Lake Tahoe
History
From
the time of its discovery by Captain John Charles Fremont and Charles
Preuss on St. Valentine's Day on February 14, 1844, this
internationally-known icon of the west has always attracted attention,
and with good reason. Once just a stop along the way for weary
travelers seeking fame and fortune, today Lake Tahoe and its
surrounding High Sierra is a mecca of activity and growth.
Lake
Tahoe got its name from a Washoe Indian word, generally believed to
mean "Big Water" or "Big Blue". While no exact definition has ever been
agreed upon, many have interpreted the word to mean many things. Mark
Twain, while visiting Lake Tahoe in his earlier days, was said to have
defined Tahoe as "Grasshopper Soup". Others have said the word means
"Strong Water" or "Whiskey". Whatever the meaning, the word Tahoe has
long had a mystical connotation, which is appropriate in describing the
overwhelming beauty of the Lake.
Physical Environment
Lake
Tahoe is located on the California/Nevada border, 198 miles northeast
of San Francisco, 98 miles east of Sacramento and 58 miles southwest of
Reno, Nevada. The Lake Tahoe Basin, that area defined along the crest
of the Sierra Nevada and the Carson Range, covers 482 square miles.
Lake Environment
Tahoe's
waters are among the purest in the world at 99.7% pure. A white dinner
plate can be seen 120 feet below the surface with little trouble. The
Lake never freezes over due to the constant movement of water from the
bottom to the surface. This "turnover" allows an enormous mass movement
of water, and keeps the lake ice free. However, ice may form at times
along the shoreline in small protected inlets. During the summer, the
upper 12 feet forms a layer that can warm to 68 degrees F., but below
depths of 700 feet during the winter the temperature remains a constant
39 degrees F.
Climate
The sunshine
probability for the Basin is 84%, with at least 300 days of sun per
year. Lake Tahoe gets an average of 215.4 inches of snowfall, or a
little under 18 feet. Upper elevations can get between 300 and 500
inches per year. Winds are generally mild, 10-15 mph, out of the west
and northwest. During storm periods they can average 25-35 mph.
Sweaters and jackets are almost always necessary in the evenings.
Winter means heavy jackets and warm boots and clothes, while summer
days can be spent in shorts and t-shirts.
Population
In 1950 there were 2,500 permanent residents in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
By 1999 that number had risen to 52,570 with 14,734 in Nevada. Some of
the larger communities in Tahoe's High Sierra include:
Tahoe City
South Lake Tahoe ~ 23,609
Zephyr Cove
Incline Village ~ 9,952
Elevation
The
Tahoe Basin is at an elevation of 6,240 feet (1,901 meters) above mean
sea level. On the west side of the Lake, the Sierra rises from
elevations of 9,000 feet (2,743 meters) to 11,000 feet (3,352 meters)
and to the east, mountains reach 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) to 7,000
feet (2,133 meters)