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|
photo by
B. Lehnhardt |
|
Lake Tahoe |
A Lake Tahoe
pajama party
By Beverly
Lehnhardt
| Sedona.biz
Sedona, AZ - It was just what the doctor ordered… a brief
mini-vacation away from the Sedona-Verde Valley with some girlfriends
to South Lake Tahoe, California. We eagerly anticipated a 4-day
pajama party and flirted with the idea of showing up at the airport
in our bathrobes. Deciding that airport security might not have the
sense of humor needed to pull this off, we opted instead for casual
comfort and saved the pj’s for later.
Since we were arriving from three different
directions, we flew into the Reno, Nevada, airport within 4 hours of
each other, stowed our luggage in a rented SUV, and headed for
Tahoe.
Laughing and relaxing, we shared stories,
personal anecdotes that underlined our reasons for needing this
trip, and voiced our appreciation at finally being able to ‘get away
from it all.’ Husbands, children, dogs, cats, and employees would
just have to survive without us for a few days.
We stocked up on groceries at Trader Joe’s in Carson City and
arrived at our timeshare about 9:30p.m. Exhausted from traveling, we
changed into the aforementioned pj’s and popped a ‘chick-flick’ into
the DVD player. A glass of wine, good company, light entertainment,
and we could feel the stress of everyday life beginning to drain
away…
|
photo by
B.Lenhnhardt |
|
Pine trees from our balcony. |
In the morning, we were nearly speechless at the breathtaking view
from our balcony. Miles of pine trees paraded up and over the
mountain, meeting clear blue sky at the horizon; occasional peaked
chalet roofs poked out of the alpine forest like forgotten party
hats on a green tablecloth. Perfect weather beckoned us outdoors so
after breakfast we piled into the SUV and made our way into town,
then beyond that to Lake Tahoe itself. From the beach, blue water
extended into the hazy distance where mountains of various heights
ringed the entire basin.
Lake Tahoe is a
freshwater lake that lies in the Sierra
Mountains between California and Nevada,
west of Carson City, Nevada. It is a
popular ski resort and tourist destination.
It is the third deepest lake in North America (the tenth
deepest in the world) with a maximum depth of 1,636 feet. It is 22
miles long and 12 miles wide with 72 miles of shore line. At 6,225
feet above sea level, it’s the highest lake of its size in the
United States.
Sixty-three streams flow into the lake but only
the Truckee River flows out—past Reno and into Pyramid Lake. During
drought conditions, the level of Lake Tahoe can drop below the rim
of its natural outlet and no water then flows into the Truckee
River. Unlike most bodies of water in North America, Tahoe’s
water never flows into the ocean.
A lake of this size and incredible beauty offers many summertime
water sport and lakeside attractions including boat cruises and
tours, parasailing, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain
biking, camping, and picnicking. It also offers scuba diving but the
high altitude, extreme depth, and coldness of the water deters many
would-be divers.
|
photo by
B.Lenhnhardt |
|
Woodwind Cruises
catamaran tour on Lake Tahoe. |
We booked an afternoon boat tour of Emerald Bay
located on the southwest corner of Lake
Tahoe with
Woodwind Cruises. At 1:30pm, a group of us boarded a lovely catamaran
and set out across the lake. The water was calm, the sun warm on our
faces, and the captain and first mate were very knowledgeable,
answering questions and filling us in on facts, figures, and Tahoe
history. We learned that the water in the lake is 99.7% pure and is
known for its clarity—it is so clear, in fact, that in some places a
white dinner plate can be seen at a depth of 75 feet. It is also
very cold, ranging from 41 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the
depth and the season. At 600 feet below the surface the temperature
remains a constant 39 degrees, however, the lake never freezes
because the water is always in motion. The mixing motion prevents
the lake from freezing although some protected inlets have acquired
a layer of ice during cold winter months.
In 1928, Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight, a
wealthy widow of English descent, purchased 239 acres of land,
including Emerald Bay, for a mere $250,000; today, that amount would
buy approximately two feet of shoreline!
