How to get there
I was approaching one of the highest sections of the road coming into Lake Tahoe and as if on cue the snow began to gently drop on my windshield. I had traveled this route a few times before while on my way to visit my Sister who resided in South Lake Tahoe. However, I wasn’t thrilled with my upcoming lack of visibility especially in this most intimidating part of the road.
In addition, the sun had already set and the sky was turning darker by the minute. I am a beach girl and have seen snow fall maybe three times in my life, so I am not an experienced driver in these conditions.
Luckily my friend, who is from the Mid West, noticed my white knuckles firmly gripping the steering wheel and informed me that she had driven in snowstorms way worst than this. I saw a pull-off just ahead and I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough! I happily let her take over the driving duties.
The route we took was one of a few to get into Lake Tahoe and each one has its pluses and minuses. In the way we came, which was coming down from Echo Summit, it was very scenic and only had one area where you drove on what some people would call scary, because of its height. But that part doesn’t last long, most of the time it is easy driving.
Besides this route, I have driven in two other ways through the years. The longest approach from the southern part of the state is coming around the Truckee side. If my memory serves me, it wasn’t one of those winding, switchback roads but rather a gradual incline until you arrive into the northern part of the lake. In contrast, from the Reno/Nevada side, you are traversing through plenty of switch backs and ‘S’ turns.
The road to Tahoe
Regardless of which way you decide to take, all of them will amaze you with the picturesque scenery.
Sadly, it has been many years since I had been to Tahoe, so when a friend and her family were spending a week at an Incline Village cabin, I asked her to take some photos while I brushed away the cobwebs from my memory to write this story.
A big thank you to Stephanie Moore for the photos.
About the Lake
Lake Tahoe is a huge fresh water lake with a surface area of 191 square miles and at an elevation of 6,225 feet.
The lake is 2/3 in California and 1/3 in the state of Nevada and is the largest alpine lake in North America as well as one of the deepest in the United States.
So what is there to do in Tahoe?
The question should be what isn’t there to do in Tahoe?
Staycations California 