November 16 - December 13, 2022

Tahoe & Truckee’s original guide since 1982

NEW this winter, the Base to Base Gondola now connects Palisades and Alpine - giving you uninterrupted access to 44 lifts, 8 peaks and 6000 acres of legendary terrain.

palisadestahoe.com

10

MOTHER NATURE JUMP STARTS TAHOE SKI SEASON

This year’s ski season kicked off with a fantastic start as Mother Nature brought a series of storms into the Tahoe Sierra in early November that brought up to 3 feet of snow to some ski areas. So much so in fact, that nine local downhill and Nordic centers (and a few tubing hills) opened for the Veteran’s Day holiday weekend.

Every year for the last 22 years, we’ve kicked off the start of the ski season with our annual Tahoe Downhill Ski Guide. I’ve penned the ski guide personally for most of those 22 years and enjoy sharing what’s new and exciting at local ski areas, along with deals and discounts, and highlighting favorite amenities (many of which were not offered during the pandemic). I’m glad to see nearly every fan favorite return to our local ski areas.

My tip: Purchase a pass, it remains the best deal. If you do intend to purchase lift tickets, look for deals, visit midweek during non-holiday times and purchase as far in advance as possible.

New calendar system

Tahoe Weekly has moved to a new calendar software system, but it’s still free to post events at TheTahoeWeekly.com/events, which remains the calendar for our print edition, as well.

I recommend reading our “How to add an event” tips at thetahoeweekly.com/howto-add-an-event to ensure that your listing is considered for the print edition. Hint: Not all submissions appear in our print edition, so this is an important step. If you have questions about your listing, please email editor@tahoethisweek.com

New calendar format

We’ve also redesigned our calendars that appear in the print edition. Based on feedback from our readers, the main Event calendar now includes all foodie events (there is no longer a separate foodie calendar) and listings are now grouped by date. The Arts calendar still appears in the Makers section, and the Live entertainment calendar remains the same.

Subscriptions mailed

This edition is the first one in our 40-year history to be mailed to our subscribers. I’m excited to be able to now offer subscriptions to our readers, a request we’ve received for decades. Thank you to our inaugural subscribers for supporting our work.

If you’d like to receive a subscription or purchase one for friends or family, visit TheTahoeWeekly.com/subscribe.

Kudos to our contributors

I want to congratulate our contributors writer Kae Reed and cartoonist Geolyn Carvin on the release of their new books and look forward to reading them myself. Find details on both in our Makers section in this edition

Katherine E. Hill PUBLISHER/OWNER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

P.O. Box 154 | Tahoe Vista, CA 96148 (530) 546-5995 | f (530) 546-8113

TheTahoeWeekly.com @TheTahoeWeekly

submissions

Calendar submissions: TheTahoeWeekly.com/Events

Editorial Inquiries: editor@tahoethisweek.com

Entertainment Inquiries: entertainment@tahoethisweek.com

Cover Photography: production@tahoethisweek.com

making it happen

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

Sales & Marketing Manager Anne Artoux anne@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 110

Art Director Abigail Gallup production@tahoethisweek.com

Graphic Designer Lauren Shearer graphics@tahoethisweek.com

Website Manager

LT Marketing

Entertainment Editor Sean McAlindin entertainment@tahoethisweek.com

Food & Well Being Editor Priya Hutner priya@tahoethisweek.com

Copy Editor Katrina Veit Delivery Manager Charles Zumpft

TAHOE WEEKLY is published bi-weekly year-round with one edition in April and November by Range of Light Media Group, Inc. Look for new issues on Wednesdays.

TAHOE WEEKLY, est. 1982, ©2007 Printed on recy cled paper with soy-based inks. Please recycle your copy.

on the cover

A skier enjoys fresh power overlooking Lake Tahoe at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Heavenly is one of the many local ski areas now open for the 2022-23 season. Read Tahoe Weekly’s 22nd annual Downhill Ski Guide in this edition for the latest news from your favorite ski areas. Photography by Rachid Dahnoun, Vail Resorts

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

LAKE CLARITY: 2021: 61 feet avg. depth (18.6 m) 1968: First recorded at 102.4 feet (31.21 m)

AVERAGE DEPTH: 1,000 feet (304 m)

MAXIMUM DEPTH: 1,645 feet (501 m) Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S. (Crater Lake in Oregon, at 1,932 feet, or 589 m, is the deepest), and the 11th deepest in the world.

VOLUME: 39 trillion gallons (147.6 trillion liters) There is enough water in Lake Tahoe to supply everyone in the United States with more than 75 gallons (284 liters) of water per day for 5 years.

NATURAL RIM: 6,223’ (1,897 m) Lake Tahoe sits at an average elevation of between 6,223’ and 6,229.1’. (1,897-1,899 m) The top 6.1’ (1.8 m) of water is controlled by the dam in Tahoe City and holds up to 744,600 acre feet of water (91,845 m).

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

SHORELINE: 72 miles (116 km) Lake Tahoe has a surface area of 191 square miles (307 km). If Lake Tahoe were emptied, it would submerge California under 15 inches of water (.38 m)

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

Incline Village

Cave Rock

Donner Summit

Fannette Island

Glenbrook Stateline South Lake Tahoe

Zephyr Cove Emerald Bay

Meeks Bay

Tahoma

Dollar Skin Care Massage Reiki Preventative Nutritional Analysis Skin Care Products Herbs Supplements 889 Alder Ave. Ste 201, Incline Village, NV 805 975 6231 | wbwtahoe.com

312 square Learn about the natural history of the Tahoe Sierra at TheTahoeWeekly.com

(808 sq km) Average YOUR BUSINESS COULD SPONSOR THIS PAGE Email anne@tahoethisweek.com for details

Temperature: 42.1˚F (5.61˚C) Average Surface Water Temperature: 51.9˚F (11.1˚C) Average

Temperature in July: 64.9˚F (18.3˚C) Highest

Peak at 10,881 feet (3,317 m)

SIGHTSEEING

EAST SHORE

CAVE ROCK

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

NORTH SHORE

GATEKEEPER’S MUSEUM (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org

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

KINGS BEACH northtahoebusiness.org

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

NORTH TAHOE ARTS CENTER (530) 581-2787 | northtahoearts.com

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

TAHOE CITY visittahoecity.com

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

TAHOE SCIENCE CENTER

Tues.-Sat. by reservation (775) 881-7566 | tahoesciencecenter.org

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

WATSON CABIN (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org

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

OLYMPIC VALLEY

HIGH CAMP

(800) 403-0206 | palisadestahoe.com

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

OLYMPIC MUSEUM (800) 403-0206 | palisadestahoe.com

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

SOUTH SHORE

EXPLORE TAHOE (530) 542-2908 | cityofslt.us

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

HEAVENLY (775) 586-7000 | skiheavenly.com

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

LAKE TAHOE MUSEUM

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

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

TAHOE ART LEAGUE GALLERY (530) 544-2313 | talart.org Featuring works by local artists & workshops.

TALLAC HISTORIC SITE (530) 541-5227 | tahoeheritage.org Once known as the “Grandest Resort in the World” as the summer retreat for three San Francisco elite fam ilies with the Baldwin Estate, Pope Estate & Valhalla. Grounds open year-round. Tours in summer.

TRUCKEE

DONNER SUMMIT HISTORICAL SOCIETY donnersummithistoricalsociety.org

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

EMIGRANT TRAIL MUSEUM (530) 582-7892 | parks.ca.gov

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

KIDZONE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Tues.-Sat. | (530) 587-5437 | kidzonemuseum.org Interactive exhibits, science & art classes for kids up to age 7. BabyZone & Jungle Gym.

MUSEUM OF TRUCKEE HISTORY Fri.-Sun. | (530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org Housed in the original Depot, built in 1901. Exhibits cover different eras in Truckee history.

OLD JAIL MUSEUM (530) 659-2378 | truckeehistory.org One of a few surviving 19th Century jailhouses used from 1875 until May 1964 (summer tours). Closed for winter.

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

TRUCKEE RAILROAD MUSEUM Sat.-Sun. & holidays truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com Learn about the historic railroad. Located in a caboose next to the Truckee Depot.

WESTERN SKISPORT MUSEUM Closed this season (530) 426-3313, ext. 113 | auburnskiclub.org Showcasing the history of skiing, exhibits include antique ski and snowshoe equipment, and a pair of 8-foot-long skis used by legendary mail carrier John “Snowshoe” Thompson. On Donner Summit next to Boreal.

WEST SHORE

EAGLE ROCK

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

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

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

HELLMAN-EHRMAN MANSION

Parking fee | parks.ca.gov

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

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

VIKINGSHOLM CASTLE

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

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

Find more places to explore at TheTahoeWeekly.com

TRANSIT

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

ROAD CONDITIONS

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

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

VISITORS’ CENTERS

East Shore

Spooner Lake State Park (775) 831-0494

Kings Beach

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

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

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

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

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

U.S. Forest Service | Incline Village 855 Alder Ave. (775) 831-0914 (Wed.-Fri.)

U.S. Forest Service | South Lake Tahoe

35 College Dr. (530) 543-2600

U.S. Forest Service | Tahoe City 3080 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 583-3593 (Fridays)

U.S. Forest Service | Truckee 10811 Stockrest Springs Rd. (530) 587-3558

National Forest access info fs.fed.us/r5/webmaps/RecreationSiteStatus

Freshly fallen snow blankets the Tahoe City Golf Course after early November storms. | Katherine E. Hill

outside

WINTER SPEAKER SERIES LINEUP

ANNOUNCED

On Dec. 8, Alpenglow Sports welcomes snowboarding icon, environmental advocate, entrepreneur and author Jeremy Jones to kick off the 17th annual Winter Speaker Series. Five times per winter, an outdoor athlete presents an inspirational tale of adventure, creating a forum for motivation and inspiration.

Following Jones, the 2022-23 season is stacked with a lineup of awe-inspiring athletes: Adrian Ballinger on Jan. 5, Brette Harrington on Jan. 19, Anna Pfaff on Feb. 9 and Dave Nettle on March 2. Each show will be presented in-person and online in a virtual capacity on Alpenglow’s YouTube channel.

Giveaway and bar proceeds, in conjunction with anonymous donations by the Donor Party, traditionally raise more than $75,000 per show for North Lake Tahoe nonprofit organizations. For the 2022-23 series, the five nonprofit beneficiaries are Slow Food Lake Tahoe, SOS Outreach, Send It Foundation, Sierra Senior Services and Gateway Mountain Center, respectively.

The events will take place at Olympic Village Events Center, in Olympic Valley. Tahoe Weekly is a sponsor of the series. | alpenglowsports.com

and organizations are seeking business and individual financial support for the production. With a budget of $175,000, partners have already committed $73,000 collectively. | ivcbskyshow.org

PRACTICE FIRE, ASH SAFETY

When using fireplaces, wood stoves and heating appliances indoors this winter it’s important to remember a few safety tips and precautions, according to local fire officials. Heating equipment and improper ash disposal are leading causes of home and wildland fires in the fall and winter. | tahoelivingwithfire.com

• Heating equipment, chimneys, fireplaces/wood stoves should be inspected & cleaned before use.

• Allow ashes to cool completely before disposing of them. Four days or 96 hours is the minimum recommended cooling period.

• Place ashes in a covered metal container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the container at least 10 feet away from the home, other buildings and flammable items. Never use a vacuum cleaner to pick up ashes.

• Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet away from a fireplace/wood stove or any other heating appliance.

• Ensure fireplaces/wood stoves have a sturdy screen. Never leave a fire unat tended, particularly when children are present.

• Many fire districts have free ash can programs or they may be purchased at local hardware stores.

CHRISTMAS TREE PERMITS ON SALE

Christmas tree permits will be avail able to purchase exclusively online through Recreation.gov this season. It is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information before purchasing the permit. Visitors will also need to set up or login to a Recreation. gov account to complete the transac tion.

Christmas Tree Cutting Area maps are available online, showing the permis sible areas where visitors can find and cut their tree. | recreation.gov

Royal Gorge

ROYAL GORGE 50TH CELEBRATIONS

Royal Gorge, the largest cross-coun try ski area in North America, is celebrating its 50th anniversary for the 2022-23 season and the ski area is plan ning festivities on Dec. 10. Details on the festivities have not been announced; check the website for updates. The cross-country ski area will open for the season on Nov. 25. | royalgorge.com

open in downtown Truckee, adjacent to the Community Arts Center on Church Street. Mark Tanner Construction drove the revitalization project in collaboration with Contractors Association of Truckee Tahoe. The property is owned by the Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District.

The multi-use space includes an outdoor amphitheater where cultural activities can be held, with seating for about 100 people. There’s also a natural playscape area for kids, picnic tables and a Truckee-themed mural painted by local students and organized by Arts For the Schools. | tdrpd.org

SKYSHOW RETURNS TO INCLINE VILLAGE

Travel North Tahoe Nevada will again celebrate the 4th of July in 2023 with a drone SkyShow. Community leaders

NEW PARK OPEN IN TRUCKEE

After five years of planning, a new park and outdoor gathering space is

SPOONER VISITOR

CENTER COMPLETED

Nevada State Parks recently complet ed construction of a new visitor center and amphitheater at Spooner Lake. The new facilities at Spooner Lake offer vis itors high-quality interpretive program ming and environmental education and serve as a base for natural and cultural history programs, ranger-led hikes and tours, and an outdoor science venue for students.

