folks that are causing resource damage off-trail,” says Ilano.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

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E-BIKE CLASSES Class 1 E-bikes provide pedal-assisted motor power up to 20 mph; users have to pedal to receive the extra energy.

Class 2

Class 3 E-bikes provide pedal assistance only, but up to 28 mph.

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another 23 miles of new trails that would be e-bike accessible and redesignating some trails from non-motorized to motorized.

Under the proposed plan, no trails that access Desolation Wilderness would be open to e-bikes, nor the Tahoe Rim Trail.

South Lake’s Pope-Baldwin bike path, the highest use trail in the basin, would also remain closed. New and enhanced trailheads including Elks Point and Pine Drop in Kings Beach would open to ebikes, as would the Flume Trail, Angora Ridge, Tahoe Mountain trails, Powerline Trail and a new trail to connect Emerald Bay to Blackwood Canyon outside of the Desolation Wilderness boundary.

“We tried to choose a selection of trails all around the lake that would provide for high-quality recreation experiences,” says Quinn. “We wanted to come forward with a balanced option, which doesn’t mean everything. With multiple agencies in the basin, this plan tries to align Forest Service trails with adjacent lands so you would have good connectivity and management.”

The proposal will be followed by a draft environmental assessment scheduled for fall of this year. So far, LTBMU has received more than 500 comments.

“I would describe the comments as fairly balanced in support of additional e-bike access and other people being opposed to e-bike access,” says Quinn.

Although the public comment period closed March 28, additional comments and objections may be submitted via the project web page.

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Access varies on state lands Although California State Parks lacks an official statewide policy on e-bikes, it currently does not allow e-bikes on any unmotorized trails in this region. This includes Sugar Pine Point, Emerald Bay, D.L. Bliss, Skylandia, Burton Creek and Donner Memorial state parks.

“The department has been evaluating their use and their potential impact to public safety and natural and cultural resources,” parks information officer Jorge Moreno said in a June 15 email. “In the Tahoe-Truckee area, e-bike use on trails and controlled access roads is not allowed.”

Since the State of Nevada does not separate e-bikes into classes, the rules are a bit different. Effectively, both Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes (pedal-assisted and throttle up to 20 mph) are allowed on motorized and nonmotorized trails throughout Nevada state lands. At Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park, this means that ebikes are allowed on the Flume Trail and Tahoe Rim Trail between Hobart Road and the park boundary north of Tunnel Creek Road. While mountain bikes are allowed on some other sections of Tahoe Rim Trail, on both sides of the state line, e-bikes are prohibited everywhere else.

Can’t we all just get along?

The age-old debate of analog versus digital seems to never die. Social media and on-trail conservation has been ablaze in recent months with bikers on both sides of the issue voicing complaints, concerns and calls for action. Although there are clearly multiple benefits to the proliferation of e-bike technology in our society, it is taking some time for everyone to adjust to exactly what that means.

E-bikes are an integral part of a greener future with many people abandoning cars

E-bikers gather atop Mount Hough for the long ride down through Plumas National Forest. | Courtesy Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship

to use them for daily tasks around town or to get to work. They are getting more people actively out into nature and using their bodies. Our region is home to world-class athletes and a generally fit population but riding a bike even throughout the neighborhood can be difficult task for residents and visitors alike. The truth of the matter is there aren’t many flat roads or trails here. E-bikes allow riders to cover these variable lands with less effort.

The great appeal of e-bikes is their ability to open up vast quantities of terrain, both on and off pavement, to riders who would otherwise be limited due to age, injury, physical condition or disabilities.

All of these people now have a way to experience what others may have taken for granted.

Some worry e-bikes allow naive riders to access terrain that is over their skills or that e-bikes cause additional trail damage.

While the Forest Service has not found any data to support these claims, Tahoe National Forest did install a black diamond trail rating at Big Chief and plans to continue with additional signage to let riders know what to expect on trails.

Another common complaint is that, thanks to motor power, e-bikers sometimes ride up trails in the direction typically used for descent, which has led to a number of near crashes. Directional suggestions are a possible solution, according to the Forest Service, but on multi-use trails it’s hard to set them in stone.

In town centers, people have reported near silent e-bikes coming up too fast from behind and underage riders zipping around impervious to basic traffic laws.

“The main message would be overall bike safety and following the rules of the road,” said Truckee Police Department spokesperson Deverie Acuff in a June 24 email. “E-bikes have gained popularity, and we are seeing an influx of new and inexperienced riders. Of the few collisions we have had, most at fault were the e-bike rider.” n

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LTBMU Basin Wide Trails Analysis | bit.ly/3dT0PYi North Lake Tahoe e-bike trail map | bit.ly/3xoJkH0 South Lake Tahoe e-bike trail map | bit.ly/3yrd4TE TAMBA e-bike guide | tamba.org/trails/e-bikes Truckee area e-bike trail map | bit.ly/3xBFLNX

July 14-20, 2021 FEATURE

Mountain Biking

TAHOE

ADVENTURE COMPANY

Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more Mountain Biking Trails to enjoy.

Always check to see if trails & parks are open before visiting.

Check in advance for e-bike access.

NORTH SHORE

INCLINE BIKE PARK Incline Bike Project on Facebook Park terrain and features for all ages.

TAHOE CROSS COUNTRY (530) 583-5475 | tahoexc.org All levels | Varied terrain Tahoe Cross Country offers marked mountain biking and hiking trails in the Burton Creek State Park area just north of Tahoe City. Trail access is free and the terrain is ideal for beginner and intermediate mountain bikers. Advanced riders can find challenging terrain on the Tahoe Rim Trail and around Mount Watson.

WESTERN STATES TRAIL Strenuous | 11.6 miles RT This is a challenging and exhilarating ride (sometimes referred to as Three Bridges Trail) that will afford you a fun downhill swoop and beautiful mountain views. You can ride it either way, starting on either side of the Midway Bridge between Alpine Meadows and Olympic Valley off Hwy. 89.

EAST SHORE

FLUME TRAIL Strenuous | 14 miles There are several mountain biking trails off the Flume Trail, but if you follow the Flume Trail the whole way you will be rewarded with magnificent views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains. The Flume Trail rises 1,600’ above the East Shore of Lake Tahoe. At the end of the Flume Trail, there is a 3-mile, 1,600’ descent down to Tunnel Creek Station on Hwy. 28. It is a moderately difficult ride at 7,000’ to 8,000’ in elevation with more than 1,000’ of climbing and 4.5-miles of single track. It has several steep sections.

Shuttle available at Tunnel Creek Café off Hwy. 28 in Incline Village to Spooner Lake State Park. Info (775) 298-2501.

Call for shuttle schedule.

MOUNT ROSE TO SPOONER LAKE Strenuous | 20 miles The beginning of this beautiful section of the Tahoe Rim Trail is at 8,700’ above the Sheep Flats (aka Tahoe Meadows) on Mount Rose. The first part of the trail parallels the highway and then descends through the meadows and briefly joins the Ophir Creek trail. Look for Rim Trail signs, then after a quarter-mile up and to the right of the Ophir Creek trail (don’t stay on the Ophir Creek Trail). After a 300’ climb out of the meadows, you begin to contour your way to the Tunnel Creek road. At 9 miles, you will come to the Tunnel Creek Road. Follow it a half-mile with the Flume Trail on the right. Continue straight for an 800’ switchbacking climb. Near the top of the climb, consider taking the vista trail to the Sand Harbor overlook.

Once at the top, the trail winds down past the Marlette Peak campground to Hobart Road. The Rim Trail past this point is closed to bikes, so your only path back to Spooner is along this road to the right and down to Marlette Lake.

