scenic

Some people, when they first see Lake Tahoe, think how it'd be nice to boat on top of the glass like water. Others imagine fishing on the lake stocked with big fish, while yet others think about how nice it would be to sit at the quiet and scenic shore and enjoy the sun and the view.

To nine year old Erline Christopherson, all she thought when first saw the crystal blue waters was how she'd like to swim across it. The dream was born that day in 1955.

There will be an evening of adventure and environmental films from around the world designed to inspire, educate and entertain at the Valhalla Boathouse Theater on Wednesday, August 13 at 7 p.m. This is a special program for the whole family. Celebrate Valhalla Tahoe and learn how you can become a member and support the arts in South Lake Tahoe.

Door prizes too!

What began as a dream in 1977 is now a 165-mile trail around Lake Tahoe for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. Retired U.S. Forest Service officer Glen Hampton researched and explored places along the perimeter for the trail to go. He nvestigated aged pathways used by early pioneers, Basque Shepherds, and the Washoe People. The Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA)was founded in 1981 and construction on the trail began three years later.

The dream of a dedicated bike path along the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe moved one step closer to reality with a vote by the Tahoe Fund board of directors to launch a new campaign to raise $750,000 for the trail. The private money raised by the Tahoe Fund would help the Tahoe Transportation District secure $12.5 million in public funding for the new bike path from Incline Village south to Sand Harbor on the lake’s northeast corner.

Heavenly Mountain Resort has upped the ante on summer fun, introducing new adventures at the top of the Heavenly Gondola for Summer 2014. Summertime guests will have the opportunity to swing through the trees and fly through the air on new experiences including the Boulder Cove and Black Bear Challenge Courses, the Discovery Forest Canopy Course and the 3,300 foot-long Blue Streak zip line. On Friday, June 13, Heavenly Mountain Resort will open these expanded offerings to the public seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through September 1.

America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride isn't your normal Sunday bike ride unless you normally ride around Lake Tahoe with 3,000 of your friends. The annual bike ride has been bringing riders to Lake Tahoe annually for the past 22 years.

This year's 23rd Annual event is on Sunday, June 1. With the temporary closure of the Horizon for remodeling, the staging for the ride has moved across the street to the MontBleu.

There is something for everyone this summer at the Valhalla Art, Music and Theatre Festival in South Lake Tahoe. The festival, on the beautiful shores of Lake Tahoe, opens on Wednesday,

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is seeking public input on a proposal to remove the Incline Lake dam and restore the area impacted by it. The Forest Service purchased the 777-acre Incline Lake parcel, located off State Route 431 in Washoe County, Nev., on July 29, 2008, for its recreational, scenic and natural resource values. During the acquisition process, a site investigation and assessment determined that the Incline Lake dam and spillway do not meet federal, state or local standards for a high-hazard dam (designated as such due to downstream development).

Mothers will be the star passengers Sunday, May 11 on a special edition train ride from Nevada's capital, Carson City to the 1860's boom-era mining town of Virginia City. Tickets are on sale now for a window seat into Nevada's Old West aboard the historic Virginia and Truckee Railroad. The ride features storytelling, history and lore, shopping, a long stem rose for mom, and brunch opportunities in Virginia City.

Putting on the annual Valhalla Art, Music and Theatre Festival takes more than a village. It requires the skills, creativity and organization of a Festival Director. The Tahoe Tallac Association, which produces the Festival, is pleased to announce its new Festival Director, Evangeline Elston.

There has finally been a lot of construction action at the site of The Chateau Project in South Lake Tahoe over the last couple of months. Many locals have called this area "The Hole" since construction stalled in 2008 but they are now seeing life being put into one of the cornerstones of the South Lake Tahoe Tourist Core.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is currently reviewing the opening brief filed by regional plan litigants who, according to the Agency, are continuing their misinformation campaign about the updated environmental plan that is supported widely by environmental advocates, business groups, and state and local leaders.

A major milestone for Lake Tahoe’s restoration and environmental redevelopment was reached today with the unanimous adoption by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Governing Board of the Douglas County South Shore Area Plan—the first local government Area Plan to be enacted under the 2012 Lake Tahoe Regional Plan—according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is marking this year’s Lake Tahoe Summit by highlighting the Environmental Improvement Program’s 15 years of achievement restoring and protecting Lake Tahoe’s fragile ecosystem.

