My apologies to Andy as I fell behind in posting his reports. Posting these from Keawaukapu Beach, where the body surfing was excellent today. – Mark

Hiking To The Top Of Mount Rose

Hello friends,

If you are a hiker, and you need some exercise, then you might want to try cruising up to the top of Mt. Rose. It will be hot this weekend in Tahoe with the possibility of thunder storms, so I would recommend starting early. The Mt. Rose Trailhead is located at the top of the Mt. Rose Highway in a parking lot to the drivers left heading toward Reno. This is also parking for Tahoe Rim Trail. The beginning of the trail is a combination of both the TRT and the Mt. Rose Trail. This out and back hike is just over 10 miles in length and covers about 2000 vertical feet in elevation gain and loss. I cannot imagine a better time to trek up to the top of Mt. Rose. Water is flowing through lush green meadows, a lovely waterfall is cascading down over multicolored rocks, wildflowers are in full bloom all along the trail. The views of Tahoe, Truckee, and Washoe Valley are stunning. It was clear enough yesterday to see Mt. Lassen in the distance. Bring plenty of water and a camera. You will not be the only one on the trail, but it was not overcrowded yesterday.

Near the top of the hike, on rock slopes, we encounter colonies of purple Showy Polemonium dotting the landscape along with white Spreading Pholx. Along the way we spotted Brewer’s Lupine (small purple flower that grows low to the ground), Shooting Stars, Meadow Lupine (tall purple flowers that ground near streams), and a number of different types of Penstemon ranging in color from bright pink to deep purple. Yellow Western Wall flowers are standing tall along the way, as are Mule Ears, and especially bright clusters of Sulfur Flowers. Don’t forget the striking orange Paintbrush that add one other color to the rainbow. Of course there are many other wildflowers in bloom on this extraordinary hike. I suggest bringing a flower book along so you can identify some of them.

Enjoy your day.

Andy Wertheim

Warming Up In Tahoe

Hello Friends,

We have been dealing with rather unusual weather in Tahoe for the past couple of weeks. First it was cool and windy which was followed by a couple of days of rain and clouds, along with wind and cooler temperatures. However, the sky has cleared and the temperatures are rising. It feels like the humidity is high today along with the temperatures. It would be a good day to be at the beach and not sitting at a desk in the office. Wildflowers are reaching for the sun making hiking a joy. Dust has settled making mountain biking excellent. The lake is calm which is good for water skiing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. There are lots of people floating the Truckee River. The rain could not have hurt out numerous golf courses nor the fire rating. It appears as if it will be a good weekend to be in Tahoe. Music at Common Beach returns Sunday afternoon from 4:30 to 7.
Blues Tuesdays returns to the Village in Squaw Valley on Tuesday night. Summer is in full swing.
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