A short, but tough climb leads out of the Marlette basin and then it is downhill back to Spooner Lake. Mind the speed on this descent due to heavy equestrian and hiking use.

Shuttle (775) 298-2501. Call for schedule.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

BIJOU BIKE PARK bijoubikepark.org The 5-acre park features pump tracks, BMX Track, striderfriendly pump track, jump lines and loop trail. Dawn-dusk.

CORRAL AREA TRAILS tamba.org All levels | Varied terrain Corral area trails include Sidewinders, Cedar and Armstrong Connector. This area has a high density of trails for all ability levels and serves as the unofficial hub of mountain bike activity in the South Shore. Featuring log rides, jumps and rock rolls including the new jumps, berms, rollers and hips. The trails all run parallel to the Fountain Place paved road. These trails link to Armstong Trail, the Tahoe Rim Trail, Powerline, Railroad Grade and this is also where Toads ends.

KIRKWOOD (209) 258-7277 | kirkwood.com The mountain bike park offers a network of liftaccessed trails for all levels with 22 trails in the valley, and 12 accessed by the lift, with 11.5 miles of single track.

The bike park features log rides, pump tracks and other terrain features.

MR. TOADS WILD RIDE Moderate-Strenuous | 6.2 miles Mr. Toad’s heads mostly downhill from the Tahoe Rim Trail with several options for making a loop. The upper section of this trail is much more technical than either section of the TRT and has many big drops and sections of nothing but rocks. There is also a huge stair step section that comes up on you quickly.

TRUCKEE

COLDSTREAM VALLEY Easy to moderate | 6 miles RT This loop offers a mellow ride offering views of the Sierra Crest, has nice flowers in the spring and circumnavigates a series of ponds. From Donner Pass Road, take Coldstream Road, which alternates pavement and dirt. After a short climb up the old terminal moraine of the glacier that once filled this valley, the valley opens up. Proceed on this road until you come to private property signs at the last pond, then turn left on the dirt road and return on the east side of the valley. Park outside the white gate on Coldstream.

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DONNER SKI RANCH (530) 426-9350 | facebook.com/old40bikepark Offering lift-accessed mountain biking on its trails with varied terrain and great views.

EMIGRANT TRAIL Moderate | 15+ miles Offers rolling, wide, single-track through high desert, winding through sagebrush, seasonally wet meadows and Jeffrey Pine forests. North of Truckee on Hwy. 89 to Donner Camp picnic area. If too wet, proceed 2.5 miles on Hwy. 89 to Prosser Creek Bridge pullout. 15 miles to Stampede, but can continue on to other areas.

NORTHSTAR CALIFORNIA (530) 562-2268 | northstarcalifornia.com All levels | Varied terrain Northstar’s Mountain Bike Park boasts more than 100 miles of trails for mountain biking including its signature trail, LiveWire, and the most extensive life-accessed trail network in the Western United States. The park features Skill Development Areas and terrain features including jumps, rails and bridges. Downhill Mountain Bike Race Series and Cross-Country Race Series open to everyone.

TRUCKEE PUMP TRACK/BMX truckeebikepark.org The Park has the sweetest flow lines and the smoothest strider/pump track for all skills levels to progress along with beginner to advanced jump lines. Featuring a dual pump track, dirt jumps, flow lines, dual slalom track, xc trail, drop zone, medium slopestyle line and more. Open from sunrise to sunset. Helmets & brakes required.

WOODWARD TAHOE MOUNTAIN BIKE/BMX (530) 426-1114 | rideboreal.com The Slabs lift-served bike park featuring flow lines with natural elements, granite rock and obstacles with berms, wall rides and jumps. And, visit The Trenches BMX park.

All levels.

MOUNT ROSE

SKY TAVERN (775) 323-5125 | skytavern.org The mountain bike park features downhill, climbing and dual slalom trails, designed as a series of progressive trails.

Open sunrise to sunset spring to fall.

Check trail conditions before heading out.

Please do not bike on wet trails.

Heading to North Lake Tahoe or Truckee?

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15

TheTahoeWeekly.com S TO RY BY P R I YA H UT N E R

ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKES

FOR BEGINNERS

T

hey are a lightning

rod of controversy.

They can be seen every

where whizzing by on streets and trails. There are ones with fat tires, skinny tires and tires made for the mountains. One thing is sure, like it or not, electric bikes are here to stay. People who have them sing their praises.

Initially, I questioned whether electric mountain bikes even made sense. Would I get any exercise climbing a hill if I had a crutch to fall back on? Could I manage a 50-pound bike on the downhill? I decided to take a ride and see for myself.

I called Bike Truckee to make an appointment to ride an electric mountain bike. I met Dennis and Rachel Elste,

Priya Hutner and Rachel Elste riding Happy Face. | Courtesy Dennis Elste

who opened their business seven years ago. The shop buzzed with activity. People perused the different types of bikes, waiting to rent or buy an e-bike. The vibe was upbeat and fun and there was excitement in the air. Inside, the shop was lined with commuter bikes, gravel bikes and mountain bikes for all types of riders. Their lovely daughter Sienna was on duty at the shop and pointed out her father with a friendly smile. Truckee Bike is a family affair. The Elste’s took time out of their busy day to take me for a trail ride.

I hopped onto the bike and took a spin around the parking lot to familiarize myself with its features before hitting the trail, testing the different modes to get a feel for them.

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Dennis rolled out a small-sized Bulls Aminga mountain bike. The bike has a Bosch motor and a 500-watt battery.

He explained the basic operation of the pedal-assist e-bike and like most mountain bikes these days, it was equipped with full suspension and seat dropper.

On the left handlebar of this bike was a gauge with a plus and minus button that offered four modes of operation: eco that uses human-pedal power, the tour mode that provides a little extra help, the mountain-bike mode that assists in the uphill and the turbo mode that Dennis joked, “is best used if you’re late getting home.”

I hopped onto the bike and took a spin around the parking lot to familiarize myself with its features before hitting the trail, testing the different modes to get a feel for them. Once everyone was settled, Rachel and Dennis mounted their bikes and led the way to Happy Face trail.

Rachel and Dennis took turns talking about their business and the virtues of e-bikes. As we approached the first climb uphill, Dennis said if I needed to get off, there was a push assist mode on the bike. I switched the bike into mountainbike mode and to my delight, I pedaled up the steep hill — and I was a bit out of breath.

Happy Face evened out and we rolled over the hills and through the woods.

The rain from the previous day made for great riding on the single track. I played with the different modes and used my pedal power for a good portion of the ride. We came on a few technical spots and I put the bike back into the mountain-bike assist and rolled over the rocks with ease.

Rachel leads the helm of development for the business. The market is fierce and e-bikes are in high demand.

“We started with bike rentals, but Dennis saw that electric bikes were our future,” Rachel said as we rode along the single track. “The bikes are great for the environment.”

She no longer drives her three teenagers to school because they each ride their e-bike to school.

“Riding e-bikes together definitely helped us as a couple. We are not matched as riders, but with an e-bike, I can keep up with him. E-bikes allow you to go farther and ride hard for hours and that’s good,” she said, about the joy of riding together.

July 14-20, 2021 FEATURE

T R AV E L R E S P O N S I B LY

Dennis explained that when you ride an e-bike, you can learn better skills going uphill. You’re able to control the bike and you can learn better downhill techniques. You can go over obstacles that you might have never thought you could because you don’t have to worry about pedaling and maneuvering. With the aid of pedal-assisted power, you can focus on maneuvering. The other point he made is that your heart rate doesn’t spike while using a pedal-assisted bike like it does with a hard and steep uphill.

