The Animal Services Division of the Truckee Police Department has seen an increase in complaints related to dogs being uncontained or off leash, especially in open public areas like the Truckee River Legacy Trail.

Here are some reminders about walking dogs in public areas off leash:

• The Town Municipal Code requires all dogs be under control at all times when off the property of their owner or caretaker. This means that no dog may be off leash in any public area unless the dog is in the immediate presence and under direct control of the owner and the owner can demonstrate effective control of the dog.
• Carry a leash at all times. If your dog is off leash and attacks or bites another person or dog or causes another person to become injured, you may be subject to a violation, as well as civil legal action.
• Avoid a citation, pick up after your dogs as this is a growing problem in Truckee and will be strictly enforced. Dog waste pollutes water sources. Scoop it, bag it, and most important, toss it in the trash.
• Interfering with the lawful movement of pedestrians and bicyclists is also a citable violation. People who use the trail are entitled to an incident free experience. This includes the off leash “friendly dog” contacts. If you see someone on the trail riding their bike, running, or walking, it is the owner’s responsibility to keep that dog contained until the person passes by.
• Truckee Regional Park has a strict leash law from May through October. All dogs must be on a leash at all times while in the park.
• All dogs are required to be vaccinated against the rabies virus and licensed.

Rubicon trail has stunning views in all directions. Photo/Kathryn Reed

By Kathryn Reed

EMERALD BAY STATE PARK – Fifty shades of blue; that’s what you see along the Rubicon trail.

From Emerald Bay to D.L. Bliss State Park the spectrum of color is breathtaking. It seems to change every few feet; the hue altering with the sun and depth of water.

With so much terrain in the Lake Tahoe Basin off-limits because of lingering white stuff or impassable water, it’s necessary to find trails below the snow line. This is one of them.

What makes this trail so special is that either Emerald Bay or Lake Tahoe is constantly in view. As the elevation of the trail changes, the perspective alters from it seeming to be within reach to being a scary dive.

Emerald Bay shimmers on a warm spring day. Photo/Kathryn Reed

The Rubicon Wall is where some of the deepest waters of Tahoe exist. In the summer, when the water is warmer, people are often jumping off rocks.

This trail was not immune to the ravages of winter. One section before reaching the tip of the bay is covered in water. It’s passable to the right where hikers have put down limbs to walk across.

Trees cross the path at times, but all are easy to maneuver over or around.

The waterfall midway along the route is passable, but slow going as people watch their step on the rocky-watery crossing. (What was more amazing was all the water coming out of the hillside along the paved path from the parking lot to Vikingsholm.)

While there were several people on the trail last Sunday, it was by no means crowded. Besides the four us, only two people were at Calloway Cove at D.L. Bliss. It was truly blissful.

The colors of Lake Tahoe are dazzling. Photo/Kathryn Reed

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Getting there:

From South Lake Tahoe, take Highway 89 north, through the hairpin turns, and around Emerald Bay. Park in the Vikingsholm lot on the right. Cost is $10. Go down the paved trail toward the castle. Before reaching the castle, the Rubicon trail is to the left. Round trip it is 11 miles.

By Lisa Herron

Here’s some important information for residents and visitors to keep in mind this Memorial Day weekend at Lake Tahoe.

Warm temperatures have accelerated melting of our tremendous snowpack, streams and rivers will be cold, swift and high.  Snowmelt water is extremely cold and exposure for even for a few minutes can cause hypothermia. Avoid crossing flooded areas and keep in mind stream and river levels can fluctuate rapidly. A stream crossed early in the day, may not be able to be crossed later in the day as temperatures warm. 

Hikers are advised that 2 to 20-plus feet of snow remains in the back country. Trails may not be visible, a map and compass are essential, along with proper footwear, clothing and gear. In addition, your mobile device may not work in some areas, develop an emergency plan in case you cannot call for help.

Expect Lake Tahoe beaches to be much narrower than in previous years, some beaches with vegetation or rocky shoreline may be inaccessible. Arrive early to beat the crowds and use this opportunity to explore new areas.

Due to the large amount of snow remaining in some areas, many trails, roads and some campgrounds are still closed. Check online for the latest closure information (dates are subject to change).

Campfires and portable charcoal grills are only allowed in designated campgrounds and are never allowed on the beach or in the general forest. A California campfire permit is required for gas stoves outside of designated areas. Think first and learn more about keeping Tahoe fire safe online.  

Finally, remember to pack out all garbage and leave no trace.

