TheTahoeWeekly.com
GET outside
Email news to editor@tahoethisweek.com
the outdoors | recreation | events | mountain life
Courtesy Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition
Al Tahoe Historic Tour S TO RY & P H OTO S BY M A R K M c L AU G H L I N
A
t South Lake Tahoe, most visitors and even many locals, fixate on the Stateline district with its massive casinos and 24-hour lifestyle. But tucked away, not too far from the bustling crowds and flashing lights is a quiet historic neighborhood known as Al Tahoe. This compact residential community is bound by the Upper Truckee Marsh ecosystem on the west, Lake Tahoe to the north and Highway 50 on the south and east as the road curves around the sprawling Upper Truckee River wetlands.
Bike racks installed The nonprofit Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition has installed another 100 bike racks in high-priority spots near town centers and one public bike-repair station offering parking for 200 bikes. In total, the coalition and Tahoe Fund have teamed up to provide access to 450 bike racks since 2018.
Download the Al Tahoe History Hunt map at TheTahoeWeekly.com ABOVE: Regan Beach. LEFT: Upper Truckee River wetlands.
This area is the site of Lake Tahoe’s first lakeshore hotel, built in 1859, initially named the Lake Bigler House.
Al Tahoe Pioneer Cemetery.
Road to reach the prosperous Comstock mines of Virginia City, Nev., the hotels and lodging houses at South Lake began to rely more on loggers, cattlemen, commercial fishermen and the ever-increasing summer influx of tourism. In 1907, Almerin (Al) Sprague built the Al Tahoe Hotel and thereafter the name was applied to that location. Lumber for construction was barged in by boat and the Al Tahoe post office was opened the following year. The facility expanded over time to include a three-story modern hotel with cottages, cabins and housekeeping tents all adjacent to a nice stretch of sandy beach. Free activities and amenities included trout fishing excursions, horseback riding and sightseeing tours by car or boat. Tennis courts, billiard tables and even a swimming pool were also available for guests. Sprague fed his visitors well with 6
The original building of the Al Tahoe Hotel.
fresh vegetables, meat and poultry from the manager’s ranch and dairy. Frank and Esther Globin purchased the property and operations in 1924. It was the restless and energetic Roaring Twenties so the Globin’s installed a large dance pavilion over the water and called it Globin’s Chalet. During the warm summer months, popular bands of the era played music into the wee hours of the night. The Globin’s ran the hotel until 1965 when it was torn down — as were other historic South Tahoe resorts, due to the expense of installing newly required sewage systems. Like most of Lake Tahoe’s pre-war
architecture, virtually all of the large historic buildings located in the Al Tahoe area are gone, victims of neglect, vandalism, fire, costs of modernization or heavy snow loads. But that doesn’t mean that residents and visitors today can’t experience Tahoe’s exciting and colorful past. Lake Tahoe Historical Society is in the process of creating historic walking or auto tours in the region. The Al Tahoe History Hunt is the first product to come out of this worthwhile effort by the devoted staff at the society. Strategically placed about the Al Tahoe neighborhood are 10 blue, turquoise and white signs that represent an important historic site. To facilitate the learning process, each sign is labeled with a QR code than can be scanned with a smart phone to learn the significance of that location. A Washoe Indian campsite, traces of old wagon roads, the original locations of popular hotels and gravestones in a pioneer cemetery are all part of the hunt for history. On the society website is a map of the Al Tahoe district that can be viewed by phone or printed out in advance. Paper maps and exhibits are available at the society’s museum located at 3058 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. For my exploration on the Al Tahoe History Hunt, I brought my bicycle to cover more ground in a timely manner while during the same afternoon pedaling the extensive trail system throughout the Truckee River Marsh area with its quiet paths, hidden beaches and spectacular views of Mount Tallac and the Sierra crest. These wetlands are home to rich native fish and bird habitats. The Upper Truckee Marsh is currently being restored by the California Tahoe Conservancy to stabilize and improve the complex and unique ecology of this important environment that filters and cleans river water entering Lake Tahoe. The restoration of 250 acres of floodplain will also make it more resilient to drought, flood, and impacts from climate change. | laketahoemuseum.org
Photo Credit | Photographer?
This area is the site of Lake Tahoe’s first lakeshore hotel, built in 1859, initially named the Lake Bigler House. The owners were counting on wagon and stage traffic from the nearby Johnson Pass emigrant road. They also erroneously believed that the route of the upcoming transcontinental railroad (constructed between 1863 and 1869) would go through Lake Valley. Instead, Central Pacific Railroad laid track over Donner Pass, far to the north. South Shore’s hostelry business for travelers and teamsters would become well-established over the next few decades. In the mid1860s, when the bulk of trans-Sierra traffic switched to either the railroad or the Dutch Flat Donner Lake Wagon
The bike racks were installed at 31 locations in South Lake Tahoe, Kings Beach, Tahoe City and Incline Village, Nev. Each of the two styles of racks provided can park two bicycles. This year, a fix-it station and bike rack was installed in memory of the late Pam Emmerich, a long-time resident, community advocate and champion of bicycling. An interactive map of existing rack locations can be found online. | tahoebike.org
Christmas tree permits on sale Christmas tree permits for National Forest lands will be available for purchase online this year. Details about designated cutting areas, dates and types of trees that may be cut can be found on the recreation.gov website. The Forest Service decided to offer permit sales online as an added convenience for visitors, as well as provide an alternative to in-person transactions at offices that may remain closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Permits cost $10 each, plus a $2.50 online processing fee with a limit of one per family. Cutting under these permits is allowed until Dec. 31. Permit holders should follow permit guidelines for responsible collection, including not trespassing onto private property when entering or leaving National Forest cutting areas. Observe seasonal road closures and be prepared to hike to the cutting area to find a tree. No off-road travel is allowed. Weather permitting, some National Forest roads will remain open to improve access to cutting areas. | recreation.gov