Dennis and Rachel Elste on the trail with their e-mountain bikes. | Priya Hutner

I asked Rachel how she managed to load her bike onto the rack of her car.

She laughed and said that she often asked her kids or husband to help but in the event you need to load the bike alone, she said you could remove the battery and that would lighten the load by 8 to 10 pounds.

We arrived back at the shop and I was a goner. I fell in love with the electric mountain bike. Rachel showed me a few other models. I took their KHS model, which was a bit lighter and rode around the parking lot. It, too, was a great bike.

The price tag on an electric bike isn’t for the faint of heart. It is important to know that Tahoe’s trails require a specific

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“Riding e-bikes together definitely helped us as a couple. We are not matched as riders, but with an e-bike, I can keep up with him. E-bikes allow you to go farther and ride hard for hours and that’s good.”

Dennis Elste outside Bike Truckee Shop with a Bulls Aminga Electric mountain bike. | Priya Hutner

As I rode, I realized I was, in fact, sweating and getting a workout. But one thing I noticed was that I felt more confident on the bike. I was able to roll over rocks and roots without worrying about pushing up the hill. My mind was able to concentrate on the terrain.

We finally reached the top of the trail with filtered views of Martis Valley below. It was time to try the bike on the downhill. Dennis reminded me that the bike was heavier than a regular mountain bike — 50 pounds — and to be aware that it would take a bit more time to stop. Happy Face is the perfect name for the trail. We cruised down the hill.

I definitely had a smile on my face.

–Rachel Elste type of mountain bike. What works in the Bay Area hills doesn’t necessarily translate well in Tahoe. I asked Dennis if one could use a mountain bike to ride to town like a commuter bike, he said, of course, it’s just a bit slower than the commuter e-bikes. With Tahoe summer traffic being what it is, I thought an e-bike would be amazing to get to places without the car.

In the end, I asked Dennis, “What do you say to the naysayers?”

He said most people who balk have never tried an e-bike. His response was to try it and see. I did and now I know why those who have an e-bike love them.

I am no longer a naysayer and am in the market for an electric mountain bike. | truckeebikerentals.com n

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Mark Twain’s TA H O E A DV E N T U R E S , PA R T I I I

BY M A R K M c L AU G H L I N

T

he adventures of American writer Sam Clemens (Mark Twain) in Nevada Territory 160 years ago are replete with controversy and cross-purpose narratives.

Even factual accounts among his contemporaries are filled with contradictions and distortion. Like the dispute regarding where Clemens camped and worked a timber claim at Lake Tahoe in 1861 (mentioned in Part 1), utilizing Twain’s and other’s books, comments and writings as definitive sources of information is often problematic.

Pioneer Nevada newspaperman Sam P. Davis believed it was Twain’s satirical letter mocking the ego and vanity of Nevada’s chief justice that got him a job writing for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise. In contrast, a 1973 Mark Twain Journal article suggests that it was the parody of a July 4, 1862, celebration speech that Twain had written for the mayor of Aurora that gained him a role on the Enterprise staff. Either way editor, Joe Goodman was delighted to publish Twain’s early work. Goodman had assembled a talented bunch of scribes for his popular Comstock newspaper, a group often called the Sagebrush Bohemians.

There are also two schools of thought as to the origin of Clemens’ now-famous pseudonym Mark Twain. That nom de plume was not his first. While writing articles for his brother Orion’s newspaper in Missouri during the 1850s, he used a variety of amusing pen names. In 1859, in his role as substitute editor for Orion, who was out of town, Clemens signed one sketch “W. Epaminondas Adrastus Perkins.” Other silly aliases followed including Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass, Quintius Curtius Snodgrass and then Josh, as he began his literary career in Nevada Territory in 1862.

Clemens adopted the pen name Mark Twain while working as a reporter and city editor for the Territorial Enterprise. How that came about is still muddy water. In an 1859 satirical sketch, Clemens wrote about a pompous veteran riverboat pilot named Isaiah Sellers. At the time, a Captain Sellers allegedly wrote a popular column that chronicled his astute observations of the Mississippi River that was published in the New Orleans Daily Picayune. Apparently, Clemens was not impressed with Sellers as a pilot, but later remarked that he did admire the pseudonym Sellers used as the author — Mark Twain. In riverboat parlance, the nautical term “mark twain” refers to the water’s depth. “By the mark twain” means that water is two fathoms deep (12 feet) and is safe for a steamship to pass.

But Twain aficionados in Nevada prefer a different version of how Clemens’ acquired the name. Territorial Enterprise newspaper staff regularly enjoyed restorative libations at John Piper’s Corner Saloon in Virginia City. Ostensibly, editor Goodman liked to point out that when Clemens sported for a drink with fellow Comstock writer Alf Doten, he would tell the bartender to “mark twain” on the chalkboard, thereby adding two drinks to his account. The name stuck.

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Twain’s attacks hit a raw nerve. In retaliation, James Laird, editor of the Union, called Twain a “vulgar liar.” Twain retorted: “I denounce Laird as an unmitigated liar.”

He then sent a personal note to Laird; “If you do not wish yourself posted as a coward, you will at once accept my peremptory challenge.” Suddenly the newsprint warfare had escalated into the challenge of a duel, with loaded pistols, not empty words.

Fortunately for Twain, the duels never materialized as Nevada had recently passed a law making it a felony to send or accept a challenge to a duel. Threatened with a possible arrest, Twain quietly stole away from Nevada Territory and made his way to San Francisco.

Read Parts I and II at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Mark Twain. | Courtesy Library of Congress

Fodder for Twain’s acerbic commentaries and character deprecation was everywhere. Hordes of miners, gamblers, toughs and prostitutes made for a colorful social dynamic. Principal leisure activities were

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter — ‘tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.”

–Mark Twain smoky pool halls, boisterous saloons and bawdy brothels all lit up at night like a carnival. The vibrant excitement and wild recklessness suited Twain fine. His years as a riverboat pilot had developed discipline and toughened him, while the Comstock’s robust lifestyle fed his feisty spirit.

During the early 1860s, Virginia City was known for its freedom from conventional manners and strong appreciation for jokes and pranks. Twain pushed the limits of journalism by teasing and mocking individuals and writing biting satires of human behavior and local institutions.

When questioned about his writing style, he stated: “The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter — ‘tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning.”

The end of Twain’s career in Nevada came suddenly. The American Civil War was raging and like most communities in the United States, the Comstock was rife with conflicting patriotic emotions.

In May 1864, Joe Goodman was away and Twain was acting as editor of the paper.

Clemens’ alter-ego had grown mightily since his miserable mining days and his over-the-top antics nearly involved him in several duels with angry adversaries. Twain alleged that money raised by prominent Carson City women for the Sanitary Commission Fund (the forerunner of the American Red Cross) was being diverted, thus provoking one husband to demand a duel with the accuser. Twain then questioned whether the staff of the rival Virginia Daily Union newspaper would honor their pledges in donating money to the commission. Money collected by the commission was earmarked for medical supplies for wounded Union soldiers.

In March 1866, Twain sailed for the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and on his return became an established literary figure and celebrity lecturer. When Twain revisited his old Comstock stomping grounds in November 1866, all was forgiven. Thousands came to hear his entertaining lectures.

After his last presentation in Gold Hill, Twain and his literary agent, Dennis McCarthy, walked back to Virginia City.

In the darkness they were robbed by five highwaymen. The bandits stole $125 and Twain’s favorite gold watch, which was worth about $300.

