Transitioning From the Lake to the Mountains
A pine needle falls amongst the plentiful sunshine. Somewhere you can hear the distant roar a crowd as they feast their eyes on the premier of the latest ski film. A skier makes a large turn in a field of snow and the crowd “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” as the snow flies to the corners of the screen. The air is still warm but the gentle breeze brings a bite and a crisp scent that reminds us that fall is around the corner. Watching the water lap against a smooth boulder on the shores of Lake Tahoe, a beach goer looks up from her recumbent tanning pose to look longingly at the peaks that hug the shoreline, waiting with bated breath for the winter snows to blanket the mountains. As the screen goes blank and the sun begins to fall behind the horizon, the collect population of the Lake Tahoe basin begins to look toward to beginning of the new chapter: “Winter”.
Yes, it is that time of year again. The time when we cannot wait for the snow to come piling up in the yard and for a chairlift to whisk us up to the peaks so we can, as a Squaw local will exclaim, “shred the gnar”. Most locals refer to this time as the “shoulder season” or mud season (the lack of mud doesn’t seem to give this nickname much credence). The basic theme of shoulder season is that the number of visitors to the region diminishes yet the beautiful weather and plentiful sunshine abounds. With more free time than ever, the locals exhale deeply and load up a paddle board and scramble down to the lake to get a glimpse of a yellowing aspen reflecting off of the surface of Lake Tahoe’s crystal waters. This is the time for anticipating the coming snows and sneaking in as much mountain biking, camping, and hiking before the snow brings out the skis in place of the kayaks.
Hiking the Rubicon Trail in Lake Tahoe is a must for September. The weather is perfect – not too hot, not too cold.
Before the snow flies, September is a perfect time to get out and enjoy many trails and vistas that Lake Tahoe has to offer. Grab a mountain bike first. (photo courtesy GoTahoeNorth)
Fall is absolutely epic in Tahoe so enjoy the transition and pray for snow!
