http://www.jimmys-adventures.net/hiking-oregons-geology/
On A Boat In Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is the gem of the Sierra Nevada at every time of the year but predominantly in the winter. Sitting astride the California-Nevada state line about fifty miles northeast of Sacramento and less than fifteen miles southwest of Carson City. Simply accessible via U.S. Highway 50, Lake Tahoe has many vacation rentals existing right through the year but the region is principally known as prime ski vacation country.
Like the Sierra Nevada Mountains themselves, Lake Tahoe is relatively young, geologically speaking. The Tahoe basin formed nearly two million years ago when a small tectonic plate flanked by the Sierra Nevada and the Carson Range dropped, forming what geologists call a graben. After this, the eruption of a now extinct volcano formed a natural dam on the north side. Over the next million years, a string of glaciers advanced and retreated, forming Lake Tahoe as we know it now.
At an altitude of over 6000 feet, it is the highest alpine lake in the U.S., and second only to Oregon’s Crater Lake in terms of depth. Fed by mountain streams, it is the starting place of the Truckee River, its sole channel which also presents excellent opportunities for fly fishing and white water rafting. Make a reservation ahead of time to book a quaint cabin rental accommodations with direct entry or a view to the lake.
The earliest human inhabitants of the region were Waashiu Indians, who gave Lake Tahoe its name. Nineteenth Century John Fremont was most likely the first European to see Lake Tahoe in 1844. Curiously, the lake was initially named for John Bigler, who was the governor of California from 1852 to 1856. Even though the lake was renamed Tahoe by the Department of the Interior under Abraham Lincoln, the name “Lake Bigler” stuck until after the Second World War.
As you might imagine, the Lake Tahoe area is rich in history as well as recreational possibilities such as fishing, skiing, camping and hiking. Having been both a national park and a resort for nearly 150 years, the Lake Tahoe vicinity has a good number of historic mansions as well as old mining and logging camps and of course, close by Carson City, where you can get a taste of what the Wild West was like back in the day. In fact, steam power is active and fine in the area. An old fashioned paddle boat still cruises the waters of Lake Tahoe, and the Truckee & Western Railroad offers rides on an authentic 1870 vintage steam train.
For winter sports fans, Lake Tahoe is home to no fewer than twelve major ski resorts, which are generally operational between late November until early April. Most of these are located on the lake’s northern edge near Truckee. However, Kirkwood Mountain Resort, located near the town of South Lake Tahoe, will get the largest snowfall of any ski areas in the region which makes for great bed breakfasts.
For the children and non-skiers, there are a number of sledding amenities, many of which are free of charge to the public and even offer rope tows up the hills. There are also a surfeit of trails for folks who favor cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Waterfalls of Oregon, Marion County