The project also serves as a portal to more than 60 miles of paths and trails spanning 13,000 acres of spectacular non-motorized primitive wilderness

SkyShow

Anna Pfaff in Iceland | Tia Kemple

Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District

Courtesy Spooner Lake Tahoe Park

within the Lake Tahoe Basin. The Visitor Center will be open during the winter and will serve as a warming room for skiers and snowshoers. | parks.nv.gov/ spooner

BE PREPARED FOR WINTER DRIVING

events

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, 10:30-11 a.m., nevadacountyca.gov

Downtown Holiday Festival

& Bud Fish Tree Lighting

Truckee

Trails Foundation

BANNER YEAR FOR TRAILS IN TRUCKEE

Truckee Trails Foundation has accomplished much this year realizing its vision of building, maintaining and advocating for an inclusive world-class network of trails and bikeways in and around Truckee, according to an update from the Foundation.

Among the 2022 accomplishments are: completion of 1-mile Compass Skills Loop, completion of the new 5-mile Waddle Ranch Trail, revamp of Woodsplitter Jump Trail, construction of 1.6-mile connector from Happy Face to Schaffer’s Mill and the assessment phase of the Pines to Mines Trail. | truckeetrails.org

Everyone from locals to first-time visitors need to be prepared for winter driving conditions in the Tahoe Sier ra, including stocking your car with supplies and knowing how to install chains before you’re on the side of a road during a snowstorm. Read our Winter Preparedness Guide at issuu. com/TheTahoeWeekly for driving tips, emergency information and tips for winterizing your home.

• Check weather conditions before leaving home

• Check car tires and fluids

• Travel midweek to avoid traffic

• Avoid sideroads; they may not be plowed for days.

• Carry proper chains and know how to install them

• Pack extra clothing, blankets, food and water in the car

• Parking on roadways is prohibited

• Slow down. 4WD and snow tires or studs will not help you stop your car if it’s icy.

• If you are caught in an avalanche, stay in your vehicle and turn off the engine to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning from a clogged tailpipe.

Puppets With Chris Arth KidZone Museum, Truckee, 11 a.m., kidzonemuseum.org

The History & Culture of the Washo People Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

RUFF (Read up for Fun) With Our Reading Dogs! South Lake Tahoe Library, 4 p.m., eldoradolibrary.org

Wellness Talk: Healthy Habits for the Holidays Zephyr Cove Library, 5:30 p.m., library.douglascoun tynv.gov

THURSDAY, NOV. 17

Golden Meet & Greet

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

Toddler Time

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Preschool Storytime (Tahoe City)

Tahoe City Library, 10:30 a.m., placer.ca.gov

Boy’s & Girls Club NLT Thanksgiving Dinner

Boys & Girls Club of NLT Clubhouse, Kings Beach, 5 p.m., northtahoeparks.com

Fall Speaker Series

Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe, Truckee, 5:15 p.m., (530) 587-5948, hstt.org

Soroptishop Holiday Artisan Faire

Truckee Donner Community Recreation Center, Truckee, 5:30-8:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, NOV. 18

27th Valhalla Holiday Craft Faire

Valhalla Tahoe, S. Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., valhallatahoe.com

Truckee Downtown Merchants Association, Truckee, 5-8 p.m., historictruckee.com

7th Annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival

Community Arts Center, Truckee, 5:30 p.m., (530) 542-4546, sierranevadaalliance.org

Game Night

North Tahoe Recreation & Parks, Tahoe Vista, 6-7:30 p.m., northtahoeparks.com

SATURDAY, NOV. 19

Truckee Robotics Team Tech Challenge

Truckee High School, Truckee, 9:45 a.m., ttusd.org

27th Valhalla Holiday Craft Faire

Valhalla Tahoe, S.Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., valhallatahoe.com

SUNDAY, NOV. 20

27th Valhalla Holiday Craft Faire

Valhalla Tahoe, S. Lake Tahoe, 10 a.m., valhallatahoe.com

TUESDAY, NOV. 22

Play and Learn

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

North Tahoe Toddler & Me

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

Baby Storytime

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Preschool Storytime (Kings Beach)

Kings Beach Library, 10:30 a.m., placer.ca.gov

Photo: Ming Poon

TAHOE SIERRA

Let It Glow | Reno, Nev.

Ongoing

Let It Glow is a friendly lighting competition throughout the Biggest Little City encouraging all the business districts to lit up to welcome the community to shop and stroll the districts at night. Categories include Most Reno, Most Griswold, Most Creative, Best in District, Most Lit District and more. | bit.ly/3FXeix3

“Guilty Christmas”

Nov. 16-20 | Valhalla Grand Hall | South Lake Tahoe

This play by David Hamilton and Mark D. Williams is a fast-paced musical come dy written specifically for the Tahoe audience. Look for songs about winter driving, running for city council and quarantine. | valhallatahoe.com

Soroptimist

Holiday Artisan Faire

Nov. 16-25 | virtual Nov. 17 | Community Rec Center | Truckee

Soroptimists of Truckee Donner is hosting its annual Holiday Artisan Faire of local artwork, jewelry, pottery, clothes, herbals, hand-blown glass and more. This year shoppers can attend in person or virtually. | e.givesmart.com

The Polar Express

Nov. 17-Dec. 23 (select days) | Eastgate Depot | Carson City, Nev.

Experience the magic of the famed holiday story come to life. Riders can wear their pajamas and partake in caroling and a reading of the classic story on their way to the North Pole. | vtrailway.com

Holiday Festival & Bud Fish Tree Lighting

Nov. 18 | Downtown Truckee

For 45 years Truckee Downtown Merchants Association and Truckee Rotary have provided Santa, hot cocoa, holiday lights and the traditional Bud Fish Tree Lighting Ceremony in remembrance of this beloved Truckee community member. | his torictruckee.com

Holiday Faire

Nov. 18-20 | Valhalla Grand Hall | South Lake Tahoe

The popular Holiday Faire returns featuring a variety of local and regional arts and crafts vendors. The Grand Hall is decked out in traditional holiday cheer with refreshments, photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus and live music. | valhallatahoe.com

Northern

Lights Festival

Nov. 21-Dec. 31 | Area venues

This annual, popular, month-long festival will highlight local communities. Cele brate the season with holiday parties, sip & shops, music and more in Crystal Bay and Incline Village, Nev. | northernlightstahoe.com

Crafts for Christmas

Nov. 24-27 | Nugget Casino Resort | Sparks, Nev.

Enjoy three days of activities, including gift booths, holiday food and drink demonstrations, ideas for festive Christmas parties and local live music. Free and open to the public. | nuggetcasinoresort.com

Holiday Tree Lane

Nov. 25-Dec. 16 | South Lake Tahoe venue

Local businesses and agencies are participating in Holiday Tree Lane to benefit nonprofit causes in the South Shore. The community may enter to win pre-decorat ed trees by purchasing raffle tickets. | tahoechamber.org

Tahoe City Holiday Hop

Nov. 26 | Downtown | Tahoe City

Kick off the holiday season in style at the Tahoe City Holiday Hop. Stroll and shop through local stores while enjoying wine, snacks, good cheer and festive sur roundings. | visittahoecity.org

Holiday Market

Nov. 26 | Blairsden Garden Center

Enjoy local gifts, treats and fun at the 3rd annual Holiday Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Blairsden Garden Center on Facebook

Graeagle Shop Local Shop Small

Nov. 26 | Graeagle

Graeagle Merchants invite everyone to Shop Local and Shop Small. | graeagle. com

Light Up the Night

Nov. 26 | Northwoods Clubhouse | Tahoe Donner Bundle up and join Tahoe Donner’s annual tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. | tahoedonner.com

Winter Arts & Gifts Show

Nov. 26-27 | Grand Sierra Resort | Reno, Nev. This two-day event will feature artisans, crafters and bakers. Free admission. | grandsierraresort.com

Heavenly Holidays Family Festival

Nov. 29-Dec. 31 | Heavenly Village | South Lake Tahoe Holiday fun for children and adults alike. Daily tree lighting, ice sculptures, breakfast with Santa, meet your favorite Disney characters, a holiday Ferris wheel, music, performances and more. | theshopsatheavenly.com

“How

Christmas Wonderland

Nov. 23-Dec. 25 | Eldorado at The Row | Reno, Nev.

This dazzling Christmas spectacular is complete with glittering costumes, a stun ning cast and the highest kicking chorus dancers this side of the North Pole. Santa and his merry helpers take you on a family-friendly Christmas journey with favorite Christmas songs. | caesars.com

to Survive Your Family at Christmas”

Nov. 30-Dec. 18 | Reno Little Theater | Reno, Nev. College student Loretta hasn’t been home in two years because she has nothing in common with her blue-collar parents. But her cultivated boyfriend wants to meet them. This crowd-pleasing comedy is about family, love and the one thing we need to survive the holidays, forgiveness. | renolittletheater.org

Christmas on the Comstock

Dec. 1-31 | Area venues | Virginia City, Nev. Festivities include the Believe Again Christmas Challenge shopping spree, two weekends of fireworks shows, the evening Train O’Lights, a Christmas play, Parade of Lights, a saloon crawl, holiday artisan craft fair and community celebrations. | visitvirginiacitynv.com

palisades tahoe

palisades tahoe

Noel Nights

Dec. dates | Northstar Village | Truckee

Gather at the ice rink for live music, photos with Santa, a Letters to Santa location, face painting and balloon animals. | northstarcalifornia.com

Holiday Kickoff

Dec. 1 | Heritage Park | Gardnerville

Bring the family for an evening of live entertainment, carriage rides, caroling, local dancers, hot cider, cobbler and a visit with Santa. Live entertainment through out the day spreads holiday cheer and will end with a fireworks show. | townofgard nerville.com

Holiday Choir Concert

Dec. 1 & 3 | Saint Patrick’s Episcopal Church | Incline Village, Nev.

North Tahoe Community Choir performs a holiday-themed concert featuring “Misa Criolla” in Spanish, “Magnificat” in Latin and a host of holiday favorites including “Sleigh Ride,” “One Bright Star” and “Hallelujah Chorus.” | North Tahoe Community Choir on Facebook

Holiday Tree Lighting & Pictures with Santa

Dec. 2 | North Tahoe Event Center | Kings Beach

This festive event includes food and crafts from Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe, hot cocoa and music from high-school students. | northtahoeparks.com

Silver & Snowflakes Festival of Lights

Dec. 2 | Nevada State Capitol Building | Carson City, Nev.

Kick off the festive holiday season with the annual state tree lighting. Carson City School District fifth graders will sing Christmas carols. | visitcarsoncity.com

Holiday Studio Tour

Dec. 2-4 | Glenshire

Visit the studios of five Glenshire artists to meet the artists and purchase works from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. | #glenshireopenstudios22

Spirit of the Season

Dec. 2-4 | Pioneer Center | Reno, Nev.

Reno Philharmonic, Reno Phil Chorus and conductor Jason Altieri invite you to the Spirit of the Season, a classic holiday celebration full of orchestral arrange ments, jazzy numbers, traditional holiday tunes and carols. | renophil.com

Festive Fridays

Dec. 2, 9, 16 | Downtown Truckee

Historical tours, holiday sip & shop and free downtown parking from 4 to 6 p.m. | historictruckee.com

“A Christmas Chaos”

Dec. 2-4, 9-11 | Community Art Center | Truckee

When the Royal Shakespeare Company doesn’t show up to perform its stirring rendition of “A Christmas Carol,” it’s up to these hapless actors and technicians to pull together their own production in less than seven hours. | truckeecommunitythe ater.com

“Buttcracker Rockstar”

Dec. 2-22 | Brüka Theatre | Reno, Nev.

In this ridiculous parody of “The Nutcracker,” Clara becomes a groupie to weird rockstars. Brükaisms abound in this 11th rendition of what began as a parody of “The Nutcracker” and has evolved into a regional cult classic. | bruka.org

Holiday Makers Market

Dec. 3 | Tahoe Backyard | Kings Beach

Tahoe Backyard hosts its second annual Holiday Makers Market from noon to 5 p.m. with local artists, music, local beer, food truck and more. | tahoebackyard.com

Holiday on Main

Dec. 3 | Area venues | Downieville

This year there are two venues to visit, Downieville Community Hall and Sabrinas at the Forks, both on Main Street. Shop for the holidays, enjoy food and drinks, visit with Santa at 1 p.m. and take a ride on a fire truck. | sierracountychamber.com

Outdoor Holiday Market

Dec. 3 | Muse art reclaimed | Tahoe City

This annual market offers music by GBrownSound and Sisters in Harmony, food and cocoa by Mogrog, beverages poured by and for the Lake Tahoe Dance Collec tive and an array of local artisanal goods and artwork. | museartreclaimed.com

Parade of Lights

Dec. 3 | Heritage Park to Minden Park | Minden, Nev.

Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce is presents the 26th annual Parade of Lights. Grab your blankets and chairs to watch the floats, marching bands and color guard. The theme is Candy Cane Christmas. | carsonvalleynv.org

Holiday Ball

Dec. 3 | Atlantis Casino Resort | Reno, Nev.

Celebrate the holiday season with an evening of fine dining and The Platters Very Merry Christmas Show. In the spirit of the holidays, guests are invited to bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys For Tots. | atlantiscasino.com

Hometown Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting

Dec. 3 | Victorian Square | Sparks, Nev.

