Product Description
I thought it must be the fairest picture the whole earth affords, wrote Mark Twain of Lake Tahoe. Countless other visitors have agreed, and since the turn of the century the lake’s clear, pure waters and breathtaking natural surroundings have made it a national treasure and an international vacation destination. As one of the deepest and largest of alpine lakes in the United States and the world, Lake Tahoe is said to be one of the most photographed spots on earth. In the clarity and vivid detail of black-and-white photography, Historic Photos of Lake Tahoe showcases nearly 200 images and two centuries of the lake and its surroundings, along with the people, places, and events that have shaped its unique history. Journey with researcher and writer Ellen Drewes as she visits the remarkable past of this scintillating American hideaway.

Historic Photos of Lake Tahoe

Product Description
Snowball’s Chance: The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games is the only book devoted solely to chronicling the historic events at Squaw Valley and Lake Tahoe. The VIII Olympic Winter Games took place in February 1960 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. From 30 countries around the world, 665 athletes gathered over 11 days to engage in five recognized Olympic winter sports contested in 27 events. These sports and events included alpine skiing, Nordic combined, cross-country skiing, biathlon, figure skating, speed skating, ice hockey and ski jumping. You-are-there accounts of all competition events with top scores and medal results for each sport are included. Readers will learn about the extensive pageantry and artistic expression of the opening and closing ceremonies produced by the legendary Walt Disney. The 200-page book includes 80-plus photographs by official photographer Bill Briner and others showing historic Olympic venues and athletes in the heat of competition.

Snowball’s Chance: The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games Squaw Valley & Lake Tahoe

Product Description
All maps have color-coded symbols and trails, mileages between trail junctions, latitude/longitude, UTM grids, contour lines, vegetation, and elevations at trail junctions.Tom Harrison Maps is famous for the beauty and accuracy of its maps.

Lake Tahoe Recreation Map

Lake Tahoe, the lake itself and the small towns scattered around it, are located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the border of Nevada and California. The lake is a freshwater lake and is renowned for the clarity and chill of the water (even in summer). The area is also well known for its breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada’s and the ski resorts, lake activities, hiking, camping, and all sorts of off trail recreational sports.

Of course, Lake Tahoe is historically best known for the discovery of silver in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the 1860’s. During the Gold Rush happening in California, fortune seekers headed to Tahoe and Virginia City, Nevada, hoping to hit the next mother lode, like the Comstock Lode found in 1859. Miners, workers, and even families traveled over the treacherous Donner Pass on nothing but foot, wagons, and horses. The trek over the mountains became so popular that it was named the “Bonanza Road” (which later became the still used Highway 50).

Eventually, the silver and gold ran dry and the miners slowly left, or pursued different avenues for making money such as tolls and taxes to use the pass and lumber harvesting. However, that was short-lived and as early as the 1900’s, Lake Tahoe became a vacation spot for the rich and famous of San Francisco, California. Hotels catering to the rich looking to pamper themselves in a beautiful setting became the new commerce.

However, the lake actually has history prior to the Gold Rush. The lake was discovered by Kit Carson and John Fremont in 1844, but the Washo Indians had been living around the lake and utilizing its fish and fresh water for centuries prior to that. The Washo used the area as a summer venue for their religious ceremonies and meeting with other factions of the tribes that wintered in different areas. It was the Washo that named the lake; their word was “Da-ow-a-ga” which translates to “edge of the lake.” When Carson and Fremont came, they could not understand or pronounce the Indian word and mispronounced it as Tahoe. The early explorers actually named the Lake Bonpland (meaning Mountain Lake after a French botanist) and Bigler Lake after California’s third governor. But none of these names stuck. The people in the area still called it Tahoe. In 1945, they gave in and officially renamed the Lake Tahoe.

It wasn’t until 1944 when the first casino and saloon, Harvey’s Wagon Wheel Saloon and Gambling Hall, that the area began to be known as a gambling destination for entertainment. Many more casinos and hotels began to spring up. Then, in the early 50’s, the roads and passes began to be manually landscaped with roads being built and maintained year round, and people began to build houses and schools and lived in Tahoe full time, not just as a vacation home.

In 1960, the Olympics Winter Games were held in Lake Tahoe at one of the oldest ski resorts, Squaw Valley, and that began the reputation for Lake Tahoe being thought of as the ideal ski destination in the United States.

Luckily, for all that live and visit Lake Tahoe, the government of California and Nevada worked together to create the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in 1968. The Agency was convened to ensure that all developments and tourist areas were limited to allow the natural environment of the area to flourish and continue to be a wild and natural escape for as long as people wanted to visit.

The foresight of these early precautions has helped to maintain some very delightful and amazing historical sites for the modern tourist to see. A few of the most notable are the Vikingsholm Castle on Fannette Island, Ehrman Mansion, and Taylor Creek Stream Profile Chamber.

Located at the west end of Emerald Bay, Nevada, Fannette Island (the only island in Lake Tahoe) with the Vikingsholm Castle atop. The island and the castle are a great way to get to see first hand some of the diverse people and cultures that traveled through the basin. The castle was built in 1928 by Mrs. Lora J. Knight who instructed Scandinavian architect Lennart Palme to build a home without chopping down, moving, or injuring any of the site’s natural trees.

