Tahoe Winter Wonderland

Five stars. (★★★★★)

Yosemite has competition. I’ve visited the Tahoe area before, but this was my first solo Barb-style trip. I can’t wait to come back. I kind of want to live here.

Day 1, Oct 31

The drive from home is about 3 hours and 40 minutes, door-to-door. Like the drive to Yosemite, most of the trip runs through a bleak part of the state, with various types of infuriating traffic. I started second-guessing the whole plan. Until suddenly I was cruising a winding road through the snow-dusted forest and arriving at Desolation Hotel Hope Valley. My cottage could not be more charming and cozy. I settled in, enjoyed a private session in the wood-fired sauna, and planned the next day.

Day 2, Nov 1

Got up at 4:30 a.m., made coffee and lounged by the fireplace until dawn. I chose the Pacific Crest Trail to Lake Winnemucca for the short drive and low elevation gain – I was in the mood for an easier hike. The morning sun hitting the hills made me happy to be alive and the five-mile hike was perfect. The snow-covered trail added extra effort and time. Glad I brought appropriate footwear and Hot Hands Insole Foot Warmers, an absolute game-changer for my frozen toes. The rest of the day included a sauna session, wine, takeout from Sorensen’s and lots of mellow laptop time by the fire.

Day 3, Nov 2

Whoa, snow! I woke to a winter wonderland. Rather than drive the snowy/icy roads, I took the Hope Valley Overlook trail from the resort property. This is a more strenuous 6.4 mile out-and-back trail with 1,400 feet of elevation gain. With six inches of snow on the entire trail, the hike up was no joke. I paused constantly to look around and say “wow.” So incredibly beautiful. I saw a wolf! I was the only human on the trail, all the way up and back. Another afternoon of cozy lounging.

Day 4, Nov 3

More adventure than expected. I chose the Woods, Winnemucca and Round Lakes Trail for a (seemingly) moderate distance (5 miles) with enough elevation gain (1,200 feet) to feel like a workout. Everything was fine until I reached the higher elevation where the drifts got deeper and the footsteps of the last hiker disappeared. Suddenly I’m floundering through snow-covered boulders under an ominous grey sky, checking AllTrails every two minutes to stay roughly on track. It wasn’t really dangerous, but there were a couple of “how did I get here?” moments. Plus I was slightly stressed about finishing in time to pack up and check out.

The drive home was a bummer, as always… The traffic sucks, and it’s shocking how quickly the mountain majesty is replaced by brown, desolate landscapes and then congested highways. I can’t wait to get away again.

#5Stars #Tahoe #Travel