{"id":5300,"date":"2020-12-25T22:59:16","date_gmt":"2020-12-25T14:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/?p=5300"},"modified":"2021-06-19T12:43:57","modified_gmt":"2021-06-19T04:43:57","slug":"20201225donner-pass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/2020\/12\/25\/20201225donner-pass\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 5 of 2020 Lake Tahoe Trip, North Lake Tahoe, Donner Pass and Downtown Reno"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fifth day of my Lake Tahoe trip. Weather forecast indicated a storm was coming to Lake Tahoe region. Before that storm hit, I visited North Lake Tahoe and Donner Pass, before checking into another hotel in Reno for my final two nights.<\/p>\n

\"Stacked<\/a>

<\/br>Stacked Tunnels at Donner Pass<\/br>Tunnel #7 in front, the longer Tunnel #6 (Summit Tunnel) in the back.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

For the previous four days, by and large, the weather had been nice for my snowshoeing trips around Lake Tahoe (despite having to brave high winds two days ago). Yet the weather forecast indicated a storm bringing heavy snow would be hitting Lake Tahoe for my final two days in the region, staring in the afternoon of Dec 25 into the night, ceasing in the morning of Dec 26. This weather was obviously not for back country exploration, regarding both my body and my rental car (during heavy snow, the roads surrounding Lake Tahoe could enact chain control, which did happen later today).
\nAt the same time, not far from Lake Tahoe, Donner Pass had always been on my bucket list, a place more than once epitomized the nation\u2019s endeavor into western frontiers. On way to Donner Pass I would pass north Lake Tahoe, where I stopped and captured a few photos of the impending storm. At Donner Pass, I watched the skies being overtaken by approaching storm as snow started to chase me off the summit. Finally, towards the end of day, I took a brief tour of downtown Reno, of its casinos that were unusually quiet given both COVID and Christmas. <\/p>\n

Stateline Lookout Trail<\/span><\/h3>\n

I fathomed I would have plenty of time for the day, so I added this short hike to my itinerary. Measuring only 2.2km roundtrip, the trail led to the site of a former fire tower near the state line between California and Nevada, with views overlooking Lake Tahoe (between trees).<\/p>\n

\"Trail<\/a>

<\/br>Trail Parking<\/br><\/p>\n

The trailhead was on a hill in a residential neighborhood. Even after reading through many AllTrails comments and a few online searches, I still had no clue about parking. This is a photo taken from my drone, there\u2019s absolutely no parking on the western side of the road. On the eastern side, there was some shoulder at the orange arrow, where I parked most of my car at (1\/3 of my car was still on roadway). Parking there may or may not be fine. (I took it that it\u2019s Christmas Day and I only parked there for a short time, so I wasn\u2019t ticketed.). Towards the end of my hike, I encountered another group of people who parked their car farther north (just below the blue arrow). That may or may not be fine.<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Trail\"<\/a>

 \"Trail\"<\/a><\/br>\"Trail\"<\/a> \"Trail\"<\/a><\/br>Trail<\/br><\/p>\n

The trail was wide enough for occasional service vehicles. During my visit it\u2019s 97% covered in snow, microspikes came in handy.<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Forest\"<\/a>

 \"Forest\"<\/a><\/br>Forest<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Tree\"<\/a>

<\/br>Tree<\/br><\/p>\n

These look like pine trees to me? According to an information board nearby, most of the region\u2019s pine trees were cut down in the 1850s as the nearby silver mine at Virginia City required both building material and fuel. The Union\u2019s thirst for silver to finance Civil War efforts only hastened this process. After logging slowed in the 1890s, most of the old pine forests were replaced by fir trees, which were less resistant to drought.<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/div>\n

Shortly after that I was at the fire tower lookout.<\/p>\n

\"Fire<\/a>

<\/br>Fire Tower Lookout<\/br><\/p>\n

Site of an old fire watch tower that was removed in 2002, giving way to this lookout with views of Lake Tahoe to the south.<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/div>\n

It was a windy day from the impending storm, which was hardly felt along the trail shielded by surrounding forest. But at the lookout, the wind was brutal. So I quickly snapped these photos.<\/p>\n

\"Mountains<\/a>

<\/br>Mountains across Lake Tahoe<\/br>Granite Chief Wilderness.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Mountains<\/a>

<\/br>Mountains across Lake Tahoe<\/br>Desolation Wilderness, with overhanging ominous clouds.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Mountains<\/a>

