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Historic East Shore
By
Katherine E. Hill
 The boulder-strewn East Shore remains largely
undeveloped today thanks to an eccentric millionaire
that once owned more than 24 miles of shoreline, most of
which was on the East Shore.
If
you want to spend the day exploring the East Shore, plan
ahead. The only East Shore launch open is at Cave Rock
and the closest on the North Shore is a Lake Forest
outside Tahoe City. As well, if you launch from Cave
Rock, there are no services heading north up the shore.
On the North Shore, Sierra Boat Company in Carnelian Bay
or North Tahoe Marina in Tahoe Vista are you closest
source of supplies. Remember, the only location to dock
in Incline Village is the Hyatt Regency, where you can
grab a bite to eat, but with no gas services.
There are many large, underwater boulders along the East
Shore and the depth of the lake can be deceiving. As
well, this year we are experiencing low water levels, so
use caution when going ashore.
Leaving Incline Village, the last few homes built into
the boulder-strewn hillside will suddenly stop, replaced
by undeveloped shorelines at Hidden Beach, a nude
beach.
One note of warning for families, the East Shore is home
to several nude beaches, so stick to the large, sandy
beaches and you’ll likely avoid the nude sunbathers. For
the rest of you, stop drooling, it’s rude.
You’ll continue along the expanse of boulder-strewn
shoreline until you see the vast sand beaches of Sand
Harbor State Park.
Sand
Harbor is one of Lake’s Tahoe best beaches. There are
beaches rimming the entire point, with shallow waters
that are among the warmest on the lake. It’s also a
popular spot of kayakers, so keep your eyes open.
Unfortunately, the boat launch at Sand Harbor closed on
Aug. 5 due to low water level, so it’s not accessible.
However, there are many great spots to anchor and enjoy
the swimming spots (which are roped off, so keep your
boat out of these areas). Sand Harbor has picnic areas
and a visitor’s center, and is home to the Lake Tahoe
Shakespeare Festival, playing through Aug. 23.
Leaving Sand Harbor, on the next small point you’ll see
the Thunderbird Lodge, one of the grandest
estates on Lake Tahoe, built by George Whittell Jr.
Whittell was an odd man with exotic tastes from the
lions and elephants he kept as pets to the many
mistresses he was rumored to have. Whittell bought 24
acres of pristine wilderness along Lake Tahoe in 1936.
Stretching from Kings Beach in California to Zephyr Cove
in Nevada, Whittell had grand plans of developing
casinos and housing projects.
Whittell sold off parcels in Crystal Bay and Incline
Village to developers, while the land for Kings Beach he
is rumored to have lost in a poker game to Joe King.
However, as he grew older his desire for privacy, mixed
with a bit of the paranoia (he hid listening devices
throughout most of his own home), led him to abandon
plans for development. Although, in his later years, the
state of Nevada persuaded him to donate the land that is
now Sand Harbor State Park.
Whittell’s former estate is now preserved and maintained
by the Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society.
From the shore, you can see the Main Lodge, Card House,
the Boathouse, which houses the “Thunderbird,” with the
Caretaker’s Cottage and an elephant garage on the
hillside above. You can cruise past the estate, but you
cannot go ashore. Tours of the estate are open to the
public only through Tahoe Adventure Company with kayak
tours, Tahoe Boat Cruises with boat tours and by
shuttle; see Sightseeing for contact information.
Leaving the Thunderbird Lodge, there is a succession of
public beaches heading down the East Shore. With the
exception of the Thunderbird Lodge, most of the
shoreline from Incline Village to Skunk Harbor is state
or federal land and is open to the public. There are a
few scant pockets of private land, so if you spot a
home, pick another spot to come ashore.
The first beach you’ll come to is Chimney Beach,
so named for the chimney that is the sole survivor of a
former beach house, making it easy to spot from the
Lake. Followed by Secret Cove, a nude beach, and
Secret Harbor, rounding out the south end of this
small bay. Chimney Beach is a wide, sandy beach, while
Secret Cove is sheltered by boulders and trees along the
shoreline. Despite it’s name, however, Secret Harbor is
rather popular with beach-goers, kayakers and boaters.
And, dogs are allowed on all of the beaches.
The next harbor will be Skunk Harbor a great spot
for swimming or boat camping. On shore, you’ll see the
remnants of a guest house and cook house once owned by
George Newhall, who also owned an elaborate summer
estate on the West Shore. The home was built in 1923 as
a retreat from Tahoe’s busy social scene and later sold
to Whittell, who lived there during the construction of
the Thunderbird Lodge and used it as a guest house and
retreat.
Leaving Skunk Harbor and continuing south, you’ll round
Deadman’s Point and began to see some homes along
the shoreline before entering Glenbrook Bay, one
of the Lake’s oldest communities. Glenbrook was once an
epicenter of industry in Lake Tahoe. After the
discovering of silver at the Comstock Lode in Virginia
City, vast amounts of timber were cut around Tahoe,
brought across the lake to Glenbrook then loaded on rail
cars and carried to the top of Spooner Summit where they
rode the flumes to the Carson Valley. The remnants of
the three railroad piers that once meet the log booms
can still be seen jutting out of the lake. Glenbrook,
however, is now a private community and is not open to
the public.
You’ll start to see vast estates along the East Shore
after leaving Glenbrook Bay. As you head south to
Cave Rock, a large volcanic plug noticeable from
most of Lake Tahoe, you’ll spot Logan Shoals Marina. The
marina, however, is private and provides no services.
There’s a boat launch, picnic area and restrooms at Cave
Rock. I’ll talk about Cave Rock, a sacred site to the
Washoe, in a later column.
Katherine E. Hill may be reached at
editor@tahoethisweek.com or visit
www.tahoeboating.blogspot.com.
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