Lakes – Western Skies and Island Currents

April 6, 2019

Want to Pack More Passion and Meaning into Your Life?

“From the Desert to the Mountains to the Sea and all the Pristine Rivers, Lakes and Islands in Between.”

Find more meaning and happiness in your life. Try before you buy.

The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life. What’s on your Bucket List? Try these …

Lakes and Mountains. No, it wasn’t an April Fools joke by some family member. Unless you count everyone’s mother, Mother Nature. It’s Spring. But don’t try to cheer up all those folks delayed at Lake Tahoe by an avalanche for most of the day on Highway 50.

Deserts and Flowers. Maybe those families and locals and tourists stuck in Heavenly traffic should have headed to the desert instead. Wait, flowers in the desert? Yup, this years’ super bloom.

Secluded Islands. No not Oahu, Maui, Kauai or the Big Island (well those are fine too), but the quiet, friendly island of Molokai. The one that gets no respect – or tourist attention. The one that gives you room to roam. Or consider visiting Beguia, the tiny Grenadine Island, off the beaten path.

Seas and Whales. It’s that time of year again when the humpback whales command everyone’s attention off the coast of Maui. Except for that boat that struck a whale calf near the southern tip of the Island. By everyone it’s nearly 450 volunteers who help track and record 219 humpback whales one last time in 2019.

Islands and Cultures. Timing is everything. Once a year you have a chance to experience authentic Hawaii culture on Maui.

Seas and Currents. At the top of the world scientists calculate a better forecast of when ice will no longer cover all of the Arctic region. While at the same time temperature readings reveal 2018 established ocean heat set a record.

Steps:

21) Spend the time to find the best place to live and invest. It will be worth your while. The great thing about living where others spend their vacation is the year round quality-of-life.

24) Determine which maker or breaker community issues you will find across all resort communities vs. those unique only to the quality-of-life towns at the top of your best places list.

32) Plan extended seasonal vacations during summer and winter months. Group destination locations together in regional trips to explore what several bucket list towns have to offer in the general vicinity – with only a week or two vacation time to spend, we recommend organizing your itinerary by travel regions.

33) When you move, will your established neighbors share your same values? Does your new home have potential over the long term to develop into a high appreciation real estate investment while being affordable for mid-life or empty nesters? Do the weather patterns in winter or summer make you want to live there year round, or only on a seasonal basis. Does your new community offer a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities?

34) On your visits look for any newer developments that may trigger changes in neighborhood patterns. New construction in or around the neighborhood? Major regional economic adjustments? Transition from households with children to ones that are empty nests? Rezoning, and dramatically rising/falling land values?

January 1, 2019

Is Tahoe’s Real Estate Market About to Repeat Itself? Will You Miss Out?

Luke Curran compared the cost of living in Lake Tahoe to other real estate markets.

“As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” – Mark Twain

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

Part One: Market

5-Year Time Frames 2015 -2020

In the summer of 2015 an article quoted Chase International’s take on home prices.

Lake Tahoe home prices continue to rise 14 percent to $525,000. Overall sales around the lake dipped slightly from this time last year, with Incline Village seeing decreases across the board and Tahoe City seeing healthy improvements.

Sotheby’s International Realty Sierra compared 2015 Incline Village/Crystal Bay Real Estate Market

Non-Lakefront Properties improved since our first post recession, come-back year in 2013.
A relatively strong supply of inventory exists in our Incline Village and Crystal Bay
Lakefront condo sales dropped from 14 in 2013, to 13 in 2014, down to just 7 in 2015.

In the winter of 2016 Deb Howard & Co of South Tahoe Real Estate described the South Shore Lake Tahoe market as experiencing

… slow but steady growth, both in sales and pricing projected at 5%

Tahoe-Truckee real estate market for luxury home sales decline at end of 2015
Luxury home sales in North Lake Tahoe and the Truckee area down 39 percent from the 82 high-end sales during the fourth quarter of 2014 20 percent decline

But, overall 2015 was a good year for the housing market in general in this region.

“Inventory levels are starting out 2016 traditionally low.”

In terms of luxury sales, Truckee communities boasted the most with 24, followed by North Lake Tahoe, West Tahoe Olympic Valley and then Alpine Meadows.

Realtors looked favorably towards 2016.

Why?

South Tahoe Real Estate explained it this way.

With the inventory available coupled with homes still priced at 5-6 year lows and very favorable interest rates, the conditions are attractive for savvy real estate investors who want to get into the Tahoe-Truckee market

When things start to normalize again both the buyer and seller have peace of mind.

The good news – at the macro level:

US underlying economic fundamentals are forecast to be stable
GDP at 3%,
unemployment decreasing to 5% and
interest rates hovering at historic lows of 4-5%
all of which contribute to consumer confidence uptick!

