140 TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole world a!ords,”

Mark Twain wrote upon seeing Tahoe for the first time. I can’t say I disagree. As I rounded the peak of Mount Rose, California-Nevada’s Lake Tahoe sat picture-perfect alongside each road-side turno!. Its sheer size, clarity and almost tropical blueness seemed unreal. Having never been to this idyllic alpine lake before, I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of runners, cyclists and overall exercise enthusiasts and had my breath taken away not only by the amount of activities I wanted to squeeze into one weekend, but the roughly 6,000 feet in altitude. And whether it’s family time or a romantic trip for two, the lake e!ortlessly o!ers those, too.

The best area to visit when short on time is the northern area of the lake. Dotted with several resorts, northern Lake Tahoe wraps in a 180-degree arc that includes Incline Village, the 1950s-esque town of Kings Beach, the more upscale Tahoe City, sleepy Carnelian Bay and some other smaller towns. Being a major foodie though, I should warn you: Tahoe’s not there to impress the palate. Nevertheless, there are a few good options such as The Log Cabin Ca!e in King’s Beach, which dishes up a mean breakfast (ask for fruit on your French toast and you won’t be disappointed), or for a light dinner and winning wine selections set your sights on the Plump-Jack Cafe in Olympic Valley.

Above all, the Lake Tahoe region is best suited for lake gazing, active pur-suits and definitely has something for whatever form your o!-season training takes you, such as snow-shoeing, down-

Lake Tahoe, California-NevadaCradled between the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west and the Carson Range to the east, the Lake Tahoe area is a versatile getaway that o!ers something for every type of traveler. By Lauren Ventura

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LAKE TAHOE LINKSLaketahoe.hyatt.comSquawcreek.comSkiheavenly.comLogcabinbreakfast.comPlumpjack.comTahoerimtrail.orgTahoesbest.com/bikingRecreationintahoe.com (South)Northtahoeparks.com (North)

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM 141

snow’s lacking and it’s not too frigid, or if skiing’s just not your forte, take advan-tage of the multitude of multi-use trails. My favorite trail begins in Tahoe City and heads around the lake and along the Truckee River into Squaw Valley totaling about four miles of paved sightseeing bliss. It was here that I noticed you can go tubing down the Truckee, a sight which made me wish I had more time to grab a bottle of bubbly and loll all day on a yellow inflatable floatie.

After a weekend in Tahoe, it seemed a cruel joke to have so many adventures to discover in a mere three days, but as I travelled back up Mount Rose, with the cerulean eye of Tahoe glinting in my rearview, I knew I’d be back.

hill or cross-country skiing, ice skating, sledding, horseback riding and even biathlon—a quirky mixture of shooting targets while skiing.

Once home to the 1960 Winter Olym-pic Games, the Resort at Squaw Creek or Squaw Village provides most of these great alternatives to the swim, bike, run routine in one central area located in the rolling meadows of Olympic Valley. A quick survey from the locals assured its top-notch notoriety. “There’s so much varied terrain at Squaw with a whole network of trails to choose from—it’s the best all-around ski area here,” says Dani-elle Gri"n, a Tahoe Dave’s retail expert.

One of the easiest adventures is the quick hike to the Lower Glen Alpine Falls in South Lake Tahoe. Here you can check out waterfalls with 65-foot drops and find a soft spot to sit and enjoy the sounds of cascading water. If you’d pre-fer to hit the trails on two wheels, each town around the entire lake has at least one or two equipment rental stores that provide everything from mountain bikes to kayaks to skis, apparel and trail maps.

If you enjoy the cha-ching of slots during your downtime, take your week-end getaway stay to South Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Resort in California. South Lake Tahoe isn’t as earthy as its north-ern neighbor, but it does o!er more cen-tralized shopping options, several old-school casinos and some of the steepest slopes around. Also accessible nearby is the Tahoe Rim Trail, which traverses 150 miles through streams, meadows and can take you to the south’s lesser lake, Echo.

The Hyatt Regency at Incline Village, host of the 2011 Xterra Lake Tahoe, deftly combines a little of everything: a large-scale casino, crackling fireplaces, heated pools amidst its grounds, and, best of all, small private cabanas where you can overlook the 23-mile lake expanse in all its glory. Make sure to request a room with a view.

If you happen upon Tahoe when