Archive for the ‘nordic skiing’ Tag
Sunny skies on Sunday at Tahoe
Yes, it’s that time of year again. When crisp mornings are followed by warm afternoons, and the bright yellow leaves of the aspens and cottonwoods shine brightly against the deep blue skies. But then, just when you are nicely lulled into complacency with the beauty of autumn, the snows of winters arrive, usually with a vengeance with just a day or two of warning. Will you be ready?
-Are the hoses disconnected and stowed away? Has the sprinkler system been turned off and drained?
-Is everything out of the yard that you don’t want covered in snow for the next six months? Kayaks? Lawn chairs? Planters? Bike racks?
-Do you have all your firewood stacked and ready to be easily accessed so you can stoke the flames of winter?
-Has your heater been serviced?
-Have you installed a stop and drain valve to easily shut off the water in your house when you leave for an extended period?
-Have you reorganized your garage so that you can actually get a car in there? And does that car have its winter tires on? Do you need new windshield wipers?
-Is the snow blower ready to go, or the snow poles installed along the driveway so the snow plow company won’t dig up your landscaping?
-And where is that @#*& snow shovel and snow and ice scraper?
View from my office this morning!
Phew, you’ve finished those pesky chores. Now you just have one more fun step before winter. Go shopping. Can’t find your warm gloves and need to get another pair? What about that jacket that died in April? Now’s the time, and the local businesses would love to see you come walking in the door. Or better yet look up the local ski swaps. I’ll have information on ski swaps later in the week so check back in a few days.
Finally, satisfied that you are ready, it’s time to sit back, relax and dream of what that fresh dumping of new snow will bring you: Is it a smooth glide across Euer Valley, or would you prefer to catch a view of Tahoe as you make your turns from the top of the Sherwood Chair? Or perhaps your dream is simply sipping on a hot toddy, sitting close to the crackling fire, and watching the big flakes float to the ground.
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Come see these two lovely homes at Serene Lakes this Labor Day weekend. My Coldwell Banker signs will be there to lead the way.
3071 Soda Springs Road will be open on Saturday from 2:30 to 5:30.
8474 Hillside will be open on Sunday from 11:00 to 2:00.
3071 Soda Springs Road – $629,000
Open Saturday from 2:30 to 5:30
Smart mountain/snow design & turn key – ready to move on in! Custom features throughout with granite counters in kitchen, cherry cabinets, unique stamped stainless steel backsplash, reclaimed douglas fir trim, distressed solid oak floor, beautiful tile work in baths & custom granite hearth. 3 bedrooms plus den/4th bedroom. Pull down ladder gives access to huge finished storage attic. Two decks for morning or afternoon sun. Land across street is open space (Land Trust/Royal Gorge) with access to prime hiking, biking & Nordic skiing. Sold fully furnished.
8474 Hillside Drive – $845,000
Open Sunday from 11:00 to 2:00
Dramatic mountain home full of light and views of the forest surround you. Custom designed with snow in mind – no exterior stairs, level access, partially covered deck, dumbwaiter/lift & enclosed hot tub. Great room is made for entertaining with large dining room, living area has soaring ceilings with rock hearth & woodstove. Spacious master suite on main floor with lovely views. Fun reading/sleeping nooks on main level & upstairs plus observatory loft. Huge garage with extra storage & ski tuning room. Three sources of heat – radiant on main floor, forced air in bedrooms and woodstove. Only one block from Royal Gorge and unlimited hiking, biking and Nordic ski trails.
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
The community of Tahoe Donner is located on over 7000 acres of land, with 6500 homes and 25,000 members. It has a downhill and cross-country ski area, golf course, several restaurants, fitness center, swimming pool, tennis courts, sledding hill, and thousands of acres of open space for hiking and mountain biking, including a connection to the Donner Lake Rim Trail. How did this immense development, one of the largest in the country, come to be just a few miles outside of little old Truckee, California? It all started with Jack Kirby.
In his 2006 book, “Jack Kirby: Autobiography of a California entrepreneur,” Kirby talks about selling newspapers as a kid before becoming a pilot for the Navy during World War II. After the war he became a football star for USC before going on to play in the National Football League. After his career in the NFL, Kirby purchased 4000 acres of land north of Truckee in 1968.
Although the land which would become Tahoe Donner had recently been the victim of a major forest fire, Kirby was impressed by it’s potential for development. He thought it was rare to find this large a parcel of land in the middle of the beauty of the Sierra that had gentle enough contours to create a development. Kirby also purchased a five acre parcel on the shore of Donner Lake, which could be used to provide access to the lake for Tahoe Donner homeowners. He hired a ski development expert to determine if a ski area could be built on the burned out slopes of the current ski hill, and by 1971 people began buying Tahoe Donner lots for $8000. Kirby said, “I figured if I could develop a resort that was completely different-that offered something to homebuyers, second homeowners and retired people-it would be saleable.”
Looking towards Tahoe Donner ski hill
After developing Tahoe Donner, Kirby went on to develop the Alta Sierra community near Grass Valley, before turning his entrepreneurial mind to the manufacture of golf clubs. In 2006, he told the Sierra Sun about Tahoe Donner that he was “very proud of what we’ve done here. I think it’s turned out to be a great community development.”
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
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