<\/br>Mountains across Lake Tahoe<\/br>Homewood Ski Resort in the center.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Shores<\/a>

 \"Shores<\/a><\/br>Shores of Lake Tahoe<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Heavenly<\/a>

 \"Homewood<\/a><\/br>\"Squaw<\/a> \"Diamond<\/a><\/br>Ski resorts around Lake Tahoe<\/br>Heavenly Mountain \/ Homewood \/ Squaw Valley \/ Diamond<\/p><\/div>\n

To mark the moment, I launched my drone from this fire lookout site, (before quickly retreating back to the woods and away from the wind).
\n

While the ascent of my drone was shaky, once airborne it could barely made it way against strong headwind onto Lake Tahoe. So I took the following shot at its shore before flying it back.<\/p>\n

\"Overlooking<\/a>

<\/br>Overlooking Lake Tahoe<\/p><\/div>\n

After that, I made my way back.<\/p>\n

\"Mountains<\/a>

<\/br>\"Mountains<\/a><\/br>Mountains to the East<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Trail\"<\/a>

 \"Trail\"<\/a><\/br>Trail<\/p><\/div>\n

By the time I got back to the trailhead it’s just past 11am, still early in my opinion. So instead of heading straight for Donner Pass, I made a final stop at Kings Beach, a town on the north of Lake Tahoe. <\/p>\n

Kings Beach<\/span><\/h3>\n

There’s free street parking up to 2 hours (if I remember correctly)<\/span>, taking advantage of which I headed for the city’s public beach, which also offered public restrooms.<\/p>\n

\"Kings<\/a>

<\/br>Kings Beach Pier<\/p><\/div>\n

The splashy waves were suggestive of the strength of winds, and the bitterness that they brought along, chasing out the last warmth of sun as ominous clouds started to dominate the distant horizon.<\/p>\n

\"Mount<\/a>

<\/br>\"Mount<\/a> \"Mount<\/a><\/br>\"Mount<\/a><\/br>Mount Tallac across Lake Tahoe<\/br><\/p>\n

These photos were taken less than 7 minutes apart, about enough time for clouds to conquer all but the grandest peaks.<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Mount<\/a>

<\/br>Mount Tallac across Lake Tahoe<\/br><\/p>\n

Yet at the end, the mountains turned out victorious, keeping the clouds at bay for the moment.<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Shores<\/a>

 \"Shores<\/a><\/br>Shores of Lake Tahoe<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Mountains\"<\/a>

 \"Mountains\"<\/a><\/br>Mountains<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Lake<\/a>

<\/br>\"Lake<\/a><\/br>Lake Tahoe from Kings Beach<\/p><\/div>\n

I spent about 20 minutes at Kings Beach, before being blown away by the wind<\/del> continuing on to Donner Pass.<\/p>\n

\"Distant<\/a>

 \"Northstar<\/a><\/br>Distant Mountains and Northstar Ski Resort<\/br>Scenes on way to Donner Pass.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Donner Pass Area<\/span><\/h3>\n

Donner Lake<\/span><\/h4>\n

Before the actual pass, the country road passed along Donner Lake, a large body of water flanked by mountains and forests. There\u2019s a public boat launch site on the north-west of the lake, where I joined a group of others appreciating the scenery.<\/p>\n

\"Railway<\/a>

 \"Railway<\/a><\/br>Railway up Donner Pass<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Distant<\/a>

<\/br>Distant Mountains<\/br>Mount Rose Wilderness, the sorts of Relay Peak and Mount Houghton, where I was the previous day.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Donner<\/a>

<\/br>Donner Lake<\/br><\/p>\n

While clear blue sky dominated left\/east side of this photo, the right\/west side was occupied by clouds, sign of the incoming storm.<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Donner<\/a>

<\/br>Donner Peak from Donner Lake<\/p><\/div>\n

With few obstructions in the air, I launched my drone at that site, overflying Donner Lake and taking an aerial tour of the railroad winding up the mountains to Donner Pass.<\/p>\n

\"Overlooking<\/a>

<\/br>Overlooking Donner Lake<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Rail<\/a>

 \"Rail<\/a><\/br>\"Rail<\/a><\/br>Rail Tracks<\/br>These tracks are still in use today.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

\"Snowshed\"<\/a>

<\/br>Snowshed<\/p><\/div>\n

And here’s a video from my drone. I tried to follow the tracks as far as possible (until I lost signal). On the way back, wind was strong from the incoming storm (look at the waves on the water) that I had to lower the drone to almost water level to bring it back.
\n