SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Would you like to learn more about what the South Tahoe Public Utility District (STPUD) and Lake Valley Fire Protection District (LVFPD) are doing to reduce the impacts of wildfires, drought, floods, winter storms, and other natural hazards in the South Tahoe service area? A draft of the STPUD and LVFPD Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is available for public review and comment. The plan identifies natural hazards, assesses local risks, and outlines strategies to protect public safety, critical water, wastewater, and fire protection infrastructure, the economy, and the environment.
STPUD and LVFPD developed the plan update by following a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guided planning process and by gathering input from residents, businesses, partner agencies, and community organizations. The plan identifies hazard mitigation goals and projects designed to reduce long-term risk and strengthen community resilience before disasters occur. Public input collected through the process helped shape local priorities, highlight community concerns, and inform proposed mitigation actions.
STPUD and LVFPD are now soliciting public comments on the draft plan before it is finalized and submitted to FEMA for review and approval. Once approved, the final plan will be formally adopted by both agencies. The public comment period will be 21 days from June 22, 2026 to July 13, 2026.
Photo: Anthony Quintano / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 / Cropped from Original.
(The Center Square) – The controversial union-backed billionaire tax in California is officially heading to the Nov. 3 ballot.
Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced the California Billionaire Tax Act exceeded the number of signatures it needed to qualify for the general election.
The initiative aims to impose a one-time 5% wealth tax on the Golden State’s billionaires to generate $100 billion in revenue. The tax would apply to assets like art, stocks and bonds. That money would be used to help backfill reductions in federal funding to K-12 schools, health services provided by Medi-Cal and aid from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as CalFresh in California, according to previous reporting by The Center Square.
Representatives from the advocacy group Billionaire Tax Now and the union backing the tax, Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West, did not respond to The Center Square before publication time.
However, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle spoke to The Center Square on Thursday about the tax measure advancing to the midterm election ballot in November.
“If you want a budget deficit in perpetuity, pass this,” Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, told The Center Square. “What happens is, these folks are now going to Florida and everywhere else, and not only are they leaving, but they are the ones investing in a lot of these jobs. Those jobs now are fleeing California, and we’re going to lose them, dramatically, going forward.”
The Golden State’s billionaires will take their billions and create jobs in other parts of the country – not in California, Strickland added.
“The minute this passed, we would be in a budget deficit in perpetuity,” Strickland said. “If you care about funding education, if you care about funding health care, if you care about funding transportation infrastructure, you’ll vote no on this initiative, because we won’t be able to fund essential services in California.”
California’s ongoing budget deficit, which the Legislative Analyst’s Office recently projectedwould amount to $16.9 billion, is largely due to expenditures exceeding revenues under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s most recent budget proposal. That was in spite of the fact that Newsom attempted to solve the state’s budget deficit through 2028, according to previous reporting by The Center Square.
While some, like Strickland, see the potential passage of the billionaire tax making the state’s budget woes worse, there is still support for the measure.
“I agree with the proposal overall,” Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, D-Pasadena, told The Center Square. “I agree overall with the idea that billionaires and corporations need to pay their fair share. We’ve seen inequality grow in an alarming way, and frankly, I think most Californians are sick of it.”
No one was available from Billionaire Tax Now or Service Employees International Union – United Healthcare Workers West to answer questions about the ballot measure’s progress. When asked if anyone was available to answer questions, a representative from Billionaire Tax Now sent a press release via email.
According to previous reporting by The Center Square, even the potential passage of the tax has sent some billionaires packing who previously called California home. Earlier this year, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg bought a mansion in Florida. Other billionaires also relocated to other states, including Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Palantir Technologies and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel and venture capitalist David Sacks.
However, a healthcare worker who advocate for the measure previously told The Center Square that if billionaires leave the state, they are only showing their own greed.
“We need to put humanity first over greed,” Debru Carthan, a radiologic technologist for Kaiser, told The Center Square in March. “This is about being our brothers’ keeper. Those who leave California – they are showing their greed. They’re showing their selfishness. And the very patients who will die are the ones who helped them make the billions that they have now.”
According to Business Insider, there are more than 200 billionaires who live in California.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A nearly 13-acre lakefront retreat with 65 feet of shoreline, a private dock, two summer cabins, the year round house built in 2005 and sweeping views of Fallen Leaf Lake and Mt. Tallac has been listed for $4.2 million.
Located at 710 Fallen Leaf Road, the property offers an uncommon combination of privacy, acreage, and direct lake access. The estate includes a four-bedroom main residence and two additional summer cabins, providing flexible accommodations for guests and extended stays.
710 Fallen Leaf RoadProvided / Compass
“Properties of this scale on Fallen Leaf Lake rarely become available,” said Jamison Blair, principal of Team Blair Tahoe at Compass. “The acreage, private shoreline, dock access, and views of Mt. Tallac create a setting that feels genuinely removed while remaining connected to South Lake Tahoe.”
The main residence was thoughtfully renovated to combine modern comfort with traditional mountain architecture. Wood-beamed ceilings and a stone Rumford fireplace anchor the great room, while three sets of sliding doors open onto an expansive wraparound deck overlooking the lake.
The chef’s kitchen includes Viking double ovens, two dishwashers, generous storage, and a breakfast nook. A separate den or office and adjoining bar provide additional spaces for working, gathering, and entertaining.
“This is the kind of property designed around time spent together,” Blair said. “From sunset dinners on the deck to mornings on the water, the home takes full advantage of its setting without losing the warmth and character people associate with a true Tahoe retreat.”
Two summer cabins provide additional privacy and accommodations for guests. The property is also equipped for year-round use with hydronic floor heating, a generator, and winter water access.
Along the shoreline, an Alaskan fir private dock provides boat access, while a 20-foot side-floating dock accommodates kayaks and paddleboards. A boathouse garage offers convenient storage for recreational equipment.
Fallen Leaf Lake is known for its clear water, mountain surroundings, and quieter atmosphere. With nearly 13 acres and substantial lake frontage, 710 Fallen Leaf Road presents a distinctive opportunity to own a private retreat shaped by the landscape around it.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The American Association of University Women, Tahoe-Nevada Branch (AAUW Tahoe-NV), located in Incline Village, presented scholarships and awards to six (6) deserving Incline Village High School senior women.
The following are recipients of this year’s awards:
Noah Cannon plans to Mechanical Engineering
Alynne Chavez Estrada will be majoring in Nursing
Alicia Dominguez will also major in Nursing, but at a different university.
Sofia Galindo will study Cosmetology
Chloe Greer plans to follow Biology/PreMed
Riley Hunt will also major in Biology/PreMed
AAUW Tahoe-Nevada Scholarship Winners (from left): Alicia Dominguez, Riley Hunt, Noah Cannon and Chloe Greer Not pictured: Alynne Chavez Estrada and Sofia GalindoProvided / AAUW
On Wednesday, June 10, AAUW Tahoe Nevada held its annual Business Meeting at the Chateau in Incline Village. Co-Presidents Esther Levandoski and Carolyn Smith highlighted Branch accomplishments, including raising over $40,000 in a Matching Grant and other fundraising efforts; an additional $12,500 was received in memory of past president, Peggy Poindexter, for the newly established Career and Technical Education (CTE) scholarship AAUW Tahoe-Nevada’s past fundraising activities allowed the organization to award $29,650 in scholarships last Fall, 2025.
Because of its successful efforts this past year, $41,000 will be used in 2026 to support two 4-year renewable scholarships, two Career and Technical Education (CTE) scholarships, and one each STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and non-renewable scholarships. Recipients of the renewable scholarships are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA and continue to be a fulltime student, taking 12 units per semester.
AAUW Tahoe-NV Branch sponsors a monthly meeting in Incline Village that features speakers on a broad range of subjects to its 140+ members. The Branch also has many interest groups (Outdoor Enthusiasts, Book Club, and a Great Decision discussion group, to name just a few).
The AAUW Tahoe-NV Branch is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation registered with the Nevada Secretary of State (Federal Tax I.D. #943055754), whose purpose is to further AAUW’s mission in advancing equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. Contributions to the Scholarship Program and Community Action Grant efforts qualify for a federal tax deduction pursuant to the provisions of Section 170.c. of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 USC 170c. For further information on the AAUW Tahoe-NV organization or to contribute to their efforts, please go to their website: https://tahoe-nv.aauw.net
In case you missed the buzz these past few weeks, Elon Musk’s company “SpaceX” recently had an IPO (Initial Public Offering). That means that shares of the company’s stock became available on the public market for the first time.
In broad terms, IPOs often generate a lot of excitement. Because the company’s stock was, by definition, not publicly listed prior to the IPO, the traditional market forces that usually dictate share prices are not yet in place, so there is often hope that the IPO share price is below the actual value of the shares. Such is the hope of many with SpaceX.
When clients and friends have asked me for my thoughts on the SpaceX IPO, my response has been predictably boring—I have no advice on what the value of the company might be. There simply is not as much information available on SpaceX as there is on a typical publicly traded company. However, many years of IPO history and evidence can provide us some insights.
A 2021 study by NASDAQ looked at the results of IPOs from 2010-2020. The study found that slightly over 50% of companies underperform the market 1 year after their IPO. The number of laggards is greater after 3 years: almost 2/3 of IPOs trailed market returns.
The same study found that top 10% of IPOs averaged a market-adjusted return of over 300%. When an IPO goes well, it can go really well! Unfortunately, the worst ones can cost investors quite a bit of money. Truist Chief Investment Officer Keith Lerner noted that numerous high-profile IPOs had terrible 12-month returns, including Coinbase (-55%), Lyft (-65%), and Rivian (-67%). Facebook and Alibaba are examples of companies whose stock price fell dramatically after seeing an initial IPO pop, although those companies eventually increased substantially in value for investors who held on to their stock.
In light of this history, what are we to make of SpaceX? The SpaceX IPO is the largest valuation for IPO in history. That begs the question: how much room is there for the stock price to run to the upside? Are you confident that the returns will be well above market returns, and therefore are worth taking on additional risk? That said, do you want to bet against Elon Musk, the founder and largest owner of SpaceX? That hasn’t gone well for investors, given the massive growth of Tesla and the strong earnings of his company Starlink (now part of SpaceX).
An investment in SpaceX represents the opposite of the traditional “buy and hold” philosophy, so if you choose to invest in SpaceX at the IPO or soon after, be aware of the risk. You are speculating in a company that does not have an easily measurable value. Just like with other risky assets, any dollars that you invest in this should be money that you can afford to lose if the worst outcome were to happen.
I will be watching this along with the rest of the investment community. There are a couple of other massive IPOs expected in the upcoming months (Anthropic and OpenAI) and this could well be a barometer for how those will turn out. If you do choose to “go in” on SpaceX, I wish you the best of luck.
However you view the SpaceX IPO, invest smartly and invest well!
Larry Sidney is a Zephyr Cove-based Investment Advisor Representative. Information is found at https://palisadeinvestments.com/ or by calling 775-299-4600 x702. This is not a solicitation to buy or sell securities. Clients may hold positions mentioned in this article. Past Performance does not guarantee future results. Consult your financial advisor before purchasing any security.
There is something deeply encouraging about the fact that people are capable of change throughout their entire lives. Even when patterns feel long standing, change can still happen in ways that support greater emotional balance and self-understanding.
No matter how many candles are currently crowding your birthday cake, it is never too late to invest in your emotional well-being, deepen your relationships, or reinvent your daily purpose.
Your life has the capacity to continue to grow while simultaneously sharing your knowledge and wisdom with others. Having a life that makes you excited about putting your feet on the floor every morning is possible at any age.
I, by no means, would insinuate that this will be easy, but I do know that you do not have to carry your challenges by yourself. Asking for support is not a sign that you have failed. It is an honest recognition that no one is meant to navigate life alone. It is an act of giving yourself some grace. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is simply allow yourself to be supported.
The Scenic Route of Life
Think about everything you have tackled so far. You have spent a lifetime navigating massive transitions: surviving the teenage years, building careers, raising families, and managing all of life’s changes. You have proven time and again that you are highly adaptable.
Sure, this stage of the journey comes with its own unique set of quirks and challenges. Routines shift, social circles change, and keeping up with the speed of the modern world can feel like a sport of its own. It is also a time when those big, beautiful questions about identity, purpose, and what matters most naturally come into focus.
Wisdom Looks Good on You
With age comes a spectacular superpower: perspective. You have accumulated a lifetime of wisdom.
Because you have the time to look back, it is completely normal to find yourself reflecting on parts of life that still feel a little unfinished. If emotions like grief, loneliness, or anxiety pop up, don’t panic. There is absolutely nothing “wrong” with you. These feelings are a normal part of being human, especially during periods of reflection. Think of these feelings as a gentle invitation to slow down and give yourself the same care and attention you have spent decades giving to everyone else.
One of the best secrets to emotional well-being is simply acknowledging what is there instead of sweeping it under the rug. Sadness, fear, and disappointment are all feelings that are a normal part of the human experience. When we stop fighting those feelings and give them some space to process, they loosen their grip and soften.
Redefining the Good Life
There is a beautiful, wide-open space that opens up in later life. It is a golden opportunity to appreciate the view and focus on what truly matters to you.
This is your invitation to reconnect with old passions, dive into creativity, explore your spiritual side, or find new ways to light up someone else’s day. Remember, your purpose does not come from a frantic to-do list or how productive you are. True fulfillment is found in simple, joyful moments: a great conversation, a burst of laughter, a bit of personal growth, and living a life that feels authentically and wonderfully yours.
Shannon Bruckbauer, AMFT, APCC is a clinical therapist with Conscious Mind Therapy Institute with sessions in person and online. Located in South Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and Walnut Creek. CMTI accepts most major insurances including Medicare. Learn more at https://consciousmindtherapyinstitute.com/.
Lake Tahoe watercraft inspectors stopped two boats this month that were headed for the lake carrying highly invasive golden mussels. The interceptions are both a reminder of the threats Tahoe faces and a testament to the resolve of the people working to protect it.
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District watercraft inspectors spotted the invasive mollusks and quickly flagged the boats for decontamination and further inspection. There have now been three golden mussel detections at Lake Tahoe since they were discovered for the first time in North America just a few hours away.
Golden mussels have been called “invasive species on steroids.” Their survivability and reproduction rates are extraordinary, even compared to quagga and zebra mussels, which our watercraft inspection program has kept out of Tahoe for nearly 20 years. A mussel infestation could devastate the lake’s ecosystem and the shoreline areas where residents and visitors gather to swim, paddle, and simply enjoy the beach.
The program worked exactly as it was designed to. Mandatory inspections of thousands of motorized watercraft every year lower the risk of a new aquatic invasive species polluting our waters. The partnership of agencies, marinas, inspectors, public land managers, and boaters who keep their equipment Clean, Drained, and Dry have made the Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program a national model for invasive species prevention.
Vigilance is growing with non-motorized recreators, too. More than 8,000 residents and visitors have become Tahoe Keepers, trained in how to Clean, Drain, and Dry their gear. It’s essential that we clean all paddleboards, kayaks, fishing equipment, and beach toys. Solar-powered CD3 (Clean, Drain, Dry, Dispose) stations are located at popular beaches and river access points. Roving inspectors and Lake Tahoe ambassadors educate thousands of people headed for the water—look for them this summer.
At its core, the Watercraft Inspection Program is about keeping Lake Tahoe clean and clear for everyone today and for future generations. This vision is what has driven Lake Tahoe’s conservation for decades. In the 1960s, scientists with UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center began documenting a troubling decline in lake clarity. Unmanaged development had damaged or destroyed most of the wetlands vital to helping filter Tahoe’s crystal-clear waters, and pollutants were flowing freely into the lake. The creation of TRPA in 1969 by Nevada and California helped enact policies to protect sensitive wetlands, set growth limits, and required water quality improvements with every new project. According to the development plans of the day, the bi-state partnership prevented a city rivaling the size of San Francisco from being built at Lake Tahoe.
But protection alone wasn’t enough. It wasn’t until TRPA paired land-use protections with active restoration through the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) in the late 1990s that clarity began leveling off. The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center has continued reporting on clarity, and over the last 20 years, clarity has stabilized. The recently released 2025 clarity report
showed that the lake’s average clarity improved by about 7 feet—the annual average in 2025 was 69.2 feet and 62.3 feet in 2024. That 7-foot improvement is a good short-term gain, but not statistically different from recent years, mostly due to a continuing trend of relatively low clarity during summer.
Stability is meaningful. It reflects decades of growth management, environmental requirements, and major EIP investments in wetland restoration and stormwater improvements. But stability is not the finish line. The goal has always been to restore clarity to its past depth of 100 feet, which requires a deeper understanding of the forces driving lake clarity. The report raises important questions about why trends for summer and winter clarity continue to drift apart.
TRPA is working with the Tahoe Science Advisory Council to find answers. Changes in the lake’s ecology, warming temperatures, changing weather patterns, and the impacts of aquatic invasive species introduced before the watercraft inspection and Tahoe Keepers programs began are among the factors coming under study. Science guided the first phase of interventions—and deepening our understanding of the lake’s complexity must remain central to how we manage the Tahoe Region going forward.
The lake we are all working to protect is irreplaceable. And the community behind it—researchers, boaters, watercraft inspectors, Tahoe Keepers, and EIP partners—gives us every reason to push onward with optimism.
Julie W. Regan is Executive Director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The CEO and five members of Incline Village REALTORS® traveled to Washington, D.C., for the 2026 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings, where they met with members of Congress and Congressional staff to advocate for policies that increase housing supply, build stronger communities, and support self-employed professionals.
Incline Village REALTORS® met with Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto. Provided
During meetings on Capitol Hill, members and staff of the Incline Village REALTORS® met with Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto and urged support for:
· The More Homes on the Market Act, which would update the tax exclusion on the sale of a primary residence and incentivize more long-term owners to sell their homes. Updating America’s tax law is a key pathway to more supply.