This Northern Nevada tradition features marching bands, Christmas costumes, adorable animals and festive floats with a “Merry and Bright” theme. The parade starts at 1 p.m. and the tree lighting at 6:30 p.m. | cityofsparks.us

Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting

Dec. 3 | Graeagle

All events are free at this old-fashioned Christmas event. Enjoy the spirit of Christmas, visit the little red shops, listen to carolers, have your picture taken with Santa and take a ride through town in a decorated Christmas-themed trolly. | graea gle.com

Holidays in the Hills “Lumberjack Christmas”

Dec. 3-4 | Area venues | Placer County Sip, shop and explore your way through the Placer Wine Trail, 19 local wineries decked out for the holidays. Enjoy holiday discounts, new wine releases, treats and food trucks, Santa stops, live music and a Toys for Tots toy drive. | placerwine.com

Find more holiday events in our Christmas edition out Dec. 14 and at

palisades tahoe

lake tahoe dance collective northstar california

Magic of Santa

Dec. 3-4 | Reno-Sparks Convention Center | Reno, Nev.

This arts and crafts fair with more than 80 local vendors offers handcrafted items to get you started on holiday gifts. Donate a canned good and get $1 off the $5 admission fee. | tannersreno.com

Santa Trains

Dec. 3-17 (select days) | Western Pacific Railroad Museum | Portola

Enjoy a magical trip aboard the Santa Train covered in lights and decorations. Visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and enjoy complimentary cookies, hot chocolate, cider and coffee. | wplives.org

Handel’s “Messiah”

Dec. 3, 4, 11, 16, 18 | Area venues

Tahoe Symphony Orchestra and Chorus will conclude its 17th season with a pro duction of Handel’s “Messiah,” along with seasonal carols that the audience sing along with. | toccatatahoe.org

Artsy Holidays

Dec. 3, 10 | North Shore venues

North Tahoe Arts hosts Artsy Holidays featuring handmade holiday gifts, free cookie decorating for kids and a chance to meet local artists. Dec. 3 at the Tahoe City Gallery from 1 to 3 p.m. and Dec. 10 at the Kings Beach Gallery from 1 to 4 p.m. | northtahoearts.org

Siasma: A Celtic Christmas

Dec. 6 | Grand Sierra Resort | Reno, Nev.

Three orphans searching for the light that represents the true meaning of Christ mas journey from Celtic village to village, encountering traditions, superstitions, customs and antics along the way. | grandsierraresort.com

Festival of Winter Lights

Dec. 9-10 | Area venues | South Lake Tahoe

The second annual Festival of Winter Lights will include an outdoor holiday market, holidays in history at Lake Tahoe History Museum, Borges carriage rides, Santa’s house, carolers, food trucks and kids’ activities. | cityofslt.us

Homestead Holidays

Dec. 9-11 | Silver Saddle Ranch | Carson City

There will be a Christmas Craft Market, photos with Santa and letters to Santa, lighting and decorations, wagon rides, live music, storytelling and hot drinks and food. | visitcarsoncity.com

“The Nutcracker”

Dec. 9-11 | Pioneer Center | Reno, Nev.

A.V.A. Ballet Theatre presents this annual holiday ballet; Reno Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Tchaikovsky’s score. | pioneercenter.com

A Holiday Celebration

Dec. 10 | Nightingale Hall | Reno, Nev.

Dec. 11 | Atlantis Casino Resort | Reno, Nev.

Reno Wind Symphony will be performing holiday classics. | renowindsymphony. com

Tintabulations Christmas Concert

Dec. 10 | Olympic Valley Chapel

Enjoy a holiday concert with handbells, chimes and other musical instruments at 6 p.m. Come and sing along with holiday favorites. | olympicvalleychapel.org

Reno Santa Crawl

Dec. 10 | Downtown Reno, Nev.

Each year 20,000 Santas join together for a night out in downtown Reno for a unique and spectacular Christmas celebration. Santa attire is a must. | crawlreno. com

Genoa Cowboy Country Christmas

Dec. 10 | Genoa, Nev.

Celebrate a traditional Western holiday wonderland and enjoy an evening of music and food with Genoa residents, neighbors, family and friends. | Genoa Christmas on Facebook

Holiday Treat Concert

Dec. 11 | Carson City Community Center | Carson City, Nev. Carson City Symphony will be joined by Carson Chamber Singers performing Leroy Anderson’s familiar “A Christmas Festival.” A special treat is the premiere of Dale Trumbore’s “Magnificat.” | ccsymphony.com

Images of Winter

Dec. 11 | Resort at Squaw Creek | Olympic Valley

Truckee Tahoe Community Chorus presents a holiday concert that explores four winter themes — winter nights, celebration, peace, togetherness — inspired by our Truckee/Tahoe home. | truckeechorus.org

“A Night at the Movies Holiday Style”

Dec. 13 | TBA

InnerRhythms presents its Holiday Showcase of dancers. Details TBA. | inner rhythms.org

Christmas Bird Count

Dec. 14 | Area venues

The Christmas Bird Count is regarded as the largest and oldest citizen science project in the world. In Tahoe, there are two options for counting birds: you can count from your own back yard or you can hike, ski or boat to assigned bird areas and count. | tinsweb.org

“The Nutcracker” Dec. 14-15 | Grand Sierra Resort | Reno, Nev. Dec. 22-23 | Bally’s Lake Tahoe | Stateline, Nev. Reno Dance Theater will be performing the holiday classic. With a cast of the fin est talents and a lavish blend of costumes, scenery and outstanding choreography, this extraordinary production creates a magical winter wonderland that mesmerizes children of all ages.| grandsierraresort.com, ballyslaketahoe.com

“Tahoe Nutcracker”

Dec. 16-18 | North Tahoe High School | Tahoe City Lake Tahoe Dance Collective offers this holiday classic set in the ballroom of Tahoe Tavern in 1919 with professional guest artists, community members and local dancers. | laketahoedancecollective.org

Christmas in Hawaii

Dec. 17 | Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev. Jake Shimabukuro is an American ukulele virtuoso and composer known for his fast and complex finger work. He presents Christmas in Hawaii with Justin Kawika Young. | crystalbaycasino.com

Holiday Magic

Dec. 18 | The Theatre | Reno, Nev. The spirit of the holidays comes to life as the Reno Jazz Orchestra and headlining vocalists present “Holiday Magic.” | renojazzorchestra.org

Great Basin Carolers

Dec. 23-26 | Village at Palisades Tahoe | Olympic Valley Enjoy the sounds of the season with live caroling from the Great Basin Carolers from 4 to 7 p.m. | palisadestahoe.com

tocatta northstar california

christmas wonderland

TUESDAY, NOV. 22 CONT’D

North Tahoe Golden Hour

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

Teen Tuesday

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, 10:30-11 a.m., nevadacountyca.gov

FRIDAY, NOV. 25

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

SATURDAY, NOV. 26

Mohawk Community Arts Fair

Graeagle Fire Hall, 10 a.m., graeagle.com

Shop Local Shop Small 10 a.m., graeagle.com

Lego Saturdays

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

Small Business Saturday/Tahoe City Holiday Hop Tahoe City, 10 a.m.

Blairsden Holiday Market 11 a.m., blairsdengardencenter.com

Light up the Night

Northwoods Clubhouse, Truckee, 6 p.m., (530) 5879400, tahoedonner.com

SUNDAY, NOV. 27

Mohawk Community Arts Fair

Graeagle Fire Hall, 10 a.m., graeagle.com

MONDAY, NOV. 28

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

TUESDAY,

Giving Tuesday

NOV. 29

Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation, Incline Village, 7 a.m., parasol.org

Play and Learn

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

North Tahoe Toddler & Me

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

Baby Storytime

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Preschool Storytime (Kings Beach)

Kings Beach Library, 10:30 a.m., placer.ca.gov

North Tahoe Golden Hour

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

Teen Tuesday

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

WEDNESDAY,

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

THURSDAY, DEC. 1

Golden Meet & Greet

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

Baby Lapsit Storytime

North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, 10 a.m., (530) 546-2021, placer.ca.gov/2093/Library

Toddler Time

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Preschool Storytime (Tahoe City)

Tahoe City Library, T10:30 a.m., placer.ca.gov

IV Quad

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

8th Annual Tahoe Film Fest

Various North Lake Tahoe Locations, Crystal Bay, 6 p.m., tahoefilmfest.com

FRIDAY, DEC. 2

Sierra Valley Raptor Outing

Loyalton Rotary Park, Loyalton, 9 a.m., (775) 2980060, tinsweb.org

Meyers Tree Lighting Celebration

Divided Sky Parking Lot, South Lake Tahoe, 5 p.m., meyerscommunityfoundation.org

Holiday Tree Lighting & Pictures With Santa

North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, 5 p.m., northtahoeparks.com

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

8th Annual Tahoe Film Fest

Various North Lake Tahoe Locations, Crystal Bay, 5:30-10 p.m., tahoefilmfest.com

SATURDAY, DEC. 3

Breakfast With Santa

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 8 a.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Glenshire Elementary Holiday Breakfast

Glenshire Elementary PTO, Truckee, 8-11 a.m., (530) 582-7675

Artsy Holidays: Sip & Shop Tahoe City North Tahoe Arts, Tahoe City, 1-4 p.m., (530) 5812787, northtahoearts.com

8th Annual Tahoe Film Fest

Various North Lake Tahoe Locations, Crystal Bay, 2-10 p.m., tahoefilmfest.com

Holiday Santa Paws & Yappy Hour

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 3 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Heavenly Holidays Favorite Characters

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 3 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Candy Cane Village

Northern Lights, Incline Village, 4-6 p.m., northern lightstahoe.com

SUNDAY, DEC. 4

8th Annual Tahoe Film Fest

NOV. 30

Truckee Library, 10:30-11 a.m., nevadacountyca.gov

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Various North Lake Tahoe Locations, Crystal Bay, 2-10 p.m., tahoefilmfest.com

MONDAY, DEC. 5

30th Annual Winter Illness & Injury Symposium

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, Incline Village, 3 p.m., (775) 832-1234, hyatt.com

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

TUESDAY, DEC. 6

Play and Learn

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

North Tahoe Toddler & Me

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

Baby Storytime

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Preschool Storytime (Kings Beach)

Kings Beach Library, 10:30 a.m., placer.ca.gov

Bilingual Songs With Brooke Chabot

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

North Tahoe Golden Hour

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

Teen Tuesday

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Avalanche Education Series

Truckee Public House, 6 p.m., alibialeworks.com

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, 10:30-11 a.m., nevadacountyca.gov

Weird Science Wednesdays

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

THURSDAY, DEC. 8

Golden Meet & Greet

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

Toddler Time

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Preschool Storytime (Tahoe City)

Tahoe City Library, 10:30 a.m., placer.ca.gov

Paws 2 Read

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

17th Annual Winter Speaker Series

Olympic Village Events Center, Olympic Valley, 7 p.m., (530) 583-6917, alpenglowsports.com

FRIDAY, DEC. 9

Play Forever Friday

Boreal Mountain, Soda Springs, 8:35 a.m., (530) 426-3666, rideboreal.com

2nd Annual Festival of Winter Lights

City of South Lake Tahoe, 4-8 p.m., cityofslt.us

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Fall Movie Nights

North Tahoe Event Center Big Screen, Kings Beach, 6 p.m., northtahoeparks.com

SATURDAY, DEC. 10

Breakfast With Santa

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 8 a.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Lego Saturdays

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

Holiday Santa Paws & Yappy Hour

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 3 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

Heavenly Holidays Favorite Characters

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 3 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

2nd Annual Festival of Winter Lights

City of South Lake Tahoe, 4-8 p.m., cityofslt.us

MONDAY, DEC. 12

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

TUESDAY, DEC. 13

Play and Learn

South Lake Tahoe Library, 9 a.m., eldoradolibrary.org North Tahoe Toddler & Me

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

Baby Storytime

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Preschool Storytime (Kings Beach)

Kings Beach Library, 10:30 a.m., placer.ca.gov

North Tahoe Golden Hour

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

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14

RUFF (Read up for Fun)

Truckee Library, 10:30-11 a.m., nevadacountyca.gov

Holiday Party With Santa

Incline Village Library, 4 p.m., washoecountylibrary.us

Heavenly Village Community Tree Lighting

Shops at Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 5:30 p.m., theshopsatheavenly.com

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS FOR FREE

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

ICESKATING

NORTH SHORE

NORTHSTAR

OPENS 11/18 | (530) 562-1010 | northstarcalifornia.com

Open air rink. Free access. TART

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

OPENS 11/25 | (530) 583-1516 | wintersportspark.com

Ice skating & rentals. Clubhouse. TART

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

EDGEWOOD TAHOE

OPENS 11/23 | (888) 769-1924 | edgewoodtahoe.com

Open air rink. Daily 4-9 p.m.Rentals available.

HEAVENLY VILLAGE

OPEN | (530) 542-4230 | theshopsatheavenly.com

Open air rink. South Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE ICE ARENA (530) 542-6262 | cityofslt.com

Indoor facility open year-round. South Tahoe

TRUCKEE

TRUCKEE RIVER REGIONAL PARK

OPENS 11/19 | (530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

Skate rentals, broomball leagues, ice dancing & hockey lessons. Skate rentals & season passes available. TART

SLEDDING & TUBING

EAST SHORE

SPOONER LAKE (775) 831-0494

State park open for snow play. Bring equipment. Parking fee.

