How can something as small as a snowflake create such an amazing impact in our lives? One day you are hiking down a mountain, and the next thing you know, after a huge Sierra storm, you are flying down through the powder on that same mountain. Is it dreaming, or do the seasons in the Lake Tahoe area really arrive so quickly?
No, you are not dreaming. The winter comes fast in Tahoe, and with more than 300 inches of snow in many resorts, it is one of the most desired locales to ski or board. And you can have your choice, as the Sierras provide the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America, offering something for everyone.
I love to plan for the Lake Tahoe winter. Get my skis tuned, check out the weather reports, and then head out to one of the many mountain resorts. Each day is new as I stand at the top of the world ready to push off. The frigid air is a wake-up call to reality that although this is too good to be true, I am not dreaming. In fact, I have arrived right back where I belong. Will I remember how to carve through the freshies, tear down the mountain, and make a hard hockey-stop turn at the bottom, only to jump back on the chairlift and fly down the mountain again? How many vertical feet can I rack up in one day? There is only one way to find out: let’s get going!
From the top of the mountains, you get a glimpse of the Jewel of the Sierras, Lake Tahoe. The colors will amaze you — aquamarine, turquoise, and emerald green — so beautiful that they can take your breath away. But don’t stop breathing. You have got to see, touch, taste and participate in all that The Lake holds in store for you. Enjoy the moment and this postcard setting (wish you were here). The sun shines brighter in these high mountain altitudes, and with more than 300 days of Sierra sun you will wear a smile for a long time.
The speed of downhill Alpine skiing certainly makes my heart beat more quickly, but I also enjoy watching the cross-country skiers. The quiet dedication of the telemarkers as they kneel into their turns is reminiscent of one genuflecting to acknowledge the miracle of this amazing place. Ski, kneel, turn. Ski, kneel, turn. With a multitude of ways to travel the terrain, whether over the bumps, on the corduroy, or through the trees of the backcountry powder, this is where everyone’s dreams come true. You may love this place so much that you will want it to remain a secret. Tahoe is a possession that you will want to keep for yourself —it is a rare gem.
I encourage you to bring whatever it takes to make your moves on the snow, but most of all, bring yourself. Once you are here, I promise you will never be the same again. That is why I chose to stay! |
