Tahoe is a veritable winter wonderland right now! To keep from falling up to your waist in the cold powder, strap on a pair of snowshoes. These five snowshoe tours have everything from twilight treks, to star gazing, to feeding little birds from the palm of your hand.
(Courtesy of Squaw)
Moonlit Snowshoe Tour + Dinner at Squaw/Alpine
Bring on the romance this February with moonlit snowshoe tours at Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows that finish at the mid-mountain Chalet at Alpine Meadows. Trekkers will be rewarded with an Alps-inspired dinner with dishes such as cordon bleu, potato cheese soup, and apple strudel will be served. The tours are available for only 50 guests and include three seating times. You can also enjoy daytime snowshoeing on The Resort at Squaw Creek's trail system. // Squaw/Alpine Moonlit Snowshoe Tours: February 18th, 19th, and 20th, $74 adults/$35 children, book by calling 800-403-0206, squawalpine.com
Full Moon & History Snowshoe Tours at Hellman-Ehrman Mansion
If you can't get enough of the moonlight, the park rangers at the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion near Homewood will be offering a Full Moon Snowshoe Tours on February 11th at 7pm. The cost is $30 and includes snowshoe rentals, parking, and all proceeds go to support Sierra State Parks. You can also enjoy the Snowshoe Through History tours with a state park interpreter. // Sierra State Parks Foundation: February 11th, $30/person, sierrastateparks.org
Twilight and Star Gazing Tours at Northstar
Make a whole day of it at Northstar, where you can snowshoe from dusk to starry night. The Saturday twilight tours begin at the resort's Cross Country, Telemark and Snowshoe Center (where you can rent gear) at 5pm and will take you through the pine forests down to the Village at Northstar. The Star Gazing Snowshoe Tours also begins at 5pm with telescopic viewing of the universe through multiple state-of-the-art computerized Celestron telescopes. // Twilight Tours: February 4th, 18th, and 25th, $56/person; Star Gazing Snowshoe Tour: February 11th, $63/person , northstarcalifornia.com
(Image © propowderguides.com/snowshoe-tours)
Do it Yourself at Chickadee Ridge
Many locals hit the Tahoe Rim Trail for their snowshoeing adventures. While you can't see the trail under several feet of snow, you can follow the various snowshoe and cross country tracks that lead from Tahoe Meadows on the North Shore up to Chickadee Ridge where you can get some great views of the lake. Bring some birdseed and keep an eye out for the tiny birds that will eat right out of your hand. // Tahoe Rim Trail: tahoerimtrail.org
Guided Snowshoe Treks with Tahoe Adventure Company
Tahoe Adventure Company offers various snowshoe tours that include all the gear, hot drinks (or wine and cheese service), and optional lunches. They offer 2-4 mile tours with lunch for $85 per person or a Sunset Snowshoe Adventure on the North Shore for $65 per person. T3 Adventures, located at the Cedar House Sport Hotel, rents snowshoes and maps to the best dog-friendly snowshoe trails in the area including Castle Peak and Donner Memorial State Park. // tahoeadventurecompany.com/ourtrips/win...