The good news – at the overall Lake Tahoe Real Estate Market level:

Stabilized values remove years of uncertainty and drive a new infusion of qualified home buyers, investors and vacation lifestyle buyers.
Value pricing coupled with low interest rates favors a diversification of a financial portfolio toward tangible investment – read “real estate.”
Attractive investment property opportunities with favorable returns on investment (ROI). Lake Tahoe’s lack of inventory keeps prices moving up.
Lake Tahoe emerges again as a revitalized resort community with four season to enjoy quality-of-life and lifestyle desires.
The beauty of the area draws investors and second-home owners heavily from the San Francisco Bay Area where record amounts of wealth have been created over the last few years.

And that translates into demand for Lake Tahoe real estate and drives growth at a rapid rate.

Luke Curran compared the cost of living in Lake Tahoe to other real estate markets.

When you add up the major expenses – housing costs, groceries, utilities and transportation – because of the area’s small population, the cost of living is lower here than in most cities.

In fact he says …

The cost of living is 15% higher in San Francisco than it is in the Lake Tahoe area.
The housing costs 49% higher in San Fran.

But, according to Chase International –

There is only one Lake Tahoe.
And people want to experience the amazing lifestyle and buy here.
It’s the views, the wilderness, and fun amenities.
The beauty of the area and the drive to live here.

Photo credit: Selbe. on Best Running / CC BY-NC-ND

Mark Twain agreed when he wrote in “Roughing It” in 1880.

“As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.”

Approaching Lake Tahoe today, there’s no denying the unique rural atmosphere with small lakeside towns.

Whether you travel to the North Shore via I-80 or to the South Shore via US 50.

Steps:

22) Selectively evaluate the best quality-of-life communities to live in and weigh the tradeoffs of risk and rewards for accruing real estate appreciation along a progression of rural and small towns that meet what your pocket books can afford.

30) Review headlines and relevant news as far back as you can find online to surface each community’s unique pulse and identify information necessary to make your decision. Is there a “ticking time bomb” issue you may uncover that eliminates the resort from your bucket list? Search on Topix.com.

August 27, 2018January 1, 2019

Market

Looking back in hindsight the realtor consensus pegged 2012 as the bottom of the market.

Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty Listings

Depressed home pricing motivated buyers due to historically low-interest rates which averaged 3.657% for 30 year fully amortized conforming loans.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

And now back to your regularly scheduled program, Lake Tahoe …

The 2015 – 2016 season may turn out to be the perfect winter.

Everyone relishes the thriving economic conditions after suffering through a series of abnormally dry winters.

Most realtors in the Lake Tahoe region point to a home and second home market that has been on an upswing for several years.

In fact, Tahoe Mountain Realty said …

“Sales in the Lake Tahoe region surpassed $1 billion for the third consecutive year.”

The absorption rate — the supply of how many homes are for sale compared to the supply of properties that were in demand and could be sold at the current sales pace — revealed a more balanced market.

Tahoe Mountain Reality wrote that

“the region is now balanced with a 6-months supply available.”

In the luxury real estate market Lake Tahoe experienced the most significant surge in new home construction in over a decade especially in

Martis Camp,
Gray’s Crossing,
Lahontan,
Schaffer’s Mill
and Old Greenwood.

5-Year Time Frames from 2009 — 2014

Not that long ago, during the winter of 2011 – 2012, the absorption rate for South Lake Tahoe was driven by the trend of short and bank-owned (REO) sales.

That market was out of balance which realtors say is roughly 2 to 4-months supply of inventory.

You’re in a “buyers market” if it takes longer than a 4 months absorption rate.

Buyers simply have a greater selection of properties to choose from.

If the sales pace picks up and only takes an estimated 2 months or less to clear the inventory of homes, then you’re in a “sellers market.”

Sellers face less competition from fewer available choices for motivated buyers.

South Lake Tahoe, realtors claimed in 2012, hadn’t seen a balanced market for quite some time.

Looking back in hindsight the realtor consensus pegged 2012 as the bottom of the market.

Luke Curran wrote in 2014 how the Lake Tahoe real estate market at the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007 was stronger than ever.

But, within a span of a year home values dropped like a stone.

To the bottom of the lake.

If you had wanted to sell, you missed your top dollar opportunity.

If you had the cash and a little foresight you could have taken advantage of the decline in prices.

Kelly Smith in the fall of 2010 speculated about Truckee homes, condos and lots sales between 2008 to 2010 picking up due to the declining values in both Truckee and Northstar.

Writing about West Lake Tahoe over the previous 3 years Kelly said the decrease in value on average amounted to a historic trend

North Lake Tahoe from Incline Stateline to Tahoe City didn’t fair any better.

David Westfall pointed to the impact of California’s long-term drought on the local ski and snowboarding resorts.

“Perhaps no other community was as impacted by successive dry winters as Northstar.”

But the timing was ripe for substantial investment in Northstar from …

Vail Resorts,
Mountainside Partners and
Kennedy-Wilson.

