Flashback Chimney Beach

Sitting around inside while it’s 107 outside here in AZ 

provides us with lots of time to build friendships as we reminisce. 

A common question, “What do you miss most?”

My answer:  I’ve hiked with a local group of  hikers, the Alta Hikers, 

between Auburn CA and the Lake Tahoe area for about 20 years.  We hiked 

every Tuesday without repeating a hike during the whole 

calendar year, weather permitting. 

A few statistics:  Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake 

in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, straddling the border of California and Nevada. 

It’s known for its beaches and ski resorts & it’s vast 

number of hiking trails, including the long-distance Tahoe Rim Trail.
And, of course its crystal clear water and high mountains that circle the
entire lake.  It is the largest Alpine Lake in N America and the second
deepest (Crater Lake in Oregon #1).  It has 72 miles of shoreline, is 22
miles long with a maximum width of 12 miles.  The surface elevation is 6225'
which has never frozen over!!! 

So let's take a hike...  This one's called Chimney Beach.
"Bouldering" begins after our first downhill
as we cross Marlette Creek.

Chimney Beach was named after this chimney, the
only remains of a lakeshore home that was built 100 years ago.

Bouldering continues as we continue south.

After all that the hikers take a break
to capture some snapshots of this beautiful lake, or...

maybe it's to get a closer look at the
sun bathers on the nude beach as we pass Secret Harbor!!!

After another mile we have fun giving

names to some of the rock formations...

what do you see?

We all thought this looked like a person

on their side crying because their half
of an avocado floated away!!!  

And swimming in Lake Tahoe is always an  exhilarating experience 

with an average surface temperature of 63 degrees F and it can drop

to 53 just 18" below the surface... but most hikers give it a try each year!!!

I've even used some of my photos of those "talking" or "smiling" 

rocks as inspiration for some small format  (less than 15" x 15") tapestry

commissions for a few of my Lake Tahoe clients. 

The map below shows the general lay of the land

in relationship to the NE corner of Lake Tahoe.