INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – With the turquoise Sand Harbor waters in view, professional climber Tommy Caldwell addressed the 30th Tahoe Summit in the park’s amphitheater on Wednesday, Aug. 19, sharing his experiences, journey to Tahoe, and environmental message.
Widely considered one of the best climbers in the world, Caldwell is known for completing the first-ever free climb of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall in Yosemite, Calif., in 2015. No stranger to fear, he endured a hostage situation after climbing in the Kyrgyzstan mountains in 2000 at the age of 20, running 10 miles after days of little food and water to escape.
Shortly after, he lost his left index finger in a table saw accident in 2001, after which he not only re-learned to climb, but became famously known for climbing harder.
“Fear and inspiration are central pillars of what makes Tommy, Tommy,” Senator Jackie Rosen said, introducing him to the summit.
Tommy Caldwell on stage as U.S. Senator Jackie Rosen introduces him. Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Daily Tribune
When not climbing, Caldwell regularly visits Washington, D.C., advocating on behalf of organizations, including Protect Our Winters, the Wilderness Society, Access Fund and the National Park Conservation Association.
Having recently moved to Tahoe, he shared that he saw the invitation to speak at the Summit as an opportunity to expand that work to his new home and learn from those at the top.
“But then I looked at the event and started to see the list of invitees and past speakers, movie stars, presidents, other keynote speakers,” he expressed. “I started to have a little bit of trepidation, honestly.”
Laughing with the crowd, he recalled asking, “Are you sure you want a dirtbag climber to be your keynote this year?”
“They assured me, yes, they do want me,” he added. “So, here I am.”
The 47-year-old climber shared his experience in the U.S. capital, discussing the sacrifice and hard work he’s observed among public officials there.
“People think that rock climbing and climbing the biggest mountains in the world is a grind. Just try walking the halls of Congress and doing what you’re doing,” he expressed nodding to the public officials on stage next to him, which included, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and U.S. Representatives Mark Amodei (R-NV-02) and Kevin Kiley (I-CA-06). Also on stage were Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California Chairman Serrell Smokey and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo.
Raised in the Colorado mountains, Caldwell recently moved to Lake Tahoe. He said his decision to move to Lake Tahoe was strongly influenced by his good friends, Corey and Marina Rich, longtime Tahoe locals who have tried to convince him to move here for about 20 years.
“I’m sorry it took me so many years,” he said, “but I can now say after being a Tahoe resident for two years, that besides probably marrying my wife and having my two kids, Fitz and Ingrid, moving here to Tahoe was the best decision we ever made.”
Later, he described it as a place that seems to have it all, from modern amenities and nature escapes, just 30 minutes away by bike, to refreshing, clear waters surrounded by the mountains. “There’s nothing else quite like it,” he expressed.
Caldwell shared how his perspective of the mountains has changed over the course of his life.
“When I was young, those mountains seemed immovable, so mighty, but as I grew older, I started to realize their fragility,” he said, listing receding glaciers, diminishing permafrost, and rock faces he’s aspired to climb occasionally falling down.
Tommy Caldwell addresses the 30th Tahoe Summit as keynote speaker.Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Daily Tribune
The realization has fueled his environmental work and fervor. In one project aimed at influencing legislation for the old-growth Tongass National Forest, he biked from his then-home in Colorado to Alaska in a process he calls ground-truthing. “If you want to protect the place, you need to first love it,” he explained. “And to love it, you need to know it.”
Documented in a film called The Devil’s Climb, he said that by combining a human adventure story and sprinkling in environmental issues, what he described to the summit as “hiding the vegetables,” something he endearingly does with his kids, he hopes he can get people to care enough about a place to get involved in protecting it.
Biking his way in this project, he said, gave him an unexpected perspective. “When you’re not flying directly to your destination, you begin to realize that those protected and remote regions are actually relatively small pockets among a vast landscape that has been deeply affected by humans.”
He witnessed oil rigs, no-trespassing signs, pronghorns crumpled over barbed-wire fences, forests being clear-cut, and other sights, but he said, “the most heartbreaking part for me was the struggling communities.”
He witnessed both substance and domestic abuse, and a highway called the Highway of Tears due to the indigenous women who had been kidnapped or gone missing there.
“I went on the trip hoping to be inspired by nature. Instead, I was heartbroken by its destruction,” he said, comparing it to a childhood tale. “To me, it felt a lot like Lorax. We cut down the trees and human suffering follows. Luckily, our story here in the Sierra Nevada is quite a bit different.”
He acknowledged the Lake Tahoe area’s hardships, including stripping the basin of trees, impacting clarity and displacing the Washoe people.
“But luckily, there’s been enough people that care enough about this place to bring it back.”
He pointed to the blue lake, the trees, the towns and the communities.
“Let the story of Lake Tahoe remind the world that while humans have the power to destroy,” he said, “we also have the power to restore.”
He noted that Tahoe’s existence as a wilderness destination, intertwined with people, offers a chance to be inspired by nature. “And just maybe,” he said, “if we are smart, we can trick some of them into caring enough to keep doing the work that protects this place.”
In closing, he made two more points: first, to look to Indigenous leaders in caring for lands and waters, and second, that environmental protection work is never done.
“The forces working to destroy are always present and powerful, so we need to outsmart them,” he said, ending with, “So, let’s keep the good work going.”
Tommy Caldwell interacts with the crowd following his keynote speech. Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Daily Tribune
(The Center Square) – The California Energy Commission has approved first-in-the-nation efficiency standards for replacement tires on passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks.
That could limit which tires are sold in the state.
CEC says replacement tires are historically less energy-efficient than original factory tires. Harrison Reilly, the commission’s chief communications officer, emphasized that factory-installed tires are engineered for mileage, but consumers typically lose efficiency when buying replacements.
“These cost-saving standards are designed to ensure that replacement tires are at least as energy efficient, on average, as tires sold on new vehicles,” Reilly told The Center Square.
He said 70% of replacement tires currently don’t meet the new standards, but noted that also means 30% already comply with Phase 2 standards, demonstrating the technical feasibility.
The CEC doesn’t expect standards to be met immediately.
“Tire manufacturers have over six years to improve the remainder,” Reilly said.
According to Reilly, the Replacement Tire Efficiency Program standards will save California drivers nearly $1 billion annually in gasoline and electricity costs while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2 million metric tons per year. He said that’s the equivalent of removing 400,000 gas-powered cars from the road.
The program will also introduce a new rating system to help motorists evaluate tire performance and budget options.
Reilly noted that the CEC has a long history of regulating consumer goods, including lightbulbs, televisions and refrigerators. Despite initial opposition to those rules, he said the efficiency measures have saved Californians $200 billion since 1975.
“Across the board, these items, per unit, cost less than they did before the standards were established and save Californians money on their electricity bills,” Reilly said.
Davis Adams-Smith, director of public relations at Bridgestone, told The Center Square that tire manufacturer supports the sustainability goals of the Replacement Tire Efficiency Program. “The company is working with the California Energy Commission to ensure that customers continue to have the safest, most efficient tire options for their vehicles.”
Michelin Tires is also on record supporting the RTEP.
Kerry Jackson of the Pasadena, Calif.-based Pacific Research Institute saw this coming. He wrote a blog about the issue in June, calling it California’s “regulatory blob.”
“California wants to regulate every part of every life of every activity that it possibly can,” Jackson told The Center Square.
“It’s a regulatory blob, and this is just part of it,” said Jackson, a William Clement Fellow in California Reform at PRI. “It’s useless, it’s meaningless, and it’s going to end up costing more.”
The CEC has downplayed cost concerns.
In its press release, the commission said the program will be phased in with a low incremental cost: $1.50 per tire during Phase 1 (2029–2032) and $6.50 per tire during Phase 2 (2033 and beyond).
“A typical driver of a gasoline car with more efficient tires will save $179 of gasoline over the life of a set of tires, or about seven times the incremental cost,” the CEC claimed. “These savings were calculated with gasoline prices of $4.60 per gallon. At the elevated gasoline prices of mid-2026, the savings could be 25% higher than estimated.”
For years, California consistently has had the nation’s highest gas prices. On Wednesday, the average gas price in the Golden State was $5.58 a gallon, well above the national average of $4.09.
Jackson told The Center Square he does not trust the CEC’s numbers on savings.
“I think most people in California would go, ‘Yeah, we’ve seen this happen before, but we’re not going to trust it either,'” Jackson said.
Jackson also warned that motorists in other states will inevitably be affected. Because manufacturers favor standardized production, he doubts companies will produce one tire for California and another for the rest of the country.
“It’s going to become a de facto national standard,” Jackson said. “So someone in Indiana is eventually going to have to pay the California price or the California premium, if you want to call it that.”
The CEC’s five members are appointed by the governor and must be confirmed by the state Senate. Taking that oversight into consideration, Larry Behrens of Power the Future said Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom should focus on other priorities.
“The only tires Newsom should be concerned with are the ones on the U-Hauls Californians are using to flee insane regulations,” Behrens told The Center Square. “It’s clear regulations like this are why California keeps losing people who can afford to leave.”
Scientists have a new name for a weather pattern reshaping how the West gets its water: so-called “snow-eater” heat waves.
The term, coined in a new study published in Science Advances, describes spring heat waves that can nearly double the rate of snowpack melt. Snow typically melts at a rate of about 9 millimeters of water per day during the March-to-July snowmelt season. But on snow-eater heat wave days, that rate jumps to about 17 millimeters per day, according to the study.
“There was basically a doubling of the rate of snowmelt during those days, compared to other days,” said Dan McEvoy, a researcher with the Desert Research Institute in Reno and a co-author of the study.
Not every warm spring day qualifies. Researchers defined these events by sustained temperatures at least 6 degrees Celsius above normal for three or more days — and, critically, staying above freezing through the night. That overnight warmth keeps the snowpack from refreezing, so instead of melting only at the surface, the entire snowpack “ripens” and becomes primed to melt fast.
These events are also becoming more frequent and arriving earlier in the year, according to the study, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in collaboration with the Desert Research Institute and several other institutions.
Real-world snowmelt data (black) compared to three versions of a computer model (colored) built to predict snowmelt, during a typical spring (left) versus during snow-eater heat waves (right). The heat wave days show far more extreme, spiky melt patterns, which the models are working to better capture.
Since 1850, the study found the area covered by these heat waves has grown by roughly 102,000 square kilometers per century, and they’re now arriving about a month earlier in the year than they did in the mid-1800s. Since the 1950s, the Mountain West has typically seen three to five of these heat waves each year.
Researchers pointed to the 1983 Memorial Day heat wave — which triggered flooding along Utah’s Wasatch Front and forced Salt Lake City to build emergency canals — as a real-world example.
McEvoy said the rapid melt these events cause can be difficult for water managers to plan around, since reservoirs are typically built to handle snow coming down gradually.
“Is there room in the reservoir? They’re used to it more slowly coming down the system,” McEvoy said. “And that rapid melt has a much higher potential to cause flooding if there’s enough snow left.”
That rapid melt isn’t good news even in a dry year. A snow-eater heat wave doesn’t add water to the system — it just makes existing snowpack melt faster and earlier, leaving less available later in the summer when demand is highest. The study found that some of the largest snow-eater melt events on record occurred during major Western snow droughts, including California’s 2013 to 2015 drought.
To try and decide each week where and what to eat around the basin can be a challenge – there are so many amazing choices. In this feature we’ll dive into dishes that will surely satisfy those hunger pangs and leave you wondering where to go next.
With football beginning to gear up, it’s always fun to find new dishes that pair well while you’re out and about enjoying the game, and this week’s feature definitely qualifies as one that pairs well. Not only does it give off loaded baked potato vibes, but it also has a playful vibe that elevates everything about it.
Part of that playfulness comes in the form of its presentation. While it might look like a sushi roll, I assure you, it is not. The plate consists of six jumbo tater tots loaded with cheddar cheese, bacon and chives, then topped with sour cream and their house brewery cheese sauce.
The Woods’ Tater KegsRob Galloway / Tahoe Daily Tribune
I’m not certain what you might consider the four horsemen of the apocalypse when it comes to describing food, but if it’s crispy, creamy, smoky and tangy then beware because this dish has them all. And if burying me in Tater Kegs was a thing, I might sign up for it right now. It checks absolutely every box you would want to in an appetizer, and I may also include a box that says, “I’m not sharing.” Because if you’re with me, that box would also be checked – get your own.
I’m told this menu item was included on the previous owner’s menu and people absolutely loved it, so they had to continue selling. Great choice. Now let’s talk about a to-go order that can fill a coffin. Is that too macabre?
The Woods is located at 3115 Harrison Ave in South Lake Tahoe. For more information find them online at thewoodslaketahoe.com or reach them via phone at 530-600-0921.
The Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival will take place on Saturday, August 22Provided / Mike Peron
STATELINE, Nev. – Creativity, craftsmanship, and whole lot of Tahoe Blue vodka – this Saturday’s 15th annual Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival, presented by Visit Lake Tahoe, returns to the Golden Nugget pool deck as top bartenders from around the region strive to rack up the most votes for their Bloody Mary creation and show folks why Bloody Marys have been a staple brunch cocktail for decades.
“The energy is high, you’re going to get full and you’re going to catch a buzz,” said Mike Peron, producer of the Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival.
First created as a way to celebrate Matt Levitt’s Tahoe Blue Vodka, the event has grown into one of Lake Tahoe’s most anticipated traditions, offering live music through bands and DJs, access to the South Shore’s largest outdoor pool, and those epic summer vibes only Lake Tahoe can offer.
This year, 15 bartenders from around the region, including Lake Tahoe, Carson City, Reno and Virginia City, will be bringing their A-game to Stateline, showcasing their Bloody Mary creations which will feature Tahoe Blue Vodka, handcrafted recipes, artistic flair, unique glassware and creatively outrageous garnish pairings.
“There’s two categories [of voting],” Peron said. “There’s the Judges’ Choice and the People’s Choice.”
As guests get unlimited tastings to determine their favorite, an esteemed panel of judges, composed of a few past winners and experts like Yelp’s senior community and marketing director, Michael Tragash, editor-in-chief of edible Reno-Tahoe magazine, Jessica Santina, and more, will weigh in to determine who they think deserves bragging rights for their Bloody Mary concoction.
Participating contestants include:
Golden Nugget (Salt Grass)
Bruschetta Restaurant (South Lake Tahoe)
Tahoe Cruises (South Lake Tahoe)
The Woods Tahoe (South Lake Tahoe)
McPs Taphouse (South Lake Tahoe)
Golden Nugget (Bill’s Sportsbook)
Paddle Wheel Saloon (Incline Village)
Sage Leaf (Incline Village)
Overland Saloon (Fallon, NV)
Ps & Qs Tavern (Fallon, NV)
Gold Hill Hotel (Virginia City, NV)
Delta Saloon (Virginia City, NV)
Lucky Spur Saloon (Kingston, NV)
2MCs Mixers (Placerville)
J Resort (Reno)
The Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival will feature a variety of unique creations using Tahoe Blue VodkaProvided / Mike Peron
The festival is more than just a cocktail competition and summer bash, it’s also a chance to give back to the community as Peron helps determine a different beneficiary each year.
