Archive for the ‘Lake Tahoe’ Tag
We like to think that Tahoe/Truckee has something for everyone in the summer. Your two year old can play in the sand on one of our glorious lakeside beaches. The more culturally inclined can spend an evening watching a concert or a Shakespeare performance along the lakeshore. The adrenaline junkie can hop on a road bike and climb to the top of Donner Summit, join in a mountain biking race, kayak around the lake, or take a hike into the wilderness. But perhaps the quintessential Tahoe activity that will make everybody happy on a warm summer day is to take a rafting trip down the Truckee River.
You begin just below the dam in Tahoe City, and travel downstream four miles to The River Ranch. While there are a few stretches of minor rapids to keep you on your toes, in comparison to real white water, it’s a piece of cake. So what’s the attraction? While it’s often close to the busy highway and bike trail, being on the river feels like another world. It’s a ribbon of water pulsing through a zone of green, and it’s an incredibly relaxing way to spend a few hours.
On a mid-summer weekend, it’s also a lively place. Water shooting devices are highly recommended to help those poor overheated folks in the next raft over get a chance to cool down. It’s also doesn’t require any forethought. You just drive right up to one of the two rafting companies, and in fairly short order you will find yourself in a boat. Once you disembark at River Ranch, you can dine alfresco with several hundred of your new friends on the patio and then catch the rafting company shuttle back to town. You can also buy your own float or tube, and arrange your own shuttle. Obviously this is a more cumbersome procedure, but if you plan on taking the trip a number of times per summer it might be worth it. Do remember to find a floating object that is built strong enough to actually make it down the river still full of air. It is not fun to have to walk several miles along the river carrying the remains of your $12 raft that couldn’t quite make it all the way downstream.
Note, From July 1st to July 7th , alcohol is not allowed in rafts or on the shore of the Truckee River.
Where to go: Contact Truckee River Rafting by Mountain Air Sports, at 530-583-1111 or http://www.truckeeriverrafting.com
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
It’s just about to get busy up here. So while we all have thoroughly enjoyed the last few weeks of local’s summer, we also look forward to playing with the crowds and experiencing the activities that happen in the mountains only in the sum…sum…summertime. Here are a few upcoming activities that are well worth taking a look at:
Alpenglow Outdoor Festival, June 22-30th.
A nine day festival of free outdoor recreation events. You can do some yoga on the lake, take a hike with inspiring athletes, learn how to climb, get tips from the experts including nutritionists and Western States 100 competitors, or take a wildflower or birding hike. Oh, and there are lots of demos and freebies to take advantage of. For a complete schedule go to www.alpenglowsports.com
Truckee Thursdays-Every Thursday throughout the summer
Downtown Truckee becomes party central from 5-9 pm every Thursday. It’s a street fair, farmers market, and live music all combined, but it’s really just an excuse for a lot of locals and tourists alike to get together and have some fun.
Commons Beach Summer Concert Series. All summer long.
It’s a little thing, but your summer can be beautifully encapsulated on a Sunday afternoon in Tahoe City. Get there about 2 pm to launch your kayak onto Tahoe’s pristine deep blue waters. Paddle around for an hour or so, enjoying the sunshine, then find your way back to the Commons Beach. Float about 20 feet offshore and watch the band play and the crowd dance at Tahoe City’s Summer concert series. Yep, that will do. But if you get hungry you can come back on Thursday’s for the Farmers Market. Catch it over at Tahoe Lake School…my alma mater, for July and August, and then it returns to the Commons Beach at the end of August.
Backpack and yoga. July 9-11th
Once the busy 4th of July is past, you might be looking for a relaxing way to spend a few days. Join Tahoe Yoga Institute instructor Jenna Minnes and long time hiking guide Tim Hauserman for a backpack trip to the shores of a beautiful mountain lake. Once you get there you will have three days to swim, practice yoga, learn about the trees, and relax. For information go to: http://trailswithin.com/nurture-your-nature/
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
In December 2012, after an extensive fund raising effort, the Truckee Donner Land Trust and several other organizations purchased the 3000 acres of Donner Summit lands where the Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Area are located. Sugar Bowl, which sits adjacent to Royal Gorge, assumed management of the ski area last winter, and Royal Gorge operated successfully. Although a longer winter would have been nice.
While those 3000 acres are known for their prime cross-country skiing terrain, underneath all that snow are sparkling alpine lakes, craggy ridgelines and views into deep canyons. Now the next step for the Truckee Donner Land Trust is to gather input as to what should be done with that spectacular terrain during the summer. Towards that end the TDLT will be holding a series of public meetings, focus groups, property tours and even one on one meetings throughout the summer. The goal? To get as much input as possible to make sure what they do with the property is in the best interest of the community. This information gathering effort will be led by Truckee Donner Land Trust Project Manager John Svahn.
The Land Trust based their fund raising efforts to purchase the property on these primary goals for the property:
Keeping the ski area open
Making the property a summer recreational destination
Helping the Donner Summit area create a sustainable economy
And where needed, restore and enhance the properties natural resources.
To find out more or to get involved, go to http://www.royalgorgeoutreach.org
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
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