· The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, to increase housing production, improve affordability, and reduce barriers to development.
· The Revitalizing Downtowns and Main Streets Act, to encourage the conversion of underutilized commercial properties into housing and mixed-use developments.
· Federal investments in fair housing, housing counseling and homebuyer education programs that expand housing opportunities and strengthen communities.
· The Association Health Plans Act, which would expand access to affordable, high-quality health insurance for REALTORS® and other independent contractors.
· Opening land for building homes in Nevada, addressing future water needs, encouraging more effective options for insurance coverage in the state for homeowners, revising capital gains tax limits upon sale of a home to help homeowners sell their homes while reducing financial burdens and addressing concerns that currently limit home resales.
“America has a shortage of more than 4 million homes, and the solution starts with smart policy,” said IVR President Kristina Mattson. “Our meetings on Capitol Hill gave IVR a chance to bring our message directly to lawmakers and make the case for concrete legislation that will get inventory moving and open the door for more Americans to buy a home.”
NAR and IVR are championing a suite of federal policies designed to boost housing supply, reduce development barriers and make homeownership more attainable. From converting vacant commercial buildings into new housing to updating outdated tax laws keeping homes off the market, these efforts aim to ease the affordability crisis affecting communities nationwide.
The CEO and five members of Incline Village REALTORS® traveled to Washington, D.C., for the 2026 REALTORS® Legislative Meetings.Provided
“REALTORS® are on the front lines of the housing market every day, and we see firsthand how the shortage affects families and communities,” added Laura Vitencz, CEO. “The lawmakers we met with were receptive to our ideas and understand that investing in housing supply and supporting the professionals who help people buy and sell homes is good for the economy and good for America.”
The Capitol Hill meetings were organized by the National Association of REALTORS®, along with state and local REALTOR® associations, as part of the association’s ongoing federal advocacy efforts on behalf of the real estate industry and the consumers it serves.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – For Dr. Karel Routhier, MD., and Jessica Eddy, LMFT, they both share one common purpose fueled by passion – helping others. It wouldn’t be until after Routhier created her holistic psychiatry practice, Where Soul Meets Body, that her and Eddy’s paths would cross.
Dr. Karel Routhier, MD., is the founder and owner of Where Soul Meets BodyProvided/Karel Routhier
Routhier was born in Quebec, Canada. After going through medical school in the United States, she stayed for her residency and eventually practiced medicine in Monterey, California. Harboring a deep love for the ocean, her and her husband lived on Maui before devastating wildfires tore across the island in 2023. It was then that her growing family decided to move back to the mainland.
Their familiarity with Lake Tahoe stemmed from visiting often to hike, camp and ski while living in Monterey, and they pondered whether the basin could be their next home.
“We fell in love, and we stayed,” said Routhier. “Which was, to me, very unusual and unexpected because I usually cannot be away from the ocean.”
It wasn’t long before she noticed the need for more mental health services in town and decided to take action. Despite continuing to work remotely, Routhier missed working in-person and considered a position at Barton.
Routhier said she was never one to play by the conventional rules often seen in her field, and she knew that when the mind suffers, so too does the body.
As fate would have it, her calling was not as a psychiatrist at Barton, but instead, it came in the form of her own practice where her unique and compassionate integrative approach to psychiatry could bridge wider gaps for mental health resources in South Lake Tahoe.
After overcoming the obstacle of securing a place for her business, her next challenge was turning it from an old Verizon Wireless office location to a beautifully renovated and serene psychiatric practice space. Having put her own retirement money into the renovation, Routhier was determined to get the space remodeled, and up and running so she could focus on treating patients.
“I had a very, very specific vision,” said Routhier as she recalled the renovation process taking less than three months, which included replacing everything, from the office’s entryway and windows, to brand new flooring and a fresh paint job throughout.
Dr. Routhier’s love for the ocean is reflected in Where Soul Meets Body’s waiting room Victoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
She marked each task off her list – business license, check. New website, check. Due to the majority of her clients following her via Telehealth, she also had a good cushion and case load to get Where Soul Meets Body off the ground.
Routhier’s original plan was to operate her practice alone, but through what she described as “serendipity”, she met Tahoe local, Jessica Eddy, through Eddy’s sister who works at The Cocktail Corner.
Eddy’s focus for the last nine years has been on trauma therapy as she worked for several school districts. She was on the verge of leaving the field altogether before her sister suggested she meet Routhier.
“It just aligned,” said Eddy. “We met, we got along really well, we had very similar beliefs in what we’re doing, and why we’re doing it.”
Bringing safe and secure trauma work to not only children, but to families and individuals of all ages is what drives Eddy forward.
Jessica Eddy is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) with over nine years of experienceVictoria Mastrocola/Tahoe Daily Tribune
Together, Routhier and Eddy combine clinical excellence with a deeply personal approach to mental health services, aiming to break barriers in psychiatry and therapy by honoring not just a person’s mind, but the connection between mind and body. Their biggest goal – destigmatizing mental health.
“Everybody needs support, everybody struggles at one point or another in their life,” Routhier said. “Everybody is going to experience pain. Suffering is optional, but to realize that, you need some guidance – whether it’s community, a good friend, a therapist, or a doctor because sometimes medication is needed.”
Where Soul Meets Body offers a variety of treatment modalities and services from breath work, meditation, mindfulness, and cold exposure therapy to group and individual psychotherapies such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
“We teach people how to sit with their emotions and to explore what’s happening internally, and when you do that, you start controlling the nervous system instead of feeling at its mercy,” Routhier said.
Providing accessible mental health services remains a top priority for Where Soul Meets Body as they accept nine different insurances including Anthem Blue Cross, Carelon, Quest, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna Choice, Cigna, United Healthcare, and Optum. For those without insurance, a self-pay sliding scale is available.
Looking ahead, Where Soul Meets Body is striving to continue building a space centered around community, where people feel safe, seen and heard.
“What I’ve seen in my experience in schools is there’s very little social connection, but they want it so badly. Specifically kids, but also families. I see it in parents, that they’re struggling and they need their community to just say ‘Yes, this is hard, but we’re in this together,'” said Eddy.
Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords is located in the heart of the casino floor at Caesars Republic Lake TahoeProvided/Tessie’s Cocktails & Chords
STATELINE, Nev. – The highly-anticipated, electric live music lounge, Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords, is making all the finishing touches before its upcoming debut on July 2, with an exciting lineup of entertainment heading into Fourth of July weekend.
“The main idea with the design was to really pay homage to Lake Tahoe,” said Scott Diel, Partner and Marketing Director with Clique Hospitality.
Clique Hospitality was founded by Andy Masi in 2014, and has conceptualized over two dozen nightlife and dining destinations throughout the nation, including Delray Beach, Chicago, Newport Beach, San Diego and Las Vegas. Partnering with Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe, they’re bringing another elevated nightlife experience to Lake Tahoe’s largest casino.
Designed by Celano Design Studio Co., Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords mirrors the charm of a ski chalet passed down through generations, seamlessly blending timelessness and style with rustic elegance.
The lounge is adorned with sections of chesterfield sofas, rustic tables and hair-on-hide chairs, along with a gallery wall of antique Tahoe artifacts and vintage ski memorabilia. Holding court over the room – a massive light fixture of Tahoe’s multi-headed mythical lake monster, Tessie. The chandelier will be part of the lounge’s theatrical lighting display during performances.
A stunning, 1800’s-era Empire bar sits poised as the centerpiece of the room, with vintage, mahogany-crafted Corinthian columns and mirrored detailing. Facing the bar directly across the room is a picturesque, 1886-vintage fireplace.
Tahoe’s high alpine aesthetic runs all throughout the lounge, including inside the restrooms where you’ll find whimsically-illustrated wallpaper of pin-up girls dressed in different mountain-style attire riding on local and regional fish like salmon and rainbow trout.
The venue will offer a variety of cocktails, from signature drinks to modern and traditional classics, along with a collection of spirits from around the world. There will be six seasonal rotating beers on tap, along with non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails.
Among their elevated signature cocktails is Sweet Child O-Pine, an old- fashioned-style drink made with Knob Creek nine-year bourbon, house-made sugar pine simple syrup, walnut bitters and alpine bitters, served on an oversized ice cube.
Inspired by hidden coves and long Tahoe summers, Secret Cove is another Tessie’s signature cocktail made with a secret concoction of vodka, rum and Hpnotiq liqueur, making it tropical and dangerously smooth as it’s served in a tall glass with a sugar rim over ice.
Secret Cove signature cocktail at Tessie’s Cocktails and ChordsProvided/Jose Salinas
“The show piece every night will be the bands on this stage,” Diel told the Tribune. “The vibe in here at night when the headliner’s on is – drinks in the air, hands in the air, singing along to every lyric that you know.”
Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords aims to encompass an ambience of high-energy rock and roll, with full production and integrated lighting while showcasing live music seven days a week. Themed nights include Sailing Club yacht rock on Thursdays and Faded Karaoke on Tuesday nights where guests have a chance to unleash their inner rockstar by hopping on stage with a live band.
Bottle service will be available, making Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords the perfect place to celebrate events and bachelor/bachelorette parties.
Heading into Independence Day weekend, back-to-back headlining sets from multi-platinum performing artists, Sonic Zoo, will kick off on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4. Live music will continue on July 5 with an 8 p.m. performance from Miranda Rae Love followed by a 10 p.m. full performance from Tahoe Tommy Band.
Throughout the American Century Championship, Tessie’s will host a live band every night, with a special appearance from Alfonso Ribeiro and a performance from local band, Bread and Butter, on July 8.
“We’re really excited to set the bar for nightlife here in Northern Nevada. I think we’ve got an absolutely gorgeous room, and we’re going to have top-of-the-line entertainment. Every single night, there’s something going on here.” Diel said.
Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords will open everyday from 11 a.m. to late. Parking validation will be available to guests with bar tabs of $30 or more.
Secure your reservation now or learn more by visiting TessiesTahoe.com. Check out Tessie’s Cocktails and Chords on their socials: @tessiestahoe on Instagram, Facebook and X.
If you’re looking for healthier, more radiant skin, start with your diet. While there are no magic food, nutrients, or supplements that can instantly transform your skin, a consistent dietary pattern rich in nutrient-dense foods can support skin health, improve appearance over time, and help slow some visible signs of aging.
Skin is the body’s largest organ and serves as a protective barrier against the outside environment. Like every other organ, it requires specific nutrients to build, repair, and protect itself. What we eat influences not only how our skin looks, but also how it functions at a deeper level.
The beauty industry spends billions of dollars marketing topical products that promise glowing, youthful skin. While some skincare products can be beneficial, research suggests that nutrition and lifestyle habits often have a greater impact on long-term skin health. From hydration and collagen production to inflammation control and cellular repair, nutrition supports the skin in ways that creams and serums alone cannot.
How Nutrition Supports Skin Health Antioxidant Protection
Every day, our skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, pollution, and other environmental stressors that generate unstable molecules called free radicals. These free radicals can damage skin cells, accelerate aging, and contribute to wrinkles and uneven skin tone.
Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and protect skin from oxidative stress. Diets rich in colorful fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and tea provide a variety of antioxidants that support healthy skin.
Foods rich in antioxidants include berries, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, leafy green like spinach and kale, pomegranate, citrus fruit, herbs and spices, cabbage, artichokes, and beets.
Hydration
Well-hydrated skin tends to appear smoother, plumper, and more resilient. Water helps transport nutrients to skin cells and supports the skin’s barrier function.
While drinking water alone won’t eliminate wrinkles or cure dry skin, chronic dehydration can make skin appear dull and less elastic. In addition to fluids, many fruits and vegetables contribute to hydration because of their high-water content.
Hydrating foods include cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries, oranges, tomatoes, lettuce, celery.
Aim to drink fluids consistently throughout the day and include water-rich foods regularly.
Reducing Inflammation
Chronic inflammation can contribute to skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and premature aging. Diets high in added sugars, refined carbohydrates, and heavily processed foods may promote inflammation, while whole foods tend to have the opposite effect.
Anti-inflammatory foods include: Fatty fish Walnuts Chia seeds Flaxseeds Fruits and vegetables Extra virgin olive oil Beans and lentils
Collagen Production
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the skin and provides structure, firmness, and elasticity. Natural collagen production gradually declines with age.
Several nutrients support collagen synthesis, including vitamin C, zinc, copper, and adequate protein intake. Ideally, we should get these nutrients from foods. Eating a variety of protein-rich foods alongside fruits and vegetables helps provide the building blocks needed for collagen production.
Gut Health and Skin Health
The gut and skin are closely connected through what researchers call the “gut-skin axis.” An imbalance in gut bacteria may contribute to inflammation that can affect skin health.
A diet rich in fiber supports a diverse and healthy gut microbiome. Fermented foods may also provide beneficial bacteria that support overall health.
Foods that support gut health include: Yogurt with live cultures Kefir Sauerkraut Kimchi Beans and lentils Whole grains Fruits and vegetables
Key Nutrients for Healthy Skin
Vitamin C Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and is essential for collagen production and wound healing.
Good sources include: Citrus fruits Strawberries Kiwi Bell peppers Broccoli Spinach
Vitamin E Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and helps protect skin cell membranes. It also has moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Good sources include: Almonds Hazelnuts Sunflower seeds Avocados Spinach Sunflower and safflower oils
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 fats help maintain the skin’s lipid barrier, support hydration, and reduce inflammation.
Good sources include: Salmon Sardines Mackerel Herring
Zinc Zinc plays a critical role in skin repair, wound healing, and cell regeneration.
Vitamin A Vitamin A supports skin cell turnover and repair. Retinoids, a form of vitamin A, are commonly used in skincare products for their anti-aging benefits.
Good sources include: Sweet potatoes Carrots Pumpkin Kale Spinach Eggs Dairy products
Biotin Biotin is a B vitamin involved in maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. Deficiency is uncommon but may contribute to skin problems when present.
Good sources include: Eggs Salmon Nuts and seeds Sweet potatoes Legumes
Protein Protein provides the amino acids needed to build collagen, elastin, and other structural components of skin.
Good sources include: Fish Poultry Lean meats Eggs Greek yogurt Tofu Tempeh Beans and lentils
What About Supplements?
Most people can obtain the nutrients needed for skin health through a balanced diet. Supplements may be helpful when a deficiency is present or dietary intake is inadequate, but they are not a substitute for healthy eating habits. It’s important to prioritize a healthy diet first.
Skin-related supplements include: Collagen powder Omega-3 fish oil Vitamin D (when deficient) Zinc (when deficient)
Before starting supplements, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian, especially if you take medications or have existing health conditions.
Easy Ways to Add Skin-Supportive Nutrients to Your Diet
Supporting skin health doesn’t require expensive products or dramatic dietary changes. Small, sustainable habits can make a significant difference over time.
Try these simple strategies: Top yogurt with berries and sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Snack on bell peppers and vegetables with hummus instead of chips. Choose canned salmon instead of tuna occasionally for more omega-3 fats. Brew iced green tea for a refreshing antioxidant-rich beverage. Add beans or lentils to salads, soups, and grain bowls. Include a serving of fruit with breakfast each day. Sprinkle ground flaxseed into oatmeal, smoothies, or yogurt. Add avocado to sandwiches, salads, or wraps. Keep frozen berries on hand for quick smoothies. Build meals around colorful vegetables to increase antioxidant intake.
Foods and Habits That May Work Against Skin Health
No single food causes poor skin, but certain dietary patterns may contribute to inflammation and accelerated aging when consumed frequently.
Consider limiting: Sugar-sweetened beverages Candy and desserts high in added sugar Highly processed snack foods Deep-fried foods Excessive alcohol intake
Bottom Line
Healthy skin is built from consistent habits, not quick fixes. A dietary pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, legumes, and whole grains provide the nutrients needed to support hydration, collagen production, skin repair, and protection from environmental damage. Pairing good nutrition with sunscreen, regular exercise, adequate sleep, and avoidance of smoking can help keep skin look and function its best for years to come.
The sun is setting on Sunnyside Restaurant & Lodge as the community has known it for almost four decades. The longtime operator of the restaurant, T S Restaurants, is stepping aside in the fall to make way for a new operator — chef and restaurateur Mark Estee of Local Food Group.
T S Restaurants, which currently operates 13 destination restaurants in Hawaii and California, has run both the Sunnyside restaurant and hotel since 1987. T S CEO Jackie Reed said the decision was a mutual one made with the property owner, Tahoe Sunnyside Partners.
“It was a very difficult decision, but it felt time to return Sunnyside to a more local operator,” she said, “to do what was best for Sunnyside for the future.”
Estee has opened numerous restaurants in Tahoe and Reno, including Burger Me! and Moody’s Bistro Bar & Beats (though he is no longer involved with either). Before that, he served as the executive chef at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe’s Lone Eagle Grille. His group currently owns four restaurants in Reno — seven if you count Great Basin Brewery’s four locations.
Although Reed noted it’s been a difficult few years for the restaurant industry, she said the decision to part ways with Sunnyside was not a financial one. Mike Dumke, managing partner of Tahoe Sunnyside Partners, said the same thing.
“It’s been a great relationship with T S for 39 years, almost more like a partnership than a landlord relationship,” he said. “We both mutually came to the conclusion that it may be better to have them transition out and have a more local operator get involved in the property.”
Dumke said Estee plans on putting a fresh spin on the menu but will retain the theme of American fare as well as seafood and great burgers and adding some smoked items.
The new partnership also marks the beginning of significant investments across the property. Sunnyside will shut down Oct. 5 for renovations with plans to re-open April 1, 2027. The Local Food Group will remodel the restaurant, which includes an expansion of the kitchen and private dining spaces, while the ownership group plans on refreshing the 23 hotel rooms with new paint, carpet, and furniture, but no new construction. Tahoe Sunnyside Partners, which also owns Sunnyside Watersports & Marina, will manage the lodge going forward.