“There’s going to be a benefit raffle for the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe and chances to win some really cool prizes,” said Peron.
Some of the prizes include standup paddleboards, an e-bike from South Shore Bikes, a VIP getaway/staycation at the Golden Nugget, and a Spirit of Tahoe yacht cruise for four people.
The 15th annual Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival is open to visitors and locals alike, and runs from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on August 22. General admission includes unlimited Bloody Mary tastings from competing bartenders, Golden Nugget pool access, live entertainment and more. Tickets sell out every year so be sure to purchase yours at www.eventbrite.com.
For more information about the Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival, visit TahoeBloodyMary.com and check out the event’s Facebook page for alerts and prizes.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming both longtime fans and first-time attendees for another year of amazing cocktails, live music, and great memories,” Peron said.
Some of the best meals come with a sense of familiarity. The kind of meals you return to year-round, especially in Lake Tahoe. More often than not, those familiar favorites are family-owned and operated; run with intention, integrity, and a whole lot of heart.
From old school institutions to laid-back neighborhood staples, these restaurants aren’t just feeding Tahoe; they have been part of the fabric of Tahoe communities for decades. Here are some of the best family-owned and operated spots around the lake, each with its own legacy worth pulling up a seat to the table for.
Christy Hill, Tahoe City
Perched just above the waterline, Christy Hill has been family-owned and operated since the 1980s, quietly becoming one of Tahoe City’s most beloved fine dining spots.
The restaurant originally opened over 45 years ago in the former home of Palisades Tahoe co-founders Wayne and Sandy Poulsen. The original home was the first house built in what is now known as Olympic Valley. The Poulsen’s raised their eight children in their Olympic Valley home until 1980, when it then became Christy Hill. In 1987, the restaurant moved to its lakefront location in Tahoe City. In 2010, the original owners sold the restaurant to longtime Tahoe locals Robyn Sills and Ed Coleman; and after 13 years the duo looked towards retirement, intentionally passing on the ownership to new owners Alex and Amanda Looby in 2023 to keep the Christy Hill legacy going for the North Lake Tahoe community.
Christy HillRob Galloway / Tahoe Magazine
The restaurant blends refined, seasonal cuisine with sweeping lake views, but it’s the personal touch where the restaurant consistently meets the mark. With hands-on, local ownership delivering a consistently elevated, modern atmosphere and offering contemporary California cuisine, the restaurant offers up an elevated experience to guests.
What to order: Seasonal fish dishes and wine pairings paired with a sunset reservation
Rosie’s Cafe, Tahoe City
A longtime Tahoe City tradition for over 40 years, Rosie’s Cafe has been family-owned and operated since 1964, where it was initially opened as a grocery store. Over the decades, the cafe has blended its rich history with hospitality, offering an eclectic, comfortable atmosphere filled with treasures of Tahoe’s past.
Originally opened as a classic American Diner, Rosie’s has remained true to its roots – serving hearty, no–frills, consistent comfort food in a welcoming, familiar setting. Purchased by its current owner in 1989, Rosie’s has continued to add to its eclectic atmosphere, including historical deer and elk chandeliers from the original Tahoe Tavern and classic 1950s-style bicycles from Tahoe’s past. Over the decades, Rosie’s has become a go-to destination for both locals and visitors, with many returning year after year for the same consistent, positive summer dining experience.
Rosie’s CafeRob Galloway / Tahoe Magazine
Today, Rosie’s continues to deliver generous portions, friendly service, and a laid-back atmosphere that reflects the easygoing, slower pace of a perfect Tahoe summer. As one of the few spots on the lake open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Rosie’s Café remains a beloved gathering place for families, food lovers, and history buffs alike.
What to order: Buttermilk pancakes, classic egg scrambles, and a strong cup of coffee.
T’s Mesquite Rotisserie, Incline Village
A staple in Incline Village since 1991, T’s Mesquite Rotisserie is a family-run operation that has built a loyal following through simple, consistently well-executed fare.
Founded by Chuck Swing and now operated by his son, the restaurant has remained true to its original concept – serving mesquite-grilled meats in a casual, counter-service setting. T’s reputation has grown largely around the Lake Tahoe surrounding area by word of mouth, with loyal locals and returning visitors keeping the service window constantly bustling.
T’s Mesquite BBQ.Provided / Jaime Swing
The restaurant’s simple, no-frills menu revolves around their mesquite-grilled rotisserie-style meat; offering up marinated pork, beef, and chicken meat plates, tostadas, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and sandwiches.
What to order: A T’s Rotisserie classic tri-tip burrito.
The Soule Domain, Crystal Bay/North Shore
Tucked into a historic cabin on the North Shore, The Soule Domain has been locally-owned and operated since 1985, becoming one of Tahoe’s most enduring fine dining experiences.
Founded by born and raised North Lake Tahoe local chef Charlie Soule, the restaurant began when his uncle offered him the opportunity to take over a small cabin tucked behind the Tahoe Biltmore. What started as a leap of faith quickly became a cornerstone of North Shore dining, built on Soule’s passion, persistence, and hands-on approach; at one point even cooking every meal himself while living above the restaurant.
The cabin itself dates back to the 1930s, originally built as a family home before evolving through various uses, now becoming the restaurant it is today.
Today, the Soule Domain blends globally inspired, seasonal cuisine with an intimate, alpine setting. With Charlie in the kitchen and his brother Steve managing the dining room, this establishment remains a true family operation – one that’s stood the test of time in Tahoe’s ever-changing dining landscape.
What to order: Seasonal specials and house-made desserts.
Bridgetender Tavern & Grill, Tahoe City
Situated along the Truckee River at the base of Tahoe City’s iconic Fanny Bridge, Bridgetender Tavern & Grill has been a family-owned institution since opening its doors in 1977.
Originally located beside the Tahoe City Dam, the restaurant quickly became a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. After more than two decades in its original location, the Bridgetender was rebuilt just steps away along the river, where the restaurant continues to operate today.
BridgetenderRob Galloway / Tahoe Magazine
Bridgetender’s setting is central to its identity. Positioned at one of the most trafficked and scenic points in Tahoe City, the restaurant has been a hub for post-beach afternoons, rafting stops, and summer evenings spent along the river for decades. The outdoor patio, complete with a full-service bar, remains one of the most recognizable and well-loved gathering spots on the West Shore.
Today, Bridgetender continued to deliver approachable, casual, and crowd-pleasing fare in a setting that captures the easygoing, social spirit of a summer in Lake Tahoe.
What to order: Burgers, fish tacos, and a cold beer by the river.
Fire Sign Cafe, Tahoe City
A West Shore institution since 1978, Fire Sign Cafe has been family-owned and operated for decades, becoming one of Tahoe’s most iconic breakfast and lunch destinations.
The restaurant was originally operated by Brian and Lynne Barton in the Lakehouse Mall before relocating to its current West Shore location just a few years later. Soon after, Bob and Christi Young joined as partners and took full ownership of the cafe, spending the next 40 years shaping Fire Sign into a true Tahoe staple.
In 2020, the Young family passed the restaurant on to longtime Tahoe local Rick Brown, whose deep roots in the West Shore community helped ensure the cafe’s legacy would remain intact.
Today, Fire Sign Cafe continues to serve homemade, from-scratch comfort food in a warm, familiar setting. With decades-long staff, loyal regulars, and a reputation built on consistency, it remains a cornerstone of Tahoe’s dining scene.
What to order: Eggs Benedict, pancakes, and house-made specials.
Squeeze In, Truckee
A Truckee original since 1974, Squeeze In has been family-owned for decades, evolving from a tiny local breakfast spot into one of the region’s most recognizable and beloved brunch destinations.
The restaurant first opened in historic downtown Truckee in a 10 feet wide restaurant space that had guests literally “squeezing in”, giving the restaurant its now-iconic name. What began as a humble, no-frills operation serving omelettes to locals quickly grew into a community staple, known for its creative menu and lively, eclectic atmosphere.
In 2004, the Young family purchased the restaurant, turning a longtime dream into reality and building on its original charm. Sisters Shila Morris and Kay Young grew up in the business and now help lead the brand, expanding it to multiple locations while preserving the personality and sense of community that made the original so special.
Today, Squeeze In remains rooted in its Truckee origin, blending oversized, creative breakfast dishes with a fun, high-energy atmosphere where guests are encouraged to enjoy their experience. It’s a place where the experience is just as memorable as the meal.
What to order: Signature omelettes, pancakes, and a Bloody Mary or mimosa.
Lake Tahoe Pizza Co., South Lake Tahoe
A South Lake Tahoe staple since 1973, Lake Tahoe Pizza Co. is one of the Basin’s oldest independent, family-owned and operated restaurants, serving generations of locals and visitors alike.
Originally founded by Levon Touryan, the restaurant began with humble roots before relocating to South Lake Tahoe in the late 1970s, where it has remained ever since. Today, it continues to be run by the Touryan family, with multiple generations – from siblings to cousins – playing a role in the restaurant’s day-to-day operation.
Lake Tahoe PizzaMadison Schultz / Tahoe Magazine
Over the decades, Lake Tahoe Pizza Co. has built a reputation on consistency and quality, staying true to its original recipes and hands-on approach. Known for its creative, generously topped pizzas and signature house-made doughs prepared fresh daily, the restaurant has become a nostalgic favorite for many.
Today, the space reflects that legacy, filled with classic wood carvings, antiques, and a lively, family-friendly atmosphere that feels distinctly Tahoe.
What to order: The “Gut Buster,” garlic chips, and a plate for the endless salad bar.
It’s not just about what’s on the plate, it’s about where you choose to sit down. Around Lake Tahoe, these family-owned and operated establishments continue to shape the dining scene in intentional, meaningful ways, offering experiences that feel personal and familiar. These restaurants are the kind of places you return to often; the kind of spaces where it feels like every meal comes with a story.
Editor’s Note: While this article highlights eight family-owned establishments in the Lake Tahoe Basin, there are many other family-owned and operated restaurants throughout Lake Tahoe communities that aren’t mentioned in this article. Take a drive and visit one of the many family-owned establishments throughout Tahoe’s neighborhoods. Support local!
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2026 edition of Tahoe Magazine.
By the end of the 2023 season, the once-proud North Tahoe football team had been down in wins and participation for the better part of two decades. The sophomore-led varsity finished 0-9, this after the class endured a winless record as freshmen on JV the year prior. Without a single taste of victory, frustrations boiled.
“Everyone talked about quitting,” said head coach Ryan Brolliar, referencing a closed-door team meeting held the summer before the next season. “There were tears shed, profanities back and forth. I said, ‘We’re not leaving this room until all you guys are in or all you guys are out.’”
From that day forward the Lakers were, quite literally, all in. Soon after, players and coaches embarked together on a journey to a no-frills camp in the middle of nowhere in Northern California where a Navy SEAL awaited to whip them into a cohesive unit.
“It was five days of no cell phones, no parents, no friends, just football,” Brolliar recounted. “We had a sandlot field and the Navy Seal kicked our butt. We were playing in the dark some nights. We worked through things. It was so much fun.”
North Tahoe came together. And in the fifth game of the ’24 season, the team broke through with a win, finally tasting the sweet satisfaction of victory with a 26-14 triumph over West Wendover.
“It was like we won the championship,” Brolliar said of the moment that had been months in the making,
The momentum led to two more victories that season and catapulted the Lakers to a historic 2025 campaign. For only the second time in 20-plus years, and two years removed from going 0-9, the Lakers finished the season with a winning record. The team battled to a 5-3 regular season, trouncing Yerington 34-0 in the final game to earn a spot in the NIAA 2A football championships.
“I’ll never forget the announcer over the PA after the game — ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Lakers are going to the playoffs,’” Brolliar relayed. “It was awesome.”
HEAD COACH: Ryan Brolliar (second coach from left) spreads the stoke at a recent North Tahoe practice.
2026 Season Preview
This fall marks Brolliar’s fifth year as head coach, and under his watch the rising Lakers tide has lifted the program’s boats. But with 18 seniors graduated-and-gone from last year’s breakthrough team, North Tahoe will once again be young. Fifteen juniors will be called upon for the bulk of the productivity, the squad’s lone senior coming in the form of starting safety, kicker, and punter Chemo Anselmo-Arrieta.
Hawkin Anderson’s high football IQ, footspeed, and quick release have him slated to start at quarterback. He’ll look to find tight end Charlie Blair and tight end/receiver Axl Fant, both of whom, like many on the small, special-ops-like 25-man roster, will play “ironman football,” contributing on offense as well as defense.
Running back/linebacker Ian Dohner will carry a heavy load, and Gael Servin will anchor the offensive and defensive lines. Matthew Rosenfeld will lead the defense from his middle linebacker spot while adding strength to the offensive side of the ball at the fullback position.
The Laker offense looks to establish the run game with physicality at the line of scrimmage, and the defense is designed to allow players to play on instinct. “It’s a lot of see ball, get ball,” Brolliar explained.
The team put together a solid fall camp and fared well at home in their Aug. 15 jamboree (organized scrimmage), scoring three times against Chico-area Hamilton High School, while also playing stout defense, including tallying an interception.
But the path into the regular season won’t be easy.
North Tahoe opens with three straight games on the road. It all starts this Friday night at 7:30 p.m. at Quincy against the Trojans of the Mid Valley League. The tough nonconference schedule continues the next week against Highlands of the historically strong Sierra Delta League. After a bye, the Lakers open 2A Northern League play at Coral Academy (Reno) on Sept. 12.
North Tahoe’s first home game will take place Sept. 18 under the lights against the Incline Highlanders.
“Incline is our rival,” Brolliar said. “It’s the only game that we get portable lights for every year. Friday night lights. We also make sure it’s our homecoming game.”
The next two weeks are also at home, against Pershing County (Lovelock) Sept. 26 and West Wendover Oct. 3. The regular season’s finale is Friday Oct. 29 at Yerington, but the Lakers’ goal is for that to not be the final time they put on shoulder pads to compete against a foe in a different colored jersey.
“We’re young, but we’re going to mess some stuff up,” Brolliar said. “There’s not a junior class that’s better [than ours]. We are a playoff caliber team.”
READYING FOR THE SEASON: The 2026 Lakers, seen here warming up before practice, are led by 15 juniors on their 25-man roster.