Lisa Herron works for the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit.

By Cate Neal

A plunge into Lake Tahoe can literally take your breath away. It may be warm outside, but the lake can be dangerously cold. Lake Tahoe’s average surface temperature in the summer is 63 degrees, and can drop to 53 degrees just 18 inches below the surface. 

One of the most dangerous consequences of submerging suddenly into cold water is a “cold-shock response.” This response is an uncontrollable gasp for air followed by a prolonged period of rapid breathing. Taking a couple gasps of air underwater is all it takes to drown. Another “cold-shock response” when temperature of the blood cools down and returns to the heart is a heart attack.
So what can we learn from others who take a dangerous plunge? Here are few tips for a fun and safe day at the lake.

Ease in slowly. Take your time getting in the water. Give your body time to adjust to the cooler temperature.

Follow the rules. Swimmers should stay in designated areas. If you are paddling, wear a personal flotation device.  Non-motorized crafts have the right of way, but be aware of power boats.

Watch for obstacles. With the heavy amount of snow we had this winter, you may notice extra vegetation and debris near and along the shoreline. Before jumping into the water, scout out any obstacles and jump in feet first. Whether you are swimming or paddling, know how to look for and avoid obstacles. 

Be weather aware. On Lake Tahoe, weather varies by the hour. Don’t wait for the weather to change. Be aware of your surroundings and know the easiest way to shore.

Skip swimming and drinking. Alcohol impairs judgment and increases risk-taking, a dangerous combination. Even experienced swimmers may venture out farther than they should. A leg cramp can make it challenging to get back to shore and even a chill can develop into hypothermia.

Bring a buddy. Never swim alone. If you haven’t seen your buddy for a couple of minutes, he or she may need your help.

Supervise your children. Keep an eye on your children, especially if they are inexperienced swimmers. If possible, teach your little ones to swim at a young age.

Tahoe summers are a time to be treasured with family and friends. You don’t want to have children on an inflatable flamingo drag you to shore. Swim with caution and enjoy this magnificent lake.  

Cate Neal is a registered nurse and the trauma program coordinator at Barton Memorial Hospital’s Level III Trauma Center.

Firewood permits from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit go on sale May 30 in South Lake Tahoe, and on May 31 at the Incline Village office. 

Permits cost $20 per cord, with a two-cord minimum and a limit of 10 cords per household. 

Permits have specific conditions. Complete information is provided when the permit is issued. Maps to designated cutting areas are provided and must be in the permit holder’s possession along with the valid permit. 

The permit is for collection of “down-dead” wood in designated areas within the Lake Tahoe Basin. “Down-dead” means the tree is down on the ground and dead, rather than dead and standing. Cutting any standing tree, whether dead or green, is not allowed.

Permit sales will end in early to mid-November.

By Kathryn Reed

STATELINE – No longer is the number of piers at Lake Tahoe being disputed. Now the debate is about all the strings attached to build one.

The latest plan calls for 10 public piers and 128 private piers, with a maximum of 12 every two years.

The shorezone plan that was adopted in October 2008 also called for 128 piers. That month the League to Save Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Club filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Sacramento to block the plan, citing inadequate science. In September 2010 the decision by U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton that struck down the TRPA’s shorezone ordinance was appealed by the bi-state regulatory agency. In February 2012 the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal gave a ruling that had both sides claiming a partial victory.

For the past 18 months a committee put together by the TRPA, which includes the League and affected property owners, has been working to come up with what is now called a shoreline plan. (The League helped create the 2008 plan and still sued.) The committee’s latest iteration was brought before the Regional Plan Implementation Committee of the TRPA on May 24.

Not everyone is going to get a private dock considering there are more than 700 parcels in the basin without a pier that might want one.

Not much room for more docks in the Tahoe Keys in South Lake Tahoe. Photo/Kathryn Reed

The latest proposal calls for 28 new piers in El Dorado County, 21 in Douglas County, 21 in Washoe County and 58 in Placer County.

Today there are about 800 piers and 4,000 buoys on Lake Tahoe. The 2008 plan allowed for an additional 1,822 buoys. The current plan calls for 1,430 more moorings, which are defined as buoys, slips, or boat lifts.

Density issues will also preclude everyone who wants a dock from getting one. Scenic quality is a top criterion. The goal is not to allow them all to be built in one area, but to spread them out.

How to make it equitable, well, that hasn’t been worked out. There will inevitably be people who lose out on having a pier.