T S’s presence in Tahoe City began in 1978 with Jake’s on the Lake, then Sunnyside nine years later. Jake’s sold to a T S founder’s brother, Chris Thibaut, in 2005. Despite T S leaving Tahoe in the fall, Sunnyside will retain its storied name.
“It’s an emotional and bittersweet time for us,” said Reed, who noted T S is focusing on the Summer Send-Off celebration, with plans still in the works. “Not a lot of restaurants can say they operated for 39 years.”
The latest environmental controversy in Tahoe isn’t a development project, a wildfire, or a fight over lake clarity.
It’s a weed killer.
A proposal to use glyphosate in portions of the Caldor Fire burn scar has triggered mounting concern among residents and environmental advocates, opening a broader conversation about the herbicide’s health risks, ecological impacts, and growing presence throughout the region.
It all started with nonprofit news outlet Mother Jones’ yearlong investigation into the expanding use of herbicides in California forests. Released in May, the article dove deep into the worlds of wildfire management and recovery, industrial pesticide production, and complex federal bureaucracy. Among other projects, the article highlighted Forest Service plans to use herbicide as a vegetation management tool in the burn scar of the 2021 Caldor wildfire.
PULSING INTO WATERSHEDS: The most widely used herbicide in the world, glyphosate, poses a great risk of ecological devastation, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Illustration by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
The final environmental assessment and decision notice for the Caldor Fire Restoration Project — to be spearheaded by the Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) — was released in March of this year. The project will thin tree stands in and around the burn area, remove damaged trees, and reforest burned areas, all within an approximately 11,700-acre project footprint.
Part of that preparation and reforestation is slated to include potential herbicide treatment. In the environmental assessment, LTBMU notes that “herbicides may be used to aid site preparation before tree planting and to manage competing vegetation after planting when manual treatments are ineffective or expected to be insufficient.”
At the top of the list of intended herbicides? Glyphosate.
Public reaction to the Caldor Restoration Project
The Mother Jones investigation analyzed more than 5 million California pesticide-use records, finding that approximately 266,000 pounds of glyphosate were applied in California forests in 2023 — nearly five times the amount used two decades earlier. The article characterized forest applications as the fastest-growing use of glyphosate in the state.
Public opposition to the use of the chemical in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin has quickly mounted, and pressure is on for local agencies.
In response to public outcry around the use of glyphosate in the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, a change.org petition began to circulate. It quickly garnered well over 22,000 signatures by the time this article was written, with public comments and support pouring in from across the country. Conspicuously absent from the body of this petition, however, are any concrete demands to address the titular demand, “Stop glyphosate spraying in the Tahoe Basin.”
This missing piece may be a reflection of the confusing decision-making associated with this project — in this particular instance, it seems few people know exactly how to effect change within our local bureaucracy.
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REFORESTATION: A recently planted Jeffrey pine seedling grows at the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort in California during a project in the Caldor Fire burn scar in May. Personnel from Silhouette Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Great Basin Institute planted red fir, Jeffrey pine and western white pine. Photo by Andrew Avitt/U.S. Forest Service
REVEGETATION WITH A PURPOSE: While vegetation will naturally reappear in the burn scar, the Forest Service plans to use mechanical and chemical treatments to ensure sufficient conifer growth. Photo by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
PULSING INTO WATERSHEDS: The most widely used herbicide in the world, glyphosate, poses a great risk of ecological devastation, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Illustration by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
Frustrated, concerned, and confused, the public has swarmed to social media and rallied at Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) governance meetings to demand regulatory change. But that’s just not how it works, Jeff Cowen, public information officer at TRPA explained to me. At least, not anymore.
To understand the decision-making process behind environmental projects like this one, one must go back to the start. In 1969, TRPA was formed to help manage the two states, five counties, and three national forests that all wanted decision-making power over Lake Tahoe. Soon after, LTBMU was formed to consolidate national forest management in the region.
“It’s … been a partnership from the start,” Cowen said of the relationship between TRPA and LTBMU. But with 79% of land in the Basin owned and managed by the Forest Service, there are limitations on TRPA’s influence.
Those limitations have shifted over time, perhaps the most notable of which came as a result of the 2007 Angora wildfire. Inefficiencies, silos, and redundant regulatory procedures, Cowen explained, were identified as sticking points in the fire’s cause and magnitude. To address these hindrances, about 20 agencies came together to streamline environmental decision-making in the Basin.
Among the outcomes of this streamlining was an expanded memorandum of understanding between TRPA and LTBMU. For major projects like the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, TRPA is no longer a permitting authority, but instead an advisor to the decision-making process.
Cowen emphasized the efficacy of this decision, sharing that he feels that a “regulatory framework is really ineffective and not needed,” between the two agencies. “Because the Forest Service has very similar goals … they basically get to the point where they’re just adopting [our] goals and implementing them through their own plans.”
Together, the agencies have treated 80,000 acres across the Basin for wildfire prevention in the past two decades. But he also acknowledged there are “big, federal, overarching principles and direction that they also have to follow.”
As of late, these overarching principles seem somewhat murky.
How we got here: A noxious government love affair
In February of this year, the Trump administration made a sweeping move with the issuance of an Executive Order unambiguously named “Promoting the National Defense by Ensuring an Adequate Supply of Elemental Phosphorous and Glyphosate-Based Herbicides.”
This explicit prioritization of glyphosate production and use by the executive branch is a conveniently-timed declaration of support for the lawsuit-ridden Bayer company — and it’s no mystery as to why, Nathan Donley from the Center for Biological Diversity explained.
Our government has and continues to validate the use of glyphosate and other pesticides — despite the widely documented risks — because of the immense lobbying power of agricultural and agrochemical industries, Donley said. And it is far from isolated to the Trump administration.
“It’s been an absolute full court press from Bayer on all levels of government,” he explained. “Not just the executive and legislative branches. I mean, Clarence Thomas was a former Monsanto employee.”
And he’s not the only agrichemical-employee-turned-political-appointee. As of President Trump’s first year in office, all four of the top positions in the EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention — the Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Assistant Administrator, Deputy Assistant Administrator for New Chemicals, and Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pesticides — have been filled by former executives or lobbyists of chemical and agricultural companies. The EPA and most other pesticide regulatory agencies continue to assert that glyphosate does not pose a health risk when used according to its label.
As Donley said, “the tendrils run deep … in the levels of influence that this company, Bayer, has in our government.”
Just how deep they run on initiatives like the Caldor Fire Restoration Project remains somewhat opaque. In the project’s environmental assessment, the herbicide use is identified as a way to expedite reforestation and “achieve silvicultural objectives.” These objectives? Conifer stands.
The assessment names three target species that, if not for herbicide use, could otherwise outcompete reforested conifers: western whitethorn, greenleaf manzanita, and ceanothus, or California lilac.
These native, fire-adapted species are known as pioneer species, meaning they are often the first to appear after wildfire events. Their fast-growing roots help to stabilize fire-impacted soil and prevent excess erosion, while also providing species-specific benefits like returning nutrients to damaged soils and quickly regenerating important habitat for pollinators and other species.
But while targeted elimination of native species may raise eyebrows, the Forest Service has an explanation. They are “not taking a wholesale targeting approach to these shrub species,” but instead targeting them only in the immediate vicinity of conifer seedlings. This will help ensure the area includes enough established trees to prevent full conversion to a montane chaparral environment, which could otherwise ignite easier and burn faster in future fire seasons.
Still, there is time before glyphosate use is slated to begin in the Basin.
“No herbicide application is planned for 2026 or 2027,” the Forest Service’s Region 5 media team stated. “Reforestation is an activity that will occur after initial entry (such as mechanical or hand treatments to remove overhead hazards and perhaps prescribed burning or mastication as site preparation) and occurs later in the project implementation timeline.”
Of the 11,700 acres of Forest Service land included within the project area, herbicide treatment is only proposed on a portion of the 2,400 to 3,600 acres where reforestation efforts will take place.
It’s a common pesticide. What’s the big deal?
Well, ain’t that the $11 billion question.
Health and environmental concerns associated with glyphosate use and exposure have been bubbling up for over a decade.
And despite being the most widely used herbicide globally, glyphosate wasn’t originally poised to become a pesticide at all. The chemical was first developed as a boiler and pipe cleaner agent. It wasn’t until 1974 that Monsanto, an American agrochemical and biotechnology company, discovered its efficacy as a herbicide. Monsanto quickly patented the discovery and sold glyphosate as the active ingredient in its crown-jewel herbicide product — Roundup.
GREENS-KEEPING: Golf courses are among the many landscapes where glyphosate is commonly used for vegetation management. Photo by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
For over 25 years, Roundup products filled shelves at hardware and home garden stores, farming co-ops, and major industrial retailers as the sole glyphosate-based product. Touting its unique success as a versatile weed-killer, products were marketed and sold in a variety of forms, from ready-to-use herbicides for home gardens to commercial-grade concentrates designed for agricultural, industrial, and heavy-duty landscaping use. The substance was applied with everything from handheld bottles to backpack devices to large-scale aerial sprayers.
In 2000, Monsanto’s patent for exclusive use of the chemical expired in the United States. Other manufacturers began to flood the market, introducing their own glyphosate-based herbicides. Public use skyrocketed and, for the better part of two decades, glyphosate products flew off shelves.
Then in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), published a scientific evaluation of the carcinogenicity of several market herbicides, glyphosate among them. As a result, glyphosate was designated as “probably carcinogenic to humans.”
Months later, the first lawsuit to allege Monsanto’s Roundup products were causing cancer proceeded to trial in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. Dewayne “Lee” Johnson, a groundskeeper for Benicia Unified School District argued Roundup had caused his non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The case, Johnson v. Monsanto, became the first of approximately 125,000 similar claims filed by 2020, with the California court ultimately ruling in Mr. Johnson’s favor. The jury awarded the plaintiff $289 million in compensatory and punitive damages, an amount that was later reduced by the judge to $78 million and then $21 million.
At the same time, proponents of glyphosate products began to vehemently defend both its safety and usage.
One such advocate named Patrick Moore, a former environmentalist turned TED-talking-climate-change-skeptic, even went so far as to claim Roundup was safe to drink. Moore was featured on air in a CBC News segment on the 2015 WHO findings, where he stated that “you can drink a whole quart of [Roundup], it won’t hurt you.” However, when offered a glass of the chemical by his interviewer, Moore declined to substantiate his claim in real-time, repeatedly saying “No, I’m not stupid.”
In 2017, a multi-district litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California consolidated the surge of federal lawsuits against Monsanto for its Roundup products. The litigation revealed a body of evidence that the leading study cited to defend Roundup’s safety for human exposure — Safety Evaluation and Risk Assessment of the Herbicide Roundup and Its Active Ingredient, Glyphosate, for Humans, published in 2000 by Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology — was in large part shaped and steered by Monsanto employees. The suit exposed email exchanges between Monsanto employees offering congratulations to one another for their “hard work” on the study and hopes that it would become “the reference on Roundup and glyphosate safety.”
Ultimately, the journal retracted the study, citing significant ethical concerns. But the damage was done, and the study still ranks among the top references justifying glyphosate use and claims to its safety.
In 2018, Monsanto was acquired by Bayer, a German pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical company. Bayer continued to sell Roundup but quickly discontinued the use of the Monsanto brand name, which was becoming increasingly tied to unfavorable litigation.
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California found Monsanto liable for another case of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Hardeman v. Monsanto Co. in 2019, initially awarding Mr. Hardeman $80 million in damages — a total subsequently reduced to $20 million. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the decision in 2021, finding that the EPA’s approval of a pesticide label does not immunize a manufacturer from being held liable. This case ultimately became the first (and at this point, only) federal decision on the issue.
Despite Bayer phasing out glyphosate as an active ingredient in its residential Roundup products in 2023, it remains present in commercial and agricultural formulas. Lawsuits have continued to arise, with substantial damages and fees awarded to plaintiffs whose exposure to Roundup resulted in non-Hodgkin, follicular, T-cell, or other forms of lymphoma.
As of the time this article is being written, Bayer has paid over $11 billion in settlements for Roundup-related lawsuits and proposed a nation-wide class action settlement that would cap current and future claim payouts at $7.25 billion, to be used for declining payments for up to 21 years. The class action is heavily opposed by plaintiffs and environmental and public health organizations who have described it as a liability “shield.” A decision from the federal Supreme Court on its constitutionality is expected later in June. If approved, it will become one of the largest legal fee awards to date.
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE: The 2021 Caldor Fire burned 221,835 acres across El Dorado, Alpine, and Amador counties. Photo by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
Public health and environmental impact
Cancer is far from the only public health risk posed by glyphosate use and exposure.
Studies have found potential ties between glyphosate exposure and various medical conditions such as liver disease and reproductive disorders including PCOS, endometriosis, and disruptions to fertility. What’s more, a growing body of research is finding that glyphosate exposure may be a trigger for various gastrointestinal diseases and conditions, including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
But despite these alarming associations, it remains unclear how much exposure is required to pose a real health risk to humans. In the vast majority of legal cases, affected plaintiffs are groundkeepers, farmers, or dedicated recreational gardeners — folks routinely subjected to highly concentrated forms of glyphosate.
In all likelihood, the exposure any individual may experience as a direct result of a relatively remote use such as the Caldor Fire Restoration Project would not cause substantial human harm. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, the half-life (time needed for a chemical to reduce to half of its initial amount) of glyphosate is particularly variable, landing somewhere between 2 and 197 days in soil, and between “a few days” and 91 days in water.
The chance of human exposure narrows further upon consideration of where the Caldor Fire Reforestation Project’s proposed herbicide treatment areas lie. In an email, the Forest Service’s Region 5 media team noted that “for the Caldor Fire Restoration Project, herbicide use is proposed only on a subset of the area proposed for reforestation, where other reforestation site preparation methods will not work. For example, manual removal equipment is not permitted in project areas with steep slopes, locations far from existing roads, [or] sensitive soils.”
But the questionable human health impacts of this project are not the sole consideration in this instance. An even greater risk is the ecological devastation that glyphosate wreaks on habitats, plants, and wildlife.
Donley at the Center for Biological Diversity noted that so long as glyphosate is present, it poses an environmental risk. This is particularly true after any precipitation, where stormwater runoff “goes into the nearby river, lake, or stream of that watershed and contaminates it with high pulses of pesticide.”
Donley emphasized that most animals do rely on these waters, whether they are woodland animals seeking drinking water, wetland species like migratory birds, or aquatic animals that then have no choice but to suffer through 24/7 exposure to contaminated water. While this can be lethal, he added, there are other effects as well. “It can lead to chronic harms like reduced reproductive capability or developmental defects, so it can affect subsequent generations and ultimately lead to population decline or even collapse for certain species,” he explained.
The Environmental Protection Agency found that glyphosate use was likely causing harm to 1,676 of the approximately 1,700 plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Where the Caldor Fire Restoration Project is concerned, LTBMU will be taking some precautions to prevent this catastrophic runoff. “Herbicide applications will not take place within six hours of predicted rainfall that has a high probability of producing measurable runoff, or as requested by the Forest Service aquatics biologist,” the Forest Service shared via email. Additionally, the project will use backpack sprayers or other low-volume methods, as opposed to aquatic or aerial application, which produces greater concern for pollinator species.
But slip-ups or insufficient margins of time between application and precipitation could be catastrophic for some species that call the Tahoe area home.
In 2021, the federal Environmental Protection Agency found that glyphosate use was likely causing harm to 1,676 of the approximately 1,700 plants and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. Impacted species include the Sierra Nevada red fox, California spotted owl, and Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, all of which are listed in the federal Endangered Species Act and live in our area.
Hitting close to home
While proposed glyphosate use in the Caldor burn scar has created quite a stir for the public, it appears as though our community remains blissfully unaware that glyphosate made its debut in the Truckee/Tahoe area long ago.
According to its most recent annual data, California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) ranked glyphosate the sixth most used pesticide in the state in 2023. Of herbicides (plant-specific pesticides) used statewide, glyphosate ranked number one both by pounds applied and total acres treated – 10.7 million and 4.8 million, respectively. About 270,000 pounds alone were used to spray California’s forest land, a figure that has been steadily increasing each year.
Agriculture remains a top use, with glyphosate the pesticide of choice for a variety of crops, from cotton to nuts to citrus and even — put down your glass of pinot here — wine grapes. Neighborhood gardens also pose a risk; DPR data excludes residential use, but despite Bayer’s 2023 phaseout of glyphosate from its residential products, the compound remains the active ingredient in competitor products. Nationwide, the EPA estimates residential and non-crop glyphosate use at several million pounds per year.
While glyphosate is most closely associated with agriculture, it is also widely used in non-agricultural settings, including rights-of-way corridors, landscape maintenance, parks, athletic facilities, golf courses, utility infrastructure, and other managed public spaces.
Individual county reporting provides insight into current uses regionally. El Dorado County, which encompasses the Eastern side of Folsom to the California-Nevada state line in South Lake Tahoe, applied over 9,500 pounds of glyphosate in 2023 for forest and timberland applications, and just over 6,000 along rights of way areas like roads, highway corridors, sidewalks, and curb areas. Placer County, on the other hand, reported over 9,000 pounds used for rights of way areas, just over 4,600 pounds for forest and timberland areas, and just under 4,000 pounds for landscape maintenance. Nevada County clocked in with significantly lower rates, atjust over 2,000 pounds used for rights of way areas and a similar amount for landscape maintenance topping the list in 2023.