Blue Blood
Brolliar has been around North Tahoe football so much in his life, it’s practically in his DNA. His father, Dave Brolliar, taught P.E and was the team’s head coach for much of the 1980s, guiding the Lakers, among other achievements, to the Nevada 2A state title in 1986.
Ryan was nine years old that year, and he served as the team’s waterboy. “I remember the emotion,” he said of the celebration after the championship victory. “People just hugging, crying. I was a young kid. I was like, ‘wow.’”
The feeling of awe surrounding the game of football stuck with him, and the young Brolliar grew up bleeding North Tahoe blue. When he got to high school, he became a great player himself, a Laker known for making plays all over the field. His senior year in 1995, he earned first team all-league honors as a quarterback and first team all-state accolades as a defensive back.
The team was going strong. But after decades of success and stability, the school’s enrollment and the football team’s numbers both dwindled, so much so that the Lakers had to cancel the 2014 season. A revolving door of three coaches in three years further damaged the once-proud team. There was serious talk of completely cutting the program.
That’s when longtime head coach Scott Everist reached out to the old quarterback. “He called me and basically told me it was time to move back home,” Brolliar said.
After over 20 years of teaching, coaching, and playing music professionally in San Diego, the coach’s son returned to his roots to revive the Lakers football team.
Brolliar came back to Tahoe without even having set up a day job to pay the bills. But his bold actions were met with fortune; within three weeks, the North Tahoe physical education teaching position opened up. Brolliar was qualified. He applied and got the job. “Now I’m in my dad’s old office,” he mused, “teaching P.E. and coaching football.”
That might just be about as full circle as it gets.
“When I moved back, people didn’t even know we had a football team,” said the coach, again remembering the talk of cutting the program. “The kids are excited. We’re back, and we’re not going anywhere.”
The Lake Tahoe camping season may be winding down for the summer, but there are still a few places to enjoy sleeping under the stars this fall.
Milky Way over Emerald Bay Lake Tahoe | Photo: Rachid Dahnoun
Lake Tahoe is a popular camping destination all summer long; however, for the hardy outdoors people among us, year-round camping opportunities exist around Lake Tahoe. Fall is a fantastic time to enjoy the changing leaves, fewer crowds, and quieter beaches and trails, and the cooler temperatures are perfect for long hikes and mountain bike rides.
Fall colors around Lake Tahoe. Photo by Carol Chaplin.
Here are some of your options for camping this fall in Lake Tahoe:
Campground by the Lake, season runs from April through the end of October (weather permitting).
D.L. Bliss, Donner Memorial, Emerald Bay, and Sugar Pine Point are OPEN during the winter for hiking and snowshoeing, but these parks are CLOSED to camping beginning mid-September (varies by park).
Bring extra layers (temperatures drop at night), and don’t forget your sleeping pad! While you are here, make sure you check out all the beautiful fall colors.
South Lake Tahoe Camping | Photo: @keeptahoe.local
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — To celebrate the publication of “52 Writing Prompts: Inspiration for the Creative Writer,” Suzanne Roberts will be giving a creative writing workshop on Getting Unstuck and Making Inspiration.
Drawing from more than thirty years of creative writing teaching experience, Roberts offers down-to-earth, witty, and wise straight talk about writing and the writing life, accessible craft discussions, and thought-provoking twenty-minute genre-crossing writing prompts in this new creative writing craft book. This multi-genre approach is arranged by theme, including memory, family and friends, writing the body, love and lust, death and grief, nature and the environment, stories of shame, and magic and myth, along with discussions of revision and editing, building writing community, and publishing.
The chapters offer a short discussion of each theme, friendly pep talks, accessible craft tips, a selection of 35 poems, stories, and essays from a diverse array of contemporary writers, and, of course, the writing prompts. Featured authors include Camille T. Dungy, Carolyn Forché, Gina Frangello, Linda LeGarde Grover, Lisa Lee Herrick, Major Jackson, Rebecca Makkai, Eva Saulitis, Patricia Smith, Stacey Waite, Lidia Yuknavitch, among many others, with writing advice of their own. 52 Writing Prompts will encourage and motivate both aspiring and established writers.
Clare Frank, author of Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire and Just One More Game: A Pickleball Quest, says, “As a former student of the author, I could hear her voice throughout 52 Writing Prompts—a voice that is encouraging and funny but also insightful and demanding.”
The workshop will be held on Tuesday, September 29, from 5–6:30 p.m. Space is limited to 11 participants; save a spot by preordering 52 Writing Prompts directly from Cuppa Tahoe (530-600-0433). Limited to 11 participants. Although the workshop is free with the purchase of 52 Writing Prompts from Cuppa Tahoe, any other donations will go to the Tahoe Wildlife Care.
Suzanne Roberts’ other award-winning books include Animal Bodies: On Death, Desire, and Other Difficulties Bad Tourist: Misadventures in Love and Travel, Almost Somewhere: Twenty-Eight Days on the John Muir Trail (Winner of the 2012 National Outdoor Book Award) and four collections of poetry. Named “The Next Great Travel Writer” by National Geographic’s Traveler magazine, Roberts’ work has appeared in many anthologies and journals, including Best Women’s Travel Writing, New York Times, National Geographic, CNN, Brevity, and elsewhere. She holds a doctorate in Literature and the Environment from the University of Nevada-Reno, teaches for the low-residency MFA in Creative Writing at UNR-Tahoe, and lives in South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Grady Holman, 11, has been preparing for three months to paddleboard 72 miles around the perimeter of Lake Tahoe with goals to not only raise money for the Truckee Donner Land Trust (TDLT), but to shatter self-limitations and inspire others.
Grady has been training to paddleboard around Lake Tahoe for three monthsProvided / Cali Holman
Motivated by a book called “The Comfort Crisis”, written by Michael Easter, Holman and his mother have set out on a Misogi, or as Easter describes it, “A circumnavigation of the edges of your potential to expand them.”
“I just wanted to try and push myself out of my comfort zone,” said Holman who told the Tribune he’s been paddleboarding since he was three. “The farthest I’ve gone is about 10 miles on Lake Clementine in Auburn.”
Setting off on Tuesday, August 18, Holman and his mom will launch at Commons Beach and begin their six-leg journey while camping out and staying at different locations along the way. Family and friends of the Holmans will also join in on different legs throughout their time on the lake.
From Commons Beach, they will head south to Sugar Pine Point and then to a camp site at Camp Richardson. From there, sights are set on Zephyr Cove Resort to Sand Harbor, Sand Harbor to Kings Beach, and finally, King’s Beach back to Common’s Beach.
Holman said he’s aiming to complete the voyage around Lake Tahoe’s perimeter in six days, and although the unpredictability of Tahoe’s weather and lake conditions could alter their plans, Holman is determined to see it through.
“Somtimes, I feel like I get down on myself and feel like I can’t do it, but then once I get in the right head space again and pump through it, I think I’ll be fine,” said Holman. “It will be a long paddle though. 72 miles is a lot. Some of the days we’ll be doing 10 miles and other days, we’ll be doing 16 miles.”
Starting a pledge page on SignUpGenius, Holman dedicated his paddle to TDLT, allowing folks to donate either an amount of their choosing or a pledge per mile.
“I’m trying to raise money for TDLT because it conserves and protects places that my family and I enjoy. I want to give back to them and the community,” he said.
The South Tahoe High School football team is playing at Mackay Stadium on August 22Provided / Kevin Hennessee
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The high school football season is kicking off with bang as University of Nevada, Reno’s (UNR) Mackay Stadium plays host to four high school games this Saturday, August 22. Among the eight schools chosen, the community’s very own South Tahoe High School (STHS) leads the charge, competing in the first varsity game of the day against Earl Wooster High School.
“This is a great opportunity for our school, our kids, our student athletes and our community to be represented on a stage like the University of Nevada, Reno,” said Kevin Hennessee, STHS athletic director. “If you think of all the high school teams in the state of Nevada, the fact that we’re one of the teams that got chosen, I think that says a lot.”
STHS’s varsity football team will not be traveling alone to Mackay Stadium as both the STHS cheer and dance teams will also be attending and performing at the Division I venue.
“This just brings an entirely different energy to the week,” said head coach Adam Fountain. “I think this is a great opportunity for us to play a 4A school in Wooster because they’re a level up from us. They play an entirely different set of competition from the greater Reno area. It’s a great measuring stick for both programs.”
STHS plays Wooster in game one starting at 10 a.m.. Game two will start at 1 p.m. between McQueen and Henderson’s Pinecrest Academy Sloan Canyon. At 4 p.m., North Valleys will play against Lowry followed by the final game at 7 p.m. as Spanish Springs takes on Carson.
As Fountain enters his fourth season as head coach at STHS, he notes that the team’s chemistry is special.
“We had to persevere through a tough game the other night, and it really shined through in the second half, just the way these guys are able to overcome adversity,” said Fountain. “Together as a group, the sky’s the limit.”
Conner Hennessee is the team’s running back and outside linebacker. Hennessee has been playing football since his freshman year. Heading into his senior year, he says he’s ready to raise the bar this weekend.
“I’ll be bringing it my all, first and foremost,” said Hennessee. “I look to be one of the people that my boys can rely on out there on the field, and I’m hoping that through being a leader, I can get everyone else to believe in everything they have on that field so we can ensure a win.”
Community members are encouraged to head to Mackay Stadium to support STHS as they compete in the quadruple-header on Saturday, August 22 at 10 a.m.
“This is a really cool weekend, and we’d love for the community to be a part of it,” Fountain said. “This is a community sport. We put in a lot of time and care for the sport in general, and the community takes it to that next level. This could be a really good opportunity to kickstart that.”
Mackay Stadium is located at 1664 N Virginia Street in Reno, Nev.
The 2026-2027 school year for STHS in Lake Tahoe Unified School District begins on August 24. The team’s next home game will be held on August 28 at 7 p.m.
Alex Ramon “Magic” – 7:30 p.m., Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, 15 Highway 50. Harrah’s & Caesars Republic Lake Tahoe prohibits the carrying and/or possession of firearms (Even with a CCW) or other dangerous weapons on the premises. The venue reserves the right to implement security procedures designed to protect the experience for all of our customers. Sale Dates and Times: Public Onsale : Wed, 13 May 2026 at 10:00 AM Additional dates: 8/21, 8/22, 8/25, 8/26, 8/27.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/27467795789510051/ or call (800) 427-7247.
Built to Spill – 7-10 p.m., The Hanger, 2401 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. Tickets on Sale 3/6 THIS IS A 21+ SHOW. DOORS AT 6PM SHOW AT 7PM PARKING INFORMATION: ON SITE PARKING IS LIMITED AND IS $10 PER VEHICLE. IF YOU’RE GOING TO DRIVE, GET HERE EARLY. LEAVING YOUR CAR OVERNIGHT IN OUR LOT IS OK WITH US. OVERNIGHT CAMPING HOWEVER IS NOT PERMITTED. PLEASE CONSIDER RIDING YOUR BIKES AND OR USING RIDE SHARE. THERE IS PLENTY OF FENCE TO LOCK YOUR BIKES TO. IF OUR LOT IS FULL YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL PARKING AT THESE LOCATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE RENTED FOR THE DAY : 971 & 981 SILVER DOLLAR AVE (BEHIND THE SHELL STATION), 80 PARKING SPACES – MAPS LINK. PLEASE DO NOT PARK AT MINI GOLF NEXT DOOR – YOU WILL BE TOWED
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1558983005175632/.
Design & Wine! – 3-5 p.m., Talie Jane Interiors & Construction, 255 KINGSBURY GRADE RD. 🌸🍷 Join us for our next Design & Wine! 🍷🌸
Get creative with us on Friday, August 21st from 3–5 PM at the Talie Jane Interiors showroom! Bring your favorite vase (or shop one of our beautifully hand-picked vases) and create your own stunning faux floral arrangement for just $30—a bouquet that stays beautiful all year long.
Sip on a complimentary glass of white wine, enjoy an afternoon of creativity, and leave with a custom arrangement you’ll love.
✨ August 21 | 3:00–5:00 PM 📍 Talie Jane Interiors Showroom 💐 $30 per arrangement
or call 7755807117.
Fireball Fridays – 12 a.m., Tipsy Putt, 4101 Lake Tahoe Blvd Suite 101. Kick off your weekend with Fireball Friday!
Every Friday until 8 PM, enjoy a $7 Fireball shot, an $11 beer & shot combo, or grab the crew and tackle the Fireball Shot Ski for $19.
It’s the perfect excuse to raise a glass before your next round of mini golf.
For more information, visit https://eventvesta.com/events/156431/t/tickets or call (530) 443-4376.
The Heart of Robin Hood – 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28.
For more information, visit https://laketahoeshakespeare.com/event/the-heart-of-robin-hood-16/ or call (800) 747-4697.
Skeleton Crewe ft. Rob Barraco, Jay Lane, Barry Sless, Pete Sears & Stephan Inglis – 8 p.m., 14 NV-28. Skeleton Crewe ft. Rob Barraco, Jay Lane, Barry Sless, Pete Sears & Stephan Inglis Fri. Aug. 21st 2026 I Doors: 7pm Show: 8pm I Tickets: $25 ADV / $30 DOS I Ticket Link: https://tixr.com/e/190550 We are happy to welcome an incredibly talented group of musicians to the Crown Room for a very fun show on 8/21. Skeleton Crewe featuring Rob Barraco, Barry Sless, Stephen Inglis, Pete Sears & Jay Lane will light up the Crown Room stage with their virtuoso prowess. Tickets go on sale on Friday, May 29! Don’t miss out!
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/953047857537197/.
Stephanie Fagliano – 8-10 p.m., Social House.
For more information, visit https://tahoemusic.live/?page=8.
Wine Tasting at Black Bear Lodge – 5-7 p.m., Black Bear Lodge, 1202 Ski Run Boulevard. Join us at Black Bear Lodge for our Summer Wine Tasting Series, happening every other Friday from 5–7 PM. Enjoy an evening of curated wines from a featured winery, live music, and the relaxed gardens of Black Bear Lodge. Sip, unwind, and discover something new with each unique tasting experience throughout the summer.
For more information, visit http://tahoeblackbear.com/events or call 5305444451.
