Around Lake Tahoe

Marg and I went to Lake Tahoe twice in November, first in 2021 and then in 2023. We had hoped to try out our snowshoes on the first trip, but the snow was too patchy to need them. That left us free to explore six very different trails, about 38 miles in all. Late fall gave us quiet paths, crisp air, and plenty of granite, pines, creeks, and mountain lakes. It also meant some closed roads, which changed our plans more than once.

Our 2021 hikes began with an ambitious climb on the Glen Alpine Trail to Susie Lake. A swollen creek turned us away from Grass Lake, so we carried on to Susie Lake, tired and happy to eat lunch near 8,000 feet. The next day, a road closure steered us to the Potholes, where rushing water and great sweeps of granite made an easy hike feel like a discovery. At Five Lakes, we climbed past the ski lifts and wandered among snowy lakes; at the Incline Flume Trail, we liked the easy grade and wide views of Tahoe so much that we kept walking well past our planned turnaround.

Shirley Canyon to Shirley Lake gave us waterfalls and a demanding final climb over rock and snow. We finished that trip with a gentler walk around Spooner Lake, where we saw the grinding stones used by the Washoe people. Back in November 2023, we started with Bassi Falls. The creek and falls were beautiful, but I slipped on icy rock while taking a photograph and ended up in the water. Marg's account captures how frightening that half hour was for both of us. It was a hard reminder to respect ice even on an otherwise easy trail.

The next day we kept things shorter at Eagle Lake, stopping for a snack by the water and later for beer and food at South Lake Brewing. On our final reported hike, we followed the Echo Lakes trail toward Tamarack Lake, pausing for lunch at Upper Echo Lake and putting on spikes for the packed snow and ice beyond. Looking back over the two lakes from higher on the trail was one of the trip's finest views. Between Marg's day-by-day notes and my photographs, these trips remind me how much we enjoy the Sierra together, including the detours, the tired legs, and the quiet moments beside the water.