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File photo |
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Vikingsholm |
Mrs. Knight decided to build her summer home, “Vikingsholm,” on the
shore of the bay because of its fjord-like similarities. Likewise,
impressed by the Nordic style home her nephew-by-marriage (a Swedish
architect) had built for himself in New York, she hired him to
design the structure. The two of them traveled to Scandinavia to
gather ideas for the construction of the house. The design is an
elegant synthesis of historic Scandinavian styles—incorporating the
atmosphere and design of an old Viking castle, Nordic churches, and
farmhouses—and is still one of the finest examples of Scandinavian
architecture in the Western hemisphere. The ideas for the
construction came from buildings dating as far back as the 11th
century.
Mrs. Knight brought 200 workers to Emerald Bay to build the stone
and timber castle and most of the materials used in construction
came from the Tahoe Basin itself. Trees were cut for their size and
lack of knots and the granite for the foundation and walls was
quarried from behind the house. The castle was built in the shape of
a horseshoe with two wings enclosing a courtyard; both wings have
sod roofs which Mrs. Knight seeded with wildflowers each spring.
Vikingsholm was completed in the fall of 1929 and occupied by Mrs.
Knight, her staff of 15, and many guests in June of 1930.
|
photo by
B.Lenhnhardt |
|
Tea
House atop Fannette
Island |
In addition to Vikingsholm, Mrs. Knight had a “Tea House” built on
Fannette Island, the only island on Lake Tahoe. Located a short
distance from Vikingsholm, the island is a sparsely timbered, brush
covered upthrust of granite that rises 150 feet above the water. The
Tea House looks like a miniature castle situated at the very peak of
the island; accessible only by boat, a set of stone steps leads up
from the water. Mrs. Knight and her guests were transported over by
boat to be served tea (or other beverages) there. The 16-by-16-foot
room once contained a fireplace and a large oak table and
chairs—today only the shell remains.
Mrs. Knight always had a home full of guests and enjoyed 15 summers
at Vikingsholm. She passed away in 1945 at the age of 82.
To visit Vikingsholm, it is an easy 1-mile walk down a dirt road
from Hwy 89 or you can get to the shore by boat.
On Fannette Island, dogs are
not allowed, and commercial boats are barred from stopping there (private boats are permitted to stop.) From February 1 through June 15
the island is closed to all visitors and during this period several
pairs of Canadian geese nest on the island. Due to the virtual
absence of predators, the geese find this an ideal location for
nesting. There may be as many as 100 geese on or near Fannette
Island in early spring and by late spring it is not unusual to see
families of geese swimming along the shoreline near Vikingsholm.
IF YOU DRIVE: It’s about 850 miles from Sedona to South Lake Tahoe,
CA; a 14-hour drive.
IF YOU FLY: Southwest Airlines often has specials that will take you
to Reno, NV, for under $200. It’ll take you about an hour to drive
from Reno to South Lake Tahoe. Take 395-S toward Carson City and
50-W to South Lake Tahoe. |
We cruised slowly back to the dock, relaxed and slightly sunburned,
and debated how to spend the remainder of the afternoon. Three of
the group wanted to visit Harrah’s and see if Lady Luck was in a
good mood. I wanted to stroll through a quaint shopping area we’d
passed on the way through town. We agreed to meet in 1 ½ hours so
off I went, on foot. I found the shops varied with a great selection
of items and interspersed with restaurants, ice cream shops, spas,
and art galleries—and a cute little miniature golf course.
Later, I found the group awaiting me at the car—Lady Luck was not
smiling that day. Having worked up quite an appetite with all that
fresh air, we decided to treat ourselves to dinner at the Chart
House. With 25 locations across the U.S., the Chart House menu
offers seafood, steaks, and decadent desserts. Following our meal of
slow-roasted prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes, and fine wine, we
considered the Hot Chocolate Lava Cake but just didn’t have room…
Our brief vacation ended all too soon but we felt much more relaxed
as we headed off to the airport with a new attitude, ready to resume
the hectic pace of our daily lives. I have discovered a true
fondness for four-day pajama parties and intend to plan another one
day soon...
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