Luke Curran described how real estate market differs among subdivisions of the Lake Tahoe area.

For instance, condos on the west shore are pricier, while in 2014 the market for condos at Squaw and Alpine hadn’t grown as rapidly as other areas.

During the winter of 2012 -2013 in February the Yee Hedley Group compared year-end 2012 to 2011.

They found positive signs in the MLS listing inventory. “

It was at an all time low, just like the good old days back in 2004 and 2005.

That’s not all.

They documented signs of

… dramatic improvement upon comparing overall home sale statistics from 2012 to 2011.”

David Westfall, a month earlier, in January 2013, assessed the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee markets.

He found a silver lining for single family homes.

“Depressed home pricing motivated buyers due to historically low-interest rates which averaged 3.657% for 30 year fully amortized conforming loans.”

Sotheby’s International Realty published year-end reviews of Lake Tahoe sales from 2012 to 2015.

In addition to the numbers they framed the real estate market.

“It spans 72 miles of Lake Tahoe shoreline, two state lines and a handful of California and Nevada counties and four multiple listing services – North & West Shore, East Shore, Incline Village and Truckee.”

Sotheby’s agreed with Luke Curran who wrote in the spring of 2014,

“Buyers want a low price on a home and after the value of the home has gone up, and they sell it, they want a profit”.

Before you make the big financial decision to purchase or sell a home in the Truckee /Lake Tahoe you need to drill down into the micro market data.

Sotheby’s farms the

North & West Shore,
East Shore,
Incline Village,
Truckee, and
South Lake Tahoe markets.

Luke Curran broke the Lake Tahoe down into five areas he covered:

North Shore,
West Shore,
Squaw / Alpine,
Truckee and
Northstar.

David Westfall breaks Tahoe and Truckee into 10 micro market neighborhoods, 5 apiece.

Tahoe:

Alpine Meadows
North Shore
Squaw Valley
Tahoe City Area
West Shore

Truckee:

Donner Lake
Glenshire Area
Golf Course Communities
Northstar
Tahoe Donner

Part Two: Is Tahoe’s Real Estate Market About to Repeat Itself? Will You Miss Out?

Steps:

25) Compare what “life” was like in those communities before the Great Recession, how resilient each was during the economic downturn, and to what degree did each bounce back after with any “economic hangover.”

August 21, 2018

Time to Circle the Lake and Discover Your Next Adventure

Packed in SUVs like sardines, they imagine sliding and skiing and all the fun they bring chasing runs when the lifts open.

Yup, Gold Hill. And, then finally Virginia City, brief home of Samuel Clemens where he became Mark Twain.

Part One: Tahoe

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

What if your designer spouse, roommate or mother felt the Washoe clock was so valuable that it proudly sat on your contemporary living room wall, but in a square designer frame?

If you took your marker and drew a line from the center of the lake to the upper left-hand corner at the top of the frame through the clock – lake’s “9” and “10” you’d find Tahoe City on the lake’s border.

And, Olympic Valley (Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows resorts) Northstar Resort and Truckee.

Most of the tourists originating in Silicon Valley and Sacramento take I-80 northeast to Truckee for quick access.

Packed in SUVs like sardines, they imagine sliding and skiing and all the fun they bring chasing runs when the lifts open.

They connect to Northstar and the lake by taking SR 267 from Truckee and on to Olympic Valley over CA 89.

Actually, if they craved fresh powder at Kirkwood, or at Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort they’d opt for the southern route choosing US 50 leaving Sacramento.

Many choose that route to take them into South Lake Tahoe at the “6” on our Washoe clock.

You can too.

Check first with Siri.

No law against it.

But, after a stop at Sierra-at-Tahoe, and continuing on, you eventually connect with the 89.

The road.

Not on your loved one’s square-bordered contemporary clock face.

Following Lake Tahoe’s western border travel south, between the “9” and the “6,” you’ll come to the intersection where the US 50 and CA 89 meet.

Which is a good thing, trust me.

The 50 north takes you to the southern corner of the lake where Stateline (Nevada) and South Lake Tahoe (California) border each other again at “5” on the clock.

There you’ll find the gondola taking you to Heavenly Mountain Resort just on the California side of the border.

Slowly glide up the mountain top to where you can snowboard and ski all the runs that crisscross back and forth across the state lines.

Then 50 connects the south lake with the north lake following the eastern Nevada shore until “3” on the ticking clock face, near Glenbrook.

It picks up Route 28 to complete the circle once you pass Lake Tahoe State Park and pull into Incline Village.

But, forget all that.

The part about traveling north.

When US 50 connects to the Luther Pass Road (CA 89) (formerly known as Emerald Bay Road and West Lake Boulevard) somewhere between Echo Lake and Meyers, you travel south for a while until near Sorensen you exit onto Carson Pass Highway (88).

From there it’s a long hop and a skip past Caples Lake until you find Kirkwood Meadows Dr. and Kirkwood Mountain Resort, duh.

