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  5. Road trippin': SR-89 by Lake Tahoe

Road trippin: Skirting Lake Tahoe on snowy SR-89

All right, well now we know: Don't expect to be dazzled by scenery if you choose to venture up State Route 89 from South Lake Tahoe to Truckee after a (very welcome!) bunch of snow has fallen in the region. The conditions were mostly sunny and dry when CT News navigated its way up the roadway in mid-February, but the steering wheel was gripped tightly through the snow-bank-lined route that featured fewer great views of the lake than what one might expect to enjoy in the summertime.

Gallery

sr89-01 (Screen shot courtesy of Google Maps)
sr89-02 CT News had the bright idea of exploring State Route 89 past Lake Tahoe during the winter. What would that be like?
sr89-03 For a few miles between Meyers and South Lake Tahoe, State Route 89 teams up with U.S. Highway 50 before they split again.
sr89-04 Snow banks on the northern edge of South Lake Tahoe are a hint at what's to come as SR-89 heads up toward Truckee.
sr89-05 The possibilities for adventure about around Lake Tahoe this month -- provided you have snow shoes and warm clothing.
sr89-06 Mother Nature seemed to be running operations at Camp Richardson during a mostly sunny weekday in mid-February.
sr89-07 Non-business tourist attractions are mostly closed along SR-89, which is understandable considering they're basically unreachable.
sr89-08 Several miles past South Lake Tahoe, Highway 89 rises along Lake Tahoe's western shore and water comes into view.
sr89-09 What with all the trees (positive) and snow banks (seasonal), glimpses of the lake are few and fleeting along the roadway.
sr89-10 This hairpin curve near Emerald Bay State Park is about the sharpest along the 40-some-mile route.
sr89-11 Snowplows have done their jobs along State Route 89, but that means there are few places such as this one to access the shoulder.
sr89-12 The notion of having to encounter bicycles along State Route 89 in the wintertime can seem a bit weird, if not frightening.
sr89-13 Throughout much of the day CT News sampled SR-89 earlier this month, it felt a bit like going through a snow tunnel.
sr89-14 During the summer and fall shoulder parking areas such as this one no doubt offer great views, but nowadays the snow banks get in the way.
sr89-15 Yes, this popular Lake Tahoe resort town is there somewhere. It's just a bit camouflaged this time of year.
sr89-16 Motorists encounter two roundabouts on State Route 89 as it passes to the west of Tahoe City.
sr89-17 At the first of the two roundabouts, here's a look back at where we came from on our trek up Highway 89.
sr89-18 The second roundabout's city-limits sign is fully visible, as is part of the community that is accessed here by State Route 28.
sr89-19 The exit toward Kings Beach allows summertime State Route 89 motorists to reach one of the lake's family-friendly beaches.
sr89-20 Graffiti vandals and perhaps the side of heavy machinery have impacted this highway sign between Tahoe City and Truckee.
sr89-21 Squaw Valley is one of the region's oldest and most esteemed ski areas, although its name is considered by many to be offensive.
sr89-22 A mere 63 years ago (exactly!), the Winter Olympics were held at Squaw Valley. The event's symbolic rings still tower over the entrance.
sr89-23 Northbound State Route 89 traffic picks up, even in the wintertime, on the southern outskirts of Truckee.
sr89-24 CT News concludes its exploration of this portion of State Route 89 when the roadway intersects Interstate 80.
sr89-25 Parked and peering back, one can catch a glimpse of the super-pretty Truckee River, which runs along much of SR-89 north of Tahoe City.