
Under the light of the
moon
By Katherine
E. Hill
Winter’s
brisk cold nights are alight with the moonlight dancing off the snow and
the waters of Lake Tahoe during a few special nights every month when the
full moon lights up the Sierra.
I gathered
with a group of friends in January to revel in the beauty of a winter’s
night for a full moon snowshoe tour at Sugar Pine State Park on the West
Shore. As we talked in the days leading up to the tour, a few friends swelled
to a group of ladies ready to trek through the snow – Michelle Allen,
Cassandra Lari, Alanna Misico and Genny Wilson.
We decided
to enjoy dinner before heading out into the cold, so we met at Spoon near
Sunnyside on the West Shore. This cozy eatery opened last summer and serves
a mix of sandwiches, soups and dinner specials starting at 3 p.m. We enjoyed
hearty helpings of Chicken Tamale Pie, Black Bean and Corn Chili over brown
rice, and a pizza appetizer with fresh vegetables. After changing our clothes
for warm garb and sipping some hot drinks, we were ready for our adventure.
I’ve
been to Sugar Pine Point many times, but the darkness that envelopes the
West Shore is thicker in the winter with few cars venturing so far down
at night. The moon was making its ascent in the sky as we set out, but
clouds shrouded much of its light, and we had to be watchful for our turn.
As we
followed the road toward Ehrman Mansion, we searched for lights to guide
our way. Rob Westin of West Shore Sports had the only light on his truck
as he helped guests with their snowshoes.
Full Moon
Snowshoe Tours
Feb.
25-26
Northstar
Snowshoe tour, 5 p.m.
$25-$35, $5 rental
(530) 562-3270
Feb.
26
Tahoe Adventure Company
Snowshoe tour, 5-9 p.m.
$70 per person
(530) 913-9212
Feb.
26-27
Squaw Valley USA
Snowshoe tour, 5:30 p.m.
$18-$34, $61 dinner package
(530) 452-7123
Feb.
27
Tahoe Adventure Company
Snowshoe, dinner & lodging, 5-9 p.m.
$110-$235 per person
(530) 913-9212
Clair
Tappaan Lodge
Snowshoe tour
$15 per person
(800) 679-6775
Tahoe
Rim Trial Association
Snowshoe tour, 6 p.m., free
(775) 298-0012
Royal
Gorge Cross Country
Snowshoe & ski tour, 6:30 p.m.
(530) 426-3871
Sugar
Pine Point State Park
Snowshoe tour, 7 p.m.
$12 per person
(530) 525-9920
Feb.
28
Tahoe Cross Country
Snowshoe & ski tour and yoga, 6 p.m.
$20 per person
(530) 583-3012
See
Events for details.
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After
we gathered our hats, gloves and packs, Rob and Alex, one of his employees,
helped us with our snowshoes. The tour is a fundraiser for Sierra State
Parks Foundation and all of the proceeds go to local state parks. Westin
and Alex donated their time for the evening, along with the gear from West
Shore Sports.
It was
25 degrees Fahrenheit, said Ranger Scott Elliott, as we started our tour,
and it was likely to reach 19 by the end of the tour. We were all well
prepared and ready to get our blood pumping. We began our trek through
the grounds of the Ehrman Mansion past the tennis courts, Children’s
Lodge, main house and Tank House.
The first
few minutes snowshoeing are always a bit awkward as you alter your stride
to keep from stepping on the wide snowshoes and the extra weight in your
step. While we donned headlamps that we mostly used for a first few minutes,
our eyes began to adjust to the moonlight as Scott said they would.
The tour
was a fascinating mix of local history and natural history as Elliott explained
the winter animals we may catch a glimpse of – weasel, pine marten
and owl – along with the park’s history. San Francisco businessman
I.W. Hellman purchased nearly 2,000 acres near Sugar Pine Point between
1897 and 1913 and built his grand summer home, first called Pine Lodge.
When he died, the estate was left to his daughter, Florence Hellman Ehrman.
We began
our descent downhill away from the mansion and toward the Lake’s
shore. As the clouds began to dissipate, the full light of the Wolf Moon
glistened off the water and the snow. Everyone stopped in awe of the night,
pulling out cameras to take pictures as the moonlight shown on the Lake’s
surface. Scott explained that the January moon is the Wolf Moon, the largest
moon all year with Mars following its ascent in the sky.
Full
Moon names date back to Native Americans of the northern and eastern United
States, who kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each
recurring full moon, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. The Wolf
Moon is named for the wolf packs that howled hungrily outside Indian villages
in the midst of winter, while February’s Ice or Snow Moon refers
to the heaviest snow of the winter.
We continued
our tour around the estate to the North Boat House and Phipps Cabin, one
of the Tahoe’s first permanent residents. “General” William
Phipps, who homesteaded on the land in 1860 protected his 160 acres from
being logged, at the point of a gun, so the legend goes. Around Phipps
Cabin are some of the only old growth trees on the West Shore, which was
once nearly clear cut to be sent to the mines of Virginia City.
We set
out along the Lake’s shore to General Creek, where we continued to
marvel at the moon and take pictures before heading along the snow-covered
beach to the pier. The pier was once 100’ long and would accommodate
the steamers that were once the main form of transportation around Lake
Tahoe. The steamers would bring supplies, mail and passengers to the former
Bellevue Hotel that sat on the site until it burned in 1893.
We continued
along to the Bathing House, where ladies would don their head to toe bathing
gowns for swimming, and the South Boat House, that houses the aluminum
“Mercury,” owned by the Tahoe Maritime Museum.
It is
here that Scott and Rob also told the group about the Olympic history of
the area – it was the site of the Nordic trails during the 1960 Winter
Olympics, including the first biathlon event at the Games. The 65km trails
stretched from Sugar Pine Point to Homewood, and some of the original trails
are marked along the cross-country trail system that is part of Sugar Pine
Point today.
We headed
back toward the parking lot and left exhilarated by our fun and fact-filled
evening.
Sugar
Pine Point State Park hosts guided full moon snowshoe tours on Feb. 27
and March 27 at 7 p.m., with a beginner’s clinic at 6:30. The tour
last about 1.5 hours. The cost is $12 per person and free for 12 and under,
with proceeds supporting the Sierra State Parks Foundation. Snowshoes are
provided. To make a reservation, call West Shore Sports at (530) 525-9920.
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