Fresh from surfing, biking (both cruiser bike on the beach boardwalk and fat biking in Big Bear) and touring around, the next stop on my catch the winter wave adventure was in Lake Tahoe! And this season, many mountains are open until July 4th; I read there was a snow storm in Tahoe North three days ago!
It’s a short flight (an hour?) from LAX to Reno/Lake Tahoe and our trip started in South Lake Tahoe. Our group stayed in a few different hotels here; I was at Basecamp Hotel, which I loved. The rooms have a cute hipster-chic aesthetic, and I just knew (and was correct) that the complimentary breakfast would include a DIY waffle station.
Plus there’s a large hot tub and beside it is a campfire. And campfire means s’mores! I pretty much felt like I was living my best life as a friend made me a s’more and passed it to me to eat as I lounged in the hot tub after a long day of skiing. Next time, I’d love to stay in their Great Indoors room, that has a tent, fun!
(Photo credit: Max Whittaker/Visit California)
It’s basically a 5-10 minute walk across the street to get to Heavenly. I’m a big fan of the Epix Mix app, so was thrilled we were skiing at Heavenly since I’d get to log more vertical feet on my app (yes, I’m a nerd like that). My legs felt a little shaky (and I’d just had two somewhat frustrating ski trips in January to Park City and Panorama — I actually felt like I got worse at skiing those two trips) but after a run or two to loosen up, I really enjoyed the skiing at Heavenly. It never got old to look out into the distance and seeing the silvery glint of Lake Tahoe in the distance; the view taking my breath away every time.
Another favourite thing at Heavenly? I got to meet one of the avalanche dogs, Pete! Our guide for the morning tried to have us meet the dogs in the a.m. but the team was in a meeting at the time, but I made a note of which run and building the dogs are at, and made a point to pop in on my own in the afternoon (i.e. I made everyone I was skiing with wait for 10 minutes as I met this sweetheart).
(Photo credit: Max Whittaker/Visit California)
Our second day of skiing was at Sierra at Tahoe. I’d say the runs here felt similar to Heavenly, but because I was feeling more confident with my skiing, I’d say I truly enjoyed the skiing here. Where it’s just challenging enough that it’s still exciting but also with sections on the runs where you just feel like you can take it easy and enjoying that lightness of coasting down the slopes. Plus, I tacked a black diamond run here — I’d done black diamond before a handful of times, but I was pretty proud this time as the super advanced skiers in our group told me that it was not good conditions and that it was quite a difficult run, and I managed to do it without wiping out nor feeling like I couldn’t handle it. I just took my time and stayed calm and collected, while the more advanced skiers I was with patiently and kindly would wait for me to catch up.
(Photo credit: Max Whittaker/Visit California)
Another thing that worked in my favour for both days at Heavenly and Sierra? I think the skis I had worked really well for me. I’m not knowledgeable enough about skiing, but a few of the much more advance skiers commented that they seemed just right for me. I know that I felt at ease in them, and what can I say, I liked the red colour of them.
As for my favourite meal in South Lake Tahoe was at the BBQ restaurant at Hotel Becket. The meats are smoked on site, and there’s a wide range of appetizers and sides, and both a solid craft brewery and cocktail menu. We had a really large table, so I feel like we ordered practically every dish on the menu, so I got a well-rounded taste test of what the kitchen puts out.
After those two days, we moved onto North Lake Tahoe. It was an early start to the day for the drive but despite very much wanting to snooze on the ride, I’m glad I managed to stay awake as the view of the lake as you drive north is stunning. And this actually is my main regret of this trip: that I didn’t have a chance to actually spend time at the lake itself, so I had to make do with gawking over the view on the drive north. Given our busy itinerary there was no time to go to explore the lake (I debated getting up super early for a run, but the timing would’ve been tight based on sunrise, so it wasn’t really an option).
In North Lake Tahoe, we spent two days at Squaw Valley but the first day was focused on watching the FIS World Cup Ladies Slalom. I don’t know much about the sport, but it was exciting to watch these women race in real life. No photos or video were permitted of the race itself, but I got a few of some of the athletes watching the competition after they’d completed their turn.
I was raring to go hit those slopes at Squaw, having had time to take in this enormous mountain. I found this to be the most beautiful of the mountains we went to, even though I had thought nothing would top the view of Lake Tahoe from Heavenly. The sheer size of the mountain, the mix of rock faces that would peek through the snow, the huge gnarled tree stump on one run, so many picturesque spots.
We were also blessed with such beautiful weather, blue skies and about 20 degrees Celsius. And even though the most knowledgeable skier I know told me that legit skiers don’t strip down to a T-shirt (or girls who just wear a bikini top) when it gets warm enough to ski, I won’t lie that I was mighty tempted to (and still might one day). It might not gain me props with legit skiers, but I kind of love the idea of the exhilarating feeling of skiing on snow but in contrast with it being so sunny and warm you can do it in a sports bra or bikini top. Skiing minus cold temperatures is pretty dreamy, and it almost makes me reluctant to go back to skiing in actual cold weather (although I love it too much to not!).
In the afternoon, we were paired up with a guide who brought us to some incredible runs. There was one black diamond run that wasn’t busy and hit just the right note of being almost too difficult enough in areas but mixed in with enough sections that felt breezy and carefree. Which was just about the perfect way to end an unforgettable trip that has made California a solid favourite in my books.
It’s going to be hard to return to skiing in frigid weather after skiing in these incredible conditions–I feel so very fortunate to have had the opportunity to ski in Tahoe. Have you skied here? I’d love to hear about your Tahoe favourites!
And by the way, if you’re keen on reading the pieces I wrote about this trip, I wrote about Tahoe for VITA Daily, and about both SoCal and Tahoe for Travel & Style.