Oh, and while we’ve mentioned Glenbrook, the 50 these days takes you east where you can connect with US 395.

You go north on the merged US 50 and US 395 until just south of Carson City, NV.

Then the 50 continues east, now called Lincoln Highway, until just beyond Mound House.

Drive to Route 341 and take it north from the 50 intersection.

Continue until the Route 341 forks and take Route 342 just south of Silver City.

Guess what’s up next?

Yup, Gold Hill.

And, then finally Virginia City, brief home of Samuel Clemens where he became Mark Twain.

And, if you are still playing along with us, Virginia City sits almost directly east of Truckee.

In the upper right hand corner of your spouse’s, roommate’s or mother’s framed Washoe-manufactured leaf-shaped tick tock clock.

Enough about that for now.

During the summer of 2015, you’ll recall we noticed an emerging trend first in Durango and then in the Summit County, Colorado, ski and snowboard resort towns.

The local real estate markets began heating up.

Before we continue our story about Lake Tahoe (and later Mammoth Lakes, California) let’s visit the pros and cons of investing in real estate.

Especially in light of the equity locked up in Baby Boomer households given some of the reverse mortgage scenarios and calculated risks.

Steps:

(32) Plan extended seasonal vacations during summer and winter months. Group destination locations together in regional trips to explore what several bucket list towns have to offer in the general vicinity – with only a week or two vacation time to spend, we recommend organizing your itinerary by travel regions.

August 11, 2018August 21, 2018

Tahoe

Somebody estimated the sheer volume of water could cover the an area as large as the entire state of California more than 12 inches deep.

Nevada owns the water, the shoreline and the gambling on the right, eastern side — roughly a third of Lake Tahoe itself.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

In the Sierra Nevada mountains Lake Tahoe closely resembles Summit County’s proximity to pristine beauty and ski resorts.

Is now the time to invest your equity in a home or rental bordering both California and Nevada?
What do you need to know before taking the plunge into the Lake Tahoe market?

Recall both lifestyle bucket lists — of seven zip codes — on the California itinerary for former Whitefish, Montana “birds of a feather” (BOF) flocking to new nests.

Four of them you’ll remember border Lake Tahoe.

California Itinerary: Sierra Nevada –

Truckee, 96161, 96162;
Squaw Valley, 96146; and
Tahoe City, 96145

But, first the stats.

Lake Tahoe itself.

Elevation – 6,229 feet above sea level
Length 22 miles
Width – varies from 10 to 12 miles
Depth – 1,685 feet at its deepest
On the list of deepest lakes in North America, Lake Tahoe ranks #3.

Somebody estimated the sheer volume of water could cover the an area as large as the entire state of California more than 12 inches deep.

The Washoe Tribe of Native Americans named it “Big Water.”

A tug of war between the Great and Evil Spirit threw off falling leaves and created Lake Tahoe and a few others nearby including our favorite, Fallen Leaf Lake.

Proud locals, realtors and visitor bureau-types claimed Lake Tahoe is (or was) 97% pure, at least as of the 2003 timeframe when we first checked it out.

The Lake attracted tourists dating as far back as the 1860s, when Mark Twain wrote a few admiring words now etched on a North Tahoe Beach boulder

“… the fairest picture the whole Earth affords”

Historically it’s unclear if his inscription occurred before or after he accidentally set a big chunk of the north shore on fire.

At least, that’s what he confesses to in “Roughing It.”

If you understand the local traffic patterns – when to start and when to finish – you can drive around the lake in about three hours.

Or you can hike all or portions of the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail.

You’d need 15 days to circle the lake, especially if you stopped to enjoy the fairest picture.

Imagine an old-fashioned tick tock clock hanging on your parents or grandparents wall.

You know the kind with a short hand (why did they call them hands?) for hours and a longer second-hand (not for seconds) but, for minutes.

Now imagine that those poor pioneer families who survived the infamous Donner Party cannibalism led their wagon train into the promised land, to what is now Lake Tahoe.

And imagine further that their precious clock endured the grueling trek with them from Independence, Missouri.

But, the harrowing ordeal stretched it lengthwise (ok, like in a classic “Mickey Mouse” cartoon) and ended with an uneven elongated face.

And, if the Washoes manufactured it you might say the clock resembled a leaf, right?

Straighter edged on the right side (eastern) and a half circle on the opposite western side.

Got it?

Good.

Here’s the artistic part.

Now, if you took a marker (not a permanent marker) and you slowly start to draw a straight line on the clock face you could connect where the elongated “12” should be found straight down towards where the “6” could be found.

Kids. (Or grandkids).

Don’t try this at home.

But, if you stopped drawing the line to a point almost even with “4” and continued to draw it to the right at a slight downward angle you would complete the line at the clock’s edge between the “4” and “5”.

Guess what?

You would have drawn the Nevada – California border on a map of the lake.

It’s that western border you notice on maps of Nevada.

