This route presents a near-continuous panoply of changing vistas over Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake, Emerald Bay, and Desolation Wilderness, all leading to a grand finale atop the summit. Mile for mile, it's one of the Sierra's most magnificent trails and arguably the premier hike of the Tahoe region.

The lightning-caused fires across Northern California are slowly being fought into retreat. The sound you hear is the sigh of relief from visitors and locals alike as summer gets restarted at 6,000 feet near the Sierra Crest.



Over 20,000 people, local and federal, have been deployed to battle the fires in Northern California. This includes helicopter and water tanker crews, firefighters on the ground, and equipment operators--bulldozers, etc.

It was at Heavenly's World Cup Run on Sunday, February 10, 1991. Those in attendance saw something they would never forget.

Bill Johnson: "Nosepicker"
Open, raw, with a troubled past and defiant streak that offered no apologies, Bill Johnson's outrageous egotism throughout his career had brought wildly diverse reviews from peers, coaches, and fans. Austria's venerable champion, Franz Klammer, once called the upstart a "nasenbohrer," or nosepicker.

Not only did they serve as a sturdy pack animal and often the miner's only companion for months at a time, they occasionally led their masters to fortune and fame. Such is the legacy of the little town of Tonopah, midway between Reno and Las Vegas, and approximately 300 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe.

Bodie was called the "most lawless, wildest and toughest mining camp the far west has ever known." It is said that murders were an almost daily occurrence, as were robberies, stage holdups, and street fights.

Red Light District

For a pleasant 10-mile jaunt, go to the TRT trailhead located on Highway 50, about 3/4 of a mile east of it's intersection with Highway 28.

The trail requires about five miles of moderate hiking to the south; then you reach South Camp Peak. "Peak" is a misnomer for this long, flat, open area with spectacular views of Lake Tahoe. To the west you can look straight into Emerald Bay. South Camp is a great spot for lunch, and there is even a rustic bench tucked into the rocks.

Located a stone's throw away from U.S. Highway 50, the superb walls of Lover's Leap loom over the hamlet of Strawberry, 40 miles east of Placerville and 18 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe.

The Leap's steep, north-facing walls are at least a half-mile wide, and several climbing routes on its main and western walls rise dramatically to 600 feet. Rugged points of rock form a cliff band that separate into four distinct and forbidding bluffs.

Several skiers were already on top, loosely cluttered, some already clicked into their bindings, alert but casual as they viewed the surroundings and shared a reverential quiet.

The sun began to break out of the dreamy foliage of dawn, its canopy exploding into an enormous sunlit corona of mist, which trailed across the azure water like a cape.

Now, almost on cue, skiers snapped to attention. Several peeled off the crest and arced with a low-pitched, ripping noise, as if the air itself had split open. Down they went into Tallac's huge bowl.

We reached the top of Oneidas Street in South Lake Tahoe, and the sky was beginning to clear and show slices of blue. From the Oneidas trailhead at 8,000 feet it is about seven miles and 2,800 feet of climbing to reach Freel Peak.

The trail crosses a creek and follows a drainage three miles to Armstrong Pass. With two inches of snow in the deep forest we walked through a little taste of winter with views of the bright yellow leaves of fall. At Armstrong Pass we met the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) and started the long steady uphill to Freel Pass.

Schnebelen was a crafty entrepreneur known for brokering several resort deals in France, including the development of Tignes and Megeve. He was looking for opportunities in America.

Hope Valley, which is 15,000 rolling acres, made an immediate impact on the Frenchman. Up high 10,000-foot mountain peaks ring the valley, and there are grassy, well-watered meadows punctuated with graceful aspens. Ranchers have used Hope Valley since earlier times for pasturing their cattle.