These numbers encompass more than public agency use. Private landowners are also obligated to report use to DPR, and glyphosate has become industry-standard for a number of vegetative fixtures. For example, on its website, NV Energy notes herbicide use as a mechanism for vegetation management under its power lines.
A recent follow-up article from Mother Jones opened with investigative journalist Nate Halverson standing in the middle of a run at Sierra-at-Tahoe that “clearly had been doused in glyphosate,” pointing to the area being “devoid of spring flowers; the bushes leafless, brittle, and dead by all appearances.” Sure enough, Halverson had found that the “Forest Service posted maps online showing it had sprayed glyphosate around and within Sierra-at-Tahoe in spring 2025.” This spraying was a part of a separate Caldor Fire Restoration Project, managed by El Dorado Resource Conservation District and taking place outside of the Basin, with a much larger footprint approved for herbicide use.
Patrick Lacey, public relations manager at Palisades Tahoe, said the resort does not use any chemicals, herbicides, or pesticides for vegetation management. Instead, he explained, its vegetation management crews use the mechanical removal of smaller trees and bushes to focus on “reducing ladder fuels on the forest floor and skier safety; the combination works synergistically.”
Since 2015, more than 125,000 legal claims have been filed alleging that exposure to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, contributed to the development of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Bayer has paid over $11 billion in settlements thus far. File photo
Marc McMullen, the golf course superintendent at Northstar California Resort, told me he does use glyphosate as well as fungicide to manage vegetation on the Northstar course. While total use during the season is relatively low, McMullen emphasized that the compound used is a harsh enough product that it is not available off the shelf and requires a pesticide applicator license through both the state and county.
University extension publications and turf-management literature routinely identify golf courses as a significant use category for the herbicide for vegetation management, cart-path edging, weed control, and renovation projects.
Moonshine Ink reached out to other land managers of community spaces, but many did not respond to the inquiries.
While debate continues over where and when glyphosate should be used, its presence in the modern landscape is difficult to avoid entirely. That reality raises a practical question for residents: What steps, if any, can individuals and communities take to reduce exposure?
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot
Options range from personal choices to participating in public discussions.
First and foremost, eating food grown using organic practices whenever possible is one of the leading ways to reduce glyphosate exposure and mitigate its harms to human health, researchers say.
A 2020 study published in Environmental Research found that diet is a main source of glyphosate exposure for humans. What’s more, researchers found glyphosate levels in children prior to making the switch to organic foods were approximately five times higher than adult levels. The good news? Transitioning to organic food had a near-immediate impact on the amount of glyphosate in subjects’ systems, reducing levels by over
70 percent.
Water, too, can be a potential source of glyphosate exposure. In the Basin, where most household drinking water comes from surface waters, regional water purveyors regularly test for pesticides. Sarah Vidra, the Executive Director at Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, confirmed that “pesticides are … monitored as part of the Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOC) program.” Currently, she added, “the Association is not aware of any pesticide detections exceeding drinking water standards in Lake Tahoe source water supplies.” Vidra confirmed the SOC testing TWSA uses detects glyphosate.
Truckee tap water is substantially more removed from potential contamination, as the Truckee Donner Public Utility District (TDPUD) sources all water from deep underground aquifers. “The average age of our drinking water predates many modern chemicals,” Alex Spychalsky, TDPUD Communications Program Manager, explained via email. “For example, the rain we saw fall in our region last week won’t reach our aquifer for decades.”
But Donley said there’s more to be done than relying on water purveyors. “Regardless of how clean you think your water is, everyone should have a good water filter in their house,” he advised. “Because I don’t care how clean you think your water is, it’s not.”
MAKING THE ROUNDS: Glyphosate wasn’t originally poised to become a pesticide at all. The chemical was first developed as a boiler and pipe cleaner agent. In 1974 Monsanto discovered its efficacy as a herbicide and quickly patented the discovery and sold glyphosate as the active ingredient in its crown-jewel herbicide product — Roundup. Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
While limiting glyphosate exposure in private spaces like kitchens, yards, and gardens can help mitigate risk, navigating more public areas that are outside of one’s control can be more complex. A simple rule of thumb, Donley suggested, is don’t play — and don’t let your loved ones play — where dandelions don’t grow. Weeds and other landscaping imperfections are natural. Allow them to be a sign of safe, glyphosate-free spaces.
Locally, questions about herbicide use may be addressed through existing regulatory and planning processes. As for the standards by which TRPA advises projects, those can be changed, though Cowen noted that “the path to what action [TRPA] can take is a relatively long one.” While it typically responds to emerging issues through scientific review, Cowen suggested the level of public interest surrounding glyphosate may warrant further examination. In the case of herbicide use in the Tahoe Basin, he said, “public concern is probably enough for us to start looking at it.”
Whether glyphosate is ultimately used as part of the LTBMU Caldor Fire Restoration Project remains to be seen. What is already clear is that the proposal has sparked a broader conversation about forest management, wildfire recovery, herbicide use, public health, and environmental stewardship — one that is likely to continue well beyond the boundaries of the burn scar itself.
For decades, Truckee Fire Protection District has provided fire and emergency medical services to some of the region’s most affluent neighborhoods. According to the district, however, it has never received the full share of property tax revenue that should be tied to those responsibilities.
Now, after years of unsuccessful negotiations, Truckee Fire has taken Placer County to court, arguing that a decades-old property tax allocation error has deprived the district of roughly $40 million since the mid-1970s. The lawsuit could reshape how millions of dollars in property taxes are distributed among local agencies, drawing 10 other districts into the dispute.
Property tax collection for select special districts across Truckee/North Tahoe play a significant role in revenue streams. Some, like Truckee Sanitary District and Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, rely on property taxes for more than 60% of their operating revenue.
This is common in California: Revenue from the 1% property tax is the foundation for most jurisdictions, from counties and cities down to schools and special districts.
Which means if there’s a piece of the highly precious property pie tax missing, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Nearly 75% of the Truckee Fire Protection District’s 2025/26 revenue comes from taxes, or $14.1 million of its total $19.8 million budget. That number, alleges the district, should be $4 million more.
The district officially brought a case before the Sacramento Superior Court in February 2025 to right a “historic wrong,” according to court documentation.
Placer County, through outside counsel, has so far called into question the legal validity of the entire case, disputing each of the four causes of action submitted by Truckee Fire that make up its argument. Judge Jennifer K. Rockwell ruled against the county’s claims as recently as May 14.
As of press deadline, the ball is in Placer’s court: it has until July 6 to file a formal response to Truckee Fire’s demand for court action and a legal ruling.
Because of the active litigation, both entities provided brief statements to Moonshine Ink:
“Truckee Fire looks forward to having our day in court and to an expeditious, fair, and complete resolution to this matter,” Chief Kevin McKechnie said.
“The county disputes the claims brought by the district and will defend its position in the litigation,” shared Steven Wilson-Maggard, public information officer.
How did we get here?
The red tape that’s causing so much back and forth stems from California’s Proposition 13, passed back in 1978.
This ruling put a 1% tax rate cap of a property’s assessed value and limited yearly assessment increases to 2%. (Prior to ’78, the state’s average property tax rate was 2.67%.) Further, property reassessments bringing up a property to current market value can only take place when there’s a change in ownership or new construction.
Assembly Bill 8 (AB 8), enacted in 1979, determined how that 1% tax was divided up among local governments. County auditors were required to base this distribution on the average property tax revenue received by local governments in the few years preceding Prop 13.
The crux for Truckee Fire is that a few years prior to Prop 13, the district began providing fire protection and medical services to a piece of land known then as the Woolverton Property and known now as Zone 7, annexed into the district in 1974.
CAUGHT IN RED TAPE: Select neighborhoods in Martis Valley are classified as a No Pay Tax Rate Area (TRA), which means Truckee Fire Protection District provides service with no property tax revenue in return. The group of homes in question amounts to 1,600 structures across 2,189 parcels. Graphic by Lauren Shearer/Moonshine Ink and courtesy Google Maps
Zone 7 currently comprises Martis Camp, Schaffer’s Mill, part of Lahontan off Snowshoe Thompson Circle; a portion of Sierra Meadows off Pine Cone and Ponderosa drives, and Golden Pine Road; as well as a section of Ponderosa Palisades on Silver Fir Drive west of Thelin Drive.
The Woolverton agreement limited taxation to the value of improvements (or development), not the underlying land, and allowed property owner Bertha Joerger Woolverton “to continue to live on her property unburdened by taxes but to support the District’s services as she sold her land for development,” as stated in Truckee Fire’s complaint.
In board meetings, Placer County supervisors have called this deal of taxing Zone 7 at a reduced rate as a mistake made by Truckee Fire, leading to the district receiving only partial property tax from that area during three critical years before Prop 13. That taxation level was locked into place in 1978 — and has stayed that way through today.
During the 2024/25 tax year, across the TRAs in Zone 7, Truckee Fire received between 0.60% and 0.75% in AB 8 property tax allocation. A nearby TRA shows Truckee Fire receiving 11.58% of the distribution.
There have been some negotiations in the intervening years. Truckee Fire formally requested its share of AB 8 funding in 1997, 2011, 2018, and 2023. In 1997, Placer’s Auditor Controller Jayne Goulding sent a letter to Truckee Fire stating the revenues had been corrected, but that change never took place.
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IN 1973, Truckee Fire received a letter from Bertha Woolverton requesting annexation into the district for land known today as Martis Valley. Documents courtesy Truckee Fire Protection District
IN 1973, Truckee Fire received a letter from Bertha Woolverton requesting annexation into the district for land known today as Martis Valley. Documents courtesy Truckee Fire Protection District
In 2019, the county allocated the district funding from an adjacent bucket: Placer County executed a voluntary tax share agreement allowing Truckee Fire to receive a portion of fire control fee collected from Zone 7 property taxes, amounting to about $300,000 annually. Truckee Fire considers this agreement irrelevant to the larger situation, according to court documentation.
In June 2024, the Placer County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation about the fire control fund and whether to continue with a subsequent funding method or not.
Placer County Supervisor Jim Holmes pointed out in June 2024 that Truckee Fire could have corrected the issue in part during the county’s 2003 general plan update but did not do so: “This sets a precedent … This takes money out of our general fund to supplement a district that failed to take action when the opportunity was there for them.”
The item was not up for action, and ended with unclear steps for the future. Eight months later, Truckee Fire filed its case.
What specifically is being asked for?
Truckee Fire’s legal reasons for suing Placer fall into two camps: three focus on the failure of property tax allocation (as described previously), while the fourth focuses on the county’s failure to comply with the Placer County General Plan and Martis Valley Community Plan.
This second camp claims the county approved real estate developments such as Martis Valley, Schaffer’s Mill, and part of Lahontan neighborhoods in Zone 7 without funding fire service in conjunction.
In early 2024, Truckee Fire alleges in the complaint, the district stated on an early building permit for a townhome development in Schaffer’s Mill that as the serving fire protection district, it would “withhold approval of a Certificate of Occupancy until it received adequate funding to provide fire services to the development.” The district also requested that the county restrict further development in Martis Valley until the funding issues at hand could be rectified.
On March 26 of that year, Placer amended its county code to allow fire-protection district approval to come from either Truckee Fire, Placer County Fire, or Cal Fire.
Over a year later, the Placer County Planning Commission modified the Schaffer’s Mill Conditional Use Permit language to allow either Truckee Fire or Placer County Fire’s signature for plan approvals.
Placer demurred to the district’s complaint on all causes of action. A demurrer essentially means that even if, in this case, Truckee Fire’s claims are true, they do not warrant a lawsuit. Judge Rockwell overruled two of the three demurrers, while sustaining the third demurrer on the fourth cause of action, but allowed the district time to amend its legal stance.
Truckee Fire did so, submitting an amended complaint — to which Placer demurred once again on the fourth cause of action. The judge overruled this demurrer in mid-May, leading to the current wait for Placer County’s response, due by July 6.
From there, the case will likely enter a discovery phase, during which both sides will exchange information, evidence, and witness interviews.
Among its requests for ruling, Truckee Fire hopes for legal mandates to the county to allocate and pay the district its AB 8 share of Zone 7 property tax revenue; a permanent injunction from denying Truckee Fire its AB 8 share; and a declaration that Placer’s decision to approve development in the Martis Valley area without general plan compliance violates the law.
TRUCKEE FIRE’S Station 96, serving the Martis Valley 24 hours a day, seven days a week since 2000. Courtesy photo
What other districts are involved (and whose side are they on)?
If Truckee Fire is allotted any amount of AB 8, which is a limited pot of money, other entities receiving property tax from Zone 7 will take a hit.
When it first filed its complaint, Truckee Fire did not include other taxing entities involved in Zone 7 who could be impacted. Placer called this out in a demurrer, requiring an amended complaint to include the following as real parties in interest:
Truckee Tahoe Airport District, Placer County Resource Conservation District, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Sierra Community College District, Placer County Office of Education, Placer County Water Agency, Tahoe Forest Hospital District, Tahoe Truckee Sanitation Agency, Tahoe City Public Utility District, and Truckee Sanitary District. All 10 are listed as parties on the side of Placer County.
Of the parties, the airport district, Tahoe City PUD, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Placer County Office of Education, and Truckee Sanitary District have filed joinders at some point, formally aligning themselves with Placer’s arguments. For the latest set of demurrers, the school district and office of education did not file joinders while the remaining three did.
Why other parties of interest didn’t file a joinder can be for many reasons, including being able to benefit from a decision without the cost or exposure; different interests than defendant’s strategies; and taking a wait-and-see approach.
“While the core of this dispute is between the fire district and the county, the legal remedy sought, a reapportionment of ad valorem property taxes, carries an outsized potential impact on a broad coalition of local public agencies that provide essential services to our community,” TTAD General Manager Robb Etnyre wrote in an email. “Because property tax revenue is a ‘zero-sum’ system under California law, any significant shift in these percentages means the funding must be drawn from the existing shares of other local entities.”
In its 2026 budget, TTAD anticipates receiving about $10 million in property tax revenue — about 55% of its revenue for the year.
Etnyre added that the airport district’s participation in the case, as well as the other parties with interest, “is intended to ensure that the pursuit of fire protection funding does not inadvertently destabilize the budgets of our schools, our hospital, or our regional infrastructure.”
Truckee Fire has said in public statements about the case, “Placer County would prefer we ask taxpayers districtwide to approve a new property tax so that the district can have sufficient funds to fund services in Lahontan, Martis Camp and Schaffer’s Mill … Placer County has already collected substantial tax revenue, they just need to allocate it.”
In the current court case, the district is requesting its AB 8 share from the date of the final court order forward. Meanwhile, it is also asking for historical records of what it received from 1975 to 1978, which would play a role in determining the full amount Truckee Fire might have collected since the mid-1970s.
Sherry McConkey is widely known in Tahoe/Truckee as the wife of the late, famed skier and ski-BASE athlete Shane McConkey, as founder of the Shane McConkey Foundation, and a popular yoga teacher. But the story of how Sherry became such an active part of the Tahoe community started on the other side of the world.
Born to a South African mother and Persian father, Sherry entered the world under complicated circumstances. Her mother, who was a model, gave birth in an adoption home in Ireland because in the 1960s, it would have been complicated to have a mixed-race child in South Africa. When Sherry was born with blonde hair and blue eyes, her mother was able to bring her back to South Africa and raise her there.
After spending her first years in Iran, Sherry grew up near the coastal city of Durban in South Africa. By age 21, she was ready to see more of the world.
“When I was 21, I decided to travel the world and find my birth father,” Sherry said.
With South African currency stretching only so far abroad, she found herself working, traveling, and working again as she made her way across Europe.
“I had some insanely amazing adventures, great and bad, beautiful and crazy,” Sherry said. “Three years of a very innocent, naive young South African traveling the world.”
Along the way, she saw snow for the first time while visiting Switzerland and immediately fell in love with the mountains. Eventually, her search for her father led her to North America.
But shortly before she planned to meet him, everything changed.
“As I was about to come to the States to meet my dad, he left without telling me,” Sherry said. “Basically, I was like, ‘Screw you. I’m done looking. I’m done trying.’”
Without a destination in mind, Sherry followed recommendations from friends and found herself driving to Tahoe.
“I found it miraculous,” she said. “As I drove up the West Shore and the harvest moon was coming out of the lake, I was like, ‘Oh my god, this place is amazing.’”
What was supposed to be a single winter stay has now turned into 36 years.
Tahoe became even more meaningful after she met professional skier Shane McConkey. Together they built a life and raised their daughter, Ayla. When Shane died in a ski-BASE accident in Italy in 2009, Sherry considered leaving the region.
GURU: Sherry McConkey is a popular yoga teacher at Palisades Yoga. She is pictured here at her retreat in Nicaragua. Photos courtesy Sherry McConkey
“When Shane died, the community just wrapped their arms around Ayla and me,” she said. “It was like a family around me. I was like, ‘How am I ever going to leave this?’”
The years that followed were marked by loss throughout the community. Many longtime locals remember the early 2000s as a period of repeated tragedies.
“I got to a point where I was like, ‘How much more can I take?’” Sherry said. “But when I looked at other places to go, I would realize I couldn’t leave my Tahoe family.”
Instead, she stayed and poured her energy into giving back.
In the years following Shane’s death, Sherry helped establish the Shane McConkey Foundation. What began as a way to support environmental causes the couple cared about grew into programs that are now nationwide. Since its founding in 2011, the nonprofit has donated one million dollars to environmental causes, kids health and wellness, and projects that impact the Tahoe/Truckee region.
PMS: Sherry McConkey (in red) with her daughter, Ayla, at the Pain McShlonkey, an annual snowblade contest put on by her foundation, the Shane McConkey Foundation.
“When I first started the foundation, I think I was still in shock,” Sherry said. “We didn’t quite know what to do.”