Where Nevada is wider and boxier at the top, but slices back eastward near the bottom.

Or on the eastern edge of California.

Where it curves and slides in a laid-back fashion frolicking in the Pacific Ocean and spooning and cuddling Nevada’s vertical, then angled edge.

Except for the part of their bed that is rocky, full of spikier mountain peaks and ancient volcanic cliffs.

The imagined line in reality separates ownership of Lake Tahoe.

Nevada owns the water, the shoreline and the gambling on the right, eastern side — roughly a third of Lake Tahoe itself.

The north shore boundary between California to the left (ha ha) and Nevada to the right (ha ha) neatly bisects the top of the clock between the “1” and the “2” in “12.”

On the Nevada side you find Crystal Bay at the split and Incline Village as you move clockwise on Route 28.

Wanna play some more?

Part Two: Time to Circle the Lake and Discover Your Next Adventure

Steps:

November 8, 2017November 8, 2017

Stranded in Mono Lake

At the end of an hour it approached a jutting cape, and Higby ran ahead and posted himself on the utmost verge and prepared for the assault.

On Hwy. 395 between Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes

The agony that alkali water inflicts on bruises, chafes and blistered hands, is unspeakable, and nothing but greasing all over will modify it– but we ate, drank and slept well, that night, notwithstanding.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

Calvin Higby and Mark Twain decided to explore the area in and around Mono Lake.

They surveyed all its wonders in a small boat to explore the lake, just as a storm brewed.

Things go from bad to worse.

But we found nothing but solitude, ashes and a heart-breaking silence.

Finally we noticed that the wind had risen, and we forgot our thirst in a solicitude of greater importance; for, the lake being quiet, we had not taken pains about securing the boat.

We hurried back to a point overlooking our landing place, and then–but mere words cannot describe our dismay–the boat was gone!

Surely, they felt. There’s couldn’t be the only boat on the lake today.

The situation was not comfortable–in truth, to speak plainly, it was frightful.

You Can Imagine Twain Hiking the Terrain

We were prisoners on a desolate island, in aggravating proximity to friends who were for the present helpless to aid us; and what was still more uncomfortable was the reflection that we had neither food nor water.

But presently we sighted the boat.

For over an hour Twain and Higby paced up and down the shoreline.

It drifted, and continued to drift, but at the same safe distance from land, and we walked along abreast it and waited for fortune to favor us.

At the end of an hour it approached a jutting cape, and Higby ran ahead and posted himself on the utmost verge and prepared for the assault.

If we failed there, there was no hope for us.

The winds didn’t cooperate as hoped for.

But when he gave a great spring, the next instant, and lit fairly in the stern, I discharged a war-whoop that woke the solitudes!

But it dulled my enthusiasm, presently, when he told me he had not been caring whether the boat came within jumping distance or not, so that it passed within eight or ten yards of him, for he had made up his mind to shut his eyes and mouth and swim that trifling distance.

Only a long swim would probably do them in, but safe in the boat they made little progress.

When we had pulled a mile, laboriously, we were evidently in serious peril, for the storm had greatly augmented; the billows ran very high and were capped with foaming crests, the heavens were hung with black, and the wind blew with great fury.

We would have gone back, now, but we did not dare to turn the boat around, because as soon as she got in the trough of the sea she would upset, of course.

Our only hope lay in keeping her head-on to the seas.

It was hard work to do this, she plunged so, and so beat and belabored the billows with her rising and falling bows.

Both drenched by the alkaline sprays they pushed on forward, against the storm winds.

But things cannot last always.

Just as the darkness shut down we came booming into port, head on.

Higby dropped his oars to hurrah–I dropped mine to help–the sea gave the boat a twist, and over she went!

The agony that alkali water inflicts on bruises, chafes and blistered hands, is unspeakable, and nothing but greasing all over will modify it– but we ate, drank and slept well, that night, notwithstanding.

But Twain surveys Mono Lake’s near unchanging landscape and asks an almost universal question on every visitor’s lips.

… picturesque turret-looking masses and clusters of a whitish, coarse-grained rock that resembles inferior mortar dried hard; and if one breaks off fragments of this rock he will find perfectly shaped and thoroughly petrified gulls’ eggs deeply imbedded in the mass.

How did they get there?

Well, of course, if he were alive in the winter of 2009, he’d have his answer.

Tufa is rock composed of calcium carbonate, or common limestone.

It is formed when calcium-rich underwater springs in the lake combine with carbonates, known to cooks as baking soda, in the water.

The result is calcium carbonate, which settles around the springs.

Decades or even centuries later, these tufa formations slowly grow into towers that may climb to more than 30 feet tall.

All this takes place underwater.”