Knight and Palme decided to build a Norse fortress from about 800 A.D. in full scale, method, and detail. They used only those tools and concepts of those used in ancient Scandinavia. The towers, turrets, towers, carvings, and hand-sanded wood were used to create the modern fortress. They installed a sod roof with grass that the ancient Scandinavians used to feed livestock during the winter. Mrs. Knight also wanted her furniture and décor to reflect the Scandinavian era, but many of her desired artifacts were so historically significant that their export was forbidden by the Norwegian and Swedish governments. But she was so driven to complete her vision, she had them copied exactly and recreated for her house.

The Ehrman Mansion is located in the Sugar pine Point State Park in California. The property was owned, until 1965, by Isaias W. Hellman, who built his summer home, Pine Lodge in 1903, then he began buying property in Lake Tahoe in 1913 and got up to about 2000 acres. The Mansion and the 1975 acres of the State Park give a good insight into the Tahoe of the early turn of the century. Of the decadence, yet need, to have the land remain wild.

Similarly, the Taylor Creek Chamber is a place where people can go and experience, nearly first hand, what the water and the creatures living in the lake are like. The glass bay windows walls, the waterfall, and the creek-bottom-eque floors complete with sound effects make this experience realistic, but without getting into the chilly Tahoe water.

The viewing windows of the actual lake then become a huge mural that wraps around the walls of the room, or chamber. There is also a huge cottonwood tree growing in the middle of the chamber. Visitors can view scenes of the Taylor Creek ecosystem throughout the four seasons, with a final scene looking down Taylor Creek where it empties into Lake Tahoe.

More than just an exciting summer vacation destination, Lake Tahoe is the perfect place for an all-season retreat filled to the brim with recreational pursuits. Whether you want to hit the slopes at one of the spectacular ski resorts or spend your days cruising around a pristine, majestic lake, Lake Tahoe has everything you need for a summer or winter getaway.

Summer in Lake Tahoe means spending numerous hours along the shores of this stunning body of water, either soaking up the sun or participating in thrilling activities out on the lake. Rent a boat for a day of swimming, waterskiing, and tubing; hop aboard a jet ski for an entertaining afternoon of jumping waves and viewing the serene scenery; or grab a kayak to create your own adventure during your vacation and explore the picturesque inlets. No matter what kind of water-filled activity appeals to your senses, Lake Tahoe is sure to be an accommodating host.

While the lake is the most popular attraction around here, the area surrounding this expansive beauty is an entertaining option for adventure-seekers and outdoor enthusiasts. D.L. Bliss State Park offers an extensive trail system where visitors can catch breathtaking, panoramic views of Lake Tahoe, Emerald Bay, and Fannette Island and make their way past the granite mammoth, the Balancing Rock, as it rests upon a slender base. Other popular nearby parks include Emerald Bay State Park, whose abundant flora is unmatched, and Donner Memorial State Park, where fishing, hiking, and boating are always in style.

When the days become shorter and snow begins to blanket the area, ski and snowboarding enthusiasts flock to Lake Tahoe for the plentiful resorts and endless supply of excitement. With eleven ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe region, visitors of all skill levels will find an abundance of runs and trails that suit their abilities and allow for a memorable ski getaway. Whether you choose a massive resort like Squaw Valley, which boasts 177 trails of pure exhilaration, or a smaller, less intimidating destination such as Soda Springs Mountain Resort, everyone in your family is in for the ride of their life on Lake Tahoe’s soft powder and groomed terrain.

In addition to the thrilling runs, freeriders can spend an afternoon learning new moves and catching some serious air at an exciting terrain park. Many of the resorts, including Sugar Bowl, Heavenly Valley, and Squaw Valley, have terrain parks that are perfect for all levels of ability in addition to superpipes that overlook stunning Lake Tahoe. Throw in the many other adventures you can find at these fully-loaded resorts, including snow tubing, sledding, and snowshoeing, and you have the makings of a truly invigorating vacation.

With so many possibilities scattered across numerous resorts, it would be easy to never venture outside the confines of your favorite ski area. However, there are several other outdoor pursuits that are worth noting if you want a well-rounded and scenically breathtaking getaway. Snowmobiling to the top of Mount Watson, complete with expansive views of all of Lake Tahoe, is a popular activity while cross-country skiing at the Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area is perfect for those who want to combine physical exercise with a sightseeing adventure.

Since your vacation will certainly be centered around all of the activities you plan to participate in, stay close to everything you love about Lake Tahoe with a conveniently located vacation rental. You can find Lake Tahoe vacation rentals that are just steps away from the ski lifts or ideally situated on the waters of Lake Tahoe for an exciting, entertaining vacation in some of the most beautiful surroundings possible. Begin your search for the perfect Lake Tahoe home rental today and experience an all-season retreat that extends miles beyond the ordinary.

Summer 2007. Taking off from Reid Hillview for South lake Tahoe (TVL)