One goal is to have more shared piers. This is intended to reduce clutter and density. A problem, though, could be getting buy-in from neighbors.

“The whole point here is delicate harmonization,” said Gina Bartlett with Consensus Building Institute. CBI was hired by TRPA to work with the shoreline stakeholders to build consensus.

The current plan calls for the pier owner to retire development rights. This was the biggest hurdle for several of the RPIC members. They didn’t see the nexus between the two.

And for those with nothing to retire nor the means to buy other property and have it retired notches up the pier issue to something only the uber-wealthy are likely to be able to afford. Not every lakefront parcel comes with a ton of land.

“We might be creating a situation where only those who can afford to can play,” RPIC member Jim Lawrence acknowledged.

The lack of outreach to those affected is another concern of RPIC. TRPA staff assured the committee they intend to try to connect with property owners.

Obviously there is still work to be done before the environmental document process can begin. The RPIC group is expected to get another update in June.

By Kyle Spurr, Bend (Ore.) Bulletin

Little is known about the Sierra Nevada red fox, a rare subspecies of the small mammal of which there are fewer than 50 living in Northern California.

But a recently discovered population roaming the Oregon Cascades has excited wildlife biologists, who believe they have found a larger population.

The biologists hope to learn more about the foxes after capturing and radio-collaring two this month in a high-elevation forest near Mount Bachelor.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Tim Hiller, a wildlife biologist and founder of the Wildlife Ecology Institute, began studying the Sierra Nevada red fox in 2012.

Read the whole story

By International Ski Federation

Downhiller Travis Ganong of Truckee has been racing on the most impressive World Cup courses for the past eight years, claiming two victories, one of them this season in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We took the time to catch up with him and talk about his season, his career, but also the specificities of downhill ski racing.

Your 7th World Cup season concluded with a 12th place in the downhill standings and a 15th place in super G. It looks like there have been lot of up and downs, how would you rate your season? Are you satisfied with your performances?

Yeah it has been a season of highs and lows for me for sure, but I am really happy to end the season ranked in the top 15 in two events for the first time in my career. I had some really great performances and some other races where I pushed hard and took some chances that didn’t end up working out. This season in downhill and super G the margins were so close that you had to push hard and take risk and when everything worked out, like in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, it was nice to stand on the top of the podium!

You mention it, one of the highlights was indubitably your second career win in the downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Can you describe that special day?

Yeah, Garmisch-Partenkichen was for sure a bittersweet day for me. I think for me this was the best downhill performance of my career, where I skied exactly how I wanted to and it all worked out, but also I started right after my teammate Steve Nyman who crashed and had a season ending injury. It was hard having such an amazing result for me and then going back to the hotel and seeing Nyman’s condition, as well as watching all of the other crashes that day. The conditions of the downhill on that day were for sure on the limit of what is safe, and it was really tough to see all the injuries that day, but that’s downhill ski racing and we have to push hard and ride that thin line to be competitive with a field that is so stacked right now. I wish the best to all the injured athletes and hope they all make successful returns to the World Cup downhill tour.

This win gave you confidence for the World Championships in St. Moritz, but things didn’t go as planned or hoped there, as you finished 25th. What happened? Was the pressure higher as you were defending a silver medal from Vail/Beaver Creek?

Yeah, St. Moritz really didn’t work out for me, and I was really hopping to follow up the World Cup win with something special, but that is downhill ski racing, where any given day, anyone can win or lose. All the guys on tour right now are skiing so fast and it was tough all season being only four-tenths of a second behind the winner and barley making it into the top 10. I don’t put any pressure on myself ever, but try to just focus on the little things that I can control, and then other than that, I just try to have fun and enjoy every moment that I get to spend in the mountains with a pair of skis on my feet. Also, it really was a tough week in St. Moritz with the weather and canceled training runs and races, and lowered starts, and I didn’t handle the changing conditions very well, and that is something that I can really learn while moving forward. The downhill really did change completely when we couldn’t start from the top, having no real speed for the top flat section of the course.

There is another special event coming up next year: the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang. How are you preparing for this event? What are your goals?

Yeah, I am really excited to head back to South Korea and represent the USA again at the Olympics. I have great memories from Sochi where I had an amazing performance in the downhill and I hope to again try and fight for a medal. I have learned a lot about racing downhill and super G over the last few years on tour and now that I have that experience, I know how to better prepare to be more consistent on a weekly basis, and my goals are to try and stay healthy and strong all season long, and go into the games with as little knee pain as possible so I can push hard and ski how I want to. It has been really hard over the last few seasons managing my knee pain, but I am approaching my training and preparations a little differently this summer and hopefully it will work for next season.