Steps:

October 14, 2017November 8, 2017

Twain

“… picturesque turret-looking masses and clusters of a whitish, coarse-grained rock that resembles inferior mortar dried hard …”

Shuttling as much as he did between Carson City and Virginia City, it was San Francisco that captured his imagination – but it was Mono Lake that almost killed him – and his curiosity.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

We had just visited Lake Tahoe, where Mark Twain set the forest on fire and now Mono Lake appeared before us – the scene of another of his misadventures –

According to the 2009 LA Times article, Twain once said

“There are no fish in Mono Lake – no frogs, no snakes, no pollywogs – nothing, in fact, that goes to make life desirable.”

He and Calvin Higby – his mining partner — in “Roughing It”-

“… made a walking trip to Yosemite, carrying their packs, camping and fishing in that far, tremendous isolation, which in those days few human beings had ever visited at all.

Such trips furnished a delicious respite from the fevered struggle around tunnel and shaft.

Amid mountain-peaks and giant forests and by tumbling falls the quest for gold hardly seemed worthwhile”.

More than once that summer he went alone into the wilderness “to find his balance and to get away entirely from humankind.”

Get rich schemes and tall tales – both consumed and sustained Mark Twain.

Shuttling as much as he did between Carson City and Virginia City, it was San Francisco that captured his imagination – but it was Mono Lake that almost killed him – and his curiosity.

Higby and Twain decided to explore the area in and around Mono Lake.

They surveyed all its wonders in a small boat to explore the lake, just as a storm brewed.

Things go from bad to worse.

Twain actually said “They go from worse to a near fatal accident.”

First there’s the matter of all those seagulls.

Mono Lake is a hundred miles in a straight line from the ocean–and between it and the ocean are one or two ranges of mountains–yet thousands of sea-gulls go there every season to lay their eggs and rear their young.

One would as soon expect to find sea-gulls in Kansas.

Then there’s the alien landscape with both hot and cold water.

Hard Boiled and Fossilized Sea Gull Eggs

The islands in the lake being merely huge masses of lava, coated over with ashes and pumice-stone, and utterly innocent of vegetation or anything that would burn; and sea-gull’s eggs being entirely useless to anybody unless they be cooked.

Nature has provided an unfailing spring of boiling water on the largest island, and you can put your eggs in there, and in four minutes you can boil them as hard as any statement I have made during the past fifteen years.

Within ten feet of the boiling spring is a spring of pure cold water, sweet and wholesome.

And that’s not the only odd thing.

Half a dozen little mountain brooks flow into Mono Lake, but not a stream of any kind flows out of it.

It neither rises nor falls, apparently, and what it does with its surplus water is a dark and bloody mystery.

Though they arrived in the July, Twain and Higby couldn’t resist rowing 12 miles to the “big island.”

About seven o’clock one blistering hot morning–for it was now dead summer time–Higby and I took the boat and started on a voyage of discovery to the two islands.

We had often longed to do this, but had been deterred by the fear of storms; for they were frequent, and severe enough to capsize an ordinary row-boat like ours without great difficulty–and once capsized, death would ensue in spite of the bravest swimming, for that venomous water would eat a man’s eyes out like fire, and burn him out inside, too, if he shipped a sea.

It was called twelve miles, straight out to the islands–a long pull and a warm one–but the morning was so quiet and sunny, and the lake so smooth and glassy and dead, that we could not resist the temptation.

They filled their canteens, just in case as a precaution and pulled ashore at their destination.

The island was a long, moderately high hill of ashes–nothing but gray ashes and pumice-stone, in which we sunk to our knees at every step–and all around the top was a forbidding wall of scorched and blasted rocks.

When we reached the top and got within the wall, we found simply a shallow, far-reaching basin, carpeted with ashes, and here and there a patch of fine sand.

In places, picturesque jets of steam shot up out of crevices, giving evidence that although this ancient crater had gone out of active business, there was still some fire left in its furnaces.

Twain found the island’s single brilliantly green pine tree amusing.

It contrasted strangely enough, did this vigorous and beautiful outcast, with its dead and dismal surroundings.

It was like a cheerful spirit in a mourning household.

Across the two or three miles they explored in vain. And then …

Steps:

September 30, 2017September 30, 2017

Saturday

“See the bear?” she asks. The kids’ eyes widened like saucers. “Yeah,” she continued. “They wrecked our car carrier and coolers … “

No sense crying over spilled milk, right?

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

We spent Saturday hiking down the trail into Emerald Bay to check out the Vikingsholm.

A 38-room reproduction of a ninth-century Norse fortress from the land of my wife’s ancestors that flows through half of my kids bloodline.

After the tour we talked our way into D.L. Bliss State Park — at first they wouldn’t let us in for day use.

We found out the park is named in honor of timber and railroad magnate Duane Leroy Bliss.

His heirs donated 744 acres of land to the state in 1929.

It has since grown to 2,149 acres.

We just wanted to go to the beach.

And, I wanted to see the light house built in 1916, Rubicon Point Light.

For that minor request they kindly gave us permission.