Launched at the 1997 Presidential Forum at Lake Tahoe by then President Bill Clinton, and Vice President Al Gore, the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) is a partnership of more than 50 federal, state, and local agencies, private interests, and the Washoe Tribe.

The second Heavenly Mountain Run on Sunday, Sept. 1, takes runners from the California Base Lodge at 6,565-feet, 5.8 miles, up Maggie’s to Hellwinkles and along the California Trail to the top of one of Lake Tahoe’s largest four-seasons resorts.

The run finishes at the Tamarack Lodge at an awe-inspiring 9,150-feet. Runners can enjoy a scenic ride down the Heavenly Gondola back to the base or descend on their own.

Finishers will be greeted by cheering fans and a post-race spread of food, drinks, and activities for all ages.

Cultivating a passion and appreciation for the outdoors is a year-round task, and Heavenly Mountain Resort is stepping up to the challenge by expanding its summer operations to include more interactive, family-friendly learning experiences.

“Lake Tahoe is a year-round destination, and there is a tremendous opportunity to offer more summer activities at the top of the Gondola,” said Pete Sonntag, Heavenly’s general manager. “Our hope is that visitors of all ages and backgrounds are able to create life-long connections to our National Forests through adventure, play and recreation.”

The League to Save Lake Tahoe received a grant Monday from Wells Fargo and Company as part of a $3 million Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program across 64 community-based nonprofits nationwide to help support land and water conservation, energy efficiency, infrastructure and educational outreach.

EMERYVILLE, Calif. (AP) - The journey east on Amtrak's California Zephyr train is as good as the destination. Riding the rails from the San Francisco Bay area to Reno, Nev., offers beautiful vie...

The League to Save Lake Tahoe will be giving a presentation on the evenings of March 13-14 about Pipe Keepers, a new volunteer monitoring program.

Pipe Keepers is a volunteer based monitoring program that examines turbidity (clarity) of water that enters Lake Tahoe and its tributaries through storm drains.

Created in response to a resident’s concerns about a neighborhood storm pipe discharging dirty looking water directly into Lake Tahoe, Pipe Keepers began in the Fall of 2012 with trained local volunteers sampling outflow from storm drain pipes throughout the Tahoe Basin.

Please join us to hear the Conservation Director of the Friends of the River, Steve Evans. Steve will share his photographs of wild places and rivers and share his insights on potential designation of wild and scenic status for the high reaches of the Upper Truckee River and other wild places in the Tahoe Basin.

Join us, bring a friend and share refreshments at our comfortable Unity gathering place.

Unity of the Lake Center
Rufus Allen Blvd
7:00pm
All members of the public are invited.
Free

The silver screen meets glittering Lake Tahoe at the 8th Annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival On Tour Friday, March 8 at the MontBleu Showroom, a benefit for the Sierra Nevada Alliance.

Presented by the Sierra Nevada Alliance, South Tahoe Earth Day Committee and Patagonia South Lake Tahoe, the Wild and Scenic Film Festival combines award winning environmental and adventure fi lms with the energy of local activism.

Featured films at the event will cover fun outdoor adventures, environmental battles and inspirational stories of people making a difference.

Alpenglow Sports has teamed up with Tahoe Cross Country to present the first-ever Lake Tahoe Nordic Festival Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 10. All events are free, open to the public and take place at Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area in Tahoe City, California. A full schedule of events is available at www.tahoenordicfestival.com.

Getting to North Lake Tahoe’s snowy ski slopes just got a whole lot easier with the launch of the region's first area-wide free ski shuttle serving North Lake Tahoe, Truckee and Donner Summit.

The service runs between area lodging properties to 9 different ski resorts on weekends and holiday weeks now through March 31. It was formed through a collaboration of the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/Resort Association in partnership with the Truckee/North Tahoe Transportation Management Association and Placer County, the town of Truckee and several ski resorts.

With seven feet of new snow in the past four days, Kirkwood Mountain Resort is living up to its reputation for the deepest and driest snow around Lake Tahoe and is well on its way to exceeding its average annual snowfall total of 600 inches.

So far the 2012-13 season snowfall total for Kirkwood is 210 inches, and more is on the way with storms heading into the New Year in time for the mountain's 40th anniversary.