June 15, 2017
Surfing and skiing are the two most equally exhilarating and zen sports I’ve ever done. So when I was invited on a trip to California to “catch the winter wave” and do both, I was more excited than when I’m front row for the Backstreet Boys. OK, wait, I get pretty excited for my ’90s boy bands…but I was pretty darn stoked about this trip! Maybe one degree less excited than when they’re belting out “I want it that way…” and I make meaningful eye contact with Nick (because that actually happened!). Happy sigh…
But wait, we’re talking about Cali, here, not boy bands! Here’s the cool thing about Cali and going there in the winter: if you travel to California anywhere from about November up until June or so, you can score yourself both surf and snow. I had no idea! I’d only learned in the last year or so about Lake Tahoe, which is where you can ski, and was quickly infatuated with going there because everything I’d seen and heard about it sounded incredible. Being out in nature, and especially mountains really is the most calming thing for me (even more so than being by the ocean).
Let me start with the first half of our trip, though: the sun and sand part. We flew to LAX stayed in Century City, and while we didn’t spend much time at the Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City other than our first dinner and sleeping at the hotel, I did have time to walk down the street to the under-renovation Westfield Century City, where I checked out Free People and grabbed a bite. (I’ll post soon about the top spots we ate at on this trip.)
So what to do if you’re catching the winter wave in SoCal?
Hike in Temescal Canyon Park
While I have done a few hikes with Bikes and Hikes LA in the past year or so, I had never hiked the Pacific Palisades with them, and I would say I prefer it over the one that takes you to the Griffith Observatory; it is possible I feel that way because I’ve been to the Observatory many times, but on this hike you feel more as tho then you’ve escaped the city. The hike we did in Temescal Canyon Park was extremely easy and we had perfect weather: sunny but just warm enough so that once you started walking, you could strip down to a light t-shirt.
Walk in Venice Beach and Abbot Kinney
If you’re not so into nature, you might be more interested in the walking tour of Venice with Bikes and Hikes LA, but you can of course also just stroll on your own if you’re not into a formal tour.
We had some time constraints but we checked out Muscle Beach, the Frank Gehry-designed Norton House on the boardwalk, skate park, saw lots of street art and got a peek at the Venice Canals. I’d been to the area before but it’s always find to check out this iconic neighbourhood. We didn’t have time this day to explore Abbot Kinney, but it’s got the most adorable shops, and it’s just nice to stroll, grab a bite and people watch and shop. One of my fave places to go in LA.
Cruise Marina del Rey
Our winter wave tour also got us into the water where we donned sailor captains hats and cruised Marina del Rey with
Hornblower Cruises.
Cruising with Hornblower is a nice and serene way to catch the sunset. Well, I suppose less solemn if you’re hitting up the bar, haha, but we were all pretty well behaved when it came to drinking on the boat. I hadn’t dressed properly for the very windy day so I enjoyed the cruise mostly from inside. Definitely pack a few layering pieces if you’re catching the winter wave in SoCal! That day was exceptionally windy — all of the locals were talking about how crazy the weather was.
If you’re lucky you’ll spot some sea lions; we saw a few summing themselves on the boats docked next to ours.
Bike in Santa Monica
Even though it’s a simple thing to do, I think biking in Santa Monica is just a really freeing and happy way to spend a couple of hours. It doesn’t have the adrenaline rush of surfing, but it was a favourite of all of ours. The sun overhead and blue skies peppered with the towering palm trees. We had bikes from
Perry’s (they have several locations along the beach), and while I know I tend to think food from places along a boardwalk might be tourist trap-like and have terrible food, having had two lunches there, I can vouch for their food being solid, and not what you might find in a Toronto waterfront place (it’s not a generic hot dog, or heavy pizza). Think tacos and fresh bowls.
Oh, while biking in Santa Monica and Venice, we stumbled onto
LA Bubble Ball and we all basically screeched to a halt and had an impromptu bubble ball session! It’s the first time I’ve done it and I was surprised how out of breath I got running around in that thing. It can be a bit claustrophobic, and when I fell down in it, I had the hardest time getting up (partly because I was laughing so hard). I definitely need more bubble ball in my life!
Surf in Santa Monica
I’ll be the first person to admit that I hate cold water. While I’m not someone who is always cold, I am definitely someone who need water to be warm, as in very warm. What many people call “refreshing” I would call freezing. So I was more than a bit nervous about surfing in Santa Monica in March. And as soon as my toes touched the water and I walked into the ocean and I lost feeling in my toes (which never came back the entire surf lesson) all I could think was how I wasn’t sure I could go through with this.
I’d say the wetsuit kept me warm (and it mostly did) but my hands and feet were cold the entire time. So much so that after each attempt to catch a wave, I contemplated calling it a day and just watching from the beach.
It was a pretty frustrating surf day for me. I never got up on the board (at most, I got halfway once or twice), and the waves were quite strong so I was exhausted because each time I went to head back into the water to my
Learn to Surf LA surf instructor, I’d take a step or two and a wave would spit me back practically onto the beach. I was cold and tired, and yet I didn’t quit the surf lesson. Because when you’re in a place as beautiful as Santa Monica and you have one of the few opportunities you get to surf, you do it. And even just getting half-up on the board was promising enough for me to keep trying.
With my sand and surf checked off of this epic catch-the-winter-wave trip to California, it was time to pack up in SoCal and head north. Next stop: a day trip to Big Bear!
Oh, I also wrote about catching the winter wave for
Travel & Style. You can check out my article
here!
Now are you looking to book a trip to California or another destination? Here’s how you can save some money:
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And as always. I’d love to hear about your travels! I’m always looking for wanderlust inspiration!
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(Photo credit for Hornblower Cruise and latter two surf photos: Max Whittaker/Visit California)
May 31, 2017