Twain was livid, but he put an advertisement in the morning paper offering to negotiate for the watch. He received no response. Two days later he boarded the Pioneer Stage for his return to San Francisco via the Donner Lake route. Just as the stagecoach was about to leave, however, a small package was handed to the sullen celebrity. In it he found his watch and money.

He also discovered the five masks that the “highwaymen” had worn that night. And then the robbers themselves revealed their identities by shaking Twain’s hand. They were old friends from the Virginia City days, but Twain, the prankster, could not take the joke, and everyone could hear him yelling profanities as the coach rolled out of sight. Such was Mark Twain’s exit from the Silver State.  Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlin is a nationally published author and professional speaker. His award-winning books are available at local stores or at thestormking.com.

You may reach him at mark@thestormking.com.

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VOLLEYBALL

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TENNIS

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BIKE PARK

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KINGS BEACH

COON STREET DOG BEACH

Hwy. 28, bottom of Coon Street

KINGS BEACH STATE REC AREA

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Hwy. 28, at National Ave.

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CARNELIAN BAY

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Hwy. 28, next to Gar Woods

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COMMONS BEACH HERITAGE PLAZA

Hwy. 28, Tahoe City behind old fire station

Hwy. 28, Downtown Tahoe City

LAKE FOREST BEACH POMIN PARK SKYLANDIA

Lake Forest Rd, 1.5 miles east of Tahoe City

Lake Forest Road, east of Tahoe City Lake Forest Road, east of Tahoe City

64-ACRES PARK & BELL’S LANDING

South of Tahoe City

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Grove Street

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WILLIAM KENT BEACH

2.5 miles south of Tahoe City

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WILLIAM LAYTON PARK & GATEWAY PARK Hwy. 89, south of Tahoe City at Dam

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TAHOE CITY DOG PARK

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WEST SHORE

D.L. BLISS STATE PARK

17 miles south of Tahoe City

ELIZABETH WILLIAMS PARK EMERALD BAY BEACH KILNER PARK

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18.5 miles south of Tahoe City

Hwy. 89, 3.5 miles south of Tahoe City

MARIE SLUCHAK PARK MEEKS BAY

4 miles south of Tahoe City

Corner of Hwy. 89 & Pine St., Tahoma

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Hwy. 89, 10 miles south of Tahoe City

SUGAR PINE POINT STATE PARK

9.5 miles south of Tahoe City

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

BALDWIN BEACH

BIJOU COMMUNITY PARK CAMP RICHARDSON EL DORADO BEACH KIVA BEACH

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Al Tahoe Blvd.

Hwy. 50 at Lakeview Commons

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Hwy. 50

Hwy. 89

REGAN BEACH

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NEVADA BEACH POPE BEACH

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The Gold Souls

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TRUCKEE RIVER CANYON

SQUAW VALLEY PARK

At Hwy. 89 & Squaw Valley Road

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MARTIS CREEK

Hwy. 267, 1 mile south of Truckee Airport

RIVER VIEW SPORTS PARK

12200 Joerger Drive

TRUCKEE RIVER REGIONAL PARK

Hwy. 267, Truckee

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July 16

August 20

July 23

Mescalito

Bicicletas Por La Paz

July 30

August 27

Coburn Station August 13

Jelly Bread

Sol Peligro September 3

Achilles Wheel

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DONNER LAKE

DONNER MEMORIAL STATE PARK SHORELINE PARK WEST END BEACH

I-80 Donner Lake exit

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West of Donner Lake

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No smoking or vaping of cigarettes, e-cigarettes or marijuana on state beaches or in state parks allowed per state law.

BUS & SHUTTLE SCHEDULES

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

Food & Beverages 6:00-9:00pm. No outside alcohol or pets permitted.

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TheTahoeWeekly.com

THE lineup live music | shows | nightlife

festivals | entertainment

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS FOR FREE Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to add your Event for our print & online calendars.

Click on Events; then the blue Add Event button.

Robin Orr’s

l i ve

PERSUASIVE POP

JULY 14 | WEDNESDAY

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

Music in the Park Truckee Regional “Salty” Gebhardt Ampitheater, Truckee, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 7 & 9 p.m.

R

obin Orr is getting ready for rehearsal with her new band. In the past couple months, as musicians emerged from pandemic isolation, she put together a colorful pop-rock group called Snowbound.

“When we first moved to Tahoe we were painting our house,” she says. “Snowbound was one of the different shades of white. I connected with it since I have a white grand piano in my living room and I like snow and skiing. I just thought it was a good name for being drawn to live here in the alpine landscape.”

The band features a colorful cast of characters including professional rock climber Timmy O’Neil on drums, New York arranger Mike Grippi on bass, classically trained Jacob Melvoin on guitar and South Shore journeyman Dylan Long.

“ There’s a good mix of personalities and talents. We have a musical chemistry that came together really naturally.”

–Robin Orr “There’s a good mix of personalities and talents,” says Orr. “We have a musical chemistry that came together really naturally.”

Orr’s style features an eclectic mix of new age, pop and rock, which evokes a bygone era of The Sundays, Dido and Annie Lennox. As a child, her father charmed her playing “Claire de Lune” by Claude Debussy on their old upright piano. He would often play his record collection of jazz artists such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane and George Winston. She grew up in Palos Verdes and Orange County where she attended and sang at megachurches.

“I liked that people were always engaged,” she says. “It felt like energy was being passed back and forth through the music.

Listen to “Bleeding Heart”

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

As a teen, Orr loved popular rock music of the day such as U2, The Police and Peter Gabriel. She studied music at University of San Diego where she played keyboards in a jam band called Pure Noodle. She recorded her first album, “Little Vortex,” under the name Ghost Called Gravity in 2015 at Tiny Telephone Studios in San Francisco.

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JULY 11 | SATURDAY

JULY 15 | THURSDAY Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 7 & 9 p.m.

Rustler’s Moon Bar of America, Truckee, 8-11 p.m.

Karaoke The Grid, Kings Beach, 10 p.m.

JULY 16 | FRIDAY

POP-ROCK

Orr recently built a home recording studio in her spare bedroom in the Al Tahoe neighborhood of South Lake where she has lived for the past three years with her fiancé, two dogs and a cat. This simple act has completely altered the way she approaches songwriting.

“Before, it was almost a painful process,” she says. “It would be so much effort to write a chorus, not being happy with it and doing a lot of rewrites. With writing via recording, things come together a lot quicker for me. It’s great to have that ground level of a song to work from.”

She is now releasing one single per month as she gathers material for a new album that explores themes of dreams, love and loss.

In May, she put out slow burner, “Bleeding Heart” inspired by the book “Love You Like the Sky: Surviving the Suicide of a Beloved” by psychologist Sarah Neustadter.

“It was these letters that she wrote to her beloved,” says Orr. “This rarely happens to me, but I read the book and wrote the song in about 5 minutes. I almost felt this connection with her man on the other side.”

June brought “Babylon,” a spacey Bjorklike exploration of her relationship with her second husband who had bipolar disorder.

“It was a really dark point in my life trying to support him and realizing there was nothing I could do,” she says. “Babylon is something you start building, but the bigger it gets, the more dramatic it is when it falls.”

This month she released electro-dance single, “State of Mind.”

“I wanted to try to write a dance tune,” she says. “It’s loosely inspired by Madonna’s ‘Music’ and Bill Withers ‘Lovely Day.’ The lyrics don’t have any meaning.”

August will see a remix of Ghost Called Gravity tune “Pretty Penny,” an upbeat, catchy song recalling early 90s femalefronted post-punk acts like Letters to Cleo and The Cardigans.

