2012.02.08 -- Lake Tahoe

Still getting caught up on trips from the early part of the year. This trip to Tahoe involved one night at a cabin on Spooner Lake and then a few days skiing on the north side of the lake at Diamond Peak.

Cross country skiing and the Spooner Lake Wildcat Cabin

For years I have wanted to do this: cross county ski into the wildcat cabin about 3 km from the Spooner Lake lodge, and spend the night. We liked it so much we are talking about spending a second night next time. It is so much work to get all the gear out there, and also getting checked out in the time on the morning of departure, that a second day of relaxation would really improve the experience.

We got to Spooner Lake kind of late in the afternoon and had to load everything we needed for dinner and breakfast on our backs. Robert and I used our usual backpacks and we had a sled for Katerina that could handle a little overflow gear.

Fortunately enough water is provided that we did not have to carry that extra weight in. It was kind of a challenge getting everybody up to the cabin, as it is at the top of a steep off camber hill. Off camber means that when you are towing a sled with a 4 year old in it, you dont make progress very rapidly. At the end I unhooked the sled and walked up the last bit of the hill.

The next couple pictures are Robert, Erick, and Larissa on the way to the cabin. Erick was pretty solid on the XC skiis this year.







After I reached my whine tolerance threshold, I figured out that I could strap my pack on the "kinder sled", and I carried Robert's pack. All that weight on the sled made it not track very well, especially for example on a steep off camber hill ...

Robert had the camera for this picture. The trails had all been freshly groomed as you can see, and there was pretty good snow cover.



Katerina trying on Robert's skiis right outside the wildcat cabin..



The deck of the Wildcat Cabin.



The view from the deck. That is Lake Tahoe's Emerald Bay in the distance.



Enjoying some sun on the deck.



More views from the deck.



Robert perfecting his form for snow napping. You have to imagine what happens right there at the end.



Erick's turn ... pretty similar ending.



For some reason hanging on the ladder was irrestible. We had all the kids up in the loft until Katerina fell down.



Some of the "must have" baggage carried out to the cabin.



Suited up for the return trip the next morning. Robert has his own pack this time! Yippee!



Taken by a kindly random stranger.



Katerina had a chance to work on her form on the return trip.



Skiing up towards Robert on the return trip to the car.



Sunny disposition on a sunny day.



Katerina skiied herself partway back to the car, so I was able to lighten the load on my back and move that stuff to the sled.



Someone appears to be possibly running a tiny bit low on new skiier patience ...



Eventually Katerina got tired of skiing herself so she finished up the trip hanging onto the sled.



Katerina in tow.

Skiing at Diamond Peak

Katerina had a lesson the first day so Robert and Erick and I headed out for some shredding.



Katerina with her teacher. She ended up with private lesson for the price of a group lesson. I am pretty sure that tongue thing is a Russian affectation ...





Katerina after her lesson.



The whole crew on a run up to the very top of the mountain.



Lake Tahoe in the distance and Princess Shrederina in the foreground.



Styling.



Shredding.