North Lake Tahoe, California Things to Do

Lake Tahoe Water Trail hosts their Annual Spring Paddle on Saturday, May 19th. Participants will launch from Commons Beach in Tahoe City, Ca and paddle their way to Blackwood Creek, followed by lunch at Sunnyside Restaurant and Lodge, to enjoy the lakeside view and tasty cuisine. If you haven’t tried kayaking — or perhaps it’s become your favorite summer workout — either way, this is the event for you! Interpretive guides will also provide educational insight into the Lake Tahoe natural environment.

The lowdown!

When: Saturday, May 19th at 9:00am. Check-in is 8:00am! Lunch at Sunnyside Restaurant at 12:00pm.

Where: North Lake Tahoe. Commons Beach, Tahoe City, Ca.

Cost: $30/single or $55/couple

For more information and to register now, visit Lake Tahoe Water Trail!

You may love the great outdoors of Lake Tahoe, the virtually untouched back-country of the Sierra Nevada, but that doesn’t mean you’re always prepared. If you’re wondering what the latest is on gear, and how you should prepare for hiking this summer, then look no further!

REI-Reno is pleased to partner with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association for the return of the April Speakers Series; every Wednesday this April. The presentations this year will give special attention to hikers and mountain bikers. The TRTA will also give insightful local tips on the best places to go, what the bring, and what to expect from the trails and conditions.

“The Properly Equipped Hiker,” Wednesday, April 18, 6:30 to 8pm.

This presentation is essential for both segment and thru-hikers. REI hiking experts will discuss gear, clothing and back country skills that will help you enjoy your time on the trail. They will also help you to distinguish between essential gear versus what gear is nice to have. Gear and clothing selections will also be reviewed for weight, cost, durability and ease of use considerations. This session will also serve as an unveiling of the newest in 2012 gear. Backcountry skills will focus on hydration techniques, navigational skills and Leave No Trace principles. Combine this class with the first class and you will be ready to hit the Tahoe Rim Trail this summer, dressed and outfitted for success.

Admission to each presentation in the series is FREE!

Location:

REI Reno

2225 Harvard Way

Reno, NV 89502

Click here for more information and to learn about the Tahoe Rim Trail Association!

Spring has sprung, and it’s about that time to celebrate the beauty of this region on Earth Day, Saturday April 21st! The North Tahoe Truckee Earth Day Celebration is an all-volunteer educational event from the Tahoe Earth Day Foundation, where all ages can learn how to preserve the earth through various ways, such as recycling/composting, alternative energy, watershed and forest health, and sustainability.

The celebration on Saturday kicks off at 9am with a Collection Event: guests can recycle waste, tires and household batteries for free! Click here for a list of accepted items so you don’t haul your refrigerator to Squaw Valley, only to be turned away. Also taking place at the Village at Squaw is a performance by ASHA World Dancers, a Trashion Show and live music by Ten Mile Tide. Want details about the event schedule?  Find out more about all the entertainment and raffle here!

Help preserve the beauty of Lake Tahoe on Earth Day! Photo Credit Alena Grace Photography

In addition to the Earth Day celebration is one of the largest film festivals of its kind, running from Thursday, April 19th to Friday, April 20th at the Olympic Village Lodge. Tickets for the screening are $10 and each screening will have a total run time of 90 minutes. Don’t miss these spectacular pieces of art with stunning footage of Earth’s natural beauty. Click here to learn more and purchase your ticket today!

[Image]

Shane McConkey's quirky alter ego, Pain McShlonkey.

As an on and off mountain event, the Pain McShlonkey Classic is a wacky part of Tahoe culture in which all proceeds from the weekend benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation, along with environmental education programs. The event was dubbed after one of Shane’s funny alter egos, Pain McShlonkey. Hosted on March 23-24th at Squaw Valley, the McShlonkey offers the world’s top winter atheletes a chance to compete for the podium on none other than snowblades! Saturday’s on-mountain antics promise true slope-side entertainment for all ages.

“One thing about Shane is that what you saw is what he was: a man full of stoke, passion, ingenuity, humor and a zest for making your moments on this earth count,” says longtime friend Scott Gaffney. “Shane loved to laugh, play, compete against and make fun of friends and make fun of himself. The Pain McShlonkey Classic is a perfect amalgam of all of these elements that were so important to a guy who inspired us to no end.”

The Red Bull Air Force will kick off the festivities on the afternoon of Friday, March 23 as athletes like Charles Bryan, JT Holmes and Tim Dutton skydive into The Village at Squaw Valley.  Now that’s just the beginning. From there, the party rages on at Rocker@Squaw with a DJ, food and drink specials and poster signings with pro competitors.

The real throw down begins Saturday, March 24 at 9 a.m. as the athletes line up atop the legendary KT-22 chairlift for an all-out snowblade banzai. The pros will take on 30 of McConkey’s biggest fans in an anything-goes battle to the finish on Squaw’s GS Bowl. It’s a sight to see, especially the costume choices you’ll see whiz by.

To top off the weekend, don’t miss the 80’s after party at Squaw’s Olympic Village Lodge. Guests must be 21 or older to attend with valid ID required. To find out more, purchase tickets to the after party on March 24th ($25/each), or make a donation to the Shane McConkey Foundation, click here!

[Image]

An American St. Patrick's Day tradition: Chicago River dyed green.

May your thoughts be as glad as the shamrocks,
May your heart be as light as a song,
May each day bring you bright, happy hours,
That stay with you all the year long.