One of its most successful projects grew from a student environmental initiative led by a teacher at Donner Trail Elementary partaking in the Shane McConkey Eco Challenge. Today, the foundation’s Don’t Drop the Top program operates lid collection sites throughout the region that have diverted 8,200 pounds of plastic from local landfills.
“The kids partaking in the Eco Challenges are mind-blowing and so amazing,” Sherry said. “It gives me hope for the future.”
LOVE: Sherry McConkey and her daughter, Ayla, who is now 20.
For Sherry, the foundation reflects the same philosophy that defined Shane’s life: maximizing enjoyment in life.
“The foundation, in a nutshell, is a combination of fun and not taking life so seriously, but then intense and taking life really seriously,” she said. “A good balance.”
After decades in Tahoe, that balance continues to guide her. The woman who once crossed continents searching for connection ultimately found it in a mountain town that became family.
“My hope for Tahoe is to become the most environmentally conscious town in the world,” Sherry said. “It’s breathtakingly beautiful, and you only have one life. Live it.”
It’s midnight in the middle of nowhere on the Trans-Siberian Railway but sleep is far from mind. Russian train-riders are gathered in the bar car, laughing and dancing around the ragtag string band that’s swigging vodka and making up funny songs on the spot.
The bandmembers are a bunch of Americans, in-country for the 2018 World Cup, and rather than geopolitical hostilities there’s a warmth of human connection forged around global sport and the universal language of music.
TRAIN JAM: Jeremiah Kent (middle) and Martin Cavada (foreground) playing tunes and giving smiles at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Photo by Ryan Salm
“We ended up being the house band on the Trans-Siberian for a week,” guitarist Ryan Salm remembered. “It was before the war [in Ukraine]. We ended up befriending generals and regular people, just singing songs and staying up all night.”
Salm is a founding member of the Home Team String Band, the Tahoe/Truckee-based group that’s traveled to the last four World Cups — bringing an open-armed vibe of music, good times, and cross-cultural connection as they celebrate the unifying power of soccer’s biggest stage.
THE HOME TEAM’S BUS, painted by Ben Williams of Truckee, does not have a nickname yet, but members of the band are pretty sure it will by the time the World Cup is over. Photos courtesy Paul Raymore
This year’s World Cup will be played in North and Central America from June 11 to July 19, with the bulk of the matches taking place in the United States.
“We’ve been welcomed wherever we’ve gone,” said Dan Hurley, the group’s unofficial musical coordinator who, along with Salm, also plays in the Tahoe-based band The Inappropriators. “I’m most looking forward to hosting, and to giving back to the world what they’ve given for us. We are going to show a welcoming spirit.”
To do so, the band bought an old Bluebird school bus and undertook a group-effort, custom build-out, readying their “Schoolie” to be a traveling home, fan-zone (with two TVs and a projector screen), music venue, and cultural welcome center. They’ll make and hand out grilled cheese sandwiches and throw parties, aiming to be a gathering place where people from all over the world can hang out before, during, or after the games and have a good time.
TRANSFORMATION: Members of the Home Team String Band talk it over during a bus-buildout session.
“We’ll play a bunch of songs and hope to get people to join our band along the way,” Salm added.
Folks may join the band forever, for a day, an hour, or even just one song. After all, impromptu additions to the group are what created the Home Team in the first place. The band is now 12-plus humans strong, but it all started back in 2010 with three Tahoe locals who just wanted to go the World Cup in South Africa.
Salm arrived on the continent before the event began and traveled overland from Ethiopia (guitar and harmonica in tow) to South Africa. He knew Paul Raymore and Hurley independently, and they all made plans to meet up before the matches began.
TRANSPORTATION: When the Home Team String Band found themselves in a dry country for the 2022 World Cup, they traded beer for bikes and cycled to the games in Qatar. Photo by Ryan Salm
Prior to linking up with them, Salm was checking out of a bungalow in Malawi just as another guy with a guitar was checking in. He was from L.A., and Salm told him he lived in Tahoe. The guy’s first question was, “Have you been to High Sierra Music Festival?”
Salm smiled. “I go every year,” he said. The connection was instant and the two made sure they’d reconnect in South Africa — and boom, Jeremiah Kent was added to the roster.
Similar serendipity ensued at the USA vs. England game in Rustenberg when an American approached the group and it was discovered they had a mutual friend in Tahoe. He introduced himself as Pete Blanchard and they all hung out that night. “We had an empty spot in our car,” Salm said, “and the next day Pete was part of the crew.”
They met Tahoe-ite Trevor Husted at the USA vs. Algeria knockout match and the group of travel-seeking, soccer-loving musicians started writing funny songs about their World Cup experiences. The bond was tight, and the Home Team String Band was born.
THE HOME TEAM STRING BAND celebrates euphorically at a World Cup match. Photo courtesy Paul Raymore
Everyone has a nickname. Someone who joined eight years ago will always be New Guy (Dane Halter). Added in 2014 were Hulké (Martin Cavada), Hylando (Rylan Cordova), and Maximus (Kurt Beckering). Then there’s Godfather (Paul Raymore), Captain Jebbers (Kent), and Handsome (Hurley), among others.
The nicknames are written on the back of the bandmate’s personal Sweatsedo — a sweet, custom-made velour track suit — in the local language of whatever country they are in. Sometimes the names get lost in translation. In Russia, for example, Trevor Husted’s “T-Bone” read as “T-Steak.”
Eight years later, Husted is still T-Steak.
Blanchard earned his original nickname, Granada (Spanish for grenade), due to his proclivity for explosive late-night antics, but on the Trans-Siberian he turned sweet. On a short stop, he ran out and bought flowers for the Russian bartendress. She received them well and started calling him Pupsik — a term of endearment either romantic or maternal meaning something akin to “cutie.” The boys couldn’t resist that one either, and his nickname forever changed to Pupsik.
There’s an origin story, of course, for the nicknames. In 2010, the original crew was driving on a dirt road in Lesotho, the small, mountainous nation landlocked by South Africa, when a couple of locals boys threw a small rock at the vehicle. “Stop the car!” boomed Salm’s voice. In a flash he was running into the African plains after the half-laughing, half-screaming perpetrators.
The team was beyond impressed by Salm’s speed. Right then and there he became “Cheetah” — and the naming began.
The young-adult sons of Raymore and Halter, Ethan and Nathan respectively, will hop on the bus for their first Home Team action this World Cup. “They’re good kids but they haven’t done much yet,” Hurley said. “They’ll be known collectively as JV until they prove themselves worthy of joining the varsity and earning a nickname.”
Not your typical band
The group’s gigs aren’t pre-booked shows in concert halls, rather impromptu busking-type sessions played in crowded subways, outside stadiums, and on bustling city streets.
“My favorite thing about it is that most of our material is written in the moment,” Hurley said, noting that the chord progressions are made up on the spot and the lyrics freestyled. “You write a song about a new person you’re hanging out with or the score of the game, a funny time at the bar or the street scene in Brazil we’re looking at.”
Many of their stream of consciousness songs, in a nod to true art, only ever exist once. Some, however, are played again and refined over time to become part of the band’s growing catalogue.
“We want people coming into it to feel welcome. It’s about the fun, the merriment, the global soccer-sports-music brotherhood that we’ve all come to know and love so much.”
~ Dan Hurley, unofficial musical director of The Home Team String Band, on the 2026 World Cup
And while they’ll mix in some covers — “California Dreaming,” “Hotel California,” and “Born in the U.S.A” are oft-requested when overseas — there’s never anything like a planned-out set list, which appeals to Hurley’s artistic sensibilities. “It’s total musical freedom,” he said.
In addition to the soccer and the music, adventure is a big part of the Home Team’s overall gameplan. On their World Cup-focused trips, they’ve hiked in national parks in Africa, explored the Amazon in Brazil, and embarked on multi-day, self-guided paddleboard trips around Russia’s Lake Baikal (the largest freshwater lake in the world and Tahoe’s sister lake), and the Arabian Sea, including in the Strait of Hormuz.
When Beckering joined the band for the 2014 Cup in Brazil, he brought along his banjo. The circular part of the instrument was white. One day he drew black markings on it to make it look like a soccer ball, and The Soccer Ball Banjo came to be.
“If there was a symbol of our band, that would be it,” Raymore declared.
The band was hitting their stride, but four years later the unthinkable happened: The U.S. failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. “It was shocking,” Salm said. “We didn’t know what to do.”
After some debate, the performers decided the show must go on — a decision that led to perhaps the band’s greatest moment, those days and nights of song and merriment as the house band on the clickety tracks of the Trans-Siberian Railway.
The 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar in Nov. and Dec. ’21 to avoid the region’s stifling summer heat, featured another changeup: The vodka-swigging, beer-crushing Home Teamers found themselves in a dry country. So, they traded booze for bikes and began cycling to the games, oftentimes two matches a day, and from place to place with their instruments and antics. “A lot of people over there hadn’t seen anything like us,” Salm said.
So, what do these 2026 home games mean for the Home Team String Band?
“We want people coming into it to feel welcome,” said Hurley, who recently wrote a song called “Host the World,” which can be found on YouTube. “It’s about the fun, the merriment, the global soccer-sports-music brotherhood that we’ve all come to know and love so much.”
MAKING NEW FRIENDS is a key part of the Home Team String Band’s World Cup experiences. Ryan Salm at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Tahoe kickoff party takes place on June 12 at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee to watch Team USA’s opening game against Paraguay. The match starts at 6 p.m., with the pre-party starting at 4 p.m. The bus will be on site for tours and photos, and the boys will play tunes. All ages are welcome and bringing instruments is encouraged. “We’d love to see the biggest street band we can make in downtown Truckee,” Raymore said.
After that game, the Home Team will put the bus in gear and start attending matches in person. First, it’s down to San Francisco where Levi’s Stadium hosts Qatar vs. Switzerland on the 13th and Austria vs. Jordan on the 16th. Then it’s up to Seattle for Team USA’s highly anticipated June 19th match against Australia.
But the true destination is the journey — being on the bus and spreading the vibe like some version of the Merry Pranksters with a Pelé predilection and well-tuned instruments.
“We’ll stop anywhere from a town square to a dive bar or a trailer park,” Salm said. “It doesn’t need to be a million people. We’re not an arena band, it’s about intimate.”
From Seattle, the Home Team dips north of the border to catch New Zealand vs. Egypt on the summer solstice in Vancouver. Then the bus will turn around and meander south to get to L.A. in time for Team USA’s final group match June 25 at Sofi Stadium against Türkiye.
After group play the teams with the best records will advance to the knockout stages, the details of those matches being unknown until the completion of the first round. “We don’t have any idea yet where we’ll go,” Salm said, the band perhaps leaning into its ability to play things by ear. “We’ll try to follow the USA if we can.”
The Beautiful Game
Estimates are that 5.8 billion people, roughly 75% of the world population, will view the 2026 World Cup in some form — making it the most watched sporting event in human history.
Soccer, like music, is truly a global language. While there have been historical instances of violence breaking out between different fanbases, the majority of the sport’s power lies in unification.
“We may be enemies on the pitch, but before and after let’s put the differences behind us and hang out,” Salm said.
Not every minute of the band’s travels, however, has been filled with kumbaya. In Qatar, the boys were on a bus before the USA vs. Iran game. The bus was pretty much all Iranians. Some back-and-forth jarring started up that quickly turned heated, the fans at each other’s throats. “For a minute, you thought there was going to be a brawl,” Salm relayed. “But then we came together, like ‘hey, we’re all just human beings here.’”
The two countries are now at war.
There was a similar time on the Trans-Siberian Railway. “We met this guy who looked like a giant ogre, and we were all kind of intimidated,” Hurley recalled. But that mean-looking Russian played the guitar. And the guys bought him some beers. “By the end of the night he was kissing us on the forehead,” Hurley continued.
The Home Team is about getting past stereotypes, about breaking down barriers of preconceived notions of this country or that culture.
“Our adventures are a good chance to be face-to-face with people you don’t think you’ll get along with,” Hurley said. “Then you watch some soccer together and play some tunes and see what happens next.”
Mark Twain wrote that “travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” It seems like the Home Team String Band has picked up on what the author was putting down. Over the past 16 years, the group has set out across the globe to take in four World Cups, creating innumerable moments of beautiful connection between humans of different cultures.
They have always been visitors in a foreign land, yet wherever they have gone the Americans have been welcomed. This summer, they play host — ambassadors of our nation, doing what they can for international relations and having a good time doing it — one goal, one song, one new member of the Home Team at a time.
A Moonshine reader recently mailed us a letter, asking if we could figure out why Tahoe Forest Products (TFP), the relatively new sawmill facility in Carson City just off Highway 50, wasn’t producing. “They’re well stocked with Caldor Fire trees but no sawdust,” he wrote. “I’ve heard rumors, but what are the facts?
Indeed, the facility opened on Dec. 18, 2023, to quite a bit of fanfare — local publications, as well as Bloomberg, reported on just how critical Tahoe Forest Products would be in supporting healthy forests, fire recovery efforts, the local economy, and more.
But our reader is right. Two and a half years later, and TFP is sitting silent. I reached out to Kevin Leary, CEO of Hallador Investments, which is the primary investor in the facility, to understand the latest. ~ AH
There were rumors in late 2025 that the facility was closing and/or reporting bankruptcy. A Carson Now article reported that wasn’t the case, and that the facility was in the process of “retooling and upgrading” operations and machinery. Is that still the status, and how far along are those updates? Will the facility operate at full capacity soon?
Kevin Leary, CEO of Hallador: TFP did pause production in mid-2025 and it remains paused. The sawmill facility was originally designed using the lowest-possible cost machinery, meaning old and heavily used, which was a mistake. Too many breakdowns and too slow a production pace meant the initial facility was not financially sustainable. We also paused construction of the planer mill (which will sit to the north of the sawmill building, closer to Highway 50), to avoid making the same mistake twice. We expect to commence upgrades in June, and to be in production a year from now. More modern improvements will enable the facility to operate sustainably.
“Too many breakdowns and too slow a production pace meant the initial facility was not financially sustainable.”
~ Kevin Leary, Hallador Investments CEO
How is the facility funded, and are there concerns for ongoing financial support?
The company is funded by local private investors who care deeply about our region’s forest health, water quality, recreation, and cost of living (including home insurance costs), and who want to support the local economy. TFP will continue to have the support of the owners as long as the prospect of sustainable operations remains.
How is TFP working to address complaints by neighbors, including noise and bright lights?
Several of our neighbors have direct communication access to on-site management at TFP. In the past, we have worked with neighbors to address specific concerns, including repositioning lights and replacing diesel generators with fixed power. We engaged a local landscaping company to install several hundred thousand dollars [worth] of trees and plants along Bucks Way to the south and west.
We should add that occasionally complaints are directed at us that are not of TFP’s making. There are other tenants on the same parcel, and we have received complaints (e.g. dust) that are outside of our lease area or control. In other cases, loud nighttime noises or truck lights might be attributed to TFP but have nothing to do with the mill.
BACKLOG: Logs currently filling the Tahoe Forest Products facility outside Carson City are primarily from local fuels reduction treatments over the past few years, though a few remain from the 2021 Caldor Fire. Illustration by Sarah Miller/Moonshine Ink
Is the facility feeling impacts from national changes to the U.S. Forest Service, which is undergoing massive restructuring?
TFP tries to maintain close relationships with the USFS at both the local and national levels. In our view, the goal of the changes underway is to move decision-making to the local level and empower local leadership, accountability, and action. There are layers of hierarchy and bureaucracy that probably should go away, like there are in any organization that has been around over a century. (If the readers want an analogy, they can listen to Jon Stewart interview Ezra Klein, co-author of Abundance, on the rollout of rural broadband, administered by a different federal agency. [Editor’s note: Listen to Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein on The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart wherever you listen to podcasts.])
Locally, we have seen some disruptions, and certainly some over-extended and tired USFS friends picking up more responsibilities. But our hope and expectation are that the changes result in a localized, commonsense approach to forest management. To that end, the USFS recently awarded our partner, the Washoe Tribe, a 20-year Master Stewardship Agreement to empower the tribe and partners to take on a larger role in planning and implementing forest health treatments.
Are trees from the 2021 Caldor Fire still on site?
Yes, but very few. The logs received in the past two years are from fuels reduction treatments (i.e., green trees, not burned or salvaged) in the Tahoe Basin and surrounding national forests (Inyo, Humboldt Toiyabe, Eldorado, Tahoe) plus a smaller number from neighborhood and HOA fuels reduction projects.
One of the biggest shocks to my system when I — a type-A queen all about quick turnarounds and addressing issues exactly when they arise — joined MoonshineInk back in May 2019, was adapting to what we at the office call “Moonshine Time.”
As our readers likely know, we are a free, independent monthly print publication with a (again, free) website that includes both print content as well as online exclusives. We put out a roundup of news briefs every Friday, touching on various happenings during the preceding week, from special district decisions to free events to key hirings or departures and so on.
But what we really sink our teeth into is the print edition. The news articles especially are where we dive deep, exploring topics critical to our Truckee/North Tahoe community in ways that haven’t been addressed by any other news organization.
As Mountain Gazette editor and owner Mike Rogge wrote in 2023, “[Moonshine Ink is] holding up a mirror to who we are as a community.”
But as a primarily monthly focused newspaper with a core staff of eight, we have the tricky challenge of considering each edition’s timeline. For example, this edition, June 2026, runs June 11 to July 8. That means we’re planning for July 4 content in early May, when we sit down to discuss the June edition.
ABOUT 80% of the time, we are focused on the print publication. File photo
When news stories capture the nation’s interest, like the Liberty Utilities and NV Energy debacle earlier this year, we end up in an odd limbo state of watching approximately 1 million other outlets cover the situation while we’re working in the background to pull as many pieces together as possible for a publication date a few weeks out. My story, A Shock to the System, came out a few weeks after said 1 million outlets reported on the situation.