Saturday, August 22
15th Annual Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival – 12-4:30 p.m., Golden Nugget Lake Tahoe, 50 Hwy. 50. The 15th Annual Tahoe Bloody Mary Festival is back! Bigger, bolder, and spicier than ever. Presented by Visit Lake Tahoe! On Saturday, August 22, 2026, we’re bringing together 15 of the most creative bartenders from across Tahoe, Reno, Virginia City, and Carson City to compete for Bloody Mary glory. Expect wild garnishes, next-level flavor, and drinks that push the limits of what a Bloody Mary can be featuring Tahoe Blue Vodka! Set around the massive pool at the Golden Nugget, this is more than a tasting—it’s a full-on summer party. We’re talking live bands, DJs, sunshine, and serious energy all day long. Your ticket gets you unlimited tastings, so come hungry, come thirsty, and come ready to find your new favorite. Participating bars & restaurants (so far): Delta Saloon, Bruschetta Restaurant, Mixxology Inc., Virginia City Firehouse Grill, Noel’s Apothecary, Whiskey Dicks, Gold Hill Hotel, McPs Taphouse, 2MCs Mixers, Overland Saloon, Telegraph Coffee & Tap, BuckaRoos, Stateline Brewery, The Idle Hour, and more to come soon!
For more information, visit http://www.TahoeBloodyMary.com or call (844) 588-7625.
Albert Castiglia – 8 p.m., Crystal Bay Casino, 14 Highway 28.
For more information, visit https://devildogshows.com/event/albert-castiglia/ or call (775) 833-6333.
Allen Stone & The Dip – 7-10 p.m., The Hanger, 2401 Lake Tahoe Boulevard. THIS IS A 21+ SHOW. DOORS AT 6PM SHOW AT 7PM PARKING INFORMATION: ON SITE PARKING IS LIMITED AND IS $10 PER VEHICLE. IF YOU’RE GOING TO DRIVE, GET HERE EARLY. LEAVING YOUR CAR OVERNIGHT IN OUR LOT IS OK WITH US. OVERNIGHT CAMPING HOWEVER IS NOT PERMITTED. PLEASE CONSIDER RIDING YOUR BIKES AND OR USING RIDE SHARE. THERE IS PLENTY OF FENCE TO LOCK YOUR BIKES TO. IF OUR LOT IS FULL YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL PARKING AT THESE LOCATIONS, WHICH WE HAVE RENTED FOR THE DAY : 971 & 981 SILVER DOLLAR AVE (BEHIND THE SHELL STATION), 80 PARKING SPACES PLEASE DO NOT PARK AT MINI GOLF NEXT DOOR – YOU WILL BE TOWED
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2151537002327205/.
Arizona Jones – 6-10 p.m., AleWorx at the Y, 2050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. An exciting night of Funk, Rock, Soul + more!
For more information, visit https://laketahoealeworx.com/event/arizona-jones-5/.
Barre at the Beach: Lake Tahoe 2026 – 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Zephyr Point, 660 Highway 50. Your perfect Tahoe summer day: Barre Fusion, lunch, private beach access, and stunning lakefront views Additional dates: 8/22, 8/23.
For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/barre-at-the-beach-lake-tahoe-2026-tickets-1991239374572.
Chili Monroe – 8-10 p.m., Social House.
For more information, visit https://tahoemusic.live/?page=7.
Ditchweed Harvest – 12-3 p.m., Heavenl.
For more information, visit https://tahoemusic.live/?page=6.
Golf Mobility Clinic – 10-11:30 a.m., 593 Tahoe Keys Boulevard. Free Golf Mobility Clinic! Learn warm-ups, mobility, and injury prevention to help you move better, swing stronger, and play pain-free. ⛳
For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/golf-mobility-clinic-tickets-1994752322895.
Guided Rainbow Trail Walk – 10-11 a.m., 2152 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Join us for an enchanting journey through nature’s vibrant palette on the Guided Rainbow Trail Walk. Nestled in the breathtaking landscapes of South Lake Tahoe, this guided walking tour at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center offers an unforgettable experience for nature enthusiasts. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of the forest as our knowledgeable guides lead you along the Rainbow Trail. Discover the diverse ecosystems, and learn about the unique flora and fauna that call it home. The Guided Rainbow Trail Walk provides an opportunity to connect with your national forest and appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors. Don’t miss the chance to explore one of South Lake Tahoe’s hidden gems and experience the magic of the Rainbow Trail. We look forward to welcoming you on this educational walk! This tour is offered, free to the public, every Wednesday & Saturday at 10am between June 17th and September 27th. Be sure to bring water, waterproof shoes and please leave all pets and food/scented beverages at home or in the car. Additional dates: 8/22, 8/26.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1035573822210868/1035573868877530/?active_tab=about.
Kyle Kirch (of Bread N Butter Band) – 12-4 p.m., AleWorx at the Y, 2050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. 80s/Requests/Rock
For more information, visit https://laketahoealeworx.com/event/kyle-kirch-of-bread-n-butter-band/.
Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series – Ty Myers – Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, 4130 Lake Tahoe Blvd,. Summer, Music, Family Friendly
The Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series has some of the hottest music acts under the stars, located across the street from our resort.
Starting on 08/22/2026 and ending on 08/22/2026
For more information, visit https://www.margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-resort-lake-tahoe/things-to-do-in-lake-tahoe/events/lake-tahoe-summer-concert-series-ty-myers.
Macbeth – 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28. Additional dates: 8/22, 8/23.
For more information, visit https://laketahoeshakespeare.com/event/macbeth-23/ or call (800) 747-4697.
Meet the Artist ~ Fabio Napoleoni ~ August 22 – 23 – 12-5 p.m., Marcus Ashley Gallery, 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd, Ste 23. Save the Date: Meet Fabio Napoleoni & Be There for the Unveiling of an Exclusive Original. Don’t miss out! RSVP today! Additional dates: 8/22, 8/23.
For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/meet-the-artist-fabio-napoleoni-august-22-23-tickets-1982299366768 or call (530) 544-4278.
Sugar Pine Point Community Campout and Dig Day – 9 a.m., Join us for community fun on our Meeks Ridge Community Dig Day and Sugar Pine Point Campout. We are working our way up to some amazing views on the Meeks Ridge trail. Bring your bike and ride up the 3+ miles of finished trail to the worksite. Volunteers are invited to camp at Sugar Pine Point Campground after the dig day.
Community Dig Day:
TAMBA Community Dig Days are community-driven events promoting camaraderie and building connections between volunteers. TAMBA will provide food and drinks after the workday, and all are encouraged to join in and enjoy free camping at Sugar Pine Point. Dig Day volunteers, Please register for camping because spots are limited.
No Experience is necessary and all ages are welcome!
We will meet at the trailhead, where parking is limited, so carpool if you can! While all are invited to join us, the most efficient way up the 3+ miles to the worksite is by bike, so bring your bike if you have one!
Volunteer waiver and registration can be found Here!
Campout:
Our Third TAMBA Campout! We are offering free camping at Sugar Pine Point Campground after the Community Dig Day! Please register Here. Please bring all of your camping gear.
Interested in learning more about Sugar Pine Point Campground?
Please remember to bring the following!
-Long Sleeve Shirt
– Long Pants
– Helmet (bike ok)
– Long Finger Gloves
– Eye protection
– Sturdy Shoes (over the ankle boots recommended if doing rockwork)
– Food/Snacks for the day
– Plenty of liquids
– Rain gear if thunderstorms are forecasted
Contact TAMBA’s Trails Director, Kristine Koran, at Kristine@tamba.org with any questions. Additional dates: 8/22, 8/23.
For more information, visit https://tamba.org/event/sugar-pine-point-community-campout-and-dig-day/.
Tahoe Club Crawl Spring/Summer 2026 – 8-11 p.m., Aleworx Stateline 31 US-50. Tahoe Club Crawl is an organized VIP nightlife tour of the Tahoe South. With the purchase of your ticket, you will receive a welcome shot at 3 out of 4 stops, appetizers, free indoor games at Tipsy Putt and VIP entrance into Peek Nightclub, Lake Tahoe’s hottest Club! You will meet amazing people and have the night of your lives. We meet every Saturday at 8:00 PM Aleworx Stateline, unless told otherwise. Be Sure To Check Out our Ice Cream Shop, Aloha Ice Cream Tahoe “Winner of Best Ice Cream in Tahoe 7 Years In A Row” (Opened Seasonally)
Venues Subject to Change At Anytime, No Refunds
For more information, visit https://tahoeclubcrawl.ticketsauce.com/e/tahoe-club-crawl-spring-summer-2071?aff=cityspark.
Wild & Free – 5:30-9 p.m., The Landing Tahoe Resort & Spa, 4104 Lakeshore Blvd. Join us Saturday, August 22nd at 5:30 PM for Wild & Free: Unmask the Wild at The Landing Resort.
This year’s gala invites guests to an evening of cocktails, dinner, auctions, entertainment, and masquerade-inspired fun! Funds raised throughout the evening help support the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured and orphaned wildlife across the Lake Tahoe region.
We hope you’ll join us for a beautiful night in support of Tahoe’s wildlife.
Buy Your Tickets Here
For more information, visit https://ltwc.org/event/wild-free-2/.
Sunday, August 23
Deep in Tahoe – 2-8 p.m., Paddle House Brews, 3135 Harrison Ave . Disco, Deep House & Techno
Beautiful Lakeside Venue Paddle House Brews
Rotating DJ’s, Artists & Vendors
For more information, visit http://www.paddlehousebrews.com/events or call 530-600-0-09.
Jeff Connor (solo) – 11 a.m.-3 p.m., AleWorx at the Y, 2050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. World-traveling songsmith playing Bob Dylan, Railroad Earth, 80s, + his own tunes!
For more information, visit https://laketahoealeworx.com/event/jeff-connor-solo/.
Seasonal Reverse Happy Hour – Tipsy Putt, 4101 Lake Tahoe Blvd Suite 101. Cheers to Tahoe Summer Nights!
Join us Sunday through Thursday from 8pm to close for Reverse Happy Hour!
50% off All-You-Can-Putt passes and 50% off draft cocktails (with purchase of All-You-Can-Putt).
Your games pass unlocks unlimited mini golf and 1–2 Putt™ rounds all day—so if you start earlier and keep your wristband on, you’ll still score half-off cocktails that night.
Members? You’re always in luck! Enjoy 50% off draft cocktails during Reverse Happy Hour without a games purchase!
Late nights, great drinks, and endless putting! Cheers to that!
For more information, visit https://tipsyputt.com/event/summer-reverse-happy-hour-tipsy-putt-mini-golf-drink-specials/2026-08-23/.
Yoga in the Beer Garden – 11 a.m.-12 p.m., South Lake Brewing Company, 1920 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Stretch, sip, and soak up a Tahoe summer morning. Enjoy a one-hour all-levels yoga class in the Beer Garden followed by a delicious beermosa. The perfect way to kick off your Sunday.
Bring your own mat or towel and join us for a relaxed morning of movement, fresh air, and community. Please make sure to add-on Beermosa if you’re staying for a pint. Only $5! Yoga participants only.
For more information, visit https://www.southlakebeer.com/store#!/Yoga-in-the-Beer-Garden/p/846265781.
Monday, August 24
Desolation Wilderness Trail Work Backcountry Camp – 7 a.m.-4 p.m., TRTA Office, 128 Market Street, Suite 3E. Additional dates: 8/24, 8/25, 8/26, 8/27.
For more information, visit https://tahoerimtrail.org/event/desolation-wilderness-trail-work-backcountry-camp/.
RENO JAZZ ORCHESTRA: A Tribute to George Benson – 7:30 p.m., Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28.
For more information, visit https://laketahoeshakespeare.com/event/reno-jazz-orchestra-a-tribute-to-george-benson/ or call (800) 747-4697.
Tuesday, August 25
Dos Tacos Surf and Dive Club – 9-10:30 a.m., Connolly Beach, Behind Beach Retreat, Highway 50. We live in the best training grounds for surf and freedive in the world and if you haven’t been to Kiva Beach in the morning, Holy Guacamole. Whether it’s playing here or going to Santa Cruz, Sayulita or Bali you want to show up prepared and not Gumby it up( no hate on Gumby). Come get healthy, meet like minded healthy people and have, what’s that word again? Fun! Free to all because that’s how we do it in the Tahoe Community Additional dates: 8/25, 8/27.
or call 530 721 9082.
Eyes on the Lake Survey Day – 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Nevada Beach, Zephyr Cove. Help protect Lake Tahoe from aquatic invasive species by joining Keep Tahoe Blue for a morning on the water! This survey day is for trained Eyes on the Lake volunteers who are current Tahoe Keepers and have access to a kayak or paddleboard. We’ll work in small groups to survey Nevada Beach, practice aquatic invasive species identification, and collect valuable data that helps protect Lake Tahoe before invasive species can spread. (Keep Tahoe Blue) Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026 Time: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM Location: Nevada Beach, 416 Bittlers Rd., Zephyr Cove, NV Please bring: – Kayak or paddleboard with a current Nevada AIS decal ($6) – Personal flotation device (including PFD/life vest) – Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.) – Swimsuit – Towel – Full, reusable water bottle – Any snacks you may want – Snorkel gear (if you have it) Before you register: • You must have completed an Eyes on the Lake training (Monthly trainings available) • You must be a current Tahoe Keeper (visit tahoekeepers.org) • Participants are responsible for any applicable parking fees. Space is limited to 12 volunteers, so be sure to reserve your spot early! Register here: https://www.keeptahoeblue.org/events-activities-lessons/eyes-on-the-lake-survey-day-at-nevada-beach-august-25-2026
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1671405200639068/.
IVGID Community Open House – 4-6 p.m., Description IVGID Community Open House on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026 Coming up next month (on Tuesday, Aug. 25) is another great opportunity to meet in person with senior IVGID managers and planners who are working on some of the biggest capital improvement projects the District has taken on in recent years. IVGID’s Community Open House at The Chateau will take place from 4 – 6pm on August 25. Come hear about the Incline Beach House project progress, preliminary planning work for Diamond Peak’s Snowflake Lodge, the history of the District’s facility fees, and much more. In addition to the Engineering and Public Works team, our District General Manager Robert Harrison will be available to chat about the District Strategic Planning process. There will be opportunities to speak directly with the project managers leading these efforts, ask questions and provide feedback. DETAILS: Date/Time: Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2026 from 4 – 6pm Location: Ballroom @ The Chateau at Incline Village (955 Fairway Blvd., Incline Village) Unsupervised activities for young kids will be provided in a corner of the Ballroom Full details will be forthcoming on the online event here
For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/ivgid-community-open-house-1879444?sourceTypeId=Hub.
Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series – Train – Margaritaville Resort Lake Tahoe, 4130 Lake Tahoe Blvd,. Summer, Music, Family Friendly
The Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series has some of the hottest music acts under the stars, located across the street from our resort.
Starting on 08/25/2026 and ending on 08/25/2026
For more information, visit https://www.margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-resort-lake-tahoe/things-to-do-in-lake-tahoe/events/lake-tahoe-summer-concert-series-train.
Sleepbomb – 8 p.m.-12 a.m., Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema, 475 N Lake Blvd. Join us at the Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema for Frankenstein! This is a brand new Sleepbomb score, full of our signature psychedelic doom and gloom set to the iconic Boris Karloff performance as The Monster! Be there!
