Hundreds Join Governor Sisolak for Ribbon Cutting

What was once considered “impossible” is now complete because of your support. The new Tahoe East Shore Trail opened on Friday with a ribbon cutting by Governor Sisolak and hundreds of members of the community. We couldn’t have done it without you.

With your support, we were able to raise over $1 million in private funds from more than 550 private donors that unlocked more than $12.5M in federal dollars needed for the trail’s construction.

“We are so thankful to the hundreds of donors who contributed to the path, helping to secure the public funding needed to make this ‘Impossible Trail’ possible,” Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry stated. “As people enjoy the path, we know they will be touched by its beauty and want to continue to help us take care of Tahoe’s environment. This wouldn’t be possible without the epic collaboration of the 13 partners and the craftsmanship of Granite Construction.”

The Tahoe East Shore Trail is part of a larger shared vision to ultimately connect all of the communities, parks, beaches, businesses and other destinations that circle Lake Tahoe, while enhancing safety by separating vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

The first three-mile section of trail represents a major milestone in this effort and required extensive collaboration of 13 public and private agencies that included NDOT, the Tahoe Transportation District, Federal Highway Administration, Incline Village General Improvement District, Nevada Department of Public Safety-Highway Patrol, Nevada Division of State Lands, Nevada Division of State Parks, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, U.S. Forest Service-Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, and the three Nevada-side counties that govern Lake Tahoe – Carson City, Douglas, and Washoe.

Bears and trout are still available for donations of $2,500 and $5,000 respectively. All donations of $100 or more will be recognized on a new donor wall at Hidden Beach.

Some fun facts about the trail:

• Six bridges were installed along the three-mile path, the longest being 810-feet long
• 17 vista points and 23 interpretive panels were constructed along the pathway to enhance the visitor experience
• More than 5,000 linear feet of storm drain pipe, including 80 drainage inlets and 26,000 linear feet of curb and gutter, were installed for erosion control to help maintain Tahoe’s famed clarity by reducing sediment into Lake Tahoe
• Approximately 90 new parking spots with direct access to the path are available at three new parking lots located alongside State Route 28 in Incline Village.

For more information about how to donate, visit tahoefund.org/donate.

Submit suggestions and vote before trail opens on July 12

Thanks to a regional collaborative effort between the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA), the Truckee Tahoe Airport, the U.S. Forest Service, the Tahoe Fund and the North Tahoe Public Utility District (NTPUD), a new multi-use trail with mountain bike features is being built for public use in Kings Beach. The trail and parking improvements will be accessible from the Forest Service access road off of Beaver Street.

Not only will this new multi-use trail offer a fun way to experience the national forest lands in Kings Beach, it will help reduce erosion and keep sediment from flowing into the nearby Griff Creek.

“This is an excellent example of partnership and community engagement on a project that will truly make a difference for both the land and trail users,” said US Forest Service trails engineer, Jacob Quinn. “We’re excited to build on the already significant public engagement in this project with the trail naming campaign. These trails and the surrounding public land are an important part of the community and we want to honor that relationship by reaching out and working together in naming this amazing new trail.”

The group building the trail is seeking name ideas from the community. Trail name submissions can be submitted online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KingsBeachTrail. There is no limit on entries.

Submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m. on June 27, 2019. The organizations building the trail, the U.S. Forest Service, TAMBA, Tahoe Fund and the NTPUD, will narrow the entries down to three options. The community will be able to vote for the new trail name between July 1-8, 2019. The winner will be announced on Friday, July 12 at the new trail’s ribbon cutting and grand opening.

Private donations helped repair broken glass to ensure popular facility reopened to the public

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (June 10, 2019) – During the average school year, Taylor Creek Visitor Center hosts over 150 students per day to connect classroom curriculum with direct experience with the local aquatic life. One of the highlights of the experience is the Taylor Creek Stream Profile Chamber. When the glass of this underwater viewing chamber broke during routine cleaning last year, staff worried that this educational tool would be lost. Fortunately, help from the nonprofit Tahoe Fund and Tahoe Blue Vodka ensured its replacement.

