Springtime in Tahoe!

March 7, 2015 by trudilee

By Tim Hauserman

We are now entering that special time of year when it is possible to ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon. Or perhaps you prefer bike riding, hiking, kayaking or paddle boarding as your apres ski sport. This year, the mild temperatures and lack of snow at the lower elevations have made the two timing options even more attractive. Here’s a few ideas:

While there is still plenty of skiing in the mountains, the lower elevation trails where you might usually be cross-country skiing are in the process of opening up for mountain biking. The trails north of Truckee, such as the Emigrant Trail and the dirt roads between Prosser, Stampede and Boca Reservoirs are good bets for biking soon. In a few weeks, unless we get a major snow storm, the trails at Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area will also be available for mountain biking, and fat tire biking is available there now.

Road biking in the middle of the day or early afternoon is also becoming a viable option now. Try the Boca to Stampede Ride. The route is clear and smooth, and traffic is light. If you don’t mind a bit of a drive before you ride, this is prime time to take your road bike twenty miles east of Truckee to Verdi, to the Sierra Valley, the foothills near Dutch Flat or Colfax, or Carson City.

Hiking is also an option. The east shore gets the least snow, so many trails in that area are already ready for hiking. Some lower elevation west shore trails are also hikeable such as the trail to the Vikingsholm at Emerald Bay, and the first mile of the Meeks Bay Trail towards Desolation Wilderness. A great choice is the Tahoe Rim Trail heading north out of Tahoe City. This south facing slope melts out quickly, and provides great views of Tahoe without much effort.

We’ve experienced a lot of warm still days this winter with the lake appearing like a sheet of glass. Pick the right day and you will not only be gliding over perfectly smooth water, but you might just have the lake to yourself.

Finally, there is golf. That’s right golf. Already this winter the Tahoe City and Brockway Golf Courses have been open, and based on how quickly the last little snow storm has been melting, they will be reopening again soon.