For more information, visit https://www.bandsintown.com/e/108643975?app_id=pkvts0on0m&came_from=287&utm_medium=api&utm_source=partner_api&utm_campaign=event.
Wednesday, August 26
Keep Tahoe Blue x Wilderdog: Tahoe Trails and Tails Cleanup – 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Lam Watah Trail, 193 Kahle Dr. Grab your pup and join Keep Tahoe Blue and our partners at Wilderdog for a fun afternoon of stewardship on one of Tahoe’s most dog-friendly trails on August 26 from 11 am to 2 pm! We’ll clean up litter and pet waste along the Lam Watah Nature Trail and Nevada Beach. Every piece of litter picked up and bag of dog waste properly disposed of helps preserve Tahoe’s trails, beaches, and waters clean for people and pets alike.
As a special celebration of our new partnership with Wilderdog, volunteers will have the chance to win some great dog-friendly prizes. If you’re bringing your dog, please make sure they’re friendly, comfortable around other dogs and people, and remain leashed throughout the event. For more information and to sign up for this cleanup, please visit keeptahoeblue.org/events-activities-lessons/keep-tahoe-blue-x-wilderdog-tahoe-trails-tails-cleanup/.
For more information, visit https://www.keeptahoeblue.org/events-activities-lessons/keep-tahoe-blue-x-wilderdog-tahoe-trails-tails-cleanup/ or call 530-541-5388.
Library Choir – 5-6:30 p.m., Douglas County Library, 1625 Library Ln. Library Choir will meet on the second Saturday of every month from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and the fourth Wednesday of every month from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. in the Minden Library’s Meeting Room.
Music lovers 14 years and older are invited to join us as we learn music and sing together as a community. Beginners are welcome! This program offers a no pressure space to make music together for the joy of it.
Library Choir is sponsored by the Friends of the Douglas County Public Library.
For more information, visit https://library.douglascountynv.gov/calendar or call (775) 782-9841.
Patsy Cline & More Starring Joni Morris – 7:30-10 p.m., Boathouse Theater, Tallac Historic Site. JONI MORRIS has been critically acclaimed as the “most authentic Patsy Cline Music Tribute Artist ever known!” Her 25 year career as a nationally touring vocalist and entertainer proves her excellence!!
Joni has performed in over 1000 venues (in close to 50 states, including Alaska and Hawaii). Her unforgettable shows include classic, beautiful renditions of the songs Patsy was most known for, like “Crazy,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Walkin’ After Midnight,” “I Fall To Pieces,” and so many more!
Joni’s “Legendary Ladies Show” includes songs of Kitty, Loretta, Dollie, Tammy and Patsy too. You’ll enjoy Joni’s beautiful costumes, love her audience interaction and comedy, too! Her performances are a MUST SEE for any country music fan!!
Tickets: $35 | Members: $31.50
Doors: 7:00 PM | Show: 7:30 PM
All ages welcome | Concessions available
For more information, visit https://valhallatahoe.com/event/patsy-cline-more-starring-joni-morris-august-26-2026/.
Tahoe Taproom Talks – 5-6 p.m., Description Dive deep into the stories and science of Lake Tahoe through an inspiring series of discussions with University of Nevada, Reno professors! University of Nevada, Reno researchers will present at Alibi Public House at Incline Village in a series of informational talks, supported by the Tahoe Fund. The talks part of the Tahoe Institute for Global Sustainability’s mission to facilitate community engagement across the sciences, humanities, and journalism. AUG. 26, 2026 – Julie Loisel, Department of Geography Your neighborhood meadows: the unsung heroes of carbon capture SEP. 30, 2026 – Kelly Chorpening, Department of Art, Art History and Design Knowing the Tahoe Basin through walking and drawing
For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/tahoe-taproom-talks-your-neighborhood-meadows-the-unsung-heroes-of-carbon-capture-with-dr-julie-loisel-1860221?sourceTypeId=Hub.
Thursday, August 27
Art In Nature! – 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 2152 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Program Update: The Art in Nature program for this Thursday, July 16, has been rescheduled to the following Thursday, July 23, from 10AM-2PM and the July 30 program will take place from 1:30-4PM. We apologize for any inconvenience. Join local Artist and Educator, Kathy Dewey, for a FREE Art In Nature program held Thursdays in July and August at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center. All ages and abilities are welcome and art supplies are provided. These programs are brought to you in coordination with our Interpretive Partner, The Great Basin Institute.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1519028729950400/1519028763283730/?active_tab=about.
SAILING CLUB, YACHT ROCK PARTY W/ PIER PRESSURE – 10 p.m.-2 a.m., Tessie’s Cocktails & Chords , 18 US-50. Sailing Club launches at Tessie’s with Tahoe’s smoothest & grooviest party starters, Pier Pressure. Captains Orders – grab a cocktail and head to the dance floor. Sailing Club offers a night of high-energy yachty fun that keeps the room rocking from start to finish. Rascal Flatts ticket holders receive a BOGO cocktail with their concert ticket.
Jamie Saso 8 pm
Pier Pressure 10 pm
Grab a drink and settle in for a night of yacht rock party anthems.
Experience the yachty energy firsthand—book your table today.
Lounge open 11 AM Daily. For large party reservations or tables before 10 PM, call us at 775.586.5014 or email: VIP@tessiestahoe.com
For more information, visit http://tessiestahoe.com/events or call 6194547421.
Tastes of Incline – 4:30-7 p.m., Description P.E.O. Chapter AC Presents
For more information, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar/Details/tastes-of-incline-1767277?sourceTypeId=Hub.
Trail Talk Panel Discussion: The Tahoe Rim Trail Expedition | Tracking Plastic Pollution – 3:30 p.m., Keep Tahoe Blue Spurlock/Evers Environment and Education Center, 2877 Lake Tahoe Blvd. How does plastic pollution travel from Tahoe’s highest peaks to the Lake? Join the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Keep Tahoe Blue, and the 5 Gyres Institute for an eye-opening evening exploring how high-elevation science, outdoor recreation, and watershed protection intersect on the 174-mile Tahoe Rim Trail. When we look up at snowcapped peaks or across pristine alpine meadows, we see untouched wilderness. But even in Tahoe’s most remote backcountry, invisible human footprints remain. Learn about the Tahoe Rim Trail Microplastics Expedition, 5 Gyres Institute’s first-ever land-based, high-elevation scientific expedition. A team of researchers, outdoor advocates, and citizen scientists traversed the entire 174-mile Tahoe Rim Trail, collecting samples of air, soil, and backcountry water to better understand how microplastics move through the environment. During this special panel discussion, you’ll hear about the expedition, initial research findings, and what scientists are discovering about synthetic gear shedding, atmospheric transport, and how plastic pollution can make its way from mountain trails into Lake Tahoe. Event Schedule 3:30 PM | Reception Enjoy complimentary light beverages and a charcuterie spread before the presentation. 4:00–6:00 PM | Panel Discussion Hear from scientists and conservation leaders about the expedition, field logistics, early findings, and practical solutions for reducing plastic pollution. Interactive Q&A Ask questions about the research, microplastics, Leave No Trace practices, and how you can get involved as a citizen scientist. Meet the Panelists: • Dr. Victoria Fulfer | Microplastics Scientist, 5 Gyres Institute Expedition Lead specializing in global microplastic research and multi-medium field sampling. • Laura Patten | Natural Resource Director, Keep Tahoe Blue Expert in watershed protection, science-based policy, and local conservation. • Dr. Rachel Kozloski | Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Nevada, Reno / Desert Research Institute Environmental chemist specializing in microplastic analysis. Moderator: Colleen Hoffman | Engagement Manager, Tahoe Rim Trail Association Location: Keep Tahoe Blue Spurlock/Evers Environment & Education Center 2877 Lake Tahoe Blvd. South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 Date: Thursday, August 27 Whether you’re a hiker, backpacker, scientist, or someone who cares deeply about protecting Lake Tahoe, this is a unique opportunity to learn how cutting-edge research is helping us better understand and address plastic pollution in our watershed. We hope you’ll join us! For more information, contact colleenh@tahoerimtrail.org.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1849848249323268/.
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Forest Service is taking its next steps in repealing the 2001 Roadless Rule, announcing Tuesday that it has filed a proposed rule to rescind the 25-year-old rule in its entirety.
The agency has taken progressive steps towards that goal since its initial announcement to rescind the rule in June of last year.
The Roadless Rule, established in 2001, has prohibited new roads and industrial logging on around 58 million acres of National Forest System lands. Conservation groups attribute the rule to protecting environmental resources, habitats and recreational experiences. The rule also keeps the areas open for recreational activities, such as climbing, hiking, mountain biking, paddling, and backcountry skiing.
These areas constitute a combined 80,000-plus acres on the Tahoe National Forest and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit forest, according to maps on the Forest Service’s website.
The U.S. Forest Service’s reason for the repeal is to remove regulatory burdens that they say have frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk-reduction work across the designated areas due to restrictions on road construction.
“Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions – overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease – turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities.”
The service also says that repealing the action will place decisions about roadless areas in the hands of local national forest managers.
In the Tuesday announcement, the service said rescission removes the national designation on roadless areas but does not mandate timber cutting or road construction, which are concerns expressed by opposing parties.
Although the announcement explicitly states it does not mandate timber cutting, the announcement also states the rescission aligns with multiple Executive Orders, including Immediate Expansion of American Timber Production (Executive Order 14225), and Unleashing American Energy (Executive Order 14154), as well as others.
Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter has opposed the rescission from the start and has conducted a town hall to collect input on the decision. In response to Tuesday’s announcement, the chapter’s Executive Director Olivia Tanager said.
“The Tahoe region is one of the clearest examples of why the Roadless Rule matters. From the forests surrounding Desolation Wilderness to the roadless lands throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin, these protections safeguard some of the Sierra Nevada’s most important remaining wild forests, clean water sources, wildlife habitat and backcountry recreation opportunities.
“Rolling back the Roadless Rule puts these places at greater risk of new roads and industrial logging, while doing nothing to address the root causes of catastrophic wildfire. In Tahoe, where protecting water quality and the Lake itself is a shared priority, keeping intact forests standing is critical to protecting the watersheds and ecosystems that sustain this region.
“Roadless areas are places that communities and visitors rely on for clean water, recreation, wildlife and a healthy forest ecosystem. Sierra Club will fight this rescission tooth and nail to protect roadless forests and Tahoe and beyond.”
The U.S. Forest Service has filed a draft environmental impact statement along with the proposed rule to rescind, which was filed Tuesday in the Federal Register, and is seeking public input. To comment on the proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement, go to Regulations.gov. Public comments must be received by midnight on Sept. 21. Information will be available Aug. 19 on the Forest Service Roadless Areas webpage.
STATELINE, Nev. — Will & Ivey Boutique will host two free story time events featuring Lake Tahoe authors on Aug. 22 and Aug. 29. Both events will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the boutique, located at 292 Kingsbury Grade in Stateline.
The events are designed to give local children and families an opportunity to meet area authors, discover new books and participate in creative activities as the new school year begins.
On Saturday, Aug. 22, local author Chantelle Schennings will read her book, “Little Acorn’s Big World.” Children will be invited to participate in activities inspired by the story following the reading.
On Saturday, Aug. 29, local author Kat Madina will read “Grumple the Great.” After the reading, children will participate in a creative activity and make bear masks to take home.
“These events are an opportunity to bring local families together, introduce children to area authors and help them get excited about reading as they begin a new school year,” a Will & Ivey representative said.
Both events are free and open to children and families. Attendees are encouraged to arrive before the 10:30 a.m. start time.
Event details
“Little Acorn’s Big World” with Chantelle Schennings
Saturday, Aug. 22, at 10:30 a.m.
Story time and children’s activities
“Grumple the Great” with Kat Madina
Saturday, Aug. 29, at 10:30 a.m.
Story time and make-your-own bear mask activity
Both events will take place at Will & Ivey Boutique, 292 Kingsbury Grade, Stateline, Nevada.
STATELINE, Nev. – The Knight Monsters’ new head coach Connor Jones is bringing vital lessons he learned as a player to the Tahoe team—accepting nothing short of hard work and having both joy and respect for the game.
Coach Connor Jones addresses the crowd on Friday, Aug. 14.Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Daily Tribune
“I’m excited to get behind the bench and lead these guys,” Jones said, “and have a fast-paced team that works hard and wants to win every night.”
The former professional hockey player expressed his vision and goals at a fan meet-and-greet on Friday, Aug. 14, at the Tahoe Blue Events Center, where he shared that the fans are in for a determined team who carry themselves with respect on and off the ice, have a willingness to play the game the right way, and do whatever it takes to win.
He steps into the leadership role as former head coach Alex Loh joins the Henderson Silver Knights as an assistant coach. As the team’s inaugural head coach, Loh led the team to 76 wins in 144 regular-season games and to back-to-back Kelly Cup playoff appearances in the team’s first two years.
Jones plans to build on Loh’s strong foundation, while also bringing his own leadership to the team, crediting the former coach with instilling a robust work ethic and selecting smart players.
“That’s a big part of being a hockey player,” Jones said, “if you can’t think the game, you’re going to have trouble, so just building on that.”
Jones comes to Tahoe after spending two seasons at Princeton University as an assistant coach.
In his collegiate career, Jones served as an alternate captain in his final two seasons at Quinnipiac University, competing in 153 NCAA games.
Professionally, Jones competed in four National Hockey League games with the New York Islanders during the 2016-2017 campaign. He also has 290 American Hockey League games with the Oklahoma City Barons and Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and 79 ECHL games for the Bakersfield Condors and Fort Wayne Komets under his belt.
Jones previously served as a college scout for the Vegas Golden Knights organization from 2022 to 2024 and is excited to be back with the Knights’ affiliation.
Left to right, communications manager, Brenden Paul, head coach Connor Jones, and co-owner David Hodges.Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Daily Tribune
This will be Jones’ first time serving as head coach, and is looking forward to the leadership role.
“The opportunity to work here for Tahoe, be a part of this team as a head coach,” he said, “it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down”
Fans expressed excitement about his well-rounded resume, having both player and coaching experience, as well as college, professional and scouting experience.
“I think he’s going to be a nice addition for the team, so looking forward to the next season,” Carson City resident James Smack said, a dedicated fan repping a Knight Monsters’ Grateful Dead jersey.
New Knight Monsters’ Coach Connor Jones meets fans at meet-and-greet on Friday, Aug. 14.Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Daily Tribune
To get to the Kelly Cup, Coach Jones says the Knight Monsters need a strong start to the season, winning games early. He said it’s also about keeping the players healthy and the roster set, although he explained that some roster movement is inevitable and requires having players who can step up when needed.