In Ireland most natives pin on a sprig of green, attend morning mass, and drink a pint in the afternoon or feast with family at dinner in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Until the 1970s, St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. But in the United States, rivers are dyed green, there are large parades to celebrate the Irish, and millions don green for the day.

For Lake Tahoe locals and vacationers, we may have more than a sprig of green – more so a white and powdery day on the slopes! But why not capture the essence of the above Irish blessing, and grab some friends, enjoy the coming of spring, drink a pint, listen to some live tunes, dance a jig and find out how the Irish keep life so light and lively!

There are all kinds of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations happening around Lake Tahoe on Saturday, March 17^th.  The question is how do you want to celebrate? We’ve included a few choices!  Just remember to wear green, stay safe and tip your hat to St. Patrick!

Squaw Valley

Celebrate the holiday at Squaw Valley with all of your favorite Irish traditions! Ski the green slopes, hang out at the KT Base Bar for our pig roast and listen to L.A.vation, The World’s Greatest Tribute to U2 while you enjoy festive beer from Guiness, Harp and Smithwick’s. From 3pm-5pm in the Village Events Plaza, The Blarney Band will perform traditional Irish music. Catch Lenny the Leprechaun on the slopes for a special treat from his pot of gold!

Be sure to check out Auld Dubliner at Squaw if you want a taste of traditional Dublin on this Irish holiday!

Alpine Meadows

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Alpine! Come dressed in your best St. Patrick’s Day costume for a chance to win a CamelBak full of swag! All costumes will be judged at the St. Patrick’s Day Après Ski Party taking place on the Sun Deck from 1pm to 4pm. Enjoy Irish food and drink specials and live music by the the Nibblers!

Tahoe City

The fun starts at Jake’s on the Lake with traditional Irish food all day (also serving lunch/café/dinner), Happy Hour Specials 4:30pm-6:30pm, Live Music: Mark Wilson at 6pm. The party continues at Hacienda del Lago (upstairs) with live funk “Terraplane” from 9:30pm-2am, and L.A. DJ Dre Tuna at Lakeside (next door) from 10pm-2am. Bounce around from bar to bar; Bushmills Girls, music and drink specials all night at all three venues!

What’s your favorite way to spend St. Patrick’s Day?

[Image]

Who ever said urban and rural life couldn’t intersect seamlessly? You can enjoy Lake Tahoe’s breathtaking great outdoors, tucker yourself out on the slopes all day, and still get your fill of a city-center cultural favorite: ballet.

There is a company of young dance students in the Lake Tahoe area who are devoted to bringing new life to the cultural fabric of the region. Tahoe Youth Ballet presents “Dancing Women, Then and Now” on March 9th and 10th at 7pm at Cal Neva Resort.  “Dancing Women, Then and Now” features Act II of Giselle and the premiere of Into the Trees. The gala opening night tickets ($55) include admission with preferred seating, a semi-formal post-show party and two raffle tickets.

General admission tickets are also available at both performances: Adults, $20; Students/Seniors $10.  For more information about Tahoe Youth Ballet, performance dates, and a sneak peek of Into the Trees, click here.

What do you think of seeing a professional level ballet performance in Tahoe?

Bluebird days at Squaw Valley are unbeatable.

It is practically impossible to utter the words ‘Lake Tahoe’ without mention of its world renowned alpine skiing/snowboarding, and epic winter snowfalls averaging 300-500 inches per year. The location and amenities of Lake Tahoe as a winter destination is truly unique and astounding. There’s an age old local saying at Tahoe, “You come for the winter, stay for the summer, and never leave.” And here’s (generally) why: The largest alpine lake in the US, a deep color of blue and emerald green, stretches 22 miles long, and is surrounded by 12 world class ski resorts and 12 premier golf courses.

You don’t have to be a skier/snowboarder to fall in love with Tahoe winters. You can still make the most of winter/spring with all kinds of activities the whole family will love: ice-skating at High Camp, followed by a dip in the hot tubs; sledding or tubing at Tahoe Donner’s Sledding Hill; cross-country skiing at Royal Gorge; or snowshoeing through picturesque Squaw Valley. Or how about sitting back and allowing a furry friend to tug you along at your very first dog sled ride? The possibilities are endless when it comes to winter fun at Tahoe.

Choose groomed trails, or blaze your own through powder. Powder's a major work out!

Don't own snowshoes? You can rent them at Squaw Valley!

This winter season has actually been unseasonably warm, in stark comparison to last winter’s epic snowfall of over 643 inches! 2010-2011 was the 4th snowiest winter ever on record for this region. There were high hopes the Truckee-Tahoe area would enjoy another tremendous winter season, but November through February felt more like autumn than anything! It gave many residents and vacationers the rare opportunity to enjoy summer-like hobbies, such as kayaking on Donner Lake in January, or taking the dogs out for a run on dry trails in February. Even so, many locals and vacationers alike still ached for the blustering winter days we knew and loved so well.

Then, in Tahoe fashion the powder arrived in a flash! Last week, from Sunday night to Thursday evening Squaw Valley got dumped with a total of 57 inches of fresh snow. It was a blizzard of a week, but come Friday morning there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. A perfect bluebird day, with temperatures at a balmy 45 degrees. It’s perfectly blissful out there.

It’s tough to pass up skiing/riding in powder, but if you’re looking for a different kind of day at Squaw Valley, then grab your snowshoes and head out with the whole family for a hearty work out! If you don’t own snowshoes, you can rent them at the Nordic Center located at the Resort at Squaw Creek.

What do you think of snowshoeing?

[Photo Credit Alena Grace Photography]