HOPE VALLEY AREA

CARSON PASS (209) 295-4251

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

HOPE VALLEY (775) 882-2766

Highway 88 at Blue Lakes Road. Bring equipment.*

MEISS MEADOW (209) 295-4251

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

NORTH SHORE

INCLINE VILLAGE

Snow Play Area on Fairway Blvd., next to the Chateau, on the driving range. Bring equipment.

NORTH TAHOE REGIONAL PARK (530) 546-0605 | northtahoeparks.com

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

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK OPENS 11/25 | (530) 583-1516 | wintersportspark.com

Sledding & cross-country trails. Rentals available. Clubhouse. Reserve online. TART

OLYMPIC VALLEY

SQUAW VALLEY PARK placer.ca.gov

Free snowplay area. Free parking to access cleared walking paths in Olympic Valley to Tahoe City. Bring equipment. TART

PALISADES TAHOE (530) 452-4511 | palisadestahoe.com

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

ADVENTURE MOUNTAIN

OPEN | (530) 659-7217 | adventuremountaintahoe.com

On top of Echo Summit with machine-groomed sledding, tubing & snowplay. First-come, first-served.

ECHO LAKE

(530) 644-2324

Highway 50 at Echo Lake Road. Bring equipment.*

HANSEN’S RESORT

OPEN TBD | (530) 544-3361 | hansensresort.com 400-foot-long groomed tube run on Ski Run Blvd. First-come, first-served.

HEAVENLY

OPEN TBD | skiheavenly.com

Tubing at top of gondola with four lanes.

KAHLE PARK (775) 586-7271 | douglascountynv.gov

Off Highway 207. Bring equipment. South Tahoe

SAWMILL POND

On Lake Tahoe Blvd. Bring equipment. South Tahoe

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE

OPEN TBD | (530) 659-7453 | sierraattahoe.com

Blizzard Mountain offers two lift-accessible snow tubing lanes, snow play and sledding area.

TAHOE SNOWMOBILE TUBING

OPENS 11/18 | (530) 542-3294 | tahoesnowmobiles.com

At Tahoe Paradise & Stateline, Nev. Reserve online.

TAYLOR CREEK

(530) 543-2600

Highway 89, north of Camp Richardson Road. Bring equipment.* South Tahoe

TUBETAHOE

OPENS DEC. | (530) 600-2304 | tubetahoe.com

500 feet of machine-groomed tubing lanes in Meyers. Equipment provided. South Tahoe

TRUCKEE

BOREAL MOUNTAIN

OPEN TBD | rideboreal.com

Tubing open to everyone 42” and taller; smaller children are limited to snow play area only. Personal sleds not permitted. Night sessions available. Reserve online.

DONNER SKI RANCH

OPEN TBD | donnerskiranch.com

Tubing hills with moving carpet.

DONNER SUMMIT (530) 587-3558

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

KINGVALE RESORT

OPEN TBD | (530) 427-5090 | kingvaleresort.com

Snow park open Thurs.-Mon.; daily during holidays. Bring sleds. Plastic sleds available to buy. Tubes not allowed. Parking & snow park fee, cash only.

NORTHSTAR CALIFORNIA

OPEN TBD | northstarcalifornia.com TART

SODA SPRINGS

skisodasprings.com

Mountain Adventure offers kids tubing with up to 10 lanes with a surface lift, Snow Jeep rides, Start Park, snow play area and mini snowmobiles. Reserve online.

SUGAR

TAHOE

horoscopes

BY MICHAEL O’CONNOR

FIRE EARTH AIR WATER

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

With eclipse season having delivered its payload, you should know by now what the destined impact of it was for you, however sometimes there is a delay. The main emphasis is on your financial status. Meanwhile, a steadily growing influence from Sagittarius should serve to boost your spirits.

Taurus

(Apr

20 – May 20)

Last week’s Lunar Eclipse in your sign is bound to be reverberating in your world. Increasing your sense of individuality is a central theme. Deepening of certain relationships, especially the one with your own self, and pulling away or outright endings regarding other associations continues.

Gemini (May 21 – Jun 21)

A regenerative process linked to your health, diet and lifestyle in general continues. Meanwhile, a new impulse is rising which bodes well for your social life. This will become increasingly evident this week as circumstances lead you to reach out and engage friends and new cultural experiences.

Cancer (Jun 22 – Jul 22)

A strong creative impulse is steadily rising. It does include cooperation and a new balance of power on relationship fronts. Circumstances are pushing you to make some very real changes. The beauty is that you are meant to be more creative, not less, so use that as your guiding principle.

Leo (Jul 23 – Aug 23)

In the deepest sense, changes close to home have and continue to unfold. These may have to do with interior design and renovations. However, the changes may be deeper, yet also subtler, regarding new attitudes. Improvement is a keyword, in this regard, so direct your focus accordingly for best results.

Virgo (Aug 24 – Sep 22)

Destined changes in some of your perspectives continue to unfold. A rising sense of determination is featured. You may feel inspired to advance to the next level on a variety of fronts. Creating a more beautiful and functional home environment is on the list. Outline a to-do list.

Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

Questions regarding what you feel you truly want and need continue to occupy your thoughts. This process can manifest as doing research for the sake of making sound investments, or you may be assessing what you want to purge. Themes of freedom are a core motivation guiding your choices.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

Last month’s eclipse in your sign has likely had a larger impact for you than for most others. Yet, you may still find yourself deliberating and discerning regarding your best approach. Why are you doing what and

how you are doing it? Are you being reactive or genuinely visionary?

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

It is quite possible that your confidence levels have been shifting. You may have experienced some dips over the past several weeks, but also some rises. Now, with a fresh activation due to planets entering your sign, you will likely feeling boosted, empowered and determined.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

Deciphering who you are and are not is an important theme of late. Of course, this connects to what you do and do not want to do. Questions of career are featured, but may reach to deeper, inner levels, as well. In other words, you have possibly embarked on a soulsearching journey, which will continue.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 19)

Endings, completions, graduations and other such changes and processes in your career and public life continue. In some respects, what was might have disintegrated or your own interest has diminished. Positively, this will lead you to explore new options and opportunities.

Pisces (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

Changes in your beliefs and philosophies continue. Meanwhile, some of the energy is directed to your home and living environment. A renovation process is quite likely and could linger through to spring. The emphasis is also already shifting to your career and social responsibilities.

puzzles

Courtesy Kirkwood

CROSS-COUNTRY OPENING

DATES

Many downhill ski areas throughout the region opened early for the 2022-23 season after early November snow storms blanketed the region, along with a number of cross-country centers. Read the Downhill Guide for opening dates for local resorts and our Winter Family Fun chart for opening dates for tubing areas and ice skating rinks, both in this edition.

CROSS-COUNTRY OPENING DATES

BE PREPARED BEFORE VISITING

Mt.Rose

after any major holiday.

Ski on the cheap | Nearly every local downhill and cross-country ski area offers discounted ski days throughout the season. Do the research to save the dough.

Cashless | Carry a credit card. Most ski areas have moved to cashless systems, including at many of their dining options. Download ski area apps in advance of visiting to use and many offer advance ordering for food through their apps.

and giant slalom will take place on Dog Leg and Red Dog Face. Cheer on the world’s best right from the base area while taking in a weekend of outdoor concerts, fireworks, sponsor popups and more. Tickets are on sale now. | palisadestahoe.com

Make the most of your trip with these tips.

Plan early | Buy your tickets in advance. Most ski areas only offer online sales and many require advance purchase of at least one day. You’ll also get the best deals the earlier you buy. There will be limited or no on-site sales at most ski areas.

Buy a pass | You can run the numbers

Ditch the car | Avoid long traffic lines and limited parking by taking resort shuttles or public transportation to ski areas.

PLATES FOR POWDER RETURNS

Purchase a specialty license plate through the Plates for Powder program and ski for free this season at one of 14 area resorts. Proceeds from plate sales

Tahoe XC

Palisades Tahoe

Tahoe Fund

Events

Dec. 17 | Classic Holiday Sprint

Dec. 18 | Holiday Distance Skate

Dec. 31 | New Year’s Eve Freestyle

Jan. 13 | Truckee Sprints race

Feb. 17 | President’s Cup Skiathlon

One of the oldest ski clubs in the West, the Auburn Ski Club, founded in 1928, serves a diverse array of skiers from the ASC Training Center located on Donner Summit. The nonprofit winter sports facility is one of the few training centers in the country to offer alpine, Nordic, biathlon and snowboard programs in one facility. Its athletes range from first-time skiers and riders to Olympic-level and U.S. Team professionals.

The Nordic center is open for the season and its alpine and snowboard teams train at neighboring Boreal Mountain Resort.

Night skiing | After a successful trial last season for cross-country night skiing, ASC will debut the permanent night-skiing facilities on Dec. 14 this year. Skiers will be able to enjoy the trails until 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Fridays, with additional night sessions Wednesday to Saturday from Dec. 21 to Jan 4. Some temporary lights will be used this winter until the permanent lights are fully installed, which should be completed by the end of the season. The New Year’s Eve Freestyle is a fundraiser for the lighting project. n

Events

Dec. 9-April 7 (select dates) | $25 Fridays

March 18-20 | Subaru Winterfest April 8 | Boreal Banked Slalom

Boreal continues its Go Time Lift Tickets this season – guests purchase tickets in advance online and pick a start time. The later in the day, the better the lift ticket deal.

Night Pass | Be sure to snap up one of the Night Passes this season (supplies are limited) to enjoy daily night access from 3 to 8 p.m. with no blackout dates.

12 & younger free | This year, Boreal has expanded its Kids Ride Free program to youth ages 12 and younger with their

own pass with the purchase of an Adult Unlimited Pass.

Woodward Tahoe | Boreal is home to Woodward Tahoe, offering indoor facilities at The Bunker with foam pits, trampolines, an indoor skatepark, ramps and drops. Outside, check out the network of terrain zones to build skills.

Feel Good Fridays | Enjoy $25 lift tickets with proceeds going to a nonprofit on select dates this season. n

A Year of Weather Extremes

WHAT’S AHEAD FOR 2023?

BY MARK MCLAUGHLIN

It happens every year like clockwork. October’s shorter days and colder nights trigger weather prophets to come forth with their long-range winter fore casts. It’s traditionally a time to look forward to the upcoming storm season. In the West, precipitation (rain com bined with the liquid equivalent of snow) is measured in water years from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 as opposed to a cal endar year. Early October is historically the time of minimum stream flow and reservoir levels, as well as the tradition al start of California’s rainy season. Is another dry season in the offing as we enter winter 2022-23 with yet anoth er moderate to weak La Niña episode influencing storm patterns over the Golden State?

Highly erratic 2021-22 season

Last winter’s weather was highly erratic, partially influenced by similar La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pa cific Ocean — with cooler than normal sea-surface temperatures. This negative phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) helped establish extended high-pressure blocking systems in the mid-latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. These quasi-stationary anticyclones deflect the eastbound jet stream and its associated weather systems. Atmospheric blocking comes in various shapes and forms, but the pattern is not unusual in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the California coast. When the atmospheric ridge is directly over California or just to the west, weather systems are deflected into the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies. But when the high-pressure cell retrogrades west or south, it opens the storm door.

This scenario seems to have become more common in recent years and has even been dubbed the Ridiculously Re silient Ridge, but blocking is a sporadic weather pattern and highly variable from year to year and even from decade to decade. Some scientists are con cerned that climate change may increase these blocking episodes in the Northern Hemisphere, but other experts affirm that so far there are no clear trends indi cating that this is the case.

The pattern is often caused by ampli fied Rossby waves — dramatic north and south meanders in the jet stream — an atmospheric configuration that drives frigid Artic air deep south; warm, moist air far north or brings a period of quies cent weather depending on location.

Early start to last winter

Last winter started off with an epic blast of rain and snow in late October when a powerful low-pressure system tapped into an atmospheric river out of the Pacific Ocean. Precipitation values in the Northern Sierra quickly reached 200 percent of average for that early in the season. On Oct. 25, Blue Canyon on the Sierra west slope was deluged with more than 10 inches in 24 hours, beat ing the previous one-day record from 1964. Nearly 10 inches of rain drenched Tahoe City, also a new record. About 5 feet of snow fell at the Central Sierra Snow Lab near Donner Pass.

December barrage

The moisture tap turned off in Novem ber and for the first half of December, but then a nine-day megastorm roared into the Tahoe Sierra. In an overwhelm ing display of nature’s raw power, In terstate 80 and Highway 50 were closed

to trans-Sierra traffic for days. Travel by train, plane or automobile was shut down, while gasoline supplies ran out in many communities.

Many mountain and foothill commu nities lost electricity. Nearly 100,000 customers huddled in the cold and dark for days waiting for utility crews to fight through downed trees and deep snow to repair damaged lines.

Lead scientist Dr. Andrew Schwartz at the Central Sierra Snow Lab tallied al most 18 feet of snow during the barrage, the most December snow since at least 1970. (The lab was established in 1945, but snowfall data are not yet digitized prior to 1970.)

