Tahoe is Terrific

What an amazing autumn in the High Sierra. Just terrific.

Cold nights and warm days, with little wind, rain or snow has generated ideal conditions for the development of terrific color at Tahoe. Additionally, because early winter storms have been few and mild, the color at Lake Tahoe, which typically is a late peak, has survived and is spectacular.

I arrived last evening. Though it was dusk as we descended the Mt. Rose Highway to the lake, high meadows and forests along the highway and below along the shore of North Lake Tahoe were exploding with color in places I’ve not seen in a lifetime of living, working and playing there.

Color spotter Crys Black returned from the East Side on Sunday, reporting matter-of-factly about the Peak color she’d witnessed in Walker Canyon and the Antelope Valley. “Coleville was in full color as was 88 along Slinkard Valley.

“Monitor Pass is still beautiful but it won’t last much longer so get there fast. The Eagle Gulch area at 88 and 89 is bare now but keep going up 89 towards Hope Valley there was still a lot of color to be had, especially around Markleeville.

“Turning west towards, Hope Valley, where I had expected it to have faded from last weekend, I found that it held on through this weekend, colorful, if past peak,” she wrote.

As Crys climbed out of the Hope Valley and over Luther Pass, she was surprised to find what is usually a late and disappointing show to be extremely rewarding.

“Highway 89 continued to deliver right into Lake Tahoe,” she wrote, “Driving 89 along the western rim of Lake Tahoe saw brilliant color everywhere up to Tahoe City and then continue around the loop on 28 where it got even better from Kings Beach through Incline Village – just dazzling.

“Taking Nevada Route 431 (Mt. Rose Highway) towards Reno kept the show going all the way into Reno, which, while not in CA, also had brilliant color that I hadn’t thought possible for Reno,” Crys described.

I was similarly impressed. On Sunday, as I descended into Reno while heading south along US 395 from Susanville, Reno was lit in neon reds, oranges, golds and yellow. Not unusual at night when casino marquees are illuminated, but unexpected in late October.

Today, we explored Carnelian Bay and drove the North Shore. The aspen and cottonwood were best when backlit by sunlight along North Shore Blvd (CA-28). Every meadow is aglow with golden willows, grasses, Fremont cottonwood and yellow quaking aspen. Rose hips shine like rubies within the sunlit scene. 

Just terrific.

• Lake Tahoe – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!
• Reno, NV – Peak (75-100%) GO NOW!