The Beauty of Lake Tahoe

August 6-12, 2015 – Lake Tahoe

The Tahoe area does not disappoint. It is as beautiful as ever, with clear dark blue skies. The whispering sound of wind gusts through the pine forest and an occasional squirrel screeching at some imposing threat, lifts and regenerates the soul. It’s a perfect time to meditate or more likely to succumb to a nap.

Very notable is the impact of the California drought. It is very dry. Wildlife, including bears, are much more present as they come out of the backwoods for water at the lake. The Truckee River, which originates at Lake Tahoe is dry, except for a few ponds along its course. I have never seen the river this dry in the 40 years since I first visited this area. The river raft and float business is non-existent this year.

The lake water is very cold and very clear. Some of us [not me] braved the temperature to swim, kayak, or paddle board and then recover by laying on the warm round stones and pebbles on the ‘beach’ – not a sand beach. The hikes to the water and along nature trails were wonderful.

We’ve had some extraordinary meals…..hence gamping [gourmet camping]….which challenged our weight management initiatives. As stated in my prologue, I’m keeping text short, but adding more photos.