Your Online Resource for Hiking, Backpacking, Cross-Country Skiing, and Snowshoeing at Lake Tahoe
The hike to Round Lake is not a secret Tahoe hike by any means. However, it’s definitely a Tahoe local’s favorite (especially for quick overnight backpacking trips). Why? Because it’s so close to town. And, yet, it’s out of the way just enough that you feel as though you were hiking a remote backcountry trail….
The hike to Dardanelles Lake along the Christmas Valley Trail is a lesser known hike in South Tahoe. This is due to the fact that its trailhead is off-the-beaten-path. Unless you’ve read about it in a guidebook or randomly stumbled upon the trailhead, you’d probably never know it existed. Therefore, you don’t need to travel…
“I’m new to cross-country skiing. What type of skis should I buy?” Or, “Since I’m new to cross-country skiing, should I just buy a used set of skis?” People have asked me these questions countless times over the years. As a cross-country ski instructor and xc rental shop employee, it’s my duty to know the…
If you would’ve told me years ago that I was going to own multiple pairs of cross-country skis and sets of skis boots, I would’ve laughed. And then had you told me that I’d also own a full wax kit, wax profile, and loads of cross-country ski clothing, I would’ve laughed even harder. Not because…
Ski bindings, whether they be for Nordic skis, Alpine skis, Telemark skis, or Randonee skis (Alpine Touring), are the unsung heroes of the world of skiing. Without bindings, our skis would be rendered useless for they are the direct interface between human and technology (skis). Their purpose is to enable us to exert control over…
Snowshoeing is an enjoyable way to experience Lake Tahoe’s backcountry. There aren’t many techniques involved with snowshoeing. Mostly, you just need to walk slightly wider and pick your knees up a little higher (depending on snow levels). So, snowshoeing is very accessible to many people. This is especially true for people who don’t have the…
Snowshoeing isn’t necessarily as dynamic as cross-country skiing or other winter snow sports. But that doesn’t make snowshoeing any less enjoyable. Snowshoes simply provide a different type of fun! They also provide a wide range of benefits that other modes of winter travel and snow play don’t. In this article, I highlight the five reasons…
People have been cross-country skiing at Lake Tahoe since the mid-1850s. The incredible Snowshoe Thompson is one of the most notable people to ever ski in the Lake Tahoe region. For 20 years, Snowshoe Thompson transported mail across the Sierra Nevada Mountains. His 180-mile, 5-day round trip journeys extended from Genoa, NV, to Placerville, CA….
Snowshoes, or some version of them, have been around for thousands of years. For most people today, however, their use is less about survival and more for recreation. Although the technology used to make contemporary snowshoes is superior to those of antiquity, the goal is the same. They are designed to enable a person to…
Welcome to my series of cross-country skiing video blogs (VLOGs) for the winter of 2020-21 at Lake Tahoe. These short films are a bit less formal than my other informational and educational videos. Basically, I create these on-the-go videos while cross-country skiing in the backcountry and at groomed xc ski areas. After returning home, I…