“I think that’s the most important thing,” he said, “is if we have a group of guys that really know their jobs and know what their identities are and roles on this team,” adding that it builds trust, comfort and ultimately makes work a lot of fun each day.
Coach Jones is looking forward to calling Tahoe home. “I mean, it’s got to be one of the best areas to have an ECHL team,” he said, describing Tahoe as a big place with a small community that wraps itself around the players, coaches and team.
The Knight Monsters’ first home game in the upcoming season takes place Friday, October 23, as they take on the New Mexico Goatheads at Tahoe Blue Event Center.
Fans at Friday’s meet and greet.Katelyn Welsh / Tahoe Daily Tribune
(The Center Square) – Billions of dollars of government spending over a decade have done nothing to stop homeownership from slipping out of reach for millions of Americans.
That’s especially true for California.
And that’s according to a report released Monday night, “Extreme Makeover: American Dream Edition?” The study by Open the Books, an organization that tracks government spending at the local, state and federal levels, examined public data from 2015 to 2024 to determine whether spending by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development helped bridge the gap between Americans’ wages and increasing home prices.
The conclusion? It did not.
In fact, despite receiving $81.4 billion from HUD during 2015-2024, California remains one of the least affordable states to live in the U.S., according to Open the Books. Besides California, Open the Books tracked states across the nation, including Colorado, where home prices doubled during those years. Meanwhile, Nevada faces an affordability gap, but household incomes have grown in Arizona.
Christopher Neefus of Open the Books said Californians are looking at the better part of two decades of savings to get themselves into the average home.
Home prices grew at a rate 27% faster than the median income, Neefus, vice president of communications at Open the Books, told The Center Square during a phone interview. He added that although California’s gap is among the lowest in the U.S., the figure is misleading because in 2015, the state was already seeing home prices exceeding the reach of the median income.
Home prices during 2015-2024 grew by more than 82% in the Golden State, Neefus said.
“Another factor to consider in California is that home prices started a lot higher and finished a lot higher than most of the country,” Neefus said.
The report also details California’s multi-layered financing rules, expensive construction costs and strict single-family zoning that leaves thousands of affordable units unbuilt. Construction costs average up to $570,000 per unit for affordable housing.
Across the border in Nevada, the Silver State had one of the top 10 affordability gaps in the country.
This is driven by pandemic-era relocation trends. Neefus said price hikes “could be partly attributed to COVID flight.”
“What we do see in Nevada’s case is that where taxpayers and potential homebuyers are heading, economic opportunity follows,” he told The Center Square. “The state is among the top 10 when it comes to income growth over that decade, suggesting new opportunity may start to help close the affordability gap.”
“You’re looking at 150% of median pre-tax income that you would need to put down on an average home in the state,” said Neefus. “If you were to set aside 10% of your pre-tax income every year, which not everyone can afford to do, you’re still looking at 15 years of working to save.”
As in California, local policies have made the economy difficult in parts of Nevada, Neefu said.
“Another piece of the puzzle in Nevada is it is home to a major tourist destination in Las Vegas,” said Neefus. He added that Clark County, where Las Vegas is located, has made it difficult to get approval for short-term rentals, which homeowners rely on to defray costs.
Neefus said the county’s bureaucracy is siding with hotel chains over homeowners.
The neighboring state of Arizona experienced an influx of Americans headed out of major cities during the COVID-19 era and had a high affordability gap. However, Neefus said the Grand Canyon state was also No. 2 in the nation for growth in median household income.
“That suggests the sort of economic dynamism that can be reparative in the future,” said Neefus.
Elsewhere, Colorado is a state that is closer to the middle of the pack, but one that still highlights the broader national reach of the U.S. housing crisis. For example, while Colorado’s 49-point affordability gap was modest compared to Idaho or Florida, home prices in the Centennial State still doubled over the 10-year period that Open the Books examined.
“In Colorado, if you keep setting aside 10% of that median income before taxes, it is a 17-year wait to put a strong down payment on an average home there,” said Neefus. “This is a politically moderate state for the most part, so this could be one of the bellwether states to watch over the next several years.”
To solve affordability problems, Open the Books said, officials at various levels should address local zoning restrictions, regulations on permits and inflationary federal spending.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – Vail Resorts has announced the opening dates for its three Tahoe mountains.
Heavenly and Northstar are set to open for the 2026/2027 ski and ride season on November 20. Kirkwood follows on December 4. All opening dates are condition-dependent.
Three mountains. Three ways to winter.
HEAVENLY | Views. Vibes.
A jaw-dropping Lake Tahoe backdrop paired with high-energy après events. Expect scenic skiing, signature events, DJ sets, and plenty of reasons to stay at the mountain after the lifts stop spinning.
NORTHSTAR | Traditions, elevated.
Pristine groomers, dreamy snow days, champagne Tōsts, S’mores, and a vibrant village. Family traditions that come back every winter, plus new ones waiting to be made.
KIRKWOOD | Steep and Deep.
From cradle to grave, Kirkwood is for the die hards. No frills, just pow days, challenging terrain, and a tight-knit mountain community.
The Forecast
Could this be a big one? A possible Super El Niño is putting this winter on the radar. No one can promise what the weather will deliver, but we’re watching closely. Your move, Mother Nature.
Lock in Winter
Lock in the lowest price of an Epic Pass this fall by September 7. Whether you’re planning a handful of ski days, weekend getaways or a season spent chasing every storm cycle, Epic Pass provides significant savings compared to lift ticket prices and helps guests make the most of winter.
The Fine Print
Opening dates are conditions dependent and subject to change. Check resort channels (Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood) for the latest updates.
RENO, Nev. – Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe is now accepting online applications for all open positions for the 2026-27 winter season. Part-time and full-time seasonal positions, including weekend and holiday work are available in departments including lift operations, snow tubing, ticket sales, parking, food service, ski and snowboard school, and more. Not all positions require candidates to ski or snowboard.
“We’re looking for people who want to work hard, have fun, and deliver high quality guest experiences all season long,” said Mike Pierce, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe marketing director. “Working in the ski industry and in a mountain environment like Mt. Rose offers incredible perks that go far beyond competitive wages. This is a fun work atmosphere that is likely to be one of the most fun jobs—or careers—anyone can have.”
Mt. Rose’s self-imposed average starting wage of $16 includes employees in nearly all departments. Most entry level positions earn $4 above the $12 per hour mandated minimum wage in Washoe County, Nevada.
Competitive wages are just one of the many perks offered to Mt. Rose employees. Being part of the Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe team also includes free skiing and snowboarding all season long for staff (full-time staff also receive a guest pass). Other staff perks include free lessons and equipment rentals, plus discounts on retail items and resort food outlets. These benefits add to the appeal of this local favorite resort and contribute to a like-minded team spirit that brings returning staff back year-after-year.
Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe offers one of the longest seasons in the region, and the most convenient access from Reno and North Lake Tahoe, with affordable lodging and carpool opportunities available to employees.
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Although most California drivers recognize the importance of posted speed limits, many refuse to follow them, according to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS). One in three drivers admit to ignoring speed limits because they believe no one follows them. The study highlights growing concern over rising, unsafe speeding behavior.
The study found many drivers considered driving 10 mph over the speed limit as routine driving behavior.54% of Californians surveyed said keeping up with traffic is safer than obeying limits (higher than the national rate (49%).) Some 35% classify themselves as “sometimes” speeders, compared to 30% nationwide. These attitudes carry deadly consequences, as speeding remains a factor in nearly 30% of traffic fatalities.
“The speed limit is there for everyone to get home safely,” said Todd Burger, AAA Mountain West Group Chief Automotive Officer. “We’re calling on every motorist to choose to drive the speed limit. It’s a life-saving decision that provides the space and time needed to react to the unexpected.”
Understanding California Driver Behavior
According to the study, drivers believe speeding saves time. Many also view it as necessary for various situations, including: To get around slow drivers (28%) To avoid holding up traffic (24%) To reach destinations faster (24%)
California drivers do slow down in specific scenarios, such as: Avoiding a speeding ticket (75%) Avoiding an accident (72%) Bad weather (55%) Protecting other road users (50%)
Overwhelming Public Support for Speed Countermeasures
California drivers expressed strong support for safety measures that encourage safer speeds and give drivers choices over those that physically force them to slow down:
Police Enforcement: 85% of California drivers support increased police presence in areas with a history or high potential for speed-related crashes.
Automated Speed Cameras: 74% support automated speed cameras in high-risk zones.
In-Vehicle Technology: Over half (54%) of California motorists support advisory Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) like dashboard alerts when exceeding limits. However, support drops sharply (22%) for technology that actively restricts speed without driver override.
Speed Bumps: Less than half (40%) support speed bumps in their own neighborhood.
AAA Shares Tips for Choosing a Safe Speed
The Posted Speed Limit is a benchmark for safety, representing the maximum speed, not the minimum speed you should drive.
Visibility: What you can see determines how much time you have to react.
Road & Weather Conditions can affect your ability to stop safely.
Space Around Your Vehicle: Leave yourself enough room to respond to the unexpected vs. letting traffic dictate your speed.
If you find yourself driving the speed limit while surrounding traffic speeds past: Stay in the rightmost lane and avoid driving in the passing lane. Maintain a steady, predictable speed. Increase your following distance and monitor approaching vehicles from behind.
Lake Tahoe has no shortage of complicated issues — housing, transportation, wildfire resilience, infrastructure and growth among them — and when it comes to understanding how those decisions are made at the county level, few people have a better perspective than Brooke Laine.
On this episode of Tahoe TAP, hosts Mike Peron and Rob Galloway sit down with Laine, the El Dorado County District 5 Supervisor, for a wide-ranging conversation about the issues affecting South Lake Tahoe and the surrounding communities.
Laine is a Tahoe local through and through. A graduate of South Tahoe High School and UC Santa Cruz, she has spent much of her career serving the community in one form or another — from owning a small business and working in banking to volunteering extensively and serving on the South Lake Tahoe City Council, including a stint as mayor.
Today, she represents one of the largest and most geographically diverse districts in El Dorado County, stretching from the Tahoe Basin and communities including Tahoma, Meeks Bay, Meyers and South Lake Tahoe all the way to Pollock Pines.
Her regional involvement extends well beyond county government. Laine has served on numerous organizations and boards dealing with some of Tahoe’s biggest challenges, including the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Tahoe Transportation District and California Tahoe Conservancy.
That experience gives her a unique view of how decisions made outside the basin can have a very real impact on the people who live here — and how local priorities can make their way into the larger regional conversation.
In this episode, Tahoe TAP takes listeners behind the scenes of county government and explores what’s happening across South Lake Tahoe from El Dorado County’s perspective. The conversation covers the region’s biggest challenges, the relationship between Tahoe and Placerville, and where Laine believes the community is headed next.
Tune in for an inside look at the county-level decisions shaping South Lake Tahoe — and a conversation with one of Tahoe’s longtime local leaders who has spent much of her life trying to make this mountain community work.
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The South Lake Tahoe Police Department and the BEAR League responded to reports of a bear cub that had been hit and killed by a vehicle before noon on Monday, Aug. 17, in the Tahoe Keys area.
The mother bear just after her cub was killed on the road in the Tahoe Keys on Monday, Aug. 17.Provided / BEAR League
The police department responded to ensure there were no public safety issues since the mother bear was still in the area. BEAR League arrived and ran the mother bear up a tree, where she remained, while the BEAR League removed the cub’s body and neutralized its scent so the mother bear wouldn’t linger.
The BEAR League says this was the bear’s only cub, born this winter.
“It was upsetting to the residents who watched it,” Ann Bryant with the BEAR League said.
The BEAR League also responded to a cub that was hit and killed on Thursday, making this the second cub killed in under a week.
Bryant says this is the time of year when more of these incidents occur. The BEAR League expects them to continue, especially as September arrives and into October, explaining that the bears become much more active foraging in preparation for the winter.
“When you get on into October and November, they’re foraging for 20 hours a day instead of six or seven,” she says, “so they’re crossing roadways.”
Bryant encourages drivers to remain vigilant while driving.
“Keep in mind that we live in bear country,” she says. “We live in wildlife habitat and be watching all the time.”
GigaBite Robotics won the first place Inspire Award at FIRST Tech Challenge Canada Premiere Event.Provided / Monique LeMay
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – GigaBite, a high school-level FIRST Tech Challenge local community team, has just won the first place Inspire Award while competing internationally. The event hosted 48 robotics teams from 10 countries, marking a new level of achievement for the Nevada team after they recently won the Nevada State Championship Inspire Award.
Two of the team’s leading members, Connor Habicht, 17, and Arya Saini, 18, have been part of GigaBite since the team’s inception in 2021.
The FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge robotics program consists of students in grades 7-12, who design, build and program a reusable robot to compete in a head-to-head challenge.
“It initially started in my garage, and there were maybe six of us,” said Habicht. “We didn’t really know what we were doing and there was no instruction manual or anything. We just, sort of, get the challenge and have to go from there.”
Fast forward six years and the team has nearly doubled in size and has garnered valuable knowledge and experience.
Each year, the theme for the challenge varies, and while last year’s theme focused on ocean exploration with their Into the Deep challenge, this year, it was centered around archaeological discovery and pattern recognition.
Guided by coaches and mentors, the teams are not only focused on the robotics aspect. Raising funds, marketing their brand and participating in community outreach is a vital part of the FIRST Tech Challenge.
For four seasons, GigaBite has been giving robot demos and teaching STEM and robotics at Lake Tahoe Community College and the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe. They also started two LEGO robotics teams for children in grades K-8. Over the past two summers, seven of GigaBite’s members worked as STEM interns at summer camps. One team member even interned at Eco-Clean Solutions, operating BEBOT, a solar-and battery-powered, sand-sifting robot to clean up Lake Tahoe beaches.
To win the Inspire Award, a team has to be a well-rounded, top contender in a number of the other awards in the FIRST Tech Challenge, including the FIRST Leadership Award, Think Award, Connect Award, Design Award, Reach Award, Sustain Award, Control Award, and more, making GigaBite a worthy candidate.
This year was Habicht and Saini’s final season with GigaBite as both have just graduated high school and are heading off to college. Habicht will be attending Northeastern University to study mechanical engineering. Saini is going to Columbia University where she will major in neuroscience and behavior through the medical research route.
“I think Connor would agree with me when I say, this was definitely the perfect way to end our first robotics career. It really was the cherry on top, not only to win the Inspire Award at State, and then get the privilege of competing at an international level, but actually winning the Inspire Award at an international level was pretty unbelievable,” said Saini.
Coaches Jobe Pilgrim and Monique LeMay couldn’t be more proud of the GigaBite team who have been working hard for five years to earn the top prize.