Robin Orr jams out on Route 88 in Hope Valley, explaining: “With the amps and stuff, we had to keep running into the middle of the road and then running off with the Sunday traffic.” | Courtesy Beata Jarvis

“It’s about my friend who had moved from Michigan to Hollywood with all her stuff in the car to pursue her dream of working in the film industry,” says Orr. “She made it happen, worked all these amazing jobs and then changed her mind. At the time, we had a really cool connection.”

Like so many musicians around the world, Orr is simply happy to be playing with other musicians and performing live again.

“I feel really inspired and grateful because I love it so much,” she says.

“It’s just been so fun to explore new types of music and songwriting.” | snowboundmusic.com. n Sean McAlindin is a writer and musician living in Truckee, who loves a secret powder stash just as much as a good jam. You can reach him at entertainment@tahoethisweek.com. Other writings and original music are available at seanmcalindin.com.

July 22, Aug. 8, 20 | Times vary Revive Coffee & Wine South Lake Tahoe July 30 | 9 p.m.

Fat Cat Café | Tahoe City Aug. 19 | 3 p.m.

The Hangar | South Lake Tahoe

Summer concert series Lake Tahoe AleWorkX, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Summer Concert Series Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:45 p.m.

Music on the Beach Kings Beach State Recreation Area, Kings Beach, 6-8:30 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Magic After Dark with Robert Hall The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m.

Post Music on the Beach w/Chango The Grid, Kings Beach, 9 p.m.

In Kahootz Bar of America, Truckee, 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

JULY 17 | SATURDAY Record Store Day & Live Music Keystone Records, South Lake Tahoe, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Summer Saturdays Mountain Lotus, Truckee, 12-2 p.m.

Slightly Stoopid Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 4 p.m.

Sunsets Live Music Series Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Olympic Valley, 5-7 p.m.

Summer concert series Lake Tahoe AleWorkX, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Summer Live Music Series Village at Northstar, Truckee, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Summer Concert Series Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:45 p.m.

Mike McQuinn + Pints for Pups Music in the Meadow The Brewing Lair, Blairsden, 6-9 p.m.

Twain at Tahoe St. Patricks Church, Incline Village, 6 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 7 & 9 p.m.

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Sand Harbor State Park, Incline Village, 7:30 p.m.

Live Music Glasses Wine Bar, Incline Village, 8-10 p.m.

David Spade Bally’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 p.m.

In Kahootz Bar of America, Truckee, 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

July 14-20, 2021 THE LINEUP

JULY 18 | SUNDAY Wine Down Sundays Revive Coffee & Wine, South Lake Tahoe, 2 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 4:30, 7 & 9 p.m.

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Sand Harbor State Park, Incline Village, 7:30 p.m.

Karaoke The Grid, Kings Beach, 10 p.m.

MontBleu now Bally’s Lake Tahoe

Women’s Singing Group Commons Beach, Tahoe City, 4-5:30 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Matt Marcy The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 7 & 9 p.m.

Reno Phil’s A Tribute to Ella Sand Harbor State Park, Incline Village, 7:30 p.m.

JULY 20 | TUESDAY Tuesdays Bluesdays Village at Squaw, Olympic Valley, 6-8:30 p.m.

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Sand Harbor State Park, Incline Village, 7:30 p.m.

JULY 21 | WEDNESDAY Concert Under the Pines Valhalla Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Music in the Park Truckee Regional “Salty” Gebhardt Ampitheater, Truckee, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Sand Harbor State Park, Incline Village, 7:30 p.m.

Courtesy Bally’s Lake Tahoe

JULY 19 | MONDAY

The MontBleu Casino & Spa located in Stateline, Nev., has been renamed Bally’s Lake Tahoe. The name follows the acquisition of the Lake Tahoe resort by Bally’s Corporation in April.

Bally’s Lake Tahoe continues the regular operations of the casino resort and has a growing schedule of summer entertainment on tap including David Spade on July 17 and Pepper with J-Boog and Vana Liya on Aug. 8. | ballyslaketahoe.com

Restrictions may apply. See website for details.

21

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YOUR BUSINESS COULD

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Horoscopes Puzzles Michael O’Connor, Life Coach Astrologer SunStarAstrology.com

Your business’

LOGO here

Sagittarius (Nov 21-Dec 21)

Email

anne@tahoethisweek.com

for details

Some plunges into the deep end take us further than before and this is one of these times. They include some measures of cleansing and purging. Changes in your usual rhythm and routine are also indicated.

Focus this week especially to push through with any area of your life where these guidelines apply.

FIRE

EARTH

AIR

WATER

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

The steady flow of change sometimes comes with extra thrusts, like now. You are feeling the push to be more awake and aware. This includes an emphasis on relationships, yet it also touches upon investments, securities and inheritances. These themes will increase and deepen for the rest of the year. The main theme now is to push on and adapt.

Leo (Jul 22-Aug 23)

A busy time behind the scenes continues. Yet, it includes the planning and actions required to take pioneering initiatives. These will increase when the Sun enters your sign on July 22. Then, another wave will be activated by the August 8 Leo New Moon. So, now is the time to prepare and build momentum and, consequently, confidence.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)

Capricorn (Dec 21-Jan 19)

Changes on relationship fronts continue to roll-in. These will lead to personal changes, as well, which stand to have a direct impact on your finances and upon your overall scope of values and priorities.

These all together comprise a rather serious tone and you are probably wise to pay due attention.

Aquarius (Jan 19-Feb 19)

A steady flow of changes in your lifestyle continue to unfold. The financial realities required to help make your dreams come true are featured. To this end, you may find yourself concentrating more and making extra efforts that you would not usually. Feel confident and you are ready to take a few risks.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)

Your creative juices should be flowing steadily by now. Take a few risks and even a leap of faith. The time is right to at least take some preliminary steps and measures now, in this regard. Before experience is imagination, which can work for or against and after it is knowledge and know-how.

An emphasis on your sense of individuality is strong now. It may be stirring philosophical thoughts about it all. Who you are and are not, what you will and will not do, and so on..., carry some rather revolutionary impulses. These may have and be manifesting as dramatic bursts, but also as creative and original insights and realizations.

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)

The emphasis on home and family continues.

Yet, now it turns to themes of love and romance, as well, or at least to fun in the sun and quality time shared. Circumstances are pushing you in that direction. Exercise humility and gratitude to meet these challenges.

Libra (Sep 22-Oct 22)

One way or another, your social status has been affected by recent events. These stand to have long-term implications. Positively, you are feeling more social and are getting wanted recognition. Yet, you are also feeling the urge to push through and beyond the existing status quo and this trend will both continue and increase over the coming weeks.

Scorpio (Oct 22-Nov 21)

A crazy cacophony of flows, circumstances and events are leading to changes in your relationship life. Some of these may not yet be apparent, but if you keep paying attention, you will soon become aware of them. On the other hand, the changes could be quite obvious, if unexpected. Either way, be open to new knowledge, tools and methods of handling them.

Taurus (Apr 20-May 21)

A busy cycle continues finding you covering a lot of bases. One way or another, you are diving-in deeply. This could include home renovations or could direct your focus to healing and deepening your bond with your true love. New love interests are also indicated and all of the above imply emphasis on the details.

Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)

New perspectives regarding what constitutes security continue to flow in. Positively, you are able to live one day at a time and fully, letting tomorrow take care of itself. Your capacity to do both is stronger than other signs, so you have that advantage. This is where your leadership shines most brightly. See the humor and the spirit through the drama.

to come. wurst is yet could say the sausage. You served German haven’t yet Our waiters

CryptoQuip

Hocus Focus differences: 1. Birds are moved, 2. Cloud is smaller, 3. Trunks are different, 4. Pier support is removed, 5. Ice cream is different, 6. Umbrella is missing.

