It is possible to escape the crowds in Lake Tahoe Here are five hikes to get away from it all sfgate.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sfgate.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Skip to main content Are we going to love it to death? : This magical hike in Tahoe has a dark side
FacebookTwitterEmail
The view from Chickadee Ridge in Lake Tahoe.Julie Brown / SFGATE
This was supposed to be a light, easy story about a popular magical, even hike in Lake Tahoe.
But then I went on the hike. And when I came back to write the story, I couldn’t let go of some big, ethical questions that were staring me in the eyes. Quite literally. A bird was staring me in the eyes.
Chickadee Ridge is one of Tahoe’s most popular winter hikes, for good reason. It’s easily accessible, pretty short, mostly flat, and rewards with absolutely beautiful views. Upon arrival, you’ll immediately understand how the ridge got its name. The mountain chickadees are impossible to miss. There are so many of them. Little gray, black and white birds in every tree. I mean, it really is magical.
Submitted to the Tribune
The Tahoe basin is known for its many different animal species that live in the area. One of the more popular species in the region is the chickadee, with many locals and tourists making the trek to Chickadee Ridge summer and winter to feed the birds.
Aside from the free handouts the birds on Chickadee Ridge receive, how do the chickadees survive year-round in the Tahoe basin? Join Tahoe Silicon Mountain, a local network of entrepreneurs and professionals, at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, to hear Ben Sonnenberg speak on the natural selection and spatial cognition in wild food-catching mountain chickadees.
America’s Best Ski Towns (for Those Who Don’t Love Skiing)
It’s the ultimate winter vacation. Surrounded by white, big flakes of snow fluttering through the crisp air, you descend down the mountain, a charming village spread out below, at the end of the slope. And as you slalom to the bottom, you hear no sounds around you but the swoosh and squeak of the powder beneath your skis.
For many, it’s a dream come true.
But skiing? It ain’t for everyone. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the rest of the experience, from other winter adventures to culinary pleasures and, of course, all the après-ski. Here are America’s five best ski towns … for those who may not love to ski.