There’s also the controversial herbicide glyphosate being used to treat forests and more in our region. Again, this has been reported on by broader outlets — but we offer an in-depth lens on Truckee/Tahoe impacts.
It can be frustrating, yes (especially for this type-A queen), but I actually don’t mean for it to come off that way. It’s more so an opportunity to educate our readers about how our brains at Moonshine operate. About 80% of the time, we are thinking about what will come out the second Thursday of each month (except January; collective relaxation time for staff), and how our articles will both be as up to date as possible and highly informative.
Does that mean we don’t produce breaking news content? Not at all. We turn out articles on timely information quite often. Most recently, there was the approval of the Village at Palisades development, and the tragic Castle Peak avalanche. In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, we were constantly updating our readers with daily online updates on the situation. But we only have so many staffers, and as much as I wish otherwise, there are only 24 hours in the day.
To keep up and even expand our ability to cover more and increase publication of those online-exclusive stories, I urge you to consider becoming a Moonshine Ink Member. Like I wrote in a November 2023 Membership update, we want to cover more stories in-depth, but we need help to get there.
The tournament is why they come. South Lake Tahoe is why they come back.
For sports and meeting planners, finding the right host destination is a balancing act. You need the infrastructure to run a seamless event, and you need enough beyond the schedule to make athletes, families, and coaches glad they made the trip.
South Lake Tahoe checks both columns. With 16 soccer fields, 13 baseball and softball fields, 15 indoor basketball and volleyball courts, a new aquatics and recreation center, and one of the most versatile indoor event venues in the Sierra Nevada, the South Shore is built to host. The alpine scenery, the lake, the trails, and the après-competition energy are everything else.
Here is how it plays out, season by season.
Spring: March to May
Best for: Soccer, lacrosse, flag football, aquatics, and swimming.
Spring is the shoulder season that serious planners already know about. Rates are friendlier, venues are more available, and the destination is in a genuinely dramatic state: snowcapped peaks, wildflowers starting to push through, and a lake that looks like it was designed to make your tournament photos go viral.
For outdoor multi-sport events, the LTCC Community Play Consortium fields offer a multi-field outdoor complex with a one-stop booking system that removes the usual scheduling headaches. For aquatics and indoor competition, the newly built South Lake Tahoe Recreation and Aquatics Center features a lap pool for swim meets, a collegiate-sized gymnasium with two high school cross courts (bleacher seating for 320), and a dedicated event space purpose-built for this use.
If the snowpack cooperates (and in early spring, it often does), a gondola ride or snow play day at Heavenly Mountain Resort makes an effortless team reward after competition wraps. Trails are starting to open. The South Shore is waking up, and the crowds have not arrived yet.
Planner tip: Spring break (late March through mid-April) creates a hotel crunch that can catch planners off guard. Either lean into the school break window intentionally and book room blocks six or more months out, or schedule around it entirely. The shoulder window outside of spring break is where the real value lives.
Summer: June to August
Best for: Basketball, indoor and beach volleyball, baseball and softball, paddleboard racing, open water swimming.
Summer is the most compelling sell and the most competitive window. The days are long, the weather is about as good as it gets anywhere, and families need very little convincing. The South Shore’s beaches, paddleboarding, and boating do the promotional work for you: parents stop thinking of the weekend as a tournament trip and start thinking of it as a vacation.
The Tahoe Blue Event Center is the anchor for indoor summer competition — an NBA-regulation basketball court with seating for 4,650 and 27,000 square feet of flexible floor space built to handle multi-court tournament formats and large-group draws. For beach volleyball, Regan Beach offers sand courts on the lake, space for spectators, and a backdrop that no gymnasium can replicate.
Planner tip: Nine to twelve months of lead time is standard for summer. Start your room block conversations early, and lead with the “vacation upgrade” angle in team communications.
Fall: September to November
Best for: Soccer, cross country, flag football, tennis, cycling.
Fall is the sleeper season, and planners who know it treat it like a trade secret. After Labor Day, the summer crowds clear out, rates soften, and the South Shore enters arguably its most beautiful stretch of the year. The foliage turns, the light goes golden, and the whole destination becomes a genuine visual asset for team photos, highlight reels, and the social content your athletes and their families will be posting for weeks.
Athletically, it is also the strongest performance window. Cooler temperatures produce better times and faster play, and the fields reach peak condition. It’s ideal for multi-bracket soccer formats and cross-country staging alike.
Planner tip: If your event calendar has any flexibility, make the fall case to your organization. You get a premier destination at off-peak pricing with conditions that peak-season visitors would pay a premium for. It is one of the stronger value arguments in the sport tourism calendar.
Winter: December to February
Best for: Alpine skiing and snowboarding, ice hockey, figure skating, gymnastics, wrestling, cheer, and dance.
Winter flips the script in the best way. Instead of working around the season, you build your event into it. A youth ski or snowboard competition at Heavenly Mountain Resort offers 4,800 acres of terrain, with race infrastructure built for competitive alpine events at every level, and a recruiting argument no spring soccer tournament can touch. Kids talk about it more. Parents plan for it earlier.
For non-snow sports, the Tahoe Blue Event Center delivers an NHL-regulation ice rink with seating for 3,900 alongside flexible floor space for gymnastics, wrestling, and cheer under the same roof. The combination of ice and multi-sport indoor capability in a single venue is genuinely rare and worth building a tournament weekend around.
Planner tip: Weather is a factor in winter, so build contingency plans into your schedule and communicate them clearly. For many families, though, snow is part of the appeal, not a drawback.
Early mornings. Racing from one matchup to the next. The thrill of keeping a swirl of moving pieces right on track, with enough breathing room to soak it all in. You know the drill when it comes to planning a youth sports tournament. You’ve just never seen it like this. The South Shore of Lake turns the whole logistics dance into a dream setting, where the stunning view alone feels like absolute victory.
Imagine pine-fresh air greeting families as they arrive, the deep blue of the lake dazzling in sunlight, and the majestic Sierra peaks towering overhead. No wonder game days feel brighter here. Between matchups, the magic is in the pause: laughter on a stroll, world-class recreation at North America’s largest alpine lake, and core memories in the making for players and families.
What if those early morning warmups led straight into lakeside afternoons? Here, tournaments double as getaways with awe (and then some). Step away from the “what’s next” scramble. Wander, and your next adventure beckons beyond the bend. High spirits feel like an instant classic with stunning vistas, some available right from the roadside, but hiking and biking trails abound. Welcome to your game plan for keeping the trip shimmering right by turquoise pools in a family-friendly playground: smooth, simple, and blissful, from gleeful arrival to the final blow of the whistle.
Game Central: Play It All at These Vibing Venues
Dribbling, spiking, skating. From indoor showdowns to outdoor matchups under sweeping skies and sweet pine, South Lake Tahoe’s sports facilities keep the action rolling, with a splash of Tahoe magic just past the sideline. It’s easy to plan a small or full-scale, multi-sport weekend. These venues? Collegiate-sized hoops, high-school cross courts, and fully convertible arenas built for every spike, slam, and swoosh. Go for tournament logistics that feel effortless, leaving you free to celebrate every epic match-point marvel.
Tahoe Blue Event Center
4,400 seats. The MVP of indoor sports, Tahoe Blue flexes its convertible arena space to host basketball, volleyball, cheer, hockey, wrestling… anything you dream of. Think professional locker rooms, spectator seating, and fan‑friendly spots to rally that make tournament logistics feel effortless — all with postcard-worthy Sierra views you’ll carry with you. Stay here, and you’re right in the heart of downtown, close to all the action.
Tahoe Blue Event Center
Outdoor & Community Facilities
Athletes ready to move. Families here for the fun. Nearby, the new 64,000-square-foot STARS (South Tahoe Recreation & Aquatics Center) brings full-sized courts and gym space for basketball, volleyball, and team practice. Outdoor fields pick up the pace with warmups or extra scrimmages, so multi-sport weekends flow smoothly.
Between games, spots like Bijou Community Park welcome you with open turf for picnic breaks, impromptu soccer kicks, or a little pre- or post-game play under the pines. There’s even a full-on BMX track for the adventurous. Sunlit tennis, pickleball, and high-school gym courts round out flexible spaces that fit right into tournament schedules, helping every player stay active and energized.
STARS (South Tahoe Recreation & Aquatics Center)
Where to Stay: Cozy Game-Day Rooms, Minutes Away
Hop off the bus (or out of your car) and feel that recharge-your-spirit relief: everything is within reach. South Lake Tahoe’s walkable hotel cluster keeps teams and families just steps away from heart-racing match-day buzz. Full-service resorts with pools, spa perks, and lakeside dining. Charming, smaller properties for a short-and-sweet tournament retreat, with quick access to courts and fields. Thankfully, there’s a comfy spot for every squad to kick back and relax.
Planning for larger teams? Total breeze. Groups can split across nearby hotels, where coordinating practice times, breakfast runs, or post-game debriefs feels second nature when it’s blocks away. Families love that everyone can land, unpack, and instantly feel part of the weekend hustle and bustle — whether it’s cheering on with signs from the stands, joining in scenic group activities, or winding down lakeside after a glorious day.
For right-in-the–action access, check out Harrah’s Lake Tahoe (plenty of rooms and amenities in this 18-story tower), Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe (family-friendly with spacious rooms, mountainside), or Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe (spread across multiple blocks together for a full weekend tournament), all easy walking distance from the Tahoe Blue Event Center.
Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe
Hit the Alpine Road (or Sky) to South Lake Tahoe
Getting to and around South Lake Tahoe is a quick swing in, whether you fly or road trip your way to the Jewel of the Sierra. Fly into Reno-Tahoe International Airport, then grab a shuttle or arrange a private ride straight to the South Shore and arrive ready to own the game. Part of a team driving in from California? You’ll be happy to know paradise has scenic highways that lead directly into town, with room for every ride near the main venues.
Once you get here, find everything just where you need it: courts, fields, hotels, and restaurants all clustered together. Teams and families can move from game to getaway in a flash. Short walks, quick rides, or spontaneous adventures between venues. It’s relaxing to navigate South Lake Tahoe.
What Happens Between Games? Sweet Downtime
Take a post-game nap with a view of this mountain haven. Swap stories over a waterfront breakfast. Share laughs while wandering your hotel. When a stay feels this awesome, your tournament becomes one of those rare, escapade-made weekends. Already counting down to game-day?
Well, South Lake Tahoe is a place to play, and a place to experience. Between games, teams and families can revel in a two-for-one breathtaking natural playground (hello, exhilarating family vacation). On the crystal-clear water (diamonds? No, that’s the sun lighting up Lake Tahoe), beaches call for downtime, paddleboarding adds a splash of friendly competition, and kayaking lets everyone glide across Lake Tahoe’s famous crystal-clear blue waters.
In the idyllic mountains, hiking and biking trails invite spirited adventure, with lake and mountain views that will have everyone snapping their new favorite photos. Catch your breath and savor true awe. These scenic views? Absolutely rejuvenating. Feel the scenery as it refreshes and revives you. For moments when the team wants to take it easy together, explore casual dining spots, family-friendly cafes, and laid-back joys — where everyone can delight in cherished bonding (without over-scheduling).
These in-between moments are just as magnetic as the rush of competition. Sunset paddles. A lush trail hike, full of woodsy wonder. That invigorating meal after a big day on the field. South Lake Tahoe gives the gift of precious time. On the court, off the court, memories this elevated feel extraordinary. Just awestruck.
Planning a trip to Lake Tahoe with kids? This guide is designed to help you find the best family-friendly hotels in South Lake Tahoe, so you can spend less time researching and more time enjoying your vacation. Whether you’re traveling with toddlers, school-age kids, or teens, choosing the right place to stay can make a big difference. Family-oriented hotels often offer conveniences like larger rooms, kid-friendly amenities, pools, easy beach or outdoor access, and activities that keep everyone entertained. From laid-back lakeside properties to resorts near attractions, this page highlights options that make traveling as a family smoother, more comfortable, and a lot more fun.
Top Family-Friendly Resorts (The All-Rounders)
These are the places that really check every box for families, comfortable rooms, thoughtful amenities, and easy access to things to do. If you want a stay where both kids and adults are happy (without constantly leaving the property), these are your best bets.
Marriott Grand Residence Club Lake Tahoe
Marriott Grand Residence Club Lake Tahoe
Located right in Heavenly Village, Marriott Grand Residence Club Lake Tahoe is a go-to for families thanks to its condo-style suites with kitchens, separate living spaces, and walkable access to shops, dining, and the gondola. The pool and on-site amenities make it easy to relax after a full day out. Great for families who want convenience, space, and a central location
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe
A full-suite resort where every room includes a separate living area, with larger options like two-bedroom family suites that can sleep groups comfortably—ideal for families who want space plus a fun, central location near Heavenly Village. Great for families who want resort energy, big suites and walkability.
Best for Space: Hotels with Kitchenettes & Suites
When you’re traveling with babies, toddlers, or even picky eaters, having a kitchen or kitchenette can make all the difference. These South Lake Tahoe properties offer extra space plus essentials like microwaves, fridges, and full kitchens—giving families flexibility for meals, snacks, and downtime.
Forest Suites Resort at Heavenly Village
Forest Suites Resort at the Heavenly Village Lake Tahoe
Known for its large multi-bedroom suites that can accommodate bigger families, this property combines space with a prime walkable location and amenities like pools, hot tubs, and game areas that keep kids entertained. Great for families who want room to spread out and walk everywhere.
Desolation Hotel
Desolation Hotel South Lake Tahoe
A boutique, eco-conscious hotel with a cozy cabin feel, Desolation Hotel offers spacious accommodations, full kitchens, and outdoor areas that give families room to spread out. Its location near the lake and trails makes it ideal for active families who want both comfort and adventure. Great for families who want a quieter, nature-forward stay with modern amenities.
Best for the Budget
Traveling with family doesn’t have to mean overspending, especially in Tahoe. These properties strike a sweet spot by offering suite-style space, family-friendly amenities, and solid value, making them great picks for budget-conscious trips without sacrificing comfort.
Stardust Lodge
Stardust Lodge Lake Tahoe
A longtime family favorite, this lodge offers suite-style rooms with kitchenettes (microwave, fridge, cookware) along with perks like free breakfast, multiple pools, and hot tubs. Its central location near Heavenly Village means you can walk to activities, saving both time and money. Great for families who want maximum value and tons of included amenities.
The Americana Village
Americana Village Lake Tahoe
Known for its cozy, apartment-style suites, this property includes kitchenettes, free breakfast, and family-friendly extras like a playground, pool, and game areas. It’s a quieter, budget-friendly option that still keeps you close to major attractions. Great for families who want affordable comfort, space and kid-friendly extras.
Tip: Budget-friendly hotels in Tahoe often provide the most value through included perks, like breakfast, parking, or kitchenettes, which can save a surprising amount over the course of a family trip.
Best for the Active Family
For families who don’t just want a place to sleep, but a place where kids can play, explore, and stay entertained, these activity-driven resorts are a great fit. From game rooms and kids’ clubs to pools and organized activities, these properties help turn your hotel stay into part of the vacation.
Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe Resort South
Hilton Vacation Club Lake Tahoe Resort South
This resort is built for active families, with a children’s activity program, game room, and activity center offering crafts, movies, and games to keep kids engaged. It also features both indoor and outdoor pools, plus nearby year-round adventures like hiking, skiing, and lake activities, making it easy to stay busy in any season. Great for families who want on-site activities and easy access to outdoor adventure.
Tahoe Beach & Ski Club
Tahoe Beach & Ski Club Lake Tahoe
Located directly on the lake, this resort combines the feel of a vacation rental with resort-style amenities, making it a strong pick for families who want space and easy access to outdoor fun. Guests can enjoy a private sandy beach, year-round heated pool, hot tubs, and on-site activities like volleyball, all just minutes from Heavenly and downtown. Most accommodations are condo-style suites with kitchenettes or full kitchens, giving families the flexibility to cook meals while still enjoying a full resort experience.
It depends on your activities, summer (June–September) is best for beaches, hiking, and water fun, while winter (December–March) is ideal for skiing and snow play. For fewer crowds and good weather, many families love the shoulder seasons (late spring and early fall).
Three Ways to Plan a Walkable Meeting Near Tahoe Blue Event Center
When your attendees can move from keynote to cocktails without waiting on a shuttle, everything clicks a little more easily. And when the lake is just down the block, even the space between agenda items starts to feel like part of the experience instead of time lost in transit.
That’s what makes meetings in South Lake Tahoe stand out. Tahoe Blue Event Center gives planners a flexible, state-of-the-art home base for conferences, conventions, sporting events, and large-scale gatherings, all within a walkable entertainment district filled with hotels, restaurants, nightlife, and lake views.
Below are example pairings based on planners’ most frequently requested event needs. The beauty of Tahoe’s ultra-walkable district is that these plans are simply starting points. Hotels, dining, and after-hours experiences can be mixed and matched to create the flow that fits your group best.
Option 1: Closest to the Action
Best for: Tight agendas, limited walking, and schedules that need everything right there.
Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe and Bally’s Lake Tahoe Resort Casino put your attendees just steps from Tahoe Blue Event Center, making them especially convenient for expo-heavy programs, general sessions, and packed agendas where every minute matters. When people can get from their room to the venue in just a couple of minutes, the whole day feels easier.
Perfect pairings include:
Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe: 500+ rooms, about a 2-minute walk from Tahoe Blue Event Center
Bally’s Lake Tahoe Resort Casino: 430 rooms, about a 2-minute walk and shares a parking lot with the event center
Ciera Steak + Chophouse: A AAA Four Diamond Award-winning steakhouse option for a more elevated group dinner
The Oyster Bar: A choice seafood spot inside Golden Nugget that adds variety without sacrificing convenience
Lucky Beaver Bar & Burger: A casual late-night option that’s open 24/7, perfect for your night-owls and early-risers.
