Lake Tahoe

We tailored our trip from Yosemite to Lake Tahoe to match the road we traveled over 10 years ago.  Back then we stopped at the oldest saloon in California (the Iron Door Saloon established in 1852 on CA 120 out of Yosemite) for dinner and by the time we left, it was dark and difficult to see many of the old towns we passed.  This time we are stopping for lunch.

We sat in the saloon part and not the restaurant sitting area of the Iron Door Saloon.  We wanted the full effect.  This is what the ceiling looks like in the bar area.  Notice the dollar bills tacked to the ceiling.  We didn't ask what the dollar bills meant, sorry forgot when the waitress came back.  Notice the disco ball!  You got to love a place like this.  When we left the Iron Door Saloon, we could smell smoke from one of the fires that were in the area and it was a little smoky driving.

Continuing our drive to Lake Tahoe (along CA 49), we passed through Sonora, where Mark Twain got his inspiration for the material in "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County".  Just out of town we saw these two old trucks just waiting for someone to fix them up.

The countryside has either been mountainous or grassy fields.  This is a typical view of some of the fields (this one with trees) that we saw on our ride along CA 49. 

Shortly after we turned onto CA 50 heading east to Lake Tahoe, we came to where the smoke from the King Fire lay over the road.  It was not to thick, mostly like a medium fog, but you smell the burnt wood from the fire.

There were a number of fire apparatus along the road.  Here several trucks were waiting.

We arrived in Lake Tahoe and found the place we were staying for the week.  After checking in we just ate supper, got some groceries, unpacked we just went to bed.  The next morning, this was our view, looking West, from the patio outside of our room. 

After breakfast, we saw this sea plane land and take off in the waters in from of where we were staying.

We decided this first morning, since it was clear, to go up the gondola to the top of Heavenly Mountain.  Part of the way up, there is an observation platform with a full view of the lake and surrounding area.  Here is Carmen in front of one of the gondolas as it comes up to the platform stop.

Looking towards the South-West end of Lake Tahoe, you can begin to see smoke from the King Fire. 

We continued up the mountain and walked over to the ski lift and took the 6-seat chair up to the top of the ski mountain.  Here you can ski to either the California or the Nevada side of Heavenly Ski Mountain.  In the picture, you can see the Nevada portion of Lake Tahoe and to the right side of the picture, not clearly visible, is Carson City, Nevada's Capital.

We are riding down the mountain on the ski chair lift.  On the left you can see the building for our trip down the mountain in the gondola.  Just above it and a little to the right is the end of the zip-line ride down from the top of the mountain.

A view of our ride down the mountain from inside the gondola.  You can see the towns of Lake Tahoe (California) and Stateline (Nevada).  You can see the line in the woods, to the right of the gondola line, this is the State Line.  The tall buildings to the right of the State Line are the casinos. 

We watched the smoke build while we were on top of Heavenly Mountain.  When we returned to our room, we were surprised how fast the smoke came through the pass.  After this picture the smoke continued to cross the lake like a thick fog, eventually crossing all the way to the Nevada side of the lake to engulf the casinos and towns.