LAKE TAHOE - Light Years from the Real World
Written: Apr 08 '00 (Updated May 15 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Rugged beauty, an array of year-round activity, and a perfect escape.
Cons: As the area's popularity increases, the pristine environment becomes more and more polluted. Please respect the area during your trip. Keep Tahoe Blue.
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| kifwebe's Full Review: Lake Tahoe |
Have you found recently that the world is moving much to fast to keep up? Do you find it nearly impossible to forget about the drudgery of the real world? You know, the dirty laundry that’s piling up, the bills you have to pay, the oil you have to change, and the numerous other menial tasks that go unfinished and cause ringing headaches and soaring heart rates. I myself always feel as if I have a list of things to do, and the tasks on that list always seem to outpace the check marks which tell me I’ve accomplished something. I'm sure you know the feeling.
Well, over the past several years I have found the perfect escape from that ominous, ever-present chaos. That escape is Lake Tahoe, an area in northern California which provides such a diversity of activities that virtually anyone can have a wonderful vacation at almost any time of year.
For example, in the summer of 1998 I took a 3 day expedition into an area on the southwest side of the lake called Desolation Wilderness, a name which aptly fits its character. It consists of almost 64,000 acres of beautiful forests, isolated alpine lakes, rock formations, and trails. Best of all it’s just waiting to be explored, and even during peak backpacking season it remains nearly untouched. My group encountered only a handful of other parties of backpackers on our expedition. I can’t think of a better way to escape from the hectic pace of everyday life than to wander into this vast expanse.
One place in the Desolation Wilderness absolutely cannot be missed if you are visiting the area - Lake Aloha. Arriving at Lake Aloha can be an almost surreal experience. It’s far enough into the wilderness that you may not see another soul in the area during your stay. The landscape there is unique as well, resembling a cross between an isolated lake in the Swiss Alps and a washed out and smoothed over lunar terrain. The lake is surrounded by large flat rocks, which have been polished by years of erosion and melting snow, and little if any topsoil. If it’s sunny, these boulders make a perfect spot for a picnic or for just lazing in the sun.
If you happen to visit the Desolation Wilderness during the winter months, there are still some trails which can be used. You will most definitely need snowshoes if you plan on hiking though, or you could find yourself between a rock and a hard place (probably another rock), and buried under 10 feet of snow drift. Snow shoes can be rented at many outdoor equipment shops in the towns surrounding Lake Tahoe for about $12.00 per day. I did this in March of this year and had an absolute blast. The really incredible thing is that snow covers literally everything including small trees, so you can walk easily over terrain that would be much more difficult without the convenient blanket of crystallized water. And if you don’t ski but would like to get a sense for it, try finding a steep hill with plenty of snow and running down at full speed, with snowshoes of course. Just like skiing this closely resembles a controlled fall, with the benefit of billowy snow to prevent serious injury in case gravity gets the better of you.
Another trail I would recommend for snowshoeing is just off of Route 89, the highway which runs along the western shore of Lake Tahoe, at the Emerald Bay turnout near the extreme southern tip of the lake. This trail is very easy to access from the road but doesn’t provide quite the isolation of the D.W. It provides a perfect introduction to the sport though, and the entire length of the trail which takes you to a waterfall past a frozen, snow covered lake and through some impressive sequoias, can be completed in only a couple of hours. And plan on some rather impressive views of Emerald Bay, one of the most beautiful sections of Lake Tahoe itself, near the beginning of the trail as you climb slightly in altitude. This trail is also much easier to negotiate than the D.W., and can be conquered by anyone who walks on a regular basis.
If you do decide to try a backpacking or snowshoeing trip in the Desolation Wilderness, there are a few things you should know:
1. You will need a permit if you plan on staying overnight. To get a permit, you can contact the Desolation Wilderness information line at (530) 573-2600. The permits cost only $5.00 and are good for groups of up to 15 people.
2. There are a number of trail heads that enter the Desolation Wilderness. We entered at the Echo Lake trail head which requires backpackers to take a boat to the beginning of the trail. The scenery surrounding the lake was quite beautiful, and I would highly recommend the use of this entrance.
3. Because Desolation Wilderness is tucked amongst the Sierra Nevada mountain range, you will encounter high altitude conditions (it varies throughout from 6500 ft to 10,000 ft). Because of the high elevation, temperatures can drop even during the summer months, and storms at night are very common and can include snow at all times of year. Make like a boy scout and be prepared with plenty of layers of clothing.
4. There are no camp fires allowed in this area, so pack your camping stove if you plan on cooking.
5. If you’re brave, you can take a swim in Lake Aloha or any of the other alpine lakes during the summer months. We did it! Of course the swim lasted for a minute at most, because the water temperature at the time was well under 60 degrees. Two words come to mind when I reflect on the plunge into that water - hyperventilation and shrinkage. Luckily the sun was shining brightly that day, and we laid out on the rocks to dry off. You really have to try this if conditions permit!
6. You will need a map of the area, especially if you plan on doing more than a day hike. The major trails are marked, but sometimes it can be confusing as to where more minor trails lead. And by all means, try to get off the beaten path a bit – you might just discover an isolated lake or lookout point that most people will never get the chance to see.
7. No overnight permits are required for day trips either in the D.W. or for the Emerald Bay trail head hike I mentioned earlier. There is, however, a kiosk at most trail heads which requires you to fill out a couple of pieces of information and asks for a donation of $3.00 for the group. The information is used primarily in case of avalanche or storm, so it's to your benefit to fill out the forms.
8. Last but not least, you will encounter quite a few hills, as most of the trails in the D.W. are rocky and far from flat. If you don’t do a lot of hiking or backpacking, your best bet would be to take a day hike a few miles into the area, and then head back before dark. Then again, if you’re looking for a challenge there are plenty of places to find those as well.
Of course backpacking and snowshoeing are only the tip of the glacier when it comes to a trip to the Tahoe area. Depending on the time of year, you can also enjoy dozens of other activities in the area including skiing (both water and snow), inner tubing, gambling (on the Nevada side), sledding, boating, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or simply relaxing by a fire with a good book. The western shore of the lake is dotted with small towns boasting quaint bed and breakfasts and cafes, most of which are filled with friendly people and lots of information on things to see and do. Check out Tahoe City on the northwest corner of the lake for just about everything you will need for your trip like snowshoe rentals, trail books, maps, and local information on where to go for the best the area has to offer. You can also find a hardware store, a book store, and a grocery store there, so this makes a pretty good home base. Not far away and just to the north up Highway 28 is the town of Incline Village, which has the same amenities along with hundreds of cabins and condos for rent. These have proven to be economical and above all great fun for travel to Tahoe with a large group. There are a number of websites dedicated solely to accommodation in the region, so I won’t go any further than throwing in a plug for google.com, which will help you locate all of them quickly.
It basically comes down to this – if you’re tired of the everyday rat race and are really looking to get away from it all, the Lake Tahoe area is the perfect diversion. While it’s true that a trip to the area could force an encounter with a bear, an avalanche, or a heavy snowstorm, you won’t need your cell phone or laptop, nor will you have to worry about that stack of bills or that mound of laundry. Not at least until you get back, when both will have actually increased in size. But believe me, if you venture out into the Desolation Wilderness or hike in any of the surrounding areas to experience their tranquility and rugged beauty, those things will be farther from your mind than you ever thought they could be.
Recommended:
Yes
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kifwebe
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Location: :noitacoL
Reviews written: 29
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