Option 2: Dining, Nightlife, and Built-In Energy
Best for: Multi-track meetings, flexible agendas, and groups that want built-in dining and after-hours options.
Maybe you want walkability, but you also want more built into the experience. More breakout flexibility. More dining options. More ways for the evening to keep going once the badges come off.
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe and Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino make that kind of setup easy. Both are within a short walk of Tahoe Blue Event Center, giving planners room to build an event that feels connected without feeling confined. This is a great approach for meetings with layered agendas, multiple session types, or groups that want after-hours options baked right into the destination.
Perfect pairings include:
Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe: 400 suites, about an 8-minute walk from Tahoe Blue Event Center
Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe: 742 rooms, about a 7-minute walk from Tahoe Blue Event Center
Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen Lake Tahoe: Perfect for a splashy hosted dinner
Wolf by Vanderpump: A stylish choice for VIP dinners or high-energy evenings
Lake Tahoe AleworX and Noel’s Apothecary: Go-to nightlife spots for post-event socializing without adding transportation to the mix
This option gives attendees options while keeping everyone in the same orbit. It lets your event expand naturally without losing that all-together feel.
Option 3: Lake-Centered Experiences
Best for: Executive gatherings, incentive-style programs, and events that want more of Tahoe built into the experience.
If you want attendees to feel Tahoe in a bigger way, consider staying nearby at The Landing Resort & Spa or Edgewood Tahoe Resort. Both keep Tahoe Blue Event Center close, but position the lake front and center in your overall program.
These properties are a natural fit for executive retreats, incentives, and programs with welcome receptions, VIP moments, or built-in scenic downtime. Edgewood delivers a luxury experience with direct lake access and golf course views, while The Landing offers a boutique, lakeside setting with a quieter, more intimate feel. As the furthest walk on this list, The Landing pairs well with Lake Link, Tahoe’s free on-demand shuttle, for easy transfers.
Perfect pairings include:
Edgewood Tahoe Resort: 154 rooms plus villas, about an 11-minute walk from Tahoe Blue Event Center
The Landing Resort & Spa: 82 rooms, approximately a 15-20 minute walk to Tahoe Blue Event Center. Lake Link recommended for some groups
JWB Prime Steak and Seafood: An upscale option for hosted dinners or executive groups
Lakeside Dining: California-inspired cuisine on the waterfront and on property at The Landing Resort.
Brooks’ Bar & Deck: A relaxed lake-and-golf-course atmosphere with unmistakable Tahoe character
This is where business and backdrop start to blur in the best way. A morning session can lead to a lakeside lunch. A productive day can end with sunset views and a dinner your attendees will actually remember.
A Smarter Way to Plan in South Lake Tahoe
Regardless of what you choose, South Lake Tahoe makes it easier to create meetings that feel connected, attendee-friendly, and distinctly elevated. Tahoe Blue Event Center gives you the anchor. The surrounding hotels, restaurants, and after-hours options help everything else fall into place.
Start your RFP with the Visit Lake Tahoe meetings team and plan a walkable agenda around Tahoe Blue Event Center for your next South Shore event.
Parents often discover that the South Shore of Lake Tahoe offers a rare mix of scenery and activity, where a peaceful lakeside morning can easily turn into an afternoon of exploration and an evening full of family fun. One moment you might be lingering by the water, and the next you’re heading out for a trail walk, mountain views, or an afternoon adventure before winding down with pizza, bowling, or a show. This guide brings together family-friendly activities organized by age group, plus a five-day itinerary to help you plan a trip that keeps everyone engaged—from toddlers discovering the beach for the first time to teens looking for something adventurous.
Heavenly Gondola
If you’re looking for inspiration for a Lake Tahoe family vacation guide, this is a great place to start.
Get Inspiration for Activities by Age
One of the best things about South Lake Tahoe is how many activities naturally work for multiple age groups. Beaches, scenic trails, and mountain viewpoints can be enjoyed by just about everyone. A few spots are especially great depending on the ages of the kids in your group. If you’re traveling with toddlers, young explorers, or adventure-seeking teens, these suggestions can help you plan your days more easily.
The Littles (Infants & Toddlers: Ages 0–4)
Families traveling with young children quickly discover that Tahoe has plenty of places where little legs—and strollers—can keep up.
For beach time, Pope Beach is a favorite thanks to its tall pines that provide natural shade throughout the day. Parents appreciate the wide sandy shoreline and calm water. Regan Beach is another excellent option, especially if you’re looking for grassy areas where toddlers can crawl, roll, and explore comfortably. There is also a small playground. Both beaches provide ample parking that is a short distance from the beach itself, as well as public restrooms.
For gentle outdoor adventures, the Taylor Creek Rainbow Trail is an easy half-mile loop that works well with strollers and young walkers. Lam Watah Trail is another smooth, scenic option for families who want a stroller-friendly walk without too much elevation.
When it’s time to burn off energy indoors, Tahoe Tot Spot offers a safe play environment designed for younger children. The Slime Kitchen is also an excellent pick when you need a little break from the sun or the cold. Kids and (kids at heart) can create their own custom slime, complete with glitter, fragrances, and all kinds of other options.
Dining with toddlers is refreshingly easy around town. Elements Eatery & Bar offers casual dining with lake views, while Lake Tahoe AleWorX at the Y has spacious outdoor seating and a lively patio where kids can move around while parents relax.
Young Kids (Ages 5–12)
Once kids reach elementary school age, Tahoe starts to feel like a giant playground.
Zephyr Cove Beach is a great starting point. The shallow water and interesting rock formations naturally encourage exploration. Kids can spend hours climbing around the shoreline while parents enjoy the views.
Taylor Creek Stream Profile Chamber
One of the most memorable stops for this age group is the Taylor Creek Stream Profile Chamber, often called the “fish window.” Visitors walk underground to a viewing window where fish can be seen swimming through the creek.
Zephyr Cove Stables
Families looking for active fun can book horseback riding at Camp Richardson, which lets kids experience the forest from a new perspective. Another classic option is Magic Carpet Mini Golf, a colorful, retro course that is serious fun for the whole family. With two different courses to choose from, you could even hit this one twice.
For meals, FiRE + iCE Grill & Bar is a hit with kids thanks to its interactive cooking experience, where diners build their own stir-fry creations. Later in the evening, families can catch the Magic Fusion show at The Loft, a G-rated magic and comedy performance that’s entertaining for both kids and adults.
Teens (Ages 13–15+)
Teens often look for something that feels adventurous or social, and Tahoe delivers.
One of the biggest highlights is Epic Discovery at Heavenly Mountain Resort, where the Ridge Rider Mountain Coaster and zip lines combine thrill rides with panoramic mountain views. It’s one of the most exciting ways to experience the mountain outside of ski season. Surprisingly, the Mountain Coaster is open most of the year, with short seasonal maintenance closures in May and October.
On the lake, clear-bottom kayaking offers a unique way to explore Tahoe’s famously clear water. Evening “night glow” LED tours add another layer of excitement with illuminated kayaks that glide across the lake after sunset. If you happen to be visiting near a new moon, the stars will be incredible.
Clearly-Tahoe | Clear Kayak Tours on Lake Tahoe
Teens also gravitate toward social hangouts like The Hangar, a lively venue with games and casual food, and Heavenly Village, which has everything from shopping to arcades. Retroactive Arcade, located in the Heavenly Village, is another popular stop filled with classic games that parents may remember from their own childhood. The best part? You pay an admission fee and get unlimited gameplay. Even better? They serve beer. It’s a win-win-win.
For meals, Tipsy Putt blends dining with indoor mini-golf and interactive entertainment, making it an ideal place to keep the evening fun going. Another super fun option that’s nearby is Yosemite Axe-Throwing. Definitely best suited for older kids and teens, test your axe-hucking ability while releasing any pent-up tension you may have, in a safe and healthy way.
Your 5-Day South Lake Tahoe Family-Focused Itinerary
Planning a family vacation can sometimes feel like balancing several trips at once. Parents want relaxation, kids want adventure, and teens want something memorable enough to talk about later. This five-day itinerary blends those elements, offering a mix of lake time, mountain views, and interactive experiences.
Day 1 – Arrival & Village Vibes
Start with a short walk along the Lam Watah Trail, an easy path that works well for strollers and young kids. The gentle trail winds through forest and meadow landscapes and offers a peaceful introduction to after your travels.
By afternoon, head to Heavenly Village, one of the main hubs of activity on the South Shore. Families can browse everything from outdoor gear shops to unique souvenir stores while grabbing snacks or ice cream along the way. Depending on the season, you will find miniature golf or ice skating, and live music is a year-round staple. All right in the Village.
Dinner at Base Camp Pizza Company is practically a Tahoe tradition. The lively atmosphere, generous portions, and live music make it a place where both kids and adults feel welcome. Plus the pizza is truly delicious – the Thai Curry Pizza is a unique option, not to mention a local favorite.
In the evening, walk over to The Loft to catch the early Magic Fusion show. The performance blends illusion, comedy, and audience participation in a way that keeps the whole family engaged. It’s a fun and easy way to wrap up the first day of your trip.
Day 2 – The Lake Experience
A visit to Lake Tahoe isn’t complete without a full day by the water.
Start your morning at Zephyr Cove Beach, where the shallow shoreline makes it easy for younger children to splash safely while older kids explore the rocky edges of the beach. Equipment rentals are available for families interested in paddleboards, kayaks, or other water activities.
Pro tip: Arrive early in the morning to claim a premium spot.
Lunch can be as simple as a picnic on the beach, dining at the Zephyr Lodge restaurant, or grabbing sandwiches from Yellow Submarine before you head to the beach for a premium picnic.
After lunch, families with younger children often appreciate a quieter afternoon. While toddlers nap or relax, older kids and teens might enjoy climbing sessions at Blue Granite Climbing Gym, an indoor bouldering space that offers a fun challenge.
Dinner at FiRE + iCE Grill & Bar brings everyone back together. Kids love building their own custom meals, and the upbeat atmosphere keeps things lively.
Day 3 – Mountain Heights & Scenic Moments
Begin the morning with a ride on the Heavenly Gondola. As the cabins rise above the treeline, sweeping views of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada open up in every direction.
Teens and adventurous kids can continue the excitement at Epic Discovery, where zip lines and the Ridge Rider Mountain Coaster add an adrenaline boost to the day. Families with younger children can instead enjoy the observation deck, short scenic trails, and open space around the summit area.
In the afternoon, head to the Taylor Creek Visitor Center and the famous Stream Profile Chamber. The easy half-mile walk makes it accessible for all ages, and the underground viewing window offers a fascinating look at fish swimming through the creek.
Dinner at Lake Tahoe AleWorX at the Y is a relaxed way to end the day. The large outdoor patio has space for kids to play games like giant Jenga while parents enjoy craft beer or wood-fired pizza.
Day 4 – History, Horses & Beach Time
By day four, families are often ready for a slower pace mixed with a little adventure.
Spend the morning at Camp Richardson, a historic lakeside resort area with plenty to explore. Older kids can experience the forest on horseback with a trail ride through the Camp Richardson Corral, while younger children may prefer the open grassy areas at nearby Regan Beach.
In the afternoon, head to Pope Beach, where towering pines provide cool shade and plenty of space to spread out. Older kids and teens can try clear-bottom kayak tours, which allow paddlers to see directly into the lake’s famously clear water.
Dinner at Cascade Kitchens, a food hall with multiple restaurant options, makes it easy for everyone to find something they love.
Day 5 – One Last Tahoe Adventure
For your final day, plan something memorable.
The M.S. Dixie II paddlewheeler cruise offers a relaxed way to experience Emerald Bay without needing to hike or paddle. The climate-controlled boat makes the ride comfortable for families, and the views of Fannette Island and the surrounding cliffs are unforgettable.
In the afternoon, younger kids can burn off one last burst of energy at Tahoe Tot Spot or challenge the family to a round of mini golf at Magic Carpet Golf.
Before heading home, consider a final friendly competition. Tahoe Bowl offers classic bowling fun, while Tipsy Putt combines indoor mini golf with casual dining.
It’s the kind of ending that leaves everyone smiling—and already talking about the next trip.
If you’ve been following OpenSnow’s Bryan Allegretto for his Lake Tahoe forecasts, you know he’s passionate about accurately predicting what the surrounding mountains will get. He’s the voice of reason when other news outlets and weather services hype up FEET of snow, only for the reality to fall far short. But even for “BA”—as he’s known—the storms in the first week of February 2025 were way off, and by a huge margin. In fact, it was his worst prediction in his nineteen-plus-year career. I had the chance to chat with him to get the inside scoop on what went wrong.
BA’s Soul Crushed
Bryan Allegretto enjoying one of Tahoe’s famous storm cycles when the forecast was spot on.
BA takes his forecasting seriously—so seriously that he’s been keeping a scorecard to track just how spot-on (or not) he’s been. Over the past nine seasons, his predictions for every storm across the Tahoe Basin have been off by just 1.5 inches on average. But during the first week of February, things went way off course. He was off by anywhere from 5.5 to 12.9 inches, with some mountains missing the mark by as much as 2 feet! Normally, when he’s that far off, it’s because the storms delivered more (think: colder, fluffier powder). This time? As far as he can remember, it was the first instance they delivered way less.
Atmospheric Rivers are Tough
One of the many warm storms during the wet n’ wild Jan 2017 season
Lake Tahoe’s weather is infamous for its feast-or-famine cycles, and a big reason is that up to 50% of California’s precipitation comes in the form of an atmospheric river. These intense bands of moisture originate from the tropics and slam into the Sierra. If Lake Tahoe is lucky enough to be on the cold side of it, we get huge snowfall. But if not, it means rain—LOTS of rain. And that’s exactly what happened during the first week of February.
Alarm Bells Ding
As the storms began to arrive in the 5-day window, BA was already mentioning how concerned he was about the forecast. First, the band of moisture was narrow at only 50 miles wide which is tiny in the scope of the globe. If the storm moved even a few miles north or south, the amount of liquid we get would be drastically cut. Then there was the problem of temperatures. It set up a battle royale of two giants – cold air to the north and the warm subtropical air flowing into the northern Sierra. Depending on who wins and when, this “could make a BIG difference in snowfall totals.”
Worst Case Scenario Happened
And that’s exactly what happened. Instead of the storm staying focused on Tahoe, it quickly moved north. While the National Weather Service predicted 30 inches of liquid and BA estimated 22 inches as a conservative forecast for the week, the greater Lake Tahoe area only received a meager 6-12+ inches. The moisture tap shut off before the cold air could move in, and the snow ratios—usually around 10:1—were closer to 7:1. The result? A rude awakening after the storm passed.
“Biggest Temperature Gradients as Far as I Can Remember”
A lot of this came down to how cold it was to the north—a real tease for weather forecasters. It was snowing all the way to the beach in Oregon and even in Susanville. With that much cold air up north, it seemed like it would force its way south, but it didn’t. Instead, the warm air took over. Not just in Tahoe, but across the entire West, where everyone got hit with rain. Jackson Hole was in the 50s, and even Utah saw rain!
Models Aren’t Gospel but a Tool
The GFS model… Snow porn at its finest. For the 1st storm in the larger cycle it predicted nearly 12 inches of liquid! The ENTIRE week only got 6!
The best tool for weather forecasters today is still the weather models. But as BA pointed out, “These are global models. Each micro-climate has its own set of errors. You need to understand these nuances and apply them to your forecast.” Take the GFS, for example. The U.S. model, affectionately known as “snow porn,” always assumes snow ratios are way too high, predicting crazy amounts of snow—and it’s nearly always wrong. Then there’s the Canadian model, which tends to underforecast how much snow places like Mt. Rose will get. The real voice of reason? The European model. Statistically, it’s proven to be the most accurate, and now with A.I. to help fix its errors, it’s getting even better.
OpenSnow Will Learn and Get Better
In the end, BA summed it up best: “It’s hard to forecast storms in the mountains.” But that’s exactly what drew Bryan to this field in the first place—the challenge of forecasting and getting it right. Sometimes, like the week of February 1st, 2025, you get it wrong. But that’s an outlier, and the team at OpenSnow is using it as a learning tool. Instead of taking a back seat, they’re constantly working to improve their product. They’ve even hired a full-time A.I. developer to create their own OpenSnow A.I., which is processing 40+ years of data to correct model errors and improve predictions.
And it’s not all about enjoying the summer for pickleball. The folks at OpenSnow use the “off season” as a chance to reflect and improve. That’s when they discovered the Canadian model’s issue with the Mt. Rose snow forecast. They’re always striving to get better.
We get how tough forecasting can be, and we hope this behind-the-scenes look helps explain the challenges involved. Big kudos to him—and to all of the OpenSnow team—for the hard work they put in!
When looking for a skiing destination, one of the factors that typically comes into everyone’s mind: “Is there more than one ski area to visit?” The answer when talking about the cozy town on the shore of Payette Lake is a wholehearted YES! In fact, McCall Idaho skiing has the perfect amount of resorts big and small to fit everyone’s budget, plans, or vision of what they think a ski town is all about.
McCall Idaho Skiing – Covers All Needs
Photo by: Local Freshies®
Within half and hour from the center of McCall, you have access to three vastly different ski areas. The closest is the Little Ski Hill which is only a few minutes away, offering affordable skiing and schussing under the lights. Less than nine miles away, you have the flagship resort: Brundage Mountain. Not just a ski area but rather a basecamp to outdoor fun such as snowmobile excursions to Burgdorf Hot Springs. The furthest away, but a MUST for all visitors, is Tamarack. This resort is now coming into a renaissance due to a new owner. Both Tamarack AND Brundage are a powder hound’s dream especially during mid-week. You’ll pretty much have each place to yourself. The best part is both of these offer lift-accessed backcountry skiing if you have the gear, knowledge, and fortitude to step outside into the wilderness.