22

July 14-20, 2021 THE MAKERS

THE makers

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS FOR FREE Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to add your Event for our print & online calendars.

creative awareness | arts & culture | the makers movement

Click on Events; then the blue Add Event button.

Sahra Otero

Writers’ conference goes viral This year’s online 51st annual Community of Writers Fiction Workshop presents a free, day-long online festival on July 17. Co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Review of Books, the festival features craft talks, panels, fiction, nonfiction readings, poetry, music and more.

Highlights will include bestselling novelist Janet Fitch with her talk “Writing with the Senses,” a panel discussion on how literary nonprofits overcame the challenges of this difficult year; a virtual nature walk with Will Richardson of Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, a reading by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass; music by the CE Trio and Louis B. Jones; along with Sands Hall, Caridwen Irvine-Spatz and Greg Spatz.

A B OTA N I C A L WO R K O F A R T

BY K AY L A A N D E R S O N | P H OTO S C O U R T E SY SA H R A OT E R O

A

bout an hour before the big reveal of the “Botanical Graffiti” exhibit at San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) in June, Tahoe City florist Sahra Otero thought back on her last few days of unwrapping, processing and arranging thousands of flowers in the museum’s rotunda.

The vision for the installation was created by floral artist Beth O’Reilly, who recently competed on “Full Bloom,” an HBO Max original series. O’Reilly hired leads to help her carry out her vision, each furiously working to reach the goal before the museum’s “Art Alive 2021” opening.

This free event is offered to the public.

A donation of $35 is suggested. | communityofwriters.org

th e art s NTA Perennial Flower Power Exhibit North Tahoe Arts | Tahoe City | July 14-30

LEFT: Sahra Otero with “Botanical Graffiti”

11 a.m.-5 p.m. | (530) 581-2787, visittahoecity.org

Reading Forest exhibit

“ We drove down from

Taylor Creek Visitor Center South Lake Tahoe | July 14-Nov. 1

Tahoe with a van

TAL Summer Exhibit 2021

full of carnations.

nationalforests.org

TAL Art Center | South Lake Tahoe | July 14-Sept. 5 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | talart.org

Visiting Artists Workshop

Imagine a bunch of

Sierra Nevada Univ. | Incline Village | July 14-25

flowers, each one

Children’s Art Classes

the size of a person’s

Tahoe Art League Center South Lake Tahoe | July 15-Sept. 2

head, in the box.”

(775) 831-1314

11 a.m.-1 p.m. | talart.org

Great American Craft Fair in the Park Graeagle Park | Graeagle | July 16-18

–Sahra Otero

10 a.m. | playgraeagle.com

Todd White Talk Marcus Ashley Gallery | S. Lake Tahoe | July 16-17 12-5 p.m. | (530) 544-4278, eventbrite.com

Weber’s Arts & Crafts Fair Homewood Mountain Resort | July 16-Aug. 22

10 a.m.-5 p.m. | (530) 525-2992, skihomewood.com

Festival Day Virtual | Olympic Valley | July 17

8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. | communityofwriters.org

Saturday Public Tours Truckee Roundhouse | Truckee | July 17-Oct. 30 1 p.m. | truckeeroundhouse.org

Valhalla Kids Art Camps Grand Hall Lawn | South Lake Tahoe | July 19-30

9 a.m.-12 p.m. | (530) 541-4975, valhallatahoe.com

Otero, owner of Heartwood Floristry & Planetarium in Tahoe City (formerly known as Wanda’s), was chosen as one of the leads; she worked five 18-hour days to have the opportunity to be involved in this annual event.

“It’s such an honor to be here,” Otero said. “Art Alive is San Diego museum’s biggest fundraiser, and this is the 40th annual event. It’s beloved by the community.”

Besides owning a flower shop and having graphic design experience, one of the highlights of Otero’s role is hosting floral design workshops. In 2019 before the pandemic, Otero did a three-story floral installation in New Orleans in The Haunted Mansion. O’Reilly took notice of Otero’s arrangement and hired Otero to be a lead on the SDMA’s rotunda portion of the “Art Alive 2021” show.

“I heard in April that ‘Art Alive’ was coming back and that Beth was the rotunda designer. It takes a lot of hands to do this, so she needed people to execute her vision. I was one of seven leads to help manage the project and stay on vision, and then was in charge of the suspended pieces.

It was a little intimidating at first, but it all came together,” Otero said.

She estimates that close to 150 boxes of flowers were used (close to 15,000 stems), each foot of design accommodating around 15 bunches of flowers.

“We drove down from Tahoe with a van full of carnations. Imagine a bunch of flowers, each one the size of a person’s head, in the box,” Otero said.

Putting together the installation was dirty and hard work, but the final product looks lush and colorful, an arrangement so vivid it almost doesn’t seem real. The mix of fresh, painted and preserved flowers include sunflowers, carnations, Baby’s Breath, anthuriums and roses — just to name a few.

“We had 500 bunches of tinted Baby’s Breath, that’s the fluffy texture you see in the pictures,” she added, explaining that color-safe floral spray allows the flower petals to pop and show through.

“It was in my hair, I found Baby’s Breath in my armpit,” she said. “Florists are the hardest working people you’ll ever meet. After working extensively with flowers, you’ll have bruises, scratches. [The installation] took an enormous amount of effort.”

However, Otero doesn’t mind the hustle to reach the goal and is more than willing to throw herself into the work. When she took over the Tahoe City flower shop in 2012, she had no floral arrangement ex-

installation at the SDMA; RIGHT: The installation on the SDMA rotunda.

perience — and now she’s the lead person for larger-than-life installations not only in her own shop but in special projects around the U.S. “I worked really hard to revitalize [the flower shop]. I was very busy and terrified that I couldn’t do it,” she said. “But when we’re faced with challenges like that, we push through it. I got faster, got better, went to design workshops. I’m all about collaboration over competition. Beth is a big inspiration for me; she’s so humble and kind. People like her are who have made me so successful as a florist.”

She also credits her solid team back in Tahoe keeping things together while she’s away doing special projects.

“Sydney Malafronte is my lead salesperson and she really wanted to go, but as we went into summer at the floral shop she offered to stay behind. Even her husband Explore Tahoe’s vibrant arts scene

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

is making arrangements now,” Otero said.

“Alicia Gallagher is my second designer and she’s here with me. She’s been on workshops and is working with me on the suspended items. I could not be here if most of my team was not there.”

With that, Otero scooted off to celebrate the completion of “Botanical Graffiti,” which is no longer on view at the museum, but virtual tours are still available on SDMA’s web site. | heartwoodflorist.com, sdmart.org 

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TheTahoeWeekly.com

EAT &drink

food & libations | recipes | delicious events

Salsa’s endless possibilities

BY P R I YA H UT N E R

Pineapple salsa

Add salsa to eggs, on a burger, baked potato or in a grilled cheese sandwich.

Whether the vessel is – chips, chicken, beef, pork, fish, tofu or tempeh – enjoy your next meal slathered with salsa. 

Fish tacos topped with mango salsa brings the tropics to the dinner table.

Priya Hutner is a food writer, personal chef and owner of The Seasoned Sage, a local meal delivery and catering company. Priya has been creating and preparing meals from an early age. She has worked in the restaurant industry in New York City, attended catering school, and was the head chef and executive director of a nonprofit spiritual community in Florida. Visit her website at TheSeasonedSage.com. Send your comments, story ideas and food tidbits to priya@tahoethisweek.com.

