Your Online Resource for Hiking, Backpacking, Cross-Country Skiing, and Snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe
Many people equate “adventure” with adrenaline-producing activities involving high risk and steep terrain. Or, they believe adventure can only be found through extended world travel and exposure to exotic locales. This is simply not true. It’s like saying that the cosmos is more expansive than the subatomic level of life. As above, so below ……
Lake Tahoe locals and visitors alike tend to drop their guard during the spring. We’ve made it through the punishing winter. Now we’re looking forward to the long days and warm sunshine of summer. The roads are bare. The trailheads are free of snow. So, that first hike of the season is going to be…
People would have you believe that Tahoe in the spring is paradise. The days are becoming longer and the sun is seems to be a little warmer. You’ve weathered fierce winter storms and now you’re ready to hit those famed Tahoe hiking trails. You’re looking forward to visit your favorite peaks, find unique and vibrant wildflowers,…
In a time where “it didn’t happen if you didn’t get a picture,” there’s pressure to constantly be documenting. We’ve all seen that yahoo stuck behind their camera or device trying desperately to capture an experience at its zenith. But, in their mania, they wind up missing the actual moment. They were either too busy…
This article about waxing your waxless cross-country skis is, as you might imagine, the result of me being frequently asked the same questions about waxing waxless cross-country skis! Technique and gear form an integrated whole when it comes to cross-country skiing. So, although I provide relatively short answers to common questions here, I do encourage…
Skis began, as you might expect, as a mode of transportation over snowy terrain. Whether people were traveling from one place to another or chasing down wild game, skis were (and still are) designed to provide the means to travel most expediently across snow. Although downhill skiing has been around since the 1800s and has…
From an outward appearance, classic cross-country skis look simple in their design. They’re long, skinny, lightweight, and feature a graceful arc that (mostly) spans the length of the ski. However, the reality is that the shape of classic cross-country skis, as well as the techniques used to run them, are deceptively complex. Understanding the basic…
This article featuring frequently asked questions about classic cross-country ski gear is a “greatest hits” list I’ve compiled about classic xc ski gear. I’ve been asked these questions (and more) frequently enough to warrant collecting them in one convenient article. Please note, however, that the answers I provide are succinct and abridged. Like any art,…
There are many design features that make a classic cross-country ski unique, but arguably the most distinct is the grip zone. This area directly underfoot accommodates kick wax or features a textured pattern such as fish scales, skins, or a surface designed to be roughened up so you can achieve grip on the snow. The…
All artists struggle with definitively completing a piece of art, whether it be a written work, movie, sculpture, painting, or photograph. The challenge stems from not knowing when to stop working or editing the piece in question. We all believe that if we just added a few more highlights or brushstrokes over here or cut…