Tahoe in Snow

Standing on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, I was puzzled if I was indeed looking at a lake or was it an ocean. The crystal clear turquoise blue waters did not do anything to help the mystery. However, instead of empty horizons, the panorama of surrounding mountains and green conifers lining the banks helped me realize that certain creations despite their precise geographical terminology are difficult to classify in a certain known category and dim the lines thereof.

The lake with its vast shore size (116 km of shoreline and 490 sq km of surface area), the soft carpet-like sand below your feet, the loop of slopes circling the lake which your picture can fit only with the help of a wide-angle lens and the clarity of water (60 feet deep) as if your gaze could penetrate to the floor of the lake; can baffle your senses. The spotless beauty of the sprawling lake unspoiled by the scars of civilization will make you feel new again. Mark Twain, in his book Roughing It, rightly described Lake Tahoe as "the fairest picture the whole earth affords… three months of camp life on Lake Tahoe would restore an Egyptian mummy to his pristine vigor, and give him the appetite like an alligator."

Lake Tahoe simply put is America´s winter paradise. It is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States. It´s the second deepest lake in the USA and the tenth deepest in the world. The area surrounding the lake is also referred to as Lake Tahoe, or simply Tahoe. The Tahoe Basin is mostly undeveloped and is designated as national forests, state parks and wilderness areas affording one plenty of opportunity to take a dip in the nature-- camping, hiking or biking. The Tahoe Rim Trail which circumnavigates the lake for 165 miles happens to be the favorite among tourists.

The beauty of Tahoe is, however, markedly distinct in different seasons. But as a visitor who has seen Tahoe in both the summer and the winter, I vouch for the winter scene as something unfathomed by human imagination.

The day we drove into Tahoe, it was cold and we were childishly happy to catch traces of unmelted snow still on the slopes. But we had little idea of what was coming tomorrow. As we checked into the hotel, snow began to fall in tiny, light flakes that disappeared as soon as they touched ground. We rushed to capture the fragile snowfall in our camera as if we had found the moon.

As it is in mountainous areas, nights are long and people have to stay indoors for a long time. Even before morning came, our stomachs growled to break the long fast. As our hotel had no food service, we drove out in search of food just as day broke. Unaware of the conditions outside, we were stunned at the sight that met our eyes as our car rolled out on the road. The whole place as far as the eyes could see was covered in white. It was so still one could hear a pin drop. It had obviously been snowing incessantly the whole night. Snow covered everything without distinction from trees, car tops, houses, bushes to curbs. White being the colour of purity, everything looked sanitized and new. For once differences were drowned and everything vouched unity by dying itself in one color. Our senses were subdued. It was early in the morning, the sun was still mellow and the dazzle of the snow unchallenged. Standing in your first snowfall is an experience that defies description and is not even worth trying. We lost our sense of time, place and being.

Surprisingly, despite the sub-zero temperatures, the lake still floated. That is but another wonder of nature--- the lake never freezes. As if unmoved and unaware of the snow, it was still proud in its own majestic beauty.

Thankfully, due to some light movement of traffic, the roads were still traversable. But our tires skid as the vehicle was not equipped with chains. We spotted a café but realized we could not turn in as the turn was blocked by snow and the ice-mowers were still arriving. We were forced to keep driving straight on the lookout for some turning in the road free of snow. But there was none. The road was narrow. There were cars behind us and we couldn´t have stopped without causing an accident. We were forced to keep going further and further down the road. Very soon the city would end and we would be in the mountains where the snow would be even deeper. We were beginning to get scared. But the fortune of seeing virgin snow tried to overpower our fears and push our spirits. There are those times in life when getting something makes even the most dire consequences worth the risk. Soon the non-stop clicking of our camera was the only thing that disturbed the pristine scene.

At long last, we found a U-turn.

The lake is nestled in the lap of the mountains. It serves many other functions for tourism besides just being an eye-catching hill station. Boasting the deepest snow in US and mind-bending steeps, Tahoe has numerous world-class ski resorts. It´s a haven for winter zealots. The Winter Olympics of 1960 were hosted in Tahoe. Snow-mobiling is yet another spectacular sport here. Snow and skiing form a significant part of the area´s economy.

The California-Nevada border cuts through the lake. With a part of the lake on the California side of the border and a part lying on the Nevada side, the lake also boasts of two different cultures. Gambling being legal in Nevada, this part of the lake has the hottest casinos and clubs and the hippest bars. As a result, visitors can find entertainment and a brisk night life along with the tranquility and beauty of the natural environment of Tahoe.

A great view point we found was at the Heavenly Valley Ski Resort. Gondolas (cable cars) take you up at a height of 9123 sq. feet and land you at an Observation Deck where you are treated to shore-to-shore views of the lake, the Carson Valley and Desolation Wilderness. At a dizzying height amid peaks enveloped in thick snow and a cold that made my heart stop for a second, this could be the best possible simulation of heaven on earth, I thought to myself.

Emerald Bay, a California underwater state park, is one of the most popular vista points around Lake Tahoe. It is said to be one of the most photographed spots in the world. It´s an inland on the west side of the lake where water turns emerald, hence the name.

It is little wonder then that Tahoe is touted as one of the top travel destinations by travel freaks and websites. Tahoe and the media has also had a fine connection. In the motion picture ´The Godfather Part II´, the Corleone family lived in a compound on the shores of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Both ´The Bodyguard´ and ´City Of Angels´ filmed their climactic scenes at and around Lake Tahoe. You don´t need more reason than that to visit Tahoe. Lake Tahoe is accessible via Reno-Tahoe International Airport or Sacramento International Airport. And don´t forget to carry tones of woolens if you plan to explore Tahoe in snow.