OPT FOR FRUIT

Grilled halibut topped with fresh pineapple salsa.

Onions and cilantro are essential in my book for a good salsa. I tend to chop and mix it in a bowl, but if you want to make it even easier, throw all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse. Keep it chunky. Roasted or grilled red-pepper salsa, avocado and jalapeño or serrano salsa, black bean, corn and pepper salsa are also unique vegetable salsas.

Enjoy the tastes of Tahoe

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

Summer is an excellent time for heirloom tomatoes. They make a beautiful, flavorful fresco salsa. No need to cook heirlooms for summer salsa.

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Vegetables aren’t the only star of salsa.

Let fruit take center stage. Tangy and sweet with a hint of heat changes the complexity of the food you top it off with.

Fish tacos topped with mango salsa brings the tropics to the dinner table. Pineapple salsa adds a little touch of Hawaiian to the menu. Peach salsa brings the Southern touch to grilled steak. Watermelon, strawberry, blueberries and plums can all be made into salsa. Or together they can be one big fruit salsa, too.

MIX IT UP Instead of Spanish onions, try red onions or scallions. Add citrus for tang: lime, lemon, orange or grapefruit. Love a bit of heat. Add serrano or jalapeño or habanero if you dare. And don’t forget to add lots of cilantro, garlic and salt to taste.

If you don’t like cilantro, use parsley instead and add a bit of cumin and black pepper.

Summertime yields so many beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables. A trip to the farmers’ market will yield hundreds of ideas for fresh salsa.

Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com to add your Event for our print & online calendars.

Click on Events; then the blue Add Event button.

The science of

experimental vs. traditional wines

V

ibrant red, green, yellow, orange — some like it hot while others like a mild kick. Whatever the desire, salsas add can flare and fire to almost any meal.

Salsa means sauce. Yet, the ongoing debate rages as hot as salsa: Are salsa and hot sauce the same?

In my world, there’s definitely a difference. Hot sauce is generally thinner than salsa and more liquid. It’s typically made with hot peppers, vinegar, spices and other flavors. It is often used on top of foods and perfect to add to tacos, burritos and eggs.

It’s a key ingredient for delicious Buffalo chicken wings. Tabasco, Tapatio, Franks and Dave’s (one of the hottest sauces around) are just some of the more classic hot sauces.

Salsa, on the other hand, is chunky and made with vegetables or fruits and used as a dip or, in some cases, a topping on meals and dishes.

Salsa can be prepared and served cold or hot. Tomatoes are a standard for salsa.

Pico de Gallo, salsa fresco, is made with chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, fresh chiles, lime juice and salt.

I am a fan of Salsa Verde. I love green salsa with tomatillo as the foundation.

Roasting or grilling tomatillos are the way to go for an epic salsa. Just add garlic or corn and it pairs well with many dishes.

Grilled tomatillo and corn salsa over fish, shrimp or tofu, enhance these proteins.

A raw tomatillo salsa is also pretty tasty.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS FOR FREE

PINEAPPLE SALSA From the kitchen of Priya Hutner 1 pineapple, cored & cut into small pieces 1 small red onion, diced 1 lime, juiced 2-3 cloves garlic, minced fine 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, deseeded & minced ¼ C fresh cilantro Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients and let marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. Serve with chips or protein.

The first of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) Summer Speaker Series will be on July 15 at 5:30 p.m. with “Experimental Wines vs. Traditional Wines” on Sierra Nevada University campus in Incline Village, Nev. UC Davis Viticulture & Enology has been bringing the latest research and innovation to the wine industry for years. TERC is bringing one of UC Davis’ biggest innovators, Dr. Andrew Waterhouse, to talk about his research and do a tasting. He will pour a recent experiment to test the impact of anthocyanins (the red pigments in grapes) on wine taste and texture. He will also pour a pair of wines by the same UC Davis winemaker to contrast contemporary and traditional California winemaking.

Tickets are $45 and benefits TERC education and outreach programs. Seating is limited and advanced registration is required. | Tickets tahoe.ucdavis.edu

SUMMER SPEAKER SERIES July 15 | Experimental Wines vs. Traditional Wines July 21 | Beer: The reason we’re alive!

July 28 | Bentley Heritage Cocktails: The taste of summer 2021 Aug. 5 | Science Speakeasy

Coffee, ice cream truck opens Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema recently opened The Coffee Haus truck in the Cobblestone Center in Tahoe City. The truck serves Coffeebar coffee and espresso drinks in the morning with ice cream from Little Truckee Ice Cream in the afternoon. | facebook.com/tahoearthaus

July 14-20, 2021 EAT & DRINK

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

CURRIED

Chicken Salad S TO RY & P H OTO S BY P R I YA H UT N E R

EST. 1982

Authentic Mexican made from scratch daily

Kings Beach

Indoor & Patio Dining 12:00pm-8:00pm

Full Bar

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

C

hicken salad is one of those easy dishes that can be eaten on a bed of greens, with crackers or in between two slices of crusty bread. A touch of curry gives it a unique and flavorful flare.

As a former vegetarian, I missed this delicious salad. So, I improvised a meatless rendition by substituting chicken for tofu or chickpeas. 

Curried Chicken Salad Cooking is a meditation for Priya, it is from that place she curates her menus and recipes to create delicious and nutritious meals for The Seasoned Sage, her company catering to client’s culinary preferences and dietary restrictions. She is also working on a series of cookbooks.

Visit her website at TheSeasonedSage.com or contact her at priya@theseasonedsage.com.

Patio Lakeview Dining OPEN DAILY 12-8PM

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

tasty tidbits Meyers Mountain Market Tahoe Paradise Park | Meyers | July 14, 21

Curried Chicken Salad

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

jasonsbeachsidegrille.com

•

(530) 546-3315

8338 NORTH LAKE BLVD., KINGS BEACH, CA

From the kitchen of: Priya Hutner

3-7:30 p.m. | meyersmtnmarket.org

Experimental Versus Traditional Wines Incline Village | July 15

5:30-7 p.m. | tahoe.ucdavis.edu

Incline Village Farmers Market Incline Village Library | July 15

3-6 p.m. | (775) 832-4130, laketahoemarkets.com

Tahoe City Farmers Market Commons Beach | Tahoe City | July 15

8 a.m.-1 p.m. Free | tahoecityfarmersmarket.com

Winemaker Tastings The Idle Hour Lake Tahoe South Lake Tahoe | July 15

1 lb. chicken meat, cooked (use tofu or chickpeas for meatless version) 2 stalks celery, sliced small 1 small red onion, diced 2 T mayonnaise 1 t curry powder 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped Salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients and serve with crackers, bread or in lettuce boats.

5 p.m. | (530) 600-3304, theidlehourlaketahoe.com

Meet the Winery

Taste of Gold

Uncorked Truckee | Tahoe City | July 16

Lake Tahoe Community College Tahoe City | July 17

6-8 p.m. | (530) 550-5200, uncorkedtahoe.com

be kind be calm be helpful

6-9 p.m. | ltcc.edu

Romano’s Certified Farmers Markets Sierra Valley Farms | Beckwourth | July 16 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free

Truckee Saturday Farmers Market Truckee Railyard Parking Lot | July 17

8 a.m.-12 p.m. | truckeefarmersmarket.com

Ski Run Farmers Market Ski Run Boulevard South Lake Tahoe | July 16

3-8 p.m. | (530) 314-1444, skirunfarmersmarket.com

South Lake Tahoe Farmers Markets American Legion Hall South Lake Tahoe | July 20

8 a.m.-1 p.m. | eldoradofarmersmarket.com

Blairsden Community Market Blairsden Garden Center | Blairsden | July 17

Truckee Farmers Market

Meet the Winery

wixsite.com

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Free | facebook.com

Truckee River Regional Park | July 20

8 a.m.-1 p.m. Free | truckeecertifiedfa.