“For decades, students and families have come from all over to connect with Taylor Creek,” said Jerry Keir, Executive Director of the Great Basin Institute and the Interpretative Association for the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, a USDA Forest Service facility. “The stream profile chamber has been an essential first-hand learning opportunity for the K-12 community, and we’re so thankful this grant from the Tahoe Fund and Tahoe Blue Vodka restored it.”

The glass broke last May, and, unable to secure funding for replacement, the staff at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center had been forced to close the stream profile chamber for the year. The Institute requested assistance from the Tahoe Fund for the repair, and the nonprofit stepped in to solve the problem with support from Tahoe Blue Vodka. Funding for the glass replacement came from this partnership, a joint effort that also provided a large part of the funding needed for the recently completed viewing platform, the Taylor Creek Overlook.

The Taylor Creek Steam Profile Chamber allows visitors to get an up-close underwater view of the spawning Kokanee salmon each year. “This is a beloved facility,” said Jeff Marsolais, Forest Supervisor for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. “Without the shared stewardship by our partners, we simply could not re-open the Stream Profile Chamber last year.”

“Taylor Creek continues to be a special part of the Tahoe community and an important piece of wildlife education in the South Lake community,” Tahoe Blue Vodka Founder Matt Levitt said. “We’re excited to help get the chamber back up and operational so that visitors can continue to learn about what’s happening not only above the water, but below it, too.”

With help from these partners, the glass has been installed and once again the doors are open. This year the Chamber celebrates its 50th anniversary with a variety of guided hikes, special events, and educational programs. Under a USFS cooperative agreement, the Great Basin Institute operates the Visitor Center to advance its mission of environmental research, education, and service.

The Visitor Center is open from Memorial Day weekend through October. To learn more about activities, visit the LTBMU website, www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/ltbmu or call the Center at (530) 543-2674.

TahoePublicBeaches.org guides visitors and locals to over 40 public beaches in the Tahoe Basin

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (June 4, 2019) – In partnership with eight agencies that manage Lake Tahoe’s public beaches, the nonprofit Tahoe Fund has launched a new website designed to serve as a guide to visitors and locals interested in exploring over 40 beaches that surround the iconic shores of Lake Tahoe. From frequented hotspots to little known hidden gems, the website offers information about how to get to each beach, where to park, hours of operation, what amenities and services are offered if any. The website also details other helpful information beachgoers might be interested in.

“For the most part, when people visit Tahoe, they often frequent the same 5-10 beaches. With the new Tahoe Public Beaches website, our intention is to help educate people about the 40+ public beaches that surround the lake so people can experience more of what Tahoe has to offer,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “Whether you’re looking for dog friendly beaches, places where you can BBQ, rent paddleboards, boats or find shade, TahoePublicBeaches.org was designed to be the singular place to learn what each beach offers and how to get there.”

In addition to information about each beach and the facilities available, TahoePublicBeaches.org offers information about the Lake Tahoe Water Trail, convenient transportation options, and how to take care of Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe Public Beaches website was developed by the Tahoe Fund and co-funded by the California Tahoe Conservancy through the Lake Tahoe License Plate Program. Eight public agencies collaborated to develop the site, seamlessly integrating public beach information across their organizations to get information to their users. The partners include: California Tahoe Conservancy, California State Parks, City of South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City Public Utility District, North Tahoe Public Utility District, Nevada Division of State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service, and Tahoe Transportation District.

“Everyone who enjoys the lake should have a Tahoe plate,” said Patrick Wright, the Conservancy’s Executive Director. “They look cool on your car, show your love for Lake Tahoe, and fund important recreation projects like this new website, which makes it easier for you to find a public beach at Lake Tahoe.”

Visitors and Lake Tahoe area residents are encouraged to bookmark the mobile-friendly website and use it to plan their next trip to one of Tahoe’s public beaches. Learn more at TahoePublicBeaches.org. Learn more about Lake Tahoe license plates at tahoeplates.org.