The Little Ski Hill – For 1st Timers & Ski Addicts
Image appears courtesy: Payette Lakes Ski Club
As T.E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia said, “Big things have small beginnings” and the Little Ski Hill in McCall, Idaho is the greatest example of this. Founded in 1937 for local forest workers to recreate during the winter, this quaint area doesn’t have one or two Olympians but SIX who got their start here. Although it may only have a 405-foot vertical drop, it makes sure that every inch of it is maximized. They do this by offering night skiing, a legit terrain park, AND a kid-first attitude that families love. How do you know it’s good? By hearing the laughter and whoops on the slopes. If you’re looking for a fountain of youth or just affordable skiing, this place is it. How affordable? Well, an adult day pass goes for only $30 or hand out $140 and get a SEASON PASS!!!! College students can pick up a season pass for $80 and kids 5-17 can get one for $50.
Compared to other ski resorts throughout the country, the road to Tamarack isn’t treacherous. Heading due south from McCall on Highway 55, follow the massive ridgeline until you pass through Donnelly. We HIGHLY recommend making a pit stop here for breakfast at the Flight of Fancy Bakery. Besides serving tasty pastries and other scrumptious options, their baked oatmeal is the BEST oatmeal you’ll have anywhere.
If you pull into Tamarack’s parking lot mid-week, it will feel as though it’s your own private resort. Although it might have less in-bounds acreage than its cousin Brundage, the 2,800’ of vertical skiing will make sure your legs are screaming especially that you can lap the mountain without stopping. For those that have knowledge about the backcountry, the lift-accessed terrain is MASSIVE since the resort sits on a ridgeline making for easy pickings. That’s just a few of the many reasons you should visit Tamarack Resort.
Brundage Mountain – McCall’s Classic Resort
Photo by: Local Freshies®
Last, but not in any way the least, Brundage Mountain Resort will always be near and dear to our hearts. Looking at the trail map and statistics, you’ll think that it isn’t very big or that it’s pretty mellow. Well, you’d be wrong. Just like all Idaho skiing, you have to look in-between the lines or rather in the glades to find the challenging stuff. For example, from looker’s left, the trails or rather “zones” of the Hidden Valley area holds some amazing steeps you’d find in places like Kirkwood. And if you have a few extra dineros in your pocket, we HIGHLY recommend booking a backcountry guided tour via a snowcat. At over 18,000 acres to explore, the snowcat tours will make sure you find some untracked pow to shred.
Photo by: Local Freshies®
Nordic Skiing
Although we’re focused on the gravity fed version, we have to give a nod to the McCall Idaho skiing version known as nordic skiing. Instead of an afterthought, cross-country skiing here is big. So much so that there are multiple nordic centers that maintain and manage trail networks. The jewel on the crown is Ponderosa Park. It’s located on a 1,000 acre peninsula that splits Payette Lake. Featuring heavily forested trails with rolling topography to ridge tops offering up spectacular views of the lake. The newest edition, opened in 2005, is Bear Basin which contains 30 km of trails to explore. You’ll also find trail networks at Tamarack Resort and the summer activities hot spot for mountain biking at Jug Mountain.
As the throngs of skiers and snowboarders head to busy destinations like Vail, Park City, or Whistler, you may want to consider McCall, Idaho for your next ski vacation. From consistent snowfall, thousands of acres of skiing, and fun winter activities like the McCall Winter Carnival, you’ll understand why we consider not just McCall but ALL of Northern Idaho – the last frontier of skiing. If you want to learn more about McCall like what’s there to do, what places to eat, and even insider tips on how to get there be sure to read our insider’s guide:
Japan. Its snow is so legendary that it has coined its own term: ‘JaPow.’ It has become a part of every skier’s and snowboarder’s lexicon. Ranking up there with Steamboat’s “Champagne Powder” and Bozeman’s “Cold Smoke.” We understand if you want to experience where this term originated at Niseko’s ski resorts. But if you’re like us and want to go where no one else is going, we’ve learned that it might be time to go skiing in Hokkaido and experience its ‘Bonchi.’
A map of Japan might make you think that the northern island of Hokkaido is small compared to the rest of Japan, but you’d be surprised to find out it’s nearly one-quarter of the country’s landmass (~22% to be exact) and roughly the size of the state of New York! And there’s more to skiing in Hokkaido than the well-known resorts of Niseko or Rusutsu. There are over 100 resorts to explore in the Hokkaido region alone! On our trip this winter, we learned about a magical place called the “Hokkaido Powder Belt.”
Hokkaido Powder Belt
On Hokkaido, most of the resorts that people visit are on the western side, surrounding the city of Niseko. The Hokkaido Powder Belt, however, is in the center of Japan’s northern island. Using Asahikawa or Furano as base camps, you can access a variety of different-sized ski areas, each offering something unique.
Bonchi – Another Kind of JaPow
As we mentioned in “10 Things I Wish I Knew Ahead of Skiing in Japan,” the sea effect is what makes Japan’s snow so consistently great. While Niseko, being closer to the ocean, benefits from this effect and stays warmer, Hokkaido’s Powder Belt lies further inland. This means it receives slightly less snowfall than Niseko, but the quality of the snow more than makes up for it.
To set it apart from the rest of “JaPow,” central Hokkaido is now calling its snow “Bonchi Snow.” “Bonchi” means “bowl” in Japanese, referring to Furano’s basin-like topography. It also plays on the word “bon,” which means “good” in French, giving it a playful twist—suggesting that this is the land of the best snow, the kind of powder you crave.
Authentic Japan in Hokkaido
Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
From every person I’ve spoken to, the Niseko ski resorts feel as if you could be at a Colorado resort just as much as you’re in Japan. On the other side of the spectrum, you have the Tohoku ski areas, which are located in the northern part of the main island. There’s a high likelihood you’ll be the ONLY Westerner at these resorts, and without someone who speaks Japanese, it can be difficult to get around. The Hokkaido Powder Belt is the perfect medium between the two. It still feels authentically Japanese, yet you’ll probably run into people who speak English, especially at resorts, hotels, and restaurants.
Experience Over Pow
On our trip this winter, what started as one of the coldest and snowiest seasons in Japan turned into something unexpected. When we arrived in Hokkaido, a high-pressure system sat over almost the entire country, providing sunny, warm-ish (still below freezing) conditions for skiing throughout our entire trip. The locals told us that a week without snow is unheard of. Even without fresh snowfall, the rich Japanese culture we experienced and the stunning scenery made the trip worth it.
Tomamu
Overlooking Tomamu Resort – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Photos and videos can leave quite an impression before you even set foot on the slopes. But I’ll admit, the pictures of those two massive towers surrounded by nature felt so foreign to me. I imagined that with two giant skyscrapers, there’d be a sprawling village beneath them just as big. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Rather than creating a massive village that stretched across the entire valley, the resort chose to build up, preserving as much of the natural surroundings as possible.
The Skiing
Like many Japanese ski areas, this mountain spans two peaks. From the base, it looks like you’d need to shuttle between them, but in reality, the trails connect the two effortlessly. Tower Mountain, located next to the Towers, is the more mellow of the two. It’s home to night skiing on certain days and “Hotalu Street.” But no matter what the snow’s like, you’ve got to make sure you at least bomb down “Hotalu Street” once. The snow-covered avenue feels like you’re in the video game Skate or Die, weaving through a charming Japanese village.
But the real skiing is on Tomamu Mountain. Right off the Unkai Gondola, head skier’s left, and you’ll find wide-spaced birch trees on a steep pitch just begging to be shredded.
The Ice Village
John LaConte enjoying ice ramen at Tomamu’s Ice Village – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
I’ve seen countless photos of ice villages in places like Iceland and Norway, but I never had the chance to experience one in person—until Tomamu. It was truly magical and something you need to take in if you visit here. Inside, you’ll find an Ice Post Office where you can send a postcard. An Ice Bar serving Japanese whiskey cocktails in glasses made of ice. And if that’s not enough, there’s even an Ice Chapel where, according to the resort staff, there’s at least one wedding everyday throughout the season!
Oh, and there’s an Ice Ramen Restaurant… and let me tell you, that was an experience. The frozen egg in the ramen was like a ramen-flavored gobstopper—definitely something you’ve got to bite into to understand.
Local Freshies® tip: I can tell you right now, whatever you wear normally snowboarding or skiing, be sure to add a layer if you visit the ice village. After a day of skiing, the ice from the village felt as if cold was emanating from the structures.
Furano
Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Even from a distance, its hulking face is impressive. Out of all the dozen or so ski areas we visited in Japan, Furano stands out with the rowdiest terrain—probably why it’s the most popular in the region. The steep slopes are made for expert shredders. The resort itself feels like a mix of different resorts rolled into one. The Ropeway’s cable car reminded me of Jackson Hole’s tram, while the fall-line skiing following the mountain’s natural topography brought to mind Taos’ classic trail system. A shining example of this is the A-3 trail: a fun, steep, twisty, tight run that bounces down the fall line as if it were trying to reenact how a waterfall would flow if it were made of snow.
Through it all, Furano still maintains its authentic Japanese vibe.
On sunny days, the views are stunning. Across the long valley, you can see the massive, treeless peaks looming over the snow-covered farmland below.
Danger Lurks
With each new angle, the mountain reveals more big lines you didn’t catch from the last perspective—and, at the same time, more danger. From the top of Kitanomine, looking toward the backside of the Furano zone, we saw huge fractures that looked like glide avalanches just outside the resort’s boundaries.
Kamui Ski Links
Our guide to Kamui Ski Links Akihiko Wakamatsu smiling after our 1st dawn patrol lap – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Some mountains stand tall, practically yelling at you, “You got what it takes?” while others are more comfortable in their own skin. Kamui Ski Links is definitely one of the latter. It wasn’t the first impression that blew me away—it was what we discovered once we got to know the place.
Mom & Pop Feel
Out of all the mountains we visited, Kamui Ski Links was our favorite. Why? It has that “Mom & Pop” ski area vibe we all crave. There are almost no “Gaijin” around, just a true community spirit, with race clinics on the mountain and locals enjoying cheap meals of soba and chicken curry with rice in the lodge.
And then there’s the terrain. From the base, it looks like the slopes are short, but that’s not the case. Turns out, their gondola accesses nearly 2,000 vertical feet of skiing. While the terrain might not be as steep as Tomamu or Furano, what it lacks in steep shots, it more than makes up for with a laid-back vibe (aka fewer crowds), accessible glade skiing, and a relaxed boundary policy.
Other Ski Areas
While we didn’t get to explore every ski area, the region is packed with some seriously unique spots. Asahidake is a one-hit gondola that opens up access to Mt. Asahidake’s epic backcountry terrain. Then there’s Kurodake, another one-lift wonder, featuring cliff bands to huck off, chutes to tackle, and steep fall-line skiing that’ll make experts feel right at home. And let’s not forget about Sahoro, which offers an all-inclusive resort experience along with its tree-lined slopes—perfect for some solid tree skiing. Then there’s Pipu, Canmore (not the Canadian one), and Santa Present Park to round out the list.
Where to Stay
The lobby at Asahikawa – Photo by Jaime Pirozzi – Local Freshies®
Resort Living or City Experiences
Depending on the kind of experience you’re after, that will dictate where to stay. If you’re looking for the all-inclusive resort vibe, you’ve got that option. Staying close to the slopes means you’ll be spending most of your time at the hotel, where nightlife is pretty much nonexistent. But if you’re the type who wants to expand your horizons, staying in one of the nearby cities is a great choice. It’ll give you the chance to sample local cuisine, check out shops, and soak in the local scene. In that case, staying in a city might be more your style.
Asahikawa – City Experiences
The town’s architecture feels like if Milwaukee went full-on Japanese and then got dropped next to a bunch of massive mountains. Staying in a real city means you’re in for an authentic experience—straight-up local vibes. For a general rundown of things to try and do along with some tips, check out our Japan Guide. For Asahikawa, here’s what to expect:
Local Cuisine
The city’s known for its ramen, and you’ll find spots serving it all over. But if you want to do a side-by-side ramen showdown, check out the Asahikawa Ramen Village, where eight of the city’s most famous ramen joints are all in one place. Another regional delicacy? Soba noodles. Made from buckwheat, Hokkaido produces nearly 40% of Japan’s supply. These brownish noodles are a staple in Japanese meals, with a nutty flavor and chewy texture. You’ll find them served both hot and cold—perfect for whatever vibe you’re feeling.
Sanroku gai – Nightlife
The Japanese live that New York lifestyle—work hard, play hard, and trust us, they work HARD. As the sun sets, Asahikawa’s entertainment district, Sanroku Gai, really comes to life. This area is packed with over 1,000 restaurants lining the tiny winding walkways, serving up fresh seafood caught right off the local waters. Plus, you’ll find plenty of drinking spots to keep the vibe rolling into the night.
OMO7 Hoshino Resort
For part of our trip, we stayed at the OMO7 Hoshino Resort in Asahikawa. As the name suggests, it’s a resort right in the heart of the city. The lobby features a “wax bar” stocked with high-end waxes and tools, so you can tune up your skis on the spot. Downstairs, there’s a beautiful onsen with soaking tubs, a cold plunge, sauna, and a giant whirlpool—perfect for easing those post-ski aches and pains. We didn’t get a chance to try breakfast, but friends who’ve stayed rave about it. The iconic dish? Waffles topped with salmon. It might sound odd, but apparently, it totally works.
The resort’s central location made it the perfect spot to dive into the local culture after a day on the slopes. Plus, it’s a great basecamp with Kamui Ski Links, Asahidake, and Kurodake all under 90 minutes by car, and even Tomamu just over two hours away.
Tomamu Hoshino Resort- Resort Living
As part of our trip to hit up Tomamu, we stayed at the towers. If you’re coming with a family and don’t feel like resort hopping, Tomamu Hoshino Resort would be the ideal basecamp. Besides the incredible skiing, the resort offers an insane amount of other activities, such as horseback riding in the snow (Jaime sooo wanted to experience this), snowmobile tours, ice fishing, and even curling, to name a few. Inside the towers, you’ll find rooms that are absolutely massive—even by American standards, let alone Japanese. A standard room includes a separate family area alongside a huge bedroom.
Join Local Freshies® in January 2026!
Photo by: Josh Laskin – Alex riding the JaPow from his trip a few years ago
This trip definitely sparked the itch for some more JaPow, especially after seeing what these mountains have to offer. After our last visit in 2023, where we got to experience Japan’s legendary snow (and got totally skunked on our Hokkaido visit), we’re ready to go back to Hokkaido for round two!
If you’ve ever wanted to experience Japan, come join us for the 10-day Hokkaido Indy Trip. More details will be dropping in April 2025.
Ever since Caldor ravaged Sierra a few years ago, the resort has become a powder hound’s dream. Storms would dump feet of snow, and only a few hundred locals would be out shredding it. The question on everyone’s mind was, ‘Will Sierra-at-Tahoe survive?’ If the crowd on Saturday, February 8th, is any indication, it’s returning to its former glory.
Back to the Good ‘Ole Days?
In town, the roads were eerily empty. But as we turned left at 8 a.m. onto the access road this Saturday morning, the drive up to Sierra became a slow crawl, with hundreds of cars winding their way up the mountain. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen so many people heading up to ski. By 10 a.m., all parking was at capacity, with cars waiting at the entrance for spots to open up. Talking to friends in town who have been skiing here for years—long before Caldor and the pandemic, during the busy 2015-2017 seasons—they said days like this used to be the norm. In fact, things would get so crowded that they’d call all the ski shops and hotels to let them know the resort was full, sending out text alerts and the whole nine yards.
The Perfect Storm
Photo by: Local Freshies
Without access to data, we can’t be absolutely sure why it was so crowded but can make some educated guesses. Here’s a list of potential factors that may have contributed to the crowds on Saturday, February 8th.
Drought Winter
For the 2024-25 season, January saw little to no snowfall, leading to a build-up of demand for some fresh, soft turns.
Hype Train For The Storms
The Sierra Nevada mountain range is notorious for the hype generated by media outlets. Social media, news stations, and various other platforms were predicting that Tahoe would receive 6 to 9 feet of snow. While this didn’t exactly happen, it certainly fueled the excitement to get up here.
Super Bowl Weekend
Despite not being an official holiday, Super Bowl weekend is one of the most popular times to visit Tahoe, especially with the opportunity to head to the casinos and bet on the big game.
Multiple Events
In addition to everything else, Sierra hosted several events, including a USASA Boardercross competition and a local snow camp aimed at getting young kids on the slopes.
Sierra-at-Tahoe Joins Ikon
The biggest news of the season is that Sierra has joined the Ikon Pass. But is this something locals wanted? Every local we’ve spoken to has shared a similar sentiment: “It sucks, but if it keeps the lifts running, it’s the lesser of two evils. I just hope it doesn’t ruin Sierra and turn it into another crowded South Shore ski area.”
Unlike Epic, which is owned by a publicly traded company, the Ikon Pass is backed by a privately held fund, so any insights about its impact are largely anecdotal. Was the Ikon Pass a factor in the crowds returning? Everyone we spoke to on the lifts had a Sierra-at-Tahoe season pass or another product, like a three-pack. While this may be true, it’s also like a surf break—people might not always tell the full story.
Is this the New Normal?
While it’s refreshing to see Sierra returning to its glory days, every local is thinking the same thing: Will powder days become as crowded as those at other Tahoe ski resorts? Only time will tell. At the end of the day, here’s hoping Sierra continues its comeback after the Caldor fire.
The latest environmental controversy in Tahoe isn’t a development project, a wildfire, or a fight over lake clarity.