Palisades Tahoe topped its previous snowiest December (1970) with 211 inches for the month. Both Homewood Mountain Resort and Diamond Peak were hammered with 10 feet, while Northstar California reached a seasonal total of 23 feet — before New Year’s Eve. The first snow survey at the end of December 2021 revealed the Sierra snowpack was 160 percent of normal. Ski resorts were elated with the pro digious snowfall and according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the exceptional drought category had nearly been elim inated from the Golden State. And all this happened within eight weeks since NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) issued its drier than normal fore cast for California’s winter season.

Months of dry weather

But after the exceptional snowfall in December — crickets. Strong high pressure with an amplified jet stream built in over the eastern Pacific, effec tively shutting down the storm track for all of January. Overnight temperatures

in the mountains dropped to near zero under the clear skies, but there was no precipitation. It was the third driest Jan uary in Tahoe City since at least 1909. Throughout the whole month, the upper mountain at Palisades Tahoe picked up just 6 inches of snow. By the second snow survey on Feb. 1, 2022, snow water equivalent (SWE) in the mountain snowpack had plummeted from 160 percent to 90 percent for the date.

Twenty out of California’s 30 major climate stations reported their Top 5 driest January’s on record. It was an ominous sign. In February, no sig nificant storms materialized but a mid-winter heatwave began to melt the Sierra snowpack in earnest. At South Lake Tahoe, sunny skies with temps in the mid- to upper 50s corresponded to record warm conditions more than 20 degrees above normal in the lower elevations.

The anomalous amplification of the jet stream with dry and balmy weather continued into March.

Arriving late to the party, a strong storm in mid-April finally broke down the blocking high pressure. Palisades Tahoe was stoked with 7 feet of snow at 8,000 feet, but by then many resorts had shut down for the season.

Dry spells & heat waves

The dearth of winter storms was sober ing. San Francisco had 44 consecutive rain-free days in January and February, its fourth longest mid-winter dry spell since 1849. Reno, Nev. suffered through January with no measurable precipita tion for the first time in nearly 130 years of record keeping. Although win ter-season dry

slots are a normal part of Northern California’s climate, they are

LEFT: Early snow on KT-22 at Palisades Tahoe, circa Oct. 27, 2021.

RIGHT: NOAA infrared satellite image of blocking pattern, circa Jan. 25, 2015. | Mark McLaughlin

Retired National Weather Service forecaster Jan Null recently shared his analysis of 24 La Niña events … It’s clear, statistically at least, La Niña-influenced winter seasons are generally a good signal for close to normal precipitation in our neighborhood.

MARK’S COLUMN IS SPONSORED BY

more common and longer during weak ENSO events.

In the heart of the 2022 wet season, Sacramento went 10 weeks without a drop of rain. In 2021, the capital city had set a record streak with 212 consec utive dry days, until the October “bomb cyclone” flooded the town with unprec edented rainfall. Weather extremes to be sure.

The dry winter of 2022 segued into a warmer-than-normal summer be fore peaking in a blistering heat wave in September that set new all-time high-temperature records across North ern California. Sacramento residents sweltered in a new record of 116 de grees on Sept. 7, exceeding 114 degrees set on July 17, 1925.

During the same event, Reno boiled under a temperature of 106 on Sept. 6, the hottest temperature ever recorded in September and the fourth highest in the city’s history. The Biggest Little City in the World also endured nine consecu tive days with triple-digit heat, its third longest streak, just one day short of the 10-day records set in July 2005 and July 2021. September’s average temperature in Reno was 71.3 degrees, 4.3 above average, making it the warmest ever. South Lake Tahoe set new daily highs in the low 90s.

September rain

Smoke transport from The Mosqui to Fire near Foresthill was an issue this past summer, but conditions were not quite as bad for the Lake Tahoe Basin as the Caldor Fire was in Au gust/September 2021. Fortunately, in mid-September 2022, as wildfire season approached its zenith, an exceptionally vigorous low-pressure system formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean and slid south along the California coastline, tapping subtropical moisture and drenching the mountains with several inches of rain. For the second year in a row, early season precipitation materially reduced the risk of forest fire across much of California.

As of Nov. 11, Lake Tahoe’s water level is 6,222.82 feet above sea level, dropping below its natural rim at 6,223 feet. It is not an uncommon occurrence because Big Blue has fallen below this point about 15 percent of the time since the dam was completed in 1913. Since the development of massive irrigation projects in the arid American West, it has become clear that early 20th-Century officials overestimated the amount of water available to allocate. The poster child for this hydrologi cal exuberance is the Colorado River system, which has been desiccated by a mega-drought for two decades. A word of advice: If they tell you that you’re in a 20- or 30-year dry spell, it’s not a drought. That’s your climate.

Virtually all of California was dri er than normal during the winter of 2021-22 except for some locations in

the Central Sierra and a few rural areas north of Truckee. Unique among Cali fornia’s 10 hydrologic basins, the North Lahontan Hydrologic Region (NLHR) was the only one that achieved average annual precipitation. The NLHR, whose drainage basins are generally located in the rain shadow caused by the Sierra range, encompass much of the Tahoe Sierra topography.

The Lahontan Region includes a dozen major watersheds; among them the Truckee, Carson and Walker River drainages. Unfortunately, due to the timing and type of this year’s weather events, streamflow runoff was well be low average. Precipitation values on the west slope of the Sierra ranged from 81 percent on the Northern Sierra Precip itation 8-Station Index to 63 percent in the Central Sierra, falling to 59 percent on the Southern Index.

What’s in store for 2023-24?

For the past two years NOAA’s CPC long-range forecast has envisioned below average precipitation based on similar La Niña conditions and this year is no different.

On Oct. 13, the CPC confirmed that the current ENSO-negative conditions should prevail and weaken through the 2022-23 winter with a 54 percent chance of a transition to an ENSO-neu tral phase during February to April.

There have only been three three-year La Niña episodes in 73 years of record keeping. The CPC’s extended, multimonth outlooks for precipitation and temperature have utility when consid ered in the broadest sense of large-scale trends but fail to indicate higher-resolu tion weather events like impactful atmo spheric rivers or juiced-up low-pressure systems from the Gulf of Alaska.

For skiers, boarders and outdoor en thusiasts, CPC outlooks are simply the agency’s educated guess, not a pinpoint forecast.

Retired National Weather Service forecaster Jan Null recently shared his analysis of 24 La Niña events and their impacts on the North Lahontan sector. Since 1950, out of two dozen negative ENSO oscillations, our hydrologic region averaged above normal precip itation for weak and moderate events and 97 percent during strong events. It’s clear, statistically at least, La Niña-in fluenced winter seasons are generally a good signal for close to normal precipi tation in our neighborhood. n

Events

Jan. 13, Feb. 10, March 10

| Twilight Snowshoe

Feb. & March (Wed.) | Last Tracks

Feb. 3 | Ullr Fest & Torchlight Parade

March 5 | Retro Ski Day

March 14 | Pi Day

March 25-26

| Luggi Foeger Uphill/Downhill Festival

March 26 | Winter Wildlife Snowshoe

April 1 | Dummy Downhill

Diamond Peak is one of the region’s independently owned ski areas, and is owned by the residents of Incline Village, Nev., but is open to all. It’s also one of only a handful of downhill resorts located in the Tahoe Basin that also offers breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe from many of its runs.

New surface lift | A new magic carpet surface lift has been installed for the Child Ski & Ride Center for ages 3 to 6.

RFID access | Diamond Peak has installed new Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) access gates at the Lodgepole, Lakeview, School House and

Crystal Express chairlifts this winter providing touch-free convenience for season pass and lift ticket holders.

Terrain park changes | The mediumand large-sized features in Village Terrain Park are moving for the 2022-23 ski season to the Spillway run, opening the ski runs known as Penguin and Dusty’s for traditional groomed skiing and riding this winter. Smaller jumps and features will still be located near the bottom of the Wiggle run (in the same zone as last season). The Jump Start Park for firsttime terrain park users will remain at the bottom of Popular trail.

Uphill Access | Diamond Peak is now offering an Uphill Access Pass for $50 to existing Diamond Peak passholders or IVGID passholders.

Ski & ride free | Children 6 and younger and adults older than 80 years ski for free.

Deals | Diamond Peak offers a number of great deals including free skiing on your birthday, an Interchangeable Parent’s Pass, and a 2 for 1 deal for those with disabilities. n

Donner Ski Ranch is a family-friendly resort that features a variety of terrain and is one of the few remaining independently owned and operated family ski resorts.

Donner Ski Ranch boasts more than 500 acres of sheer fun at one of the highest base elevation ski areas in the Sierra with sweeping views of Donner Lake. For beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders, Donner Ski Ranch offers easy access to novice runs. Advanced skiers and riders can enjoy untouched lines at Donner Ski Ranch’s aggressive high-mountain and backside terrain. Old School Days | Enjoy throwback pricing on lift tickets and packages deals

Granlibakken’s ski hill is perfect for beginners. Approachable, uncrowded and easily viewed from the deck and warming hut making it great for families. It’s also one of the region’s independent and still family-owned ski areas.

The current resort opened in 1947, but the historic ski and sled hill originally known as Ski Canyon has been the site for winter sports dating back nearly 100 years.

The ski hill and ski school are open Friday to Monday and daily during holidays. There is also a Nordic trail around the property and an access trail to Page Meadows.

Tubing | The resort offers popular tubing lanes served by snowmaking systems

along with the Benny the Bear snow play area, which is open daily in the winter.

Night Sledding | Enjoy night sledding during the holidays on select dates in December and January from 5 to 6:30 p.m. with laser lights, music and glowsticks. Complimentary hot mulled wine for adults and hot chocolate for kids are included with every ticket.

Kids sled free | Kids younger than 3 sled for free.

Treetop park | The Tahoe City Treetop Park located at the resort offers aerial adventures for ages 5 and older. n

EVENTS

TBA | Gunbarrel 25

TBA | Pond Skim

TBA | Springs Fling Rail Jam

Heavenly sits in two states, providing a one-of-a-kind skiing experience with its iconic, breathtaking views of Lake Tahoe. From 34 miles of wide-open, groomed cruisers to 1,600-foot plunges in doubleblack diamond canyons, Heavenly has something for everyone. Then, after a day on slopes, enjoy the après ski scene, local brewpubs, diverse dining and Vegas-style nightlife

New lift | Heavenly’s upgraded North Bowl Lift will be open for the upcoming season. Upgraded from a fixed-grip, 3-person chair to a high-speed, detachable 4-person chair, this upgrade will increase uphill capacity by more than 40 percent and reduce the combined ride

time of the Boulder and North Bowl lifts. This is expected to also reduce wait times at the Stagecoach and Olympic lifts.

DJ Cat | On weekends starting in December, enjoy the on-the-mountain party as rotating guest DJs play favorites out of a specially modified snowcat

Après Tracks | After normal resort hours, guests staying at Zalanta, Lakeland Village or Gondola Vista on Sunday nights can join Ski Patrol members to ski down the lake-view Ridge Run. Waiting at the bottom for participants will be delicious culinary offerings paired with beverages.

Uphill access | Heavenly offers uphill access between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. during regular ski season operations only on approved routes.

Kids ski free | Kids ages 4 & younger ski free. n

Plans for Homewood to move to a membership-based model in the next 3 years was unveiled by Art Chapman, chairman of JMA Ventures which operates the ski area, in early November at the First Tuesday Breakfast Club.

Chapman said that the newly rebranded Homewood Mountain & Lake Club will sell legacy memberships, as well as local resident memberships with access to skiing and riding to provide a sustainable revenue model for the ski area. There will be no changes for the 2022-23 season, with Chapman noting a more solidified plan would be released next year.

With a 40 percent decline in daily skier visits in the last 10 years, increasing traffic issues and competition from larger ski areas, Chapman said that Homewood’s current operations as a commuter-based ski resort is failing.

“It’s virtually impossible for small, commuter-oriented ski areas to compete against the monolithic, very large ski areas,” he said.

Chapman also noted that Homewood needs costly investments for its aging infrastructure that can’t be funded through its current model. Namely, the replacement of the 50-year Madden Chair

estimated at $12 million, replacement of the Ellis Chair in the near future, and upgrades to on-mountain dining that would cost around $15 million.

The membership model would be a legacy membership, passing to generations of families. It would include owners of the planned 175 to 180 on-mountain homes (seven are under construction now), as well as nonresidents. In addition, a local resident membership would be offered during some nonholiday, midweeks times for West Shore residents, he said.

Community Ski Days would also be offered to benefit local nonprofits.

Development | Along with building on-mountain homes (scaled back from the approved 223 residents), there will be a 15- to 20-room hotel. There will also be a general store and ice cream parlor, both of which will be open to the public.

Homewood High & Dry would continue to be open to the public, he said, and the public would continue to have access to hiking trails in the summer. n

n

Kirkwood Mountain Resort

Events

Dec. 10 | Santa Ski Day

Feb. 11 | McKinney Cup March 11-12 | Tahoe Freeride

Experience more than 1,200 acres and 1,800 vertical feet at Mt. Rose, boasting the region’s highest elevation base area at 8,260 feet.

New lift | Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe’s new Lakeview zone, a $7.5 million, on-mountain expansion, will offer the new Lakeview Express lift catering to low-level and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. Other lifts on the mountain also received a facelift with a fresh, modern paint scheme and low-voltagedrive updates on the fixed-grip chairs.