Wikipedia says …

Over the years it has deteriorated to the point that many people mistake it for an outhouse; today, however, efforts are being made to restore the tower.

The lighthouse at Rubicon Point has the highest elevation of any American lighthouse; it stands 6,300 feet above sea level, at a point where it could be seen from most places around the lake.

We spotted an eagle’s nest in an old diseased, leafless pine tree along the way.

The beach turned out to be a local boaters cove with about a dozen boats anchored.

Their owners had set up their portable grills on the beach.

Our kids climbed the rocks they found around the southern edge of the beach and swam in the ice-fed lake.

One day back at the campsite a woman walks over while we were cooking some breakfast.

“See the bear?” she asks.

The kids’ eyes widened like saucers.

“Yeah,” she continued. “They wrecked our car carrier and coolers … “

She had left them out against better judgement and in spite of all the signs saying bears were on the prowl for food.

Everything.

Including suntan lotion.

Need to be locked in cars, not tents.

Not anymore.

Bear lockers are the ticket.

Just ask the owner of the car in Truckee years later when a black bear turned up locked inside of his car prowling for something to eat.

Another night in the camp latrine I overheard a guy telling another camper that only black bears frequent the campsites.

The one sighted was about 5 feet tall.

Scary enough, right?

So you can see why we kept the discussion about bears to a minimum.

Especially at night.

We didn’t want to spook the younger kids, girls and wives.

Oh, ok and me.

Needless to say, when tucked away in sleeping bags in our tents almost any sound heard in the dark is sleepily interpreted as a would be bear ready to break in looking for something we forgot to lock up.

We still talk about it.

Sadly, when our vacation ended.

I couldn’t bear or bare returning by the long and boring way home.

Instead we took the scenic back roads.

We drove counter-clockwise on the 89 to the 50 past the “Y”, north up the Nevada side of the lake and east out to the US 395.

We normally take US 395, the southern section, on our yearly trip to Mammoth Lakes but, on the other side of the Sierra Nevada range.

Over one pass we encountered three cows meandering on the pavement.

As I came out of a blind hairpin curve.

Just living large and enjoying their almost shortened life.

Steaks anyone?

No sense crying over spilled milk, right?

Steps:

September 17, 2017September 30, 2017

Vikingsholm

Somewhere past Sacramento and Placerville, but before reaching the Lake Tahoe valley we witnessed a blackened forest surrounding new homes during construction and post wildfire ash covered terrain.

Neither one of our 5-year or 8-year olds liked the hike very much – climbing the mile trail to get there.

An excerpt from Book Five in “The Knowledge Path Series” dedicated to helping you find the place of your dreams in the Sierra Mountain resorts.

We had a schedule to meet.

Which led to the wrong choice.

Forgoing the scenic route, more on that a little later.

No, instead we piled everyone and our outdoor gear into our SUV in Orange County and drove for 10 hours straight on the most boring route you can take – Interstate 5.

I cursed at traffic that never ended through Los Angeles.

It wasn’t so bad once we put that behind us, but this was August and it was hot.

Tourists on the freeway for the first time seemed clueless until we drove near the Angeles National Forest.

Fewer cars, trucks and SUVs, but then we entered the longest section of our trip — the Central Valley.

Flat.

Sparse.

Miles turned into hours.

The road signs told us how many miles separated us from hotspots like Modesto and Stockton and finally Sacramento.

The good folks at AAA routed us over I-80 just like the way most of the Bay Area vacationers prefer.

But being enough of a contrarian they didn’t convince me with their recommended route that took us north towards Truckee first.

Then south on CA 89 to the western shore of the Lake.

We opted for the more direct US 50 east to South Lake Tahoe.

Somewhere past Sacramento and Placerville, but before reaching the Lake Tahoe valley we witnessed a blackened forest surrounding new homes during construction and post wildfire ash covered terrain.

We couldn’t help wonder after homeowners sink a ton of money into the homes and vacation homes how long it would take to return to a healthy, green wilderness that attracted the owners in the first place.

Months?

Probably not?

More likely years, right?

We, however, needed to move on so we still had enough daylight left for pitching our tent and setting up our campsite.

We found the entrance to Sugar Pine Point State Park in the southwest corner of the Lake (by the 7 or 8 on the Washoe clock) between Meeks Bay and Tahoma.

Sometime after 2003 Sugar Pine name changed to Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park.

Nothing else changed.

It still occupies nearly two miles of the Lake Tahoe’s western shore and a total of 2,500 acres of forested mountains in El Dorado County.

The name change honored …

Edwin L. Z’berg, a California state assemblyman who specialized in environmental legislation and worked to develop state parks and other natural areas.

Luckily, our friends arrived just in time from Cambria to unload their tent and pitch it while it was still dusk.

That was the good news.

The bad news came when we checked in with the ranger station and inquired about extending our camping a few more days than what we had been able to reserve.

Friends had told us that our original campsites butted right up against the road.

For that reason we switched our reservation at the last-minute to Sugar Pine.