“Their dedication, countless hours of designing, building, coding, practicing, fundraising, and supporting one another have led to this amazing achievement. They have represented our team, our community, and themselves with professionalism, kindness, and determination every step of the way,” LeMay said.
“It seems like everybody who has come out of the program is doing great,” Pilgrim added. “We’ve only had four other kids graduate last year and everybody’s gone into STEM and doing great in college. I’m looking forward to seeing more and more of our alumni building up and doing great things.”
The GigaBite Robotics team’s mission is to create a pathway for STEM in the community through workshops, outreach, and youth engagement.Provided / Monique LeMay
We begin our exploration of the celestial energies with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. This beloved annual occurrence, active until Aug. 24, is a beautiful invitation to spend an evening beneath the cosmos. As shooting stars streak across the night sky, connect in your heart with all the other human beings making wishes at the same time.
Astrologically, we arrive at the midpoint of summer with an abundance of fire energy as Mercury, Jupiter, the sun, and south node all transit in Leo. On Aug 15, Mercury conjoins Jupiter in this heart-centered sign, creating opportunity for expansive, truthful, and courageous expression.
Energies may turn wonky on Aug. 17 as Mars in Cancer squares Neptune retrograde in Aries. Mars, the planet of action and forward movement, generally feels uncomfortable in Cancer’s nurturing waters, and Neptune can dissolve certainty and blur the path ahead. Fortunately, Venus in her home sign of Libra sextiles Jupiter that day, bringing grace, open-mindedness, and support for peaceful resolutions.
On Aug. 22 the sun conjoins the south node in Leo before moving into Mercury–ruled Virgo the following day. Mercury follows suit, joining first the south node on Aug. 25 before meeting the sun in Virgo for a cazami on Aug. 27. Together, these alignments encourage the release of old identities and outdated stories, allowing more authentic patterns to emerge. We also experience a full moon lunar eclipse in Pisces the same day.
Jupiter trines Saturn retrograde in Aries on Aug. 31, bringing optimism to the work of structure and discipline. However, that supportive energy shifts quickly as Mars squares Saturn on Sept.1. Allow this transit to reveal habits, fears, and reactions that are ready to be transformed, remembering that impatience rarely produces lasting results.
NATURAL MAGIC
To support healing, create an ancestral water-and-fire offering for the Mars-Saturn square. In a safe outside place, light an orange or red candle; fill a bowl with spring water; add rosemary, rose petals, and cedar fronds. Then sit quietly and ask: What ancestral patterns around action, anger, protection, and survival am I ready to complete?
Feel what arises, and write three patterns onto separate pieces of paper. Burn one piece and place its ashes into the bowl. Place a second, unburned, into the bowl among the plant beings. Place the third beneath the bowl of water. Blow out your candle and leave the ritual outside overnight. In the morning, offer the water, ashes, plants, and paper to your garden or compost as a prayer to the earth and to all those that came before you. Trust in the magic of healing
It started on July 3 in my Carnelian Bay neighborhood. Eighty-five percent of the houses are short-term vacation rentals and second homes, which are normally filled up with families on the Fourth of July holiday.
But this Independence Day was the first of its kind. Because not only was it a major milestone celebrating the birth of America, but the influx of visitors flooding the streets weren’t families — it was a teen/college kids takeover.
Suddenly every house in my neighborhood was full of sorority and frat-house-like renters, drinking out of red solo cups and playing cornhole in the streets. And then the crowds kept growing.
By July 4 at 1 p.m., every beach in North Lake Tahoe was packed with an overwhelming number of young people roughly the same age. Most of the girls were dressed in thong bikinis and many guys were in American flag board shorts, no shirts.
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office shut down Tahoe City’s Skylandia and Bristlecone beaches by 4 p.m. due to underage drinking, significant traffic impacts, and widespread littering. More than a dozen California State Parks enforcement officers broke up the crowds in Kings Beach.
“We’ve caught multiple kids peeing on our fences and just tossing trash in the streets,” Kings Beach resident Amber Kramer posted to Facebook.
By the time the fireworks started, my neighborhood was eerily silent, all the houses abruptly abandoned by 11 p.m. By the next morning, everyone had vanished.
“It was like spring break around here … in the 20-plus years of living here, I’ve never seen anything like it,” my neighbor said on that (relatively) quiet morning of July 5.
I heard in the following days that San Francisco Bay Area high school and college students organized this. Parents rented the VRBOs and Airbnbs for their kids. Tik-Tok posts went viral weeks before the takeover.
Although the scene didn’t get out of control like the shooting that took place in Florida, large, random gatherings like this can pose a public safety threat.
Kings Beach business owners commented online that the crowds did not contribute to the downtown economy — no one went into the restaurants despite hordes of people hanging out in front of the Taco Bell at 10 p.m. that evening.
“Yes, it was bad for business, and yes, the streets and sidewalks are covered in trash and vomit. Definitely not fun,” a local Kings Beach business owner posted to Facebook.
Shortly after the busy weekend, a petition went out asking Placer County to publicly address what happened this Fourth of July. A few days later, Placer County District 5 Supervisor Cindy Gustafson released a statement saying she was planning a meeting with agency representatives to talk about it.
I feel like this is a weak response.
Right now, neither the rental agencies nor homeowners are taking responsibility for these issues, so Placer County needs to implement penalties big enough to make owners think twice about who they are renting to or what their properties are being used for.
There are a lot of parking, noise, and trash issues that full-time North Tahoe residents deal with all summer from their short-term neighbors, and I have never seen or heard of an instance when rules have been enforced or penalties imposed. Placer County does have a 24/7 short-term rental hotline number neighbors can call to address complaints, but in many cases the vacationers are just given a slap on the wrist or a warning, and a new crop of visitors comes the following weekend. I’ve never heard of an STR getting shut down.
Considering we’re nearing the end of summer, I think Placer County should publish a statement this fall that contains: 1) an analysis of what happened this Fourth of July; 2) a plan emphasizing how parking/trash/noise regulations will start being heavily enforced beginning June 1, 2027; and 3) share a report of how many complaints were recorded and how they were addressed in the summer of 2026.
If this is a problem that affects you, too, sign the petition. Write Cindy Gustafson. And Placer County, please take residents’ complaints seriously and do something about them.
~ Kayla Anderson is a freelance writer and coauthor of Moon Travel Guides’ Best of California State Parks and Northern California Road Trips. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from CSU, Chico, and has been a North Lake Tahoe resident for the past 20 years.
Every summer, Lake Tahoe’s transportation challenges become impossible to ignore. Gridlocked roads, full parking lots, and unsafe parking along busy highways are the visible signs of a problem that dozens of agencies have spent decades trying to solve.
Gavin Feiger, policy director for Keep Tahoe Blue, put it like this:
“Transportation in Tahoe has been one of the largest contributors to clarity decline. It has one of the biggest impacts on the environment and on our day-to-day lives. It’s a huge issue that we haven’t been able to crack as a region yet. We’re tackling aquatic invasive species. We’re doing restoration projects. Development is getting more sustainable and it’s limited. Growth is capped. We’ve done all these things, but we just haven’t worked out transportation yet.”
Part of that, he explained, is the cost. Transportation systems not only include creating bike lanes and trails and shuttles, but also “everything under the street.”
MILE AFTER MILE: Nevada’s state Route 28, which runs from the California state line in Crystal Bay following Lake Tahoe to halfway down its East Shore, sees 2.6 million vehicles annually and over one million recreational visitors.
The Lake Tahoe Regional Transportation Plan, developed by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and intended to address water and air quality, scenic and recreation sources, noise levels, and more through a Basin-wide system, puts the total unfunded priorities of the plan at $20 million annually for the next 20 years. Some say that number is on the low end.
“There’s not one big thing that can solve it,” Feiger said. “It’s not like we can go to Sen. [Alex] Padilla and be like, we need the Sen. Padilla Tahoe Transportation Bill, and build a giant bridge, and name it after him. We need $20 million a year for transit operations that will be spread amongst five different agencies. That’s a hard act.”
While a Basin-wide transportation solution remains years away, local agencies are making progress on one piece of the puzzle: parking. This summer, several projects aim to improve access and safety while reducing congestion at some of Tahoe’s busiest destinations.
We touch on the efforts, as well as significant snags, below.
rAguably the most critical player when it comes to all things transportation in Tahoe is the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD). When the Tahoe Regional Planning Compact, which unites California, Nevada, and the U.S. government to manage the shared region, was amended in 1980, it established the TTD.
“That does put us in a pretty unique position because our jurisdiction is the Basin,” said Tara Styer, deputy director for TTD. “We’re able to leverage funding across state lines, and then we’re also able to implement those projects that are across jurisdictions … It takes a bit for everyone to be rowing in the same direction, but having that governing document really helps to have something to point back to.”
In July 2020, TTD began its Park Tahoe program, intended to aid what many see as a long-needed holistic and equitable approach to parking management in the Tahoe Basin. The first area of interest for the program: state Route 28, the famous two-lane highway along the Nevada side of the lake.
LOT FULL: A lack of enforcement capacity along state Route 28 has led to people parking in paid lots as well as continuing to park along the shoulder of the two-lane highway, even in no parking zones.
Park Tahoe was launched the same day as the Tahoe East Shore Trailhead, north of Ponderosa Ranch Road in Incline Village, which offers 90 metered parking spots away from — and this is critical — the shoulder of SR 28. This first lot was Phase 1 of the North Parking Project. Phase 2 is actively underway, with the relocation of 38 shoulder-parked vehicles to an official lot.
Parking along the shoulder of SR 28 is a very popular approach for those looking to visit various beaches. Numbers have doubled in the last 15 years. It’s also, as Styer said, a huge safety risk.
“The last shoulder counts we did in 2024, we looked at a midweek day, and we looked at two Saturdays, usually late July, early August,” Styer said. “We had 970 shoulder-parked vehicles on a summer Saturday in August.” With an average of three people per vehicle, plus bikes, this can mean over 3,000 people on a summer day using the state highway like a sidewalk or parking lot.
Shoulder parking is the leading cause of crashes on SR 28. From an environmental perspective, shoulder parking increases erosion along highway embankments and into Lake Tahoe.
The day-use reservation system at Sand Harbor State Park, implemented August 2024, is an attempt to reduce congestion by limiting the number of vehicles trying to enter the park during peak morning hours. From mid-May through September, visitors must make a reservation if they want to enter the park between 8 and 10:30 a.m. After that, remaining spots are available on a first come, first served basis. “Out of the 400 reservable spots, we are still able to let in 20 to 50 vehicles,” wrote Tyler Kerver of the Nevada Division of State Parks in an email, noting that the number varies with weather, holidays, and the day of the week. “The gates to the main parking lot are usually closed by 11 a.m. June through August.”
Progress is piecemeal, and people are still parking their cars along SR 28, shifting locations as signs marking no-parking zones go up. “As we implement these projects throughout the corridor, it’s sort of a whack-a-mole effect,” Styer said. “Anything south of Secret Harbor is still technically not no parking. Although it’s not safe and a lot of people are parking over the fog line [the white stripe along the outside of a paved road].”
A significant parking lot option became available this June: The Chimney Beach Trailhead, which offers about 130 spaces, each for $12 a day. The site improvements include a pedestrian crosswalk across SR 28. In order to open up, a permit granted by the TRPA to the U.S. Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), required, “The no parking zone on SR-28 shall be extended around Chimney Beach Parking lot prior to the new parking lot being open to the public. The area of no parking shall be consistent with the area identified in the project [environmental assessment]. LTBMU shall coordinate with partners who are responsible for enforcing no parking along the corridor.”
CHIMNEY BEACH: The new parking lot on U.S. Forest Service land offers about 130 spots, each for $12 a day. According to the Tahoe Transportation District, the lot fills up on weekends, but not as much during weekdays (while shoulder parking on state Route 28 stays consistent).
Basically, TRPA was asserting that roughly 130 shoulder parking spots along the highway south of Sand Harbor could be blocked off with no-parking signs, since those cars now have a place to park.
That’s what was supposed to happen.
“The signs went up, there’s [a memorandum of understanding] in place [but] nobody has capacity to do the enforcement,” Feiger said. This has lead to cars not only parking at Chimney Beach, but also, on high-demand days, still parking along the shoulder, despite signage.
However, TRPA Public Information Officer Jeff Cowen says “the new no-parking zone along the Chimney Beach section of the corridor is largely working. NHP has been ticketing. Our [Environmental Improvement Program] manager drove through the corridor [on Wednesday, Aug. 5], and there were a number of cars parked in the corridor, but none in the new no-parking zone.
“There have been issues on very busy days, including the Fourth of July, and times when law enforcement resources are spread out.”
Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP) confirmed with Moonshine its staffing is stretched thin. “We’re doing saturation patrols as necessary, focusing on weekends and holidays, trying to get extra staff up there to deal with parking issues,” said Trooper James LaRose, public information officer for NHP.
From January to June 3, 2025, NHP investigated 25 crashes and issued 26 traffic citations and eight parking citations.
The same timeframe for 2026 saw 19 crashes, 34 traffic citations, and 29 parking citations.
“You’d think it would be common sense that people can’t park in the travel lane or block traffic,” LaRose said. “Apparently it’s not and we end up with a lot of people with part of their car still in the travel lane.”
“It’s not like we can go to Sen. Padilla and be like, we need the Sen. Padilla Tahoe Transportation Bill, and build a giant bridge, and name it after him. We need $20 million a year for transit operations that will be spread amongst five different agencies. That’s a hard act.”
~ Gavin Feiger, policy director for Keep Tahoe Blue
He added that officers will drive through using a PA system, letting drivers know they can’t be parked in the travel lane, can’t have their vehicles protrude — “even the mirror over the line” — and asking them to move their vehicles. After the announcement, they’ll come and issue citations.
“If it’s too egregious, we’ll call for a tow truck,” he added.
“We’re very frustrated,” Feiger said of the situation. “And it’s the same permit conditions and the same process for the Spooner lot [which will provide 250 spots and is expected to come online fall 2027]. It’s going to be the same one for the Secret Harbor lot [which is facing a $13-million funding gap for the 120 spots], like all of them. This has to be successful.”
Legislation recently passed in Nevada and a companion bill on the California side could help with this hurdle.
Nevada’s SB 426, passed June 2025, created the Lake Tahoe Basin Scenic Byway Corridor Recreation Safety Zone, spanning Nevada highways and state routes in the Tahoe region, to establish traffic control and parking measures, as well as the development of parking enforcement and citation issuance between the TTD and law enforcement agencies.
The transportation district’s Styer said that while the legislation is in effect, operationalization will take time. She did say the district is in communication with NHP over how the two agencies can coordinate. “We don’t necessarily want to staff someone who’s on the corridor writing tickets. We’d rather leave that in law enforcement’s capable hands … [and possibly do something] similar to the approach that has been taken in Emerald Bay where agencies are funding overtime for CHP.”