New trail | The new Lakeside trail will

feature views of Lake Tahoe and provide the preferred route to access the Around the World trail.

The Chutes | Opened in the 2004-05 season, the 200+ acre Chutes offer some of the longest vertical feet in North America. Tackle more than 1,000 feet of north-facing slopes with pitches from 40 to 55 degrees. This expert-only area may be accessed through designated gates –four on the Mt. Rose side and five on the Winters Creek Lodge side.

The Deals | Mt. Rose offers some great deals throughout the season including Two’fer Tuesdays, Ladies’ Day on Thursdays, SKI.G.I.F on Fridays and Locals Sundays.

Events

Dec.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this winter, Northstar’s diverse terrains and 100 trails offer something for every skier and rider to enjoy. Anniversary celebrations haven’t been announced but Northstar vice president and general manager Amy Ohran said revelers will need their best 70s outfit for the festivities.

New lift | The Comstock Express lift has been upgraded to a high-speed six-person chair to reduce wait times and increase uphill capacity by nearly 50 percent.

First tracks | For the first time, passholders will have early access to

the mountain every Monday at 8:30 a.m. starting mid-December.

Make a toast | Tôst, one of Northstar’s signature traditions will return this season; dates TBA. Enjoy a glass of bubbly. Local tip: Get in line by 1:30 p.m. to partake in the 2 p.m. Tôst glasses are first-come, first-served.

New eatery, shops | Ohran says Vail will be reopening seven owned stores in the Village at Northstar and 4 new tenants will be opening in the Village. As well, the new Wild Pine Kitchen Bar restaurant, a family-style rotisseries, will open in December.

Local transit | The Park & Ride shuttle will return this year offering service from the Truckee Tahoe Airport to Northstar. Kids ski free | Kids ages 4 & younger ski free. n

Sierra-at-Tahoe has rebounded from a devasting fire and will open its entire 46 trail network this season in celebration of the resort’s 76th anniversary.

In 2021, the Caldor Fire blazed through Sierra-at-Tahoe affecting 1,600 of its 2,000 acres, damaging lift towers, haul ropes, disintegrating terrain park features and melting four new snowcats.

Adventure Zones | On-mountain themed adventure zones feature terrain elements such as rollers, mini jumps and banked turns that keep children

entertained, while signage and animated characters educate them on local history and animal species. Each adventure zone focuses on a theme, including the Wampa Cave featuring a Star Wars theme.

Mountain Tours | Learn more about the geology and history of Sierra-at-Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe Basin on a guided, onehour tour on select weekends.n

| Noel Nights TBA | Spring it On TBA | Pond Skim

Events April 9 | Subaru Winterfest

Palisades Tahoe’s long-awaited new Base to Base Gondola will make it possible to explore all 6,000 acres of terrain at the ski resort connecting the two base areas of Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows. The Gondola is set to open Dec. 17. The community is invited to ride the gondola for free (no skis or boards), Dee Bryne, president and COO announced at Good Morning Truckee.

The Base to Base Gondola can be operated as one continuous lift or as two separate lifts from each base area to the top of KT-22. The Gondola has four terminals: one in each base area, one at the top of KT-22 and one on private land (no disembarking will be allowed at this terminal). The scenic ride from one base area to the other will take around 16 minutes and cover 2.4 miles. Each of the 96 cabins can fit up to 8 passengers.

Red Dog | Red Dog lift will be replaced with a high-speed, detachable six-person lift. The base terminal will be moved to the east, giving skiers direct access to the lift from the parking lot.

World Cup | One of only four U.S. resorts featured on the World Cup circuit this season, Palisades Tahoe will host men’s slalom and giant slalom events Feb. 25 and 26, 2023. The event brings tens of thousands of spectators to the resort and tickets are on sale now.

Upgrades | The Funitel entrance, the gondola terminal and the member’s locker room at the Olympic Valley base area have all been renovated. At the Funitel there will be a new, accessible central plaza, pushing back the snow beach to start on the south side of the Funitel building.

Snowmaking | New snowmaking systems have been installed on Julia’s Gold and lower Red Dog Face on the Olympic Valley side. As well, automatic snowmaking systems have been installed on Weasel trail at Alpine Meadows.

Alpine updates | The Sun Deck and snow beach at Alpine Lodge have been expanded over the summer, as well as improvements at the Alpine Chalet including a new container kitchen to double service ability.

Transit | Mountaineer, the service that offers free winter transportation in Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows, will add new service routes and expand its schedule for the 2022-23 season from Dec. 9 to April 9, 2023. Service will be offered four days a week between the two valleys.

The free on-demand TART Connect microtransit has also been expanded offering connections from Olympic Valley and River Ranch (at the base of Alpine Meadows Road) into Tahoe City. Both may be scheduled through their respective

apps.

The Sherwood Shuttle will be also running this year with access from the West Shore to Ward Canyon.

As well, guests can get real-time updates on the parking status through the resort app.

Development | Palisades Tahoe will be resubmitting development proposals to Placer County this fall, which will include housing for 300 employees at the entrance to Olympic Valley, that Bryne said they would like to start building as early as May. They also plan to pursue development of an enclosed, multipurpose mountain adventure center in the base area, she said, to include a pool at the minimum, a ski team fitness center, climbing walls, conference space and office space.

Peaks renamed | The U.S. Geological Survey ordered the renaming of several geographic features in September after declaring the work sq**w to be a derogatory term, a move that had long been sought by the Washo Tribe. These included Washeshu Peak from Sq**w Peak; Washeshu Creek from Sq**w Creek; and Olympic Valley from Sq**w Valley. n

Events

Nov. 18 & 19 | Ski Swap

Sky Tavern is unique among local ski areas in that is not only a nonprofit, but also a co-op that is run by volunteers who man the lifts, teach the lessons and perform every task around the resort to teach kids how to ski and ride. Sky

Tavern is the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit learn to ski and ride program.

Seasons passes are required to access the ski area along with a few hours of your time for adults or kids must be registered in one of their programs.

Snowmaking | For the first time in the ski area’s history, Sky Tavern will be making snow this season. Two new

snowmaking guns are coming from Techno Alpin and will be installed at Sky Tavern. Shop the Swap | Help the nonprofit that runs the ski hill continue its program at its annual Ski Swap on Nov. 18 and 19.

New mountain bike trails | Sky Tavern offers a fantastic mountain bike trail system in the summer and recently completed the new Sutherland Trail and the 4-mile Tamarack Lake Trail that connects to College Boy trail. There are also plans in the works for a shuttle to ferry mountain bikers to the top of Highway 431 to connect into the Sky

Tavern trail system, which can be ridden into Reno. E-bikes are also allowed on the trails. n

It’s a winter wonderland of kidorientated fun at Soda Springs from the Planet Kids snow play area for ages 7 and younger featuring tubing carousals, tubing lanes, snow volcanoes to climb and more to the 10 tubing runs for the whole family to enjoy at Tube Town.

Mountain Adventure | Mountain Adventure includes access to everything kids will love – the kids tubing carousel, snow tubing, rides on the snow Jeep, kids ski/snowboarding learning zone, Woodward Start Park zone, and the snow play area with snow volcanoes.

Family Pass | One of the best deals around is Soda Springs’ Family Access with full access to the resort for two

adults and two kids. The pass includes access to the lifts, Tube Town, Planet Kids, Woodward Start Park and other activities. And it’s good every day all season with no blackout dates.

Complimentary rentals |

Complimentary rental equipment (skis/ snowboard/helmet) is available from the West Meadows Lodge at Planet Kids for guests with a shoe size 4 or below on a first-come, first-served basis.

Events

Jan. 21 | Poker Run

Feb. 25 | Banked Slalom

April 1 | Uphiller

April 8 | Tiki Pond Skim

Sugar Bowl will debut its new tubing park – dubbed Sugar Rush – on Dec. 17. The new 10-lane tubing center will be located off Judah Road and features a 400-foot magic carpet.

There will be a new parking lot for the center, along with lights, sugary treats to go with the Sugar Rush theme, a kids snow play area and a bar for adults. It will be open weekends and some holidays.

Tree thinning | There’s also been a lot of work on forest health throughout the West Village including removing about 10,000 trees and removing understory brush. The forest work will also provide improved tree skiing.

Limited passes | Sugar Bowl is limiting its season passes sales again for this year. “We pride ourselves on being uncrowded,” Sugar Bowl president & CEO Bridget Legnavsky said at the November Good Morning Truckee event.

Events | Legnavsky also said there will be pop-up bars around the resort, a Music in the Park series and races throughout the season.

New gondola | The historic gondola will be running this season, Legnavsky said, but noted that the resort’s master plan calls for a proposed realignment from Judah entrance with a new gondola sometime in the future.

The Deals | Sugar Bowl offers a number of lift ticket deals to military and veterans, law enforcement officers, EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and registered front-line nurses working in hospitals or COVID-19 care facilities. n

Events

Dec. 25 | Ski with Santa Dec. 31 | NYE Glowstick Parade & Fireworks Nov. 25 | Cross-country Opens

Tahoe Donner continues to work on the replacement of its lodge at the downhill area. The plan for the new lodge includes a three-level, terraced structure that would include dining, rentals and guest services, staff locker rooms, restrooms and the ski school offices. It would also include a deck that would be located on the same level as the existing ski lifts. The building would be 7,500 square feet

larger than the current structure. The Town of Truckee is reviewing the most recent updates to the application and public hearings will take place when that is completed. Updates on the process are available at townoftruckee.com. n

THE makers

Truckee Flannel Company CLOTHING

WITH A PURPOSE

BY PRIYA HUTNER

Wearing the perfect flannel is syn onymous with outdoor living. That is just what Lisa and Brian Nigon had in mind when they created Truckee Flannel Company. The couple’s love of the outdoors inspires their designs.

I purchased a shirt at the Tahoe City Oktoberfest, where Truckee Flannel Co. had a booth. I wore it throughout my recent trip to Scotland. The royal-blue plaid flannel kept me warm while I was traipsing around Fort William, the wet test place in Scotland. The shirt is soft and cozy, too.

“We came up with the idea several years ago. We really wanted to connect people to the outdoors and thought Truckee Flannel was a way to do that. It is really important to us because we’re so involved in the outdoors,” says Lisa. The company’s slogan is: Creating a connection to the outdoors one flannel at a time.

The Nigon’s started their business in May 2021 and debuted at Truckee Thursdays. The company boasts four types of flannels. The casual wear flan nel is a traditional cotton flannel, which Brian coined: Truckee formal.

“You can go out and play in it and then go right to your business meeting after ward,” says Brian. In addition, the brand offers quilted flannel jackets and flannel hats. The item the couple is also excited

about is their active wear. It’s a printed pattern flannel. They custom design the pattern and print the shirts with recycled material.

“Each shirt is made from 37 percent recycled plastic, has SPF 50 moisture wicking and four-way stretch. It even

They design the clothes with longer arms and a longer body length.

“Whether riding a bike, paddling or doing whatever activity you choose, the arms don’t ride up, the shoulders are a bit roomier to allow for extra movement in the shoulders and the shirt doesn’t bind up in the back when bending over,” says Lisa.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENTS FOR FREE

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

the arts

Fiber Art Friday

South Lake Tahoe Library, Fridays 1 p.m., eldoradolibrary.org

Fantastic Planet Virtual Art Faire

MELHOP GALLERY º7077, Zephyr Cove, Nov. 9Dec. 31, 10 a.m., melhopgallery.com

November Exhibit

Piper J Gallery, Truckee, Nov. 9-30, 11 a.m., piperjgallery.com

Holly Arts Exhibit

North Tahoe Art Center, Kings Beach, Nov. 9-Jan. 3, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., northtahoearts.com

Ken Bodner Art Exhibit

Lake Tahoe Community College, South Lake Tahoe, Nov. 10-Dec. 9, 11 a.m., (530) 541-4660, ltcc.edu

Jason Adkin Art Exhibit

Lake Tahoe Community College, South Lake Tahoe, Nov. 10-Dec. 9, 11 a.m., (530) 541-4660, ltcc.edu

Public Tour

Truckee Roundhouse Makerspace, Truckee, Saturdays, 1 p.m., truckeeroundhouse.org

Tailoring Workshop: Overalls

Truckee Roundhouse Makerspace, Truckee, Nov. 13-21, 7:30 p.m., truckeeroundhouse.org

The History & Culture of the Washo People

Incline Village Library, Incline Village, Nov. 16, 4 p.m., (775) 832-4130, washoecountylibrary.us

Book Launch & Writer Celebration

Camp Richardson, South Lake Tahoe, Nov. 18, 6 p.m., tahoewritersworks.com

Learn to Crochet: Beanie

Truckee Roundhouse Makerspace, Truckee, Nov. 19, 5 p.m., truckeeroundhouse.org

Butcher Blocks for Beginners

Truckee Roundhouse Makerspace, Truckee, Nov. 20-21, 5:30 p.m., truckeeroundhouse.org

has a sunglass cleaner on it,” says Brian.

Lisa found that most shirts didn’t fit the way she wanted them to, especially when she was biking or paddling. Most clothing is too constricting for outdoor activities.

“We custom design the hem and the fit. Each shirt is made with movement in mind for both the men’s and women’s line,” Brian says.