Uncorked Tahoe City | Tahoe City | July 17

6-8 p.m. | (530) 581-1106, uncorkedtahoe.com

Old Timers’ Picnic Truckee River Regional Park | July 17

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Free | truckeehistory.org

Beer: The reason we’re alive!

Sierra Nevada University Incline Village | July 21

5:30-7 p.m. $25 | (775) 831-1314, tahoe.

ucdavis.edu

EARTH TO TABLE ChristyHill.com 115 Grove St., Tahoe City CA 530-583-8551 25

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Glasses Wine Bar

C O C K TA I LS ON

MORE THAN A WINE BAR

Brenda’s Balcony

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

C O C K TA I L & P H OTO BY B R E N DA S I M P K I N S

Famous for our Mexican Dinners (530) 587-3557 10186 Donner Pass Rd - Truckee

Fine Italian Food & Spirits Darren Talbot rocking the house.

A Locals Love Lanza’s!

(530) 546-2434 7739 N Lake Blvd - Kings Beach

LanzasTahoe.com

MINTY PINK CRANBERRY COOLER 3 oz. Tahoe Blue Vodka 3 oz. Pink cranberry juice

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

Delivery staff and volunteers are following best practices and wearing masks. Please follow social distancing and NOT interact.

To sign-up or cancel, e-mail food@sierracommunityhouse.org or call 775-545-4083; Provide full name, address, phone number, birthdate and number of people in the household.

Fresh mint

Muddle a few leaves of mint in the bottom of a shaker. Add ice and remaining ingredients. Shake well and pour into a tall glass filled with ice.

Garnish with a sprig of mint.

South Lake Tahoe resident Brenda Simpkins started creating cocktails during the shutdown in 2020, which resulted in her book, “Cocktails on Brenda’s Balcony.” The new edition is now available. | Cocktails on Brenda’s Balcony on Facebook, brendas-cocktails@yahoo.com

Martine’s Wines BURGUNDY

JULY 16 @ TRUCKEE U JULY 17 @ TAHOE CITYN

C

Oliver McCrum O

R JULY 23 @ TRUCKEE K E JULY 24 @ SQUAW VALLEY D SOUTHERN ITALY

UNCORKEDTAHOE.COM 26

T A H O E

Eat at Petra Restaurant & Wine Bar in Northstar

fter years of visiting the Tahoe region, Kathleen and Rob Martens made a big leap from Maryland to Incline Village, Nev. They brought their wine fanaticism with them and opened Glasses Wine Bar in The Village Shopping Center.

Glasses is an unassuming but superconvenient location across from the post office. As a bonus, the shopping center clears out at night so the parking is abunRead Lou’s column on Uncorked Tahoe

at TheTahoeWeekly.com

dant. The couple also wanted to focus on Kathleen’s desire to share her intellectual curiosity, as they state in their tagline: “A Taste for Wine; a Passion for Literacy.”

Glasses started out as a wine bar, game room and library, but has evolved into so much more. Today, you will find interactive wine exploration with the owners and other wine lovers, displays from top local artists, an excellent music venue and an inviting place to casually quaff vino and meet friends old and new.

The décor is part hipster library, part wine bar and part lounge and when the weather co-operates there is a dog-friendly outdoor deck.

On select evenings, Glasses Wine Bar morphs into the type of intimate music venue that reminds me of the small clubs I haunted when I was in the rock-n-roll business in the Bay Area back in the day — the kind of place where musicians can stretch out in both their musical repertoire and the expression of their personalities.

On a recent raucous Saturday night, I witnessed Tahoe’s own Darren Talbot, fresh off a year-plus run in Costa Rica, play through an diverse set of covers and barely PG originals, which he created on the spot.

For wine buffs or just those who enjoy wine exploration, it is a quantumly superior experience. Kudos to the Martens for going the extra mile.

Art and books and games, oh my.

They feature 30-plus selections by the glass and bottle and a dozen more in their Cruvinet where you can select tastes, half and full glasses. They also keep a variety of off-the-menu wines that seem to appear out of nowhere when a patron’s wine discussion takes an interesting twist.

As for the vino, expect to find wines from the world over. This is also reflected in wines with some bottle ages that are at their peak, especially from regions and producers that craft age-worthy wines.

This takes so much more time and energy than just ordering the latest releases, but for wine buffs or just those who enjoy wine exploration, it is a quantumly superior experience. Kudos to the Martens for going the extra mile.

All of that is great, but what really lights the fire here is that all of this comes with a genuine sense of warmth, many smiles and heartfelt hospitality. | glasseswinebar.com.  Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Advanced Sommelier in Tahoe and his consulting business wineprowest.com assists in the selling, buying and managing wine collections. He may be reached at (775) 544-3435 or wineguru123@gmail.com.

July 14-20, 2021 EAT & DRINK

Dine-In

the tahoe foodie Outdoor Seating

Take-out

Delivery

Catering

per issue

TRUCKEE

Meal Delivery

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

Specializing in Asian Fusion, Vegetarian, Vegan, and Mediterranean.

Chub’s Subs KINGS BEACH

90

Lakeview

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

Advertise here for only

$

Private Parties

The Seasoned Sage

This could be

YOU

Happy Hour

sales@tahoethisweek.com

Sandwich Shop

With a beautiful Tahoe lakefront view and 82 all-natural, uniquely crafted hot and cold subs, Chub’s Subs has become a new local favorite!

Open for lunch and dinner, Chub’s offers a variety of options, including gluten-free, vegan, & vegetarian-friendly subs! All ingredients are natural & come on a freshly baked, Rounds Bakery soft sourdough roll. Stop by to try your tasty sub inside, on our outdoor patio, or to-go.

8421 N Lake Blvd. | Kings Beach, CA (530) 553-1820 | chubssubs.com Through GrubHub

Lanza’s Restaurant

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

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

TAHOE CITY

Christy Hill

KINGS BEACH

Mexican

Italian

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

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

Fat Cat Bar and Grill All-Natural American

Modern American

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

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

TAHOE CITY / RENO

TRUCKEE

El Toro Bravo

“The local’s AND traveler’s favorite, Fat Cat Bar & Grill offers the best in fresh, quality ingredients from local and thoughtfully-sourced purveyors.

The restaurant boasts Niman Ranch all-natural beef, multiple protein options and premium craft cocktails in a relaxed ambience for the whole family. Daily happy hour specials, a vibrant nightlife and weekly events make Fat Cat the year-round choice for good fun and great food.

599 North Lake Blvd, Tahoe City. | 530) 583-3355 1401 S. Virginia St, Reno, NV | (775) 453-2223 fatcatrestaurants.com *Takeout at Tahoe City location. **Delivery at our Midtown location.

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

Las Panchitas

American

KINGS BEACH

KINGS BEACH

Jason’s Beachside Grille

Jason’s Beachside Grille located in the heart of King’s Beach in North Lake Tahoe is a family-friendly American restaurant offering lake views on our scenic lakefront deck and grassy sandbar area.

Savor American classics like prime rib, steaks, baked chicken, baby back ribs, salads, and more. Full bar and kid’s menu.

Authentic Mexican

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

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

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Daily cruises and private charters on our famed 55’ Sierra Cloud catamaran.