TTD’s projects are primarily federally and state-funded, as well as locally, largely from the Tahoe Fund. The money collected through parking meters (aside from a percentage that goes to USFS from parking on federal land) go back into local coffers.
SAND HARBOR is a premier destination for those visiting or living in the Tahoe Basin. To help reduce congestion on state Route 28, the state park instituted a reservation system in 2024, to run from mid-May through September, for entry between 8 and 10:30 a.m. Traffic backs up during those hours, as seen in the bottom photo, and the parking lot is usually closed by 11 a.m.
California’s AB 2679, meanwhile, went before the Senate Committee on Appropriations on Aug. 3 and was placed in a suspense file, to be reviewed in detail for its potential fiscal impact. The bill proposes the Tahoe Transportation Safety Act, which would effectively mimic the Nevada bill by, in part, authorizing TTD to address unsafe parking and pedestrian movement in the Basin.
Raising the price of fines for illegal parking is a more recent solution implemented because up until recently, they simply haven’t been a successful deterrent.
“We’ve been out there doing surveys, doing enforcement with highway patrol, and they’ll tow a car and another car will pull right in,” Feiger said. “The highway patrol person will be like, ‘Did you just see that [the other car got a ticket]?’ And they’re like, ‘How much is the ticket?’ ‘Hundred bucks.’ They’re like, ‘Oh, okay. Fine.’”
El Dorado County in June increased penalties for illegal parking along state highways from $50 to $300 per occurrence. On the Nevada side, the max fine for parking in a no-parking zone is $305, while parking over the fog line incurs a $538 fine.
In South Lake, a new vision is unfolding for what the Tahoe Basin could become as parking management expands: Keep Tahoe Blue’s Car-Free, Care-Free Tahoe, which kicked off this past June. The concept imagines a future where someone can park their car and use interconnected transit options (buses, shuttles, bike paths, scooters, etc.) to reach any destination around Tahoe.
“It was designed to kind of encapsulate all of our transportation efforts,” Feiger said, pointing to ongoing advocating for funding, providing input on the regional transportation plan, getting legislation passed, and so on. And not only the work Keep Tahoe Blue is doing, but also its partners’ work.
A key example is the Emerald Bay Shuttle, run by TTD and piloted last summer through funding from Keep Tahoe Blue and the Tahoe Fund to reduce congestion and pollution, and provide alternative parking options in one of the most visited spots around the lake. Along with the shuttle implementation, which started its 2026 season in late June for $5 one way (reduced fare options available), TTD is installing about 400 feet of temporary barriers along the shoulder. California Highway Patrol promises strict enforcement of parking regulations. Last summer, enforcement wrote 248 citations, issued 13 moving violations, and had 10 vehicles towed.
There has been a lot of good feedback, Styer said about the shuttle, and the partnerships have produced momentum. Beyond that, groups are addressing operational hiccups. “We do not have a formalized crosswalk in Emerald Bay,” she continued. “I think that could be really beneficial. And the speed limit through there is still pretty high, so, you know, those types of things — working with Caltrans.”
Other programs falling under the Car Free, Care Free Tahoe umbrella: the South Shore Transportation Management Association and its 30 different funders (including many local businesses) that helped launch microtransit shuttle Lake Link in 2022. Or Heavenly Ski Resort, which increased its shuttle service in 2024.
“We see this as a way for us to really share that it’s better,” Feiger said. “We have options now. It wasn’t this way for a lot of years, but it’s getting so much better now. And the biggest thing is people need to just get out there and get on the paths, ride the buses. That’s the best thing you can do to support this, so that’s what we’re trying to make happen.”
While this is a vision that will ideally spread around the lake in terms of transit connection, he added that South Shore is the closest to achieving such a goal in Tahoe.
On the North Shore, Placer County is focused on expanding its paid parking program in Kings Beach. Starting May 1, the West End and Rainbow lots began charging vehicles $10 per day, with a $20 holiday rate, through September. These two lots joined the Christmas Tree and Brook Avenue locations, which saw fee increases to a daily rate of $20, with a holiday rate of $40.
Local businesses initially pushed the program to take off in summer 2024 with the Christmas Tree lot pilot program, increasing parking turnover a major goal.
STATE HIGHWAY OR PARKING LOT: In 2024, an estimated 970 cars a day parked on the SR 28 shoulder on a Saturday in August, a huge safety risk and environmental detriment. Tahoe agencies are trying to fix that and more when it comes to parking around the Basin.
“I think one of the frustrations our business owners had in certain areas was that people would park and go to the beach all day, and then there wouldn’t be room for their patrons to come in and access their businesses,” said Placer County Supervisor Cindy Gustafson. “So, the paid parking does help modify behavior and hopefully help people make the decision to be somewhat inconvenient to either walk or ride a bike or call a micro mass transit bus.”
During the first full year of the paid parking program’s pilot, 2025, 595 citations were issued, bringing in roughly $42,000 in revenue, and $43,000 in paid lot fees. Yet expenditures far outweighed the intake: staff cost about $175,000, and contracts $65,000.
“We want it to become self-sustaining,” Gustafson said, “and so we need more in the paid parking program to make it self-sustained. But we have issued a lot of citations. I think over 300 citations, and over 200 warnings [since May 1].”
Such a program for Tahoe City is undergoing staff discussion and community outreach.
Not everyone believes adding parking is the right solution. While agencies are implementing new restrictions and adding infrastructure in the name of safety and environmental protection, some residents argue the Basin has already reached its limits. Steve Dolan, who lived in Incline Village for 23 years and founded the Friends of Third Creek nonprofit, which monitors North Shore watersheds, sees the addition of parking lots and continued development — even with strict codes — as adding to an area that’s already at capacity.
“There’s a limit to what this beautiful emerald of the Sierra can accommodate,” he told Moonshine. “There’s just a limit.”
Dolan wants a moratorium placed in the Basin to stall rapid growth — which, according to TRPA, already boasts 15 million visitors annually and a $5-billion economy.
“At any given time, the number of people that can stay in the parks, camping, in houses as guests, in hotels that exist, and in hotels that are being built, and in developments that are being developed already to this day, that’s too many people,” he said. “We need to stop that now and adjust to it.”
There are also those — especially locals — who find themselves having to pay for parking where it used to be free and are frustrated by that. Styer has heard as much, and said she understands the parking changes aren’t welcomed by everyone.
“I know that it’s a transition,” she said. “It’s a transition for me as well. But the parking revenues are returned to the operations and maintenance within the corridor, and I think that that’s really key. We’re looking at a corridor that didn’t have, in my opinion, adequate facilities. Just adding restrooms along the corridor has been really critical. Allowing Waste Management, having those parking ambassadors at Secret and Chimney this summer to help manage the trash. I think that all of those are huge benefits.”
“There’s a limit to what this beautiful emerald of the Sierra can accommodate. There’s just a limit.”
~ Steve Dolan, former Incline Village resident and
founder of Friends of Third Creek nonprofit
Feiger emphasized the environmental benefits, saying that limiting parking is one of the most effective ways to shift driving behavior by encouraging carpooling or transit use or maybe deciding not to take a trip at all.
“One of the cool things about Tahoe is that all of our locals, all of our residents and our visitors — we’re all going to and from the same places,” he said. “So, a system that works for visitors will also work for our residents. If we can get more visitors out of their cars, it makes it easier for our employees to get around who maybe have to use their cars.”
Gustafson points to being prepared within reason for a future that could see increased visitation: “I think with climate change, we have to be prepared that as temperatures get hotter, the evidence is here: More people come to recreate in the High Sierra. Some of that’s Lake Tahoe, some of it is rivers and streams … My job is to make sure we’re looking ahead and trying to prepare for that and find solutions that can help us live together more amicably. We don’t have the infrastructure for the millions of more Californians and Nevadans there are within drive-up range, and I don’t know that we should pave paradise for that.”
A new facility called Peak Women’s Care is opening in the former Gateway Urgent Care building on Donner Pass Road in Truckee, which says it offers free-of-charge services for people facing an unplanned pregnancy, including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and what it calls an “options consultation.” The facility has the appearance of a women’s health center, but the reality is it’s more a faith-based resource center than a medical clinic.
Peak Women’s Care also operates a center in Portola, an hour north of Truckee, which opened in November 2024. Its Truckee location is slated to open by the end of this summer, pending an occupancy permit from Nevada County.
“Our goal is to service people from Lake Almanor to North Lake Tahoe, so that’s why we’re growing with a location in Truckee,” Mollie Williams, executive director of Peak Women’s Care, told Moonshine Ink. “We’re often servicing people who are traveling from far away, so we want to try to meet them where they’re at.”
As Peak Women’s Care prepares to open its Truckee doors, residents facing an unplanned pregnancy will soon have another place to turn — though what they’ll find there, and whether it constitutes healthcare, remains at the center of a broader national debate.
In publicly available tax documents, Peak’s mission is stated as this: “To provide free religious instruction and information to members of the public who are pregnant, considering pregnancy, or who are partners of pregnant women.” The document further adds that the center “walks with those facing unplanned or unsupported pregnancies by providing medical, material, and spiritual resources, all centered in Christ while upholding the sanctity of all human life.”
Peak seems to fall under a category known as crisis pregnancy centers. A CPC is a nonprofit organization, regularly affiliated with religious education, that presents itself as a women’s healthcare clinic. In 2022, the California Attorney General issued a consumer alert, stating: “While crisis pregnancy centers may claim to offer comprehensive reproductive healthcare services, their mission is to discourage people from accessing abortion care.”
CPCs have been around since the late 1960s and currently, there are an estimated 2,600 in the U.S., with more continuing to open. (That’s roughly three times the number of abortion clinics in this country.) Most CPCs are associated with national pro-life organizations such as Birthright International, the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, Care Net, or Heartbeat International.
Peak Women’s Care is licensed as a community clinic in California. A licensed physician, Dr. Alexandra Hunt, serves as its medical director. The clinic is permitted to perform basic pregnancy tests and ultrasounds but not further medical procedures. It does not offer services like prenatal care, testing for sexually transmitted infections, or birth control options, or abortions. It has staff who are trained to perform ultrasounds, according to Williams, but many of the staff are volunteers without medical licenses. The center also provides free online parenting classes and no-charge maternity and baby supplies, like diapers, clothing, and car seats.
The president of the board of directors of Peak Women’s Care is Betsy Taylor, who’s married to Dr. Peter Taylor, a longtime OB-GYN at Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee. Peter Taylor is not currently working as a doctor at Peak Women’s Care, but Williams did confirm that he has been providing what she called “backup ultrasound interpretations.” Williams said Dr. Taylor will provide those services for the new Truckee location as well. Dr. Taylor could not be reached for comment.
Betsy Taylor declined to be interviewed, but in a letter to Sierra Bible Church’s congregation, she wrote that Peak Women’s Care is a “Christ-centered nonprofit” that’s been “making a powerful impact in our region.” Her letter asked for help with tenant improvements like drywall and electrical and added that “Peak is also looking for people to serve as volunteer patient advocates and nurses.” Her letter added that Care Net training will be provided to volunteers. Care Net is a pro-life ministry that offers training to staff at pregnancy centers such as this one.
The former Gateway Urgent Care building, a 1,300-square-foot A-frame at 11105 Donner Pass Rd., was recently purchased by Tim and Rebekah Ruppert, who attend Sierra Bible Church. The Rupperts are renting the building to Peak Women’s Care. Its location near Tahoe Forest Hospital places the nonprofit in an area where many patients in this community seek healthcare.
“Most people don’t know what crisis pregnancy centers are. They give the appearance that they’re just trying to help pregnant women, and who doesn’t want to help a pregnant woman?” said Andrea Swartzendruber, an associate professor in the College of Public Health at the University of Georgia. Swartzendruber helps run
an online CPC map.
“It can be hard to tell if what you’re looking at is a CPC. They’re deceptive in a lot of ways by calling themselves medical facilities or clinics or giving the impression that they’re unbiased,” Swartzendruber said. “CPCs tend to target young people, people of color, and those with low incomes who don’t have easy access to healthcare. They often give inaccurate health information or use a limited medical ultrasound as a tactic to try to convince people not to get an abortion.”
Dr. Jessica Hamilton, a local physician at the Western Sierra Medical Clinic in Kings Beach and a former medical director at Planned Parenthood, has treated women who’ve recently visited a crisis pregnancy center. “Typically, a patient will come in and say, ‘I went to a clinic around the corner, and I got an ultrasound that told me I was 15 weeks pregnant,’” Hamilton said. “But then I’ll check how far along they are by ultrasound and what they were told previously isn’t accurate. It’s clear people with minimal training are making errors.”
Abortion services often have cut-offs based on how far along a pregnancy is because of institutional policies, medical regulations (medication abortions are often only available to 11 weeks gestation), or a patient’s medical history. Delaying a decision can mean a person has fewer choices. “A misguided visit — especially by someone who lives in a rural area — could drastically affect one’s ability to choose, as options may disappear as they progress in gestational duration,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton is in the process of trying to open a medical clinic in North Lake Tahoe, called Alpine Medicine, that would offer comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including abortion services. Currently, elective abortions aren’t available in the Truckee/North Tahoe area. Tahoe Forest Hospital does not perform them; instead, it’ll refer patients to Planned Parenthood in Reno, Roseville, or Sacramento. “Patients deserve factual information and a full range of options in a timely manner. I would encourage anyone visiting a crisis pregnancy center to understand what it is, ask for licensing, and bring records of your visit, including your ultrasound, to a licensed medical professional,” said Hamilton, who also recommended calling or texting the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline, (833) 246-2632, for anyone needing information.
Funding for Peak Women’s Care comes from hundreds of individual donors and some grant funding. Contributions and grants for the organization in 2025 totaled $355,927, according to tax documents.
Julie Halvorsen is a Tahoe City resident and mother of six children who’s regularly supported Peak Women’s Care through financial donations. “I support women and I’m coming from a place of wanting to do the right thing. A woman making any decision regarding her pregnancy should be given grace, love, support, and understanding without judgment or challenge,” Halvorsen said. “I understand there are women who may not want a pregnancy or are not prepared or supported for one. This mother deserves all the same support. My hopeful confidence is that Peak Women’s Care is going to do everything they can to bring that child into the world.”
Swartzendruber warns that since CPCs aren’t subject to HIPAA laws, they aren’t required to keep patient information secure. However, Williams at Peak Women’s Care said they are committed to patient confidentiality.
“We do not refer or provide abortions, but we are a safe place where people can talk through all of their options,” Williams said. “We never force anything on anyone or give out information people don’t ask for. We want to support holistically, but it’s all permission-based.”
~ Megan Michelson is a freelance journalist who lives in Tahoe City.