Truckee Flannel Company is commit ted to giving back. It’s a company with a purpose and partners with 1% For the Planet, a nonprofit philanthropic organization that supports environmen tal causes to protect the environment. One percent of the revenue is donated to support the environment. In addition, a different nonprofit organization will be supported each year through the Round Up for the Outside program. Their customers can round up the cost of their purchases when buying online and the funds raised will be used to support a nonprofit that supports the outdoors.

“This year, we are supporting Big City Mountaineers, a nonprofit that provides experiences through nature that strengthen life skills for youth and disinvested communities,” says Lisa.

Order may be made online or pur chased at Trunk Show in Tahoe City. I love my flannel. | truckeeflannelcom pany.com n

Sock Monkeys! Black Friday Family Workshop

Truckee Roundhouse Makerspace, Truckee, Nov. 25, 5 p.m., truckeeroundhouse.org

Glenshire Holiday Studio Tour

Glenshire Neighborhood , Incline Village, Dec. 2-4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., (775) 831-8015

2nd Annual Holiday Maker’s Market

Tahoe Backyard, Kings Beach, Dec. 3, noon to 5 p.m., tahoebackyard.com

Outdoor Holiday Market

Muse, Tahoe City, Dec. 3, 2-7p.m., museartreclaimed.com

Wood Shop 101

Truckee Roundhouse Makerspace, Truckee, Dec. 4-5, 5 p.m., truckeeroundhouse.org

creative awareness | arts & culture | makers’ movement

RIGHT: Truckee Flannel Co. ABOVE: Womens Quilted Lola in red, Courtesy Michelle Geer & Alex Bake

“Each shirt is made from 37 percent recycled plastic, has an SPF 50 moisture wicking and four-way stretch. It even has a sunglass cleaner on it.”

– Brian Nigon

Geolyn Carvin

CARTOONIST RELEASES

BOOK

Artist Geolyn Carvin, who creates the cartoons in each edition of Tahoe Weekly, has released the second in a series of hiking cartoon books. “Boots McFarland — 20 Years on the Trail” spans the history of the Boots charac ter from 2003 to 2022. It contains more than 130 comics moving through the seasons, showing the evolution of the artwork and of Boots’ personality. Its colorful illustrations are for grown-ups, though most kids will enjoy them, too.

“I had a lot of experiences on my hikes, mostly amazing, sometimes uncomfortable, occasionally painful, and most often humorous. I enjoyed writing a journal and soon discovered that it was fun to draw a snapshot of the trail comedy that we all experience. I’ve been drawing a cartoon weekly (more or less) ever since,” she said in a release. | bootsmcfarland.com

“BURIED” FILM UP FOR AN OSCAR

The qualifying films for the 95th Academy Awards were announced and “Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Ava lanche,” is one of about 60 documenta ries that qualified. The film was director by Tahoe locals Jared Drake and Steven Siig. “Buried” is also now available on Apple TV and Amazon Prime video. | buriedfilm.com

boards and the founder of Protect Our Winters, a global nonprofit that unites people to protect the land from climate change. | jonessnowboards.com

REED PUBLISHES FOURTH BOOK

Kathyrn Reed has released her fourth book: “Sleeping with Strangers: An Airbnb Host’s Life in Lake Tahoe and Mexico.” The book reveals what it’s like to be in charge of a short-term rental in South Lake Tahoe and Todos Santos, Baja California Sur.

Reed doesn’t hold back, lauding the good guests and making a strong case for those she’d rather not see again. In fact, one chapter is titled: “Don’t Come Back.” She also delves into what her experience was like dealing with Airbnb and living in two diverse locations, mak ing the book a bit of travelogue.

Reed, the former publisher of Lake Tahoe News and South Lake Tahoe res ident for nearly 20 years, will be signing and selling her books at Valhalla Holiday Faire from Nov. 18 to 20.

“Sleeping with Strangers” is available at local bookstores and on Amazon.com. | kathrynreed.com

season, consisting of original artwork by invited artists. New work will be upload ed to the online gallery each week and 10 percent of sales will be donated to aid firefighters in the region. | melhop gallery.com

TAHOE FILM

FESTIVAL RETURNS TO NORTH SHORE

Tahoe Film Fest will take place from Dec. 1 to 4 at three venues: Incline Village Cinema, Village Cinemas at Northstar and Crystal Bay Casino. The film lineup has been chosen and in cludes Steven Spielberg’s new film “The Fabelmans,” four films from National Geographic Documentary Films, Amer ican independent films, films from Latin America and music documentaries.

Two special events during the festival include a screening of “Free Puppies!,” to benefit Pet Network Humane Society, as well as a screening of “Subject,” di rected by Incline Village native Jennifer Tiexiera.

All the ticket sales benefit UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center. Film descriptions, tickets, film fest pass es and other details are available online. | tahoefilmfest.com

NEW MURAL FOR SLT

A new mural, “Sierra Juniper,” was recently completed by artist Annie Walker at Blue Dog Pizza. The work is part of a Tahoe Art League project to bring more public art to South Lake Tahoe. The Art League is raising money to bring more murals to the community and Blue Dog Pizza is offering a match to any donations made to the project through Dec. 31 up to $4,000. | alart.org

NEW BOOK FROM JONES

Jeremy Jones has released a compendium of lessons, quick tips, advice and heartfelt stories: “The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Moun tains.” This mixed-media work is not a technical guide on snowboarding, but a personal approach on how to think about mountains, snow and adventure.

Drawing on the journals he has kept over the years, Jones offers snap shots of time and place that include his on-the-slope stories and white-out moments, as well as those of other adventurers such as Jimmy Chin, Zahan Billimoria and Christina Lusti.

Jones is an award-winning snow boarder, the owner of Jones Snow

NEW DIRECTIONS

FOR

MELHOP GALLERY 7077

Melhop Gallery 7077 has transformed into a nomadic curatorial project with a virtual online viewing and art-collecting platform. Director Frances Melhop has created a roving gallery with an inspired new approach to the contemporary art gallery.

Melhop represents 12 local, nation al and international artists. Through careful research Melhop curates guerilla-style pop-up exhibitions, while facilitating art installations and studio visits for people to experience art, add to their collection and meet artists. The first guerilla-style pop-up is Miya Hannan’s “Uncertain Certainty,” which is at HSH Interiors, the old Chinese herb shop, in Truckee. Viewing available by appointment.

Through November and December, Melhop Projects will be launching a curated virtual Art Faire for the holiday

O’CONNELL RELEASES DOCUMENTARY

Director, screenwriter and editor Nancy O’Connell, also an associate editor at Palisades Press, has released the documentary “Three Weeks” that looks to the 1960 Winter Olympics as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement in Northern Nevada.

“At that time, Reno was heavily segregated and widely known as the Mississippi of the West with most businesses and casinos displaying Whites Only signs at eye level near their entrances. Civil Rights leaders recog nized this critical opportunity to push for dramatic change, which ultimately led to the successful passage of the Nevada Civil Rights Act in 1965,” according to the film’s description. | unr.edu

“Sierra Juniper” | Annie Walker

Jeremy Jones

Miya Hannan

University of Nevada, Reno Special Collections

THE lineup

Sounds of the Season

NEW LIFE FOR NORTH TAHOE COMMUNITY CHOIR

BY SEAN MCALINDIN

In a return to tradition, Tahoe Sierra community choirs take the stage in the coming weeks to celebrate the holiday season in song.

Music runs deep in one local choir di rector. Donna Axton, the leader of North Tahoe Community Choir, was raised in a musical family in upstate New York. In fact, her parents met when her moth er came home from college to find her grandmother rehearsing for church choir with her father. Later, he was a singer who starred in local musicals. Since he didn’t know how to read music, he often asked his daughter to help him learn the parts.

She married singer/songwriter Hoyt Axton, who famously penned Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World” and “Never Been to Spain” and Steppen wolf’s “The Pusher.” Composition was family tradition; Hoyt’s mother Mae Axton wrote “Heartbreak Hotel” for Elvis Presley.

“One of the reasons I’m still doing the choir is it’s always uplifting to me. … It’s a world I understand. It’s a world I love. It’s my lifeblood.”

— Donna Axton

Donna and Hoyt met at the old Fanny Bridge Inn in Tahoe City in 1976 when he came to see her play piano with her folk rock band, Desert Sun. She joined his solo group and they toured together for more than a decade. Their son, Matt, is a professional musician based in Los Angeles who recently performed at the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in honor of his dad.

The Sierra Nevada College Choir, as it used to be known, was founded 37 years ago by Richard Lee. Axton was his longtime piano accompanist who took over as choir director in 2008. Over the years, the choir typically presented three concerts a year: holiday

music in December, a spring concert in April and Broadway tunes in May. They’ve sung everything from “Wick ed” to “Hamilton” to Puccini. It was all smooth sailing until the pandemic shut down the world in 2020.

With in-person learning unfeasible, enrollment at Sierra Nevada College dropped precipitously. In 2021, the private liberal arts college announced it would be absorbed by University of Nevada, Reno. This summer, Axton and her five colleagues that made up the music department learned their pro grams were being cut.

“They don’t want any music in the college for reasons never explained to me,” she says. “It wasn’t required for any remaining students, so they nixed it. I was quite saddened when the college didn’t want to support the music I’d done for decades.”

Axton, who also teaches psychology at what is now called UNR at Lake Tahoe, decided to keep the choir alive by partnering with Saint Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Incline Village, Nev. The choir regrouped in September for the first time post-Covid for Monday evening rehearsals.

They plan to perform a holiday-themed concert on Dec. 1 and 3 at the church. The assorted program will feature “Misa Criolla” in Spanish by Argentin ian composer Ariel Ramirez, “Magni

ficat” in Latin by Pergolesi and a host of holiday favorites including “Sleigh Ride,” “One Bright Star” and “Hallelu jah Chorus.”

“One of the reasons I’m still doing the choir is it’s always uplifting to me,” says Axton “I love music. It’s a world I understand. It’s a world I love. It’s my lifeblood.”

The choir members range in age from 16 to 75.

“It’s a wonderful group of people, it really is,” says Axton. “We’re giving people a place to sing and bringing mu sic to the community. It is essential to being a whole person to be open to the artistic part of humanity. It’s essential to musicians and artists to have a way to express what’s in their heart. It’s essential for mental health for people to have contact with others.” | North Tahoe Community Choir on Facebook.

Truckee Tahoe Community Chorus will also present a holiday concert Dec. 11 at the Resort at Squaw Creek. Find details in our Holidays Happenings feature. | truckeechorus.org n

Find more holiday concerts & events in our Holiday Happenings feature in this edition & at TheTahoeWeekly.com/events

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

OLD DOMINION COMING TO TAHOE

Old Dominion is bringing the No Bad Vibes Tour to Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s on June 30, 2023, as part of the resort’s Outdoor Summit Concert Series with Whiskey Jam favorites to open the show. Tickets are on sale now. | caesars.com/harveys-tahoe

MOUNTAIN ROCK Dec. 10 | Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev.

COBURN STATION

Old Dominion

At their upcoming music release par ty, North Shore jammers Coburn Station will share two brand-new singles, the 8½-minute sonic adventure of “Rusted

live music | shows | nightlife festivals | entertainment

North Tahoe Community Choir | Dec. 1 & 3 | Saint Patrick’s Episcopal Church | Incline Village, Nev.

North Tahoe Community Choir

Rose” and minor-key mountain rocker “This River.” Both tracks were recorded by Alexander Korostinsky of The Sex tones at Archive Group Studios in Reno, Nev. The songs provide a preview to the popular local group’s sophomore album scheduled for 2023. Their debut LP, “Coming Home,” was released in 2016.

“We’re stoked on how the songs came out,” says drummer Conor McAlindin. “It’s a little bit of a different style than our previous album.” | crystal baycasino.com

STAND-UP COMEDY

Nov. 25-26 | Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev.

HARLAND WILLIAMS & FRIENDS

As one of the first Latin artists to effec tively crossover into the English-speak ing market, his timeless musical style blends blues, rock and soul with a signature acoustic guitar sound. | ballys. com

CALI REGGAE

Dec. 10 | RMU Truckee | Truckee

PIPE DOWN

liveWEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm Guilty Christmas

Valhalla Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm Open Mic Night

Cottonwood Restaurant, Truckee, 5:30-8 pm Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 pm

Magic Fusion Starting Taylor Hughes

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm Radium Girls

Lake Tahoe Community College, Duke Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm

Guilty Christmas

Valhalla Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm Rustler’s Moon

Bar of America, Truckee, 8 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9pm Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18

Live Music

Enjoy a Thanksgiving Comedy Weekend featuring Harland Williams & Friends with Mike Winfield and Jade Catta-Preta. Williams, who played a pee-drinking cop in “Dumb and Dumb er,” a jail-bound, horse-killing stoner in “Half Baked” and the hitchhiking serial killer in “There’s Something About Mary,” delivers his outrageous standup lakeside on Thanksgiving weekend. | crystalbaycasino.com

LATIN ROCK

Nov. 19 | Bally’s Lake Tahoe | Stateline Nev.

JOSÉ FELICIANO

With more than 50 years’ worth of hit singles, Grammy-winning Puerto Rican singer José Feliciano is still best known for renditions of The Doors “Light My Fire” and the holiday hit “Feliz Navidad.”