But we’d have to leave mid-week.

The ranger’s advice was to check back for last-minute cancellations.

We settled for one of the two overflow campsites vacant through Sunday.

What we wanted.

But, that meant we’d have to break camp and move the very next day.

Did we explore and do everything the park had to offer?

No.

But, we tried after we learned a little more about it.

We found out that General Creek runs from the Desolation Wilderness into Lake Tahoe.

Along the stream you see lakes, mountain meadows with wildflowers.

And two large moraines (debris leftover from Tahoe’s glacier period).

The trail leaves the park and enters Eldorado National Forest

The trapper William “General” Phipps was the first white settler on the land, having been seasonally inhabited by the Washoe before him.

The cabin he built in 1860 still stands.

Roughly 40 years later, ok, 43 years later the wealthy discovered and began building along Lake Tahoe’s shores.

Wikipedia fills in some of the details …

In 1903 the wealthy San Francisco banker Isaias W. Hellman obtained land and built the Pine Lodge, now also known as the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion.

The house was designed by Walter Danforth Bliss and featured electric lighting, indoor plumbing, and water directly from the lake.

The estate included a tennis court, two boathouses, and cabins for the 27 resident staff. Hellman’s family spent summers on the estate for decades, and sold it to the state in 1965 when the park was established. The family still provides funds for the upkeep of the mansion and property.

Fun fact.

Again, thanks to Wikipedia …

This is the only California state park in the Sierra Nevada that operates recreational facilities during the winter.

There are 11 miles of skiing and snowshoeing trails for public use, some of which were sites of the Olympic events in 1960.

Some snow paths are machine groomed. Park rangers lead occasional snowshoeing tours of the park. Winter camping is available, with many more sites opening for the summer.

We were there for the summer recreation – swimming and other beach activities, fishing, and hiking.

With having to set up and take down and set up camp again, nobody felt settled until the following evening.

But, we felt more like we were on vacation when on Wednesday.

We drove down to Meeks Bay to lay on the beach.

On Thursday we rode bikes along the 5-mile Truckee River trail.

Next up we toured the lake driving clockwise in one of our SUVs stopping at Incline Village on the Nevada side.

We marveled at the beautiful homes in the North Lake area.

And, noticed how the gambling casinos on both the north and south Nevada borders welcomed tourists, and more importantly for them, their money.

Instead, we kept our money and drove on to check out Camp Richardson’s Resort back on the South Lake side near our campsite.

Each night after long days enjoying ourselves, we’d eat dinner in the dark, settle down in our lawn chairs and recall the highlights of the adventures around our campfire.

On Friday we hiked into Eagle Point Falls and Lake.

The forest is not pristine.

Having been subjected to heavy logging in the late 1800s, as we already know.

Neither one of our 5-year or 8-year olds liked the hike very much – climbing the mile trail to get there.

But they loved the destination.

Because I took so many photos and video shots along the way and had the lunch we packed they had to wait for me to catch up.

A little food and they were good to go.

That was the last time they entrusted me to carry it.

Especially on Saturday.

Steps:

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Luke Curran compared the cost of living in Lake Tahoe to other real estate markets.

“As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” – Mark Twain

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Looking back in hindsight the realtor consensus pegged 2012 as the bottom of the market.

Depressed home pricing motivated buyers due to historically low-interest rates which averaged 3.657% for 30 year fully amortized conforming loans.

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Packed in SUVs like sardines, they imagine sliding and skiing and all the fun they bring chasing runs when the lifts open.

Yup, Gold Hill. And, then finally Virginia City, brief home of Samuel Clemens where he became Mark Twain.

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Somebody estimated the sheer volume of water could cover the an area as large as the entire state of California more than 12 inches deep.

Nevada owns the water, the shoreline and the gambling on the right, eastern side — roughly a third of Lake Tahoe itself.

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At the end of an hour it approached a jutting cape, and Higby ran ahead and posted himself on the utmost verge and prepared for the assault.

The agony that alkali water inflicts on bruises, chafes and blistered hands, is unspeakable, and nothing but greasing all over will modify it– but we ate, drank and slept well, that night, notwithstanding.

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“… picturesque turret-looking masses and clusters of a whitish, coarse-grained rock that resembles inferior mortar dried hard …”

Shuttling as much as he did between Carson City and Virginia City, it was San Francisco that captured his imagination – but it was Mono Lake that almost killed him – and his curiosity.

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“See the bear?” she asks. The kids’ eyes widened like saucers. “Yeah,” she continued. “They wrecked our car carrier and coolers … “

No sense crying over spilled milk, right?

Share this:

Somewhere past Sacramento and Placerville, but before reaching the Lake Tahoe valley we witnessed a blackened forest surrounding new homes during construction and post wildfire ash covered terrain.

Neither one of our 5-year or 8-year olds liked the hike very much – climbing the mile trail to get there.

Share this: