SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — A total of 204 Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) 8th-grade students took their science and environmental learning to new heights during Heavenly Epic Days at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Organized in collaboration with the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (STEEC), this immersive outdoor experience provided students with a firsthand look at forest ecology, watershed stewardship, wildfire preparedness, and natural resource conservation across the Lake Tahoe Basin. Lake Tahoe Basin. The experience also reflected LTUSD’s Board Priority of Strong Connections by bringing students, educators, and community partners together to build meaningful relationships while learning about and caring for the environment they share.
This year’s educational programming centered on the environmental impacts of wildfire in the basin, exploring the critical relationships between fire behavior, water quality, and forest health. Through interactive learning stations situated on the mountain, students engaged with experts from key environmental partner organizations:
- Fire Adapted Communities Program (Tahoe RCD): Led lessons on wildfire resilience, defensible space, and forest fuel management, illustrating how proactive stewardship protects community and environmental health.
- Sugar Pine Foundation: Guided students through biodiversity, tree species identification, and forest ecology, examining how native trees respond to and recover from fire.
- Keep Tahoe Blue (League to Save Lake Tahoe): Conducted hands-on water quality and watershed runoff activities, demonstrating how post-fire dynamics affect lake clarity and aquatic ecosystems.
- US Forest Service: Partnered to educate students on forest management, wildfire response, and the role of public lands in maintaining ecosystem resilience.
In addition to their field studies, students enjoyed a scenic gondola ride up the mountain, providing an unmatched vantage point to view the Lake Tahoe Watershed. Students were also treated to Heavenly’s Epic Discovery activities, including tubing and coaster rides, blending outdoor recreation with real-world scientific exploration.
“Connecting our students with the natural environment right here in their own backyard is a cornerstone of our Career Technical Education (CTE) and science curriculum,” said Alissa Zertuche, CTE specialist for LTUSD. “Understanding how fire, water, and forest systems interact empowers our students to become informed environmental stewards. We are deeply grateful to Heavenly Mountain Resort, TRCD, the Sugar Pine Foundation, and Keep Tahoe Blue for providing such an impactful experience.”
LTUSD extends a heartfelt thank you to Heavenly Mountain Resort and Vail Resorts’ Epic Promise for their continued generosity in donating gondola access, mountain facility usage, and activity passes. Heavenly’s partnership ensures equitable outdoor educational opportunities for local youth, giving many students their first opportunity to experience the top of the mountain while discovering potential career pathways in environmental science, resort management, and recreation.