North Shore reggae rockers Pipe Down released the second single from their forthcoming debut EP. Available for streaming, “So Long” serves up a laid-back island groove with thoughtful lyrics as a follow-up to the acoustic bliss of their first single, “Smile.” The track is part of an upcoming five-song EP produced by E.N Young (formerly of Tribal Seeds) at Imperial Sound Studios in Imperial Beach.

“E.N Young is a wizard and provided a true mi casa es su casa-environment for us all, making us feel welcome and ready to create,” says guitarist and lead singer Donny Beck.

Pipe Down will be joined by San Diego reggae folkie Aaron Wolf at the one-year anniversary of RMU in Truck ee. | mtnculture.com

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am Live Music Fridays

Bowl Incline, Incline Village, 7 pm

Magic Fusion Starting Taylor Hughes

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm & 9 pm Radium Girls

Lake Tahoe Community College, Duke Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm

Guilty Christmas

Valhalla Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm Joey’s Acoustic Jams

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 pm

Ideateam | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 9 pm-12 am Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am

Jose Feliciano

Bally’s, Stateline, 7 pm

Magic Fusion Starting Taylor Hughes

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm & 9 pm

Radium Girls

Lake Tahoe Community College, Duke Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm

Guilty Christmas

Valhalla Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 pm

Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Live Music

Grand Lodge Casino, Incline Village, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9:pm Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10pm

Dance Party

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10:30 pm

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20

Magic Fusion Starting Taylor Hughes

The Loft Theatre, S. Lake Tahoe, 4:30 pm & 7pm

Sunday Jazz Jam Sessions | Incline Public House

Incline Public House, Incline Village, 6-8 pm

Sunday Bluegrass Jam | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6:00 pm - 9 pm

Live & Local Music Series: Caltucky

Tahoe Tap Haus, Tahoe City, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Guilty Christmas

Valhalla Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe, 7:30 pm

Live Band Karaoke

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21

Open Stage Mondays | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6 pm

Magic Fusion Starting Taylor Hughes

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22

Magic Fusion Starting Taylor Hughes

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm

Tuesday Night Blues

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 pm

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm & 9 pm

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 pm

Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm & 9 pm

Rustler’s Moon

Bar of America, Truckee, 8 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

HARLAND WILLIAMS

JOSE

PIPE DOWN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am

Live Music Fridays

Bowl Incline, Incline Village, 7 pm Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm & 9 pm

Thanksgiving Comedy Weekend

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 8 pm Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm Joey’s Acoustic Jams

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9:00 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9:00 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9:00 pm Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm & 9 pm

Thanksgiving Comedy Weekend

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 8 pm Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Live Music

Grand Lodge Casino, Incline Village, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 pm Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm Dance Party

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10:30 pm

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27

Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, S.Lake Tahoe, 4:30 pm & 7 pm

Sunday Jazz Jam Sessions | Incline Public House

Incline Public House, 6-8 pm

Sunday Bluegrass Jam | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6-9 pm

Live & Local Music Series:

Coo Priv & Bobmynachos

Tahoe Tap Haus, Tahoe City, 7-9:30 pm

Live Band Karaoke

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28

Open Stage Mondays | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6 pm

Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29

Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm

Tuesday Night Blues

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 pm

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

Magic Fusion Ft. Robert Hall

The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7 pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

Open Mic Night

Cottonwood Restaurant, Truckee, 5:30-8 pm

Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 pm

Rustler’s Moon

Bar of America, Truckee, 8 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am

Kings Beach After Dark: Open Mic Night

North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, 6-8 pm

A Christmas Chaos

Truckee Community Theater, Truckee, 7 pm Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm

Joey’s Acoustic Jams

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 pm Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am

A Christmas Chaos

Truckee Community Theater, Truckee, 2 pm

The Messiah w/ TOCCATA Tahoe

Truckee High School, Truckee, 3 pm

Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 pm Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

Dance Party

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10:30 pm

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4

A Christmas Chaos

Truckee Community Theater, Truckee, 2 pm

Sunday Bluegrass Jam | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6-9 pm

Live Band Karaoke

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5

Open Stage Mondays | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6 pm

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6

Tuesday Night Blues

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 pm

Rustler’s Moon

Bar of America, Truckee, 8 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am

A Christmas Chaos

Truckee Community Theater, Truckee, 7 pm

The Young Dubliners

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 8 pm

Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm

Joey’s Acoustic Jams

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 9 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9:00 pm

Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10:00 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10:00 pm

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am

Tintabulations Christmas Concert

Olympic Valley Chapel, Olympic Valley, 6 pm

Frank Sinatra Evening

Bowl Incline, Incline Village, 6:30 pm

A Christmas Chaos

Truckee Community Theater, Truckee, 7 pm

Aaron Watson

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 pm

Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 pm

Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm

Coburn Station

Crystal Bay Club, Crystal Bay, 10 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11

A Christmas Chaos

Truckee Community Theater, Truckee, 2 pm

Images of Winter Concert

Resort at Squaw Creek, Olympic Valley, 2 pm

The Messiah w/ TOCCATA Tahoe

Cornerstone Church, Incline Village, 3 pm

Sunday Bluegrass Jam | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6:00 pm - 9 pm

Images of Winter Concert

Resort at Squaw Creek, Olympic Valley, 7 pm

Live Band Karaoke

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Dueling Pianos

Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

MONDAY, DECEMBER 12

Open Stage Mondays | Truckee Public House

Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6 pm

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

Winter Showcase:

A Night at the Movies, Holiday Style

Inner Rhythms Dance, Truckee, 5:30 pm

Tuesday Night Blues

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8pm

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15

Open Mic Night

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 5 pm

Wolves & Friends Live

The Good Wolf, Truckee, 6:30 pm

Rustler’s Moon

Bar of America, Truckee, 8 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16

Live Music

Bar of America, Truckee, 9 am

Live Music

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8 pm

Joey’s Acoustic Jams

Donner Creek Brewing, Truckee, 9 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Live DJ

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Stateline, 9 pm

Arty the Party

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 pm

Live DJ

Bally’s, Stateline, 10 pm

Karaoke Nights

Rojo’s Tavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 pm

When the Royal Shakespeare Company fails to show up to perform their holiday masterpiece, Truckee Community Theater has to pull off “A Christmas Carol” without much rehearsal and in record time. The results are simply CHAOS and pure joy. Perfect for the whole family... The most hilarious Christmas play ever!

Community Arts Center, Church St., downtown Truckee Adults $20 / Students & Seniors $15

Tickets & Info:

TRUCKEECOMMUNITYTHEATER.COM

EAT & drink

Rethink Thanksgiving

BY PRIYA HUTNER

Thanksgiving is a time to come together, share a meal and give thanks. The smell of rosemary, sage and thyme waft through the kitchen while the turkey roasts. The aroma of cinna mon, spice and freshly baked pumpkin pie can make one hanker to start with dessert first.

It can take a lot of time to feed a large group of family and friends. This leaves little time to socialize. Time is a precious thing. Considering dietary restrictions and preferences is also part of menu planning. Catering to every one’s needs can be daunting, but with some pre-planning it’s not a difficult task. And my tips apply to any of your holiday meals and gatherings.

Plan & prep

It takes time to plan a menu, prep ingredients and cook the meal. Think about the items and ingredients that can be purchased at the store and what can be prepared at home. Shop for pre-prepped ingredients such as peeled garlic, cubed butternut squash and stock that will reduce time. Other timesavers to consider are purchasing store-bought appetizers and desserts.

vance. Another great appetizer is baked brie. Purchase a large wheel of baked brie with fig jam, a berry compote and artisan crackers. The Raincoast Crisps fig and seed crackers make a baked brie delightful.

Pigs in a blanket are a favorite. They can be made for both meat eaters and vegetarians alike. Serve with hot mus tard.

A cheese board with assorted cheeses, meats, nuts, olives and vegetables is a simple appetizer as well as a crowd pleaser.

Simple soups

Soup is a great way to start a holiday dinner. French Onion is my favorite. A delicious fall butternut soup is an excel lent addition to a Thanksgiving menu. This soup is simple and can be made by putting all the ingredients in a large pot and simmering. It’s even easier with an Instant Pot and it’s done in no time. Use an immersion blender to puree and cream to finish it off.

I’ll share my recipes for both of these in the future column, but in the mean time you can find recipes for many of my soups at TheTahoeWeekly.com –Tomato, Cuban Black Bean, Escarole & White Bean, or Chicken Tortilla soups, Thai Fish and Vegetable Coconut Curry, and many more.

Easy apps

Warm dips and small bites stave off hungry appetites. A shrimp cocktail appetizer, which can be purchased pre made (Costco is lauded for its shrimp cocktail) is always a winner. It’s one of those perfect appetizers to buy in ad

Easy main course

Make the main course with ease. Sheet-pan turkey takes less time to cook than a whole bird. Buy the turkey al ready butchered and lay it out on a sheet pan with onions, garlic, veggies and herbs; it cooks in less than 45 minutes.

Be mindful not to overcook using this method; the internal meat temperature should be165° F.

Did you know you can cook a whole turkey in an Instant Pot? This will cut down on time and oven space. Slowcooked or pressure cook, a tender turkey can be enjoyed.

If turkey isn’t your thing consider a pre-cooked ham, roast Cornish hens or duck.

Turkey pot pie and vegetable pot pie are also other routes to take for dinner. Our family has sushi on the table every Thanksgiving.

Spectacular sides

Tempt the tastebuds with twice-baked potatoes, potatoes au gratin or roasted yams, simple sides that dazzle. Jazz up green beans with garlic and red pepper flakes. Roast garlic Brussels sprouts with maple syrup and pancetta, and top with parmesan cheese — delicious. Baked garlic asparagus with parmesan is easy and delicious. I always prepare a spinach artichoke casserole for Thanks giving; it’s a big hit and easy to make.

Ask guests to bring dessert

Almost everyone is stuffed when des sert is ready to be enjoyed. Ask guests to prepare or bring dessert. They’ll be happy to participate. Our guests bring a marionberry pie and a triple berry pie from Ikeda’s in Auburn on their way up to Tahoe. Pumpkin pie is always on the table.

Keep it simple, enjoy the day and relax while cooking.

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Tahoe Weekly. n

EASY POTATO AU GRATIN

From the kitchen of Priya Hutner, Serves 4-6

T butter

large potatoes, peeled & sliced thin

t kosher salt 1 t freshly ground black pepper

T fresh chives 1 t fresh thyme 1½ C gruyere cheese, grated

C sharp white cheddar cheese, grated ¼ C parmesan

C milk 1 C heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a medium saucepan, combine cream, milk, 3 tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper, thyme, 1 cup of gruyere and ¼ cup of cheddar. Heat on low, stirring con stantly.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a glass baking dish in the oven. Remove from oven and layer potatoes and sauce pan mixture. Top with remaining cheese, parmesan and half the chives. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until golden brown.

Garnish with remaining chives. Serve hot.

BY PRIYA HUTNER

You might not realize that the yellow stand-alone building along the train tracks on West River Street in Truckee holds the magic of one of my favorite foods: sushi.

I slipped into the small kitchen of Tahoe Private Chef and Cloud Sushi owner Josh Brown. He was prepping for his Wednesday sushi pop-up. On the prep table is a brightly colored array of salmon, ahi tuna, Hamachi and octopus sashimi placed in beautifully arranged to-go bento boxes.

Brown sliced two types of tuna — Chutoro, a medium fatty tuna and Aka mi, a leaner tuna — and topped the fish with a Nikiri sauce, a dashi sweetened soy sauce. The fish was fresh, flavorful and exceptionally tender.

I asked Brown what some of his best sellers are. He said the Cumulus Combo is top on the list. It’s an assortment of three rolls, which includes the Ebi Fry Roll made with panko-breaded shrimp, cucumber, avocado, sweet ginger teriya ki and yuzu-miso mayo; the Pot of Gold Roll, prepared with kanikama, cucum ber and avocado inside and topped with tuna, Hamachi, salmon, tobiko and green onion; and the Tahoe Ten Roll, which includes tempura green bean and spicy salmon with sesame-ginger sauce.

Brown

There is no doubt Brown is a culinary artist. He has been rolling sushi for more than 15 years. His two sous chefs, JT Busby and Brian Robinson, were already at work slicing fish and rolling sushi for dinner pickup when I arrived.

I met Brown for the first time and was excited to taste his creations. He poured me a bowl of his house-made miso soup prepared with two types of miso, brown butter, leeks and shitake or maitake mushrooms. I brought the bowl to my lips and took a sip. The miso was smooth and buttery, with a richness that was quite exceptional. Brown pointed out that the brown butter in the soup creates a unique flavor and he was right. It was one of the best miso soups I’ve tasted.

Brown pulled out his filet knife and prepared another of his fan favorites, the Last Chair roll, made with pan ko shrimp, spicy tuna, salmon, tuna, torched chili mayo, crispy ancient grains, tobiko, green onion and sweet ginger teriyaki. I watched as he deft ly sliced the fish, added the rice and shrimp onto the nori and rolled up the sushi. He topped the roll, pulled out a torch and lit the chili mayo. It was amazing.

“It’s all about the texture and fresh flavors. The rolls are meant to be taken home so nothing will end up soggy,” said Brown.

There are seven rolls on the menu along with sashimi plates, appetizers and sides. The rolls are made to order for lunch and dinner every Wednesday. Brown suggests ordering at least 45 minutes ahead of pickup time; orders can be made during the week leading up to Wednesday. | cloudsushitruckee.

Cloud Sushi