In downhill, the density of the field is very high, with 11 different winners in the last 16 races. What makes the difference at the end of the day? What does it take to be the fastest?

Yeah, it’s crazy how competitive downhill ski racing has become over the last years. There are so many top level skiers and anyone of them can win on any given day. This is really good for the sport I think, and it’s making us athletes work harder than ever and ski on the limit to try and win, and that is elevating the sport and bringing ski racing to new levels. At the end of the day, since the margins are so small and since we are all pushing so hard, it is the athlete that makes the least amount of mistakes, while also taking the most risk that is going to win. It takes a very special performance, and that is why I think there have been so many different winners.

So taking risks is an inherent part of downhill. How do you deal with this? Is the danger always present in your mind?

Yes, downhill ski racing is a dangerous sport and I think that risk management is a very important part of finding success. Since it’s an individual sport, no one is going to tell you when and where to take chance or to hold back, and that is why gaining experience is a huge key to learning how to manage the risk and find success. For my entire career on the World Cup, I have always tried to ski at an 80 percent level of risk or attack. Every year while doing this I try and gain more experience and stay healthy, and then the next season all of a sudden my new 80 percent risk level is at last seasons 100 percent level or higher. Over the seasons I have learned and been able to push harder and harder while still staying in a relatively safe range of risk, and now when I have a good performance while skiing in my comfort zone, I know that I can be faster than anyone. I hope to keep building on this through my career and continue to learn how to manage the risk.

During your time off the World Cup circuit, we often see you shredding the mountain free riding. Do you enjoy it so much for its similarities or its differences to alpine skiing?

I love to ski off piste as much as I can to get a break from skiing on ice and to bring some perspective to my life, realizing how lucky I am to travel the world being a skier. I mean don’t get me wrong, racing a classic downhill course going as fast as you can from top to bottom and sending it off of jumps is still the most fun thing I have found to do on a pair of skis, but I still love the difference that free riding brings, and think that it really compliments my ski racing. Going back to the risk management, I think that backcountry skiing relates to downhill ski racing in many ways as where you always have to manage the risk and dangers associated and ski within your comfort zone to manage the apparent danger and in the case of backcountry skiing, stay alive. It was really tough this winter being in Europe from December through February when the hills were green and watching all my buddies have day after day of bottomless powder skiing. I had serious FOMO scrolling through my Instagram feed every morning and seeing how good it was back home at Squaw Valley.

Squaw Valley is where you grew up and the World Cup returned to the Californian venue this season. What does it mean to you and how was the atmosphere? You had the chance to race and win the U.S. Championship there in 2013. How would it feel to be able to race a World Cup in your home yard?

It was so cool to bring the World Cup back to California and to show off my home ski area of Squaw Valley. There is so much skiing history in Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and so much passion for the sport, and it’s a shame that World Cup ski racing has been absent from the region for so long. Ski racing is growing as a sport in California where the Squaw Valley Ski Team alone has over 1,200 kids in the program, and it was so cool for all those kids and others to see firsthand what ski racing on the World Cup level really is. I am sure that this one race inspired so many of these kids, and it will really help fuel the fire of the next generation of racers from California. The atmosphere was off the charts as well. I have been to a lot of women’s World Cup races to support my girlfriend Marie-Michele Gagnon, and this was by far the biggest and loudest crowd that I have seen at a women’s race. When Mikaela Shiffrin came down and won, everyone was on their feet and screaming as loud as they could, and it was a really special moment. I really hope that the FIS took note at how successful the Squaw Valley and Killington races where and that this will lead to a more fair World Cup Tour where the races are spread out evenly around the World.

By Benjamin Spillman, Reno Gazette-Journal
 
The poisonous plant that killed Socrates is alive and booming along the Truckee River in Reno.

But if you don’t chug a jug of hemlock tea or accidentally toss it in a salad you’ll probably be OK.

Just to be safe, though, Washoe County officials took time Monday to highlight the plant’s proliferation along a trail at Dorosktar Park on Reno’s west side.

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By David Gardner, Bleacher Report

Although his football career with the Cowboys is finished and his basketball career with the Mavericks never got out of warm-ups, Tony Romo isn’t through with professional sports: The 37-year-old former Dallas quarterback is attempting to qualify for the U.S. Open.

But first he will be returning in July to the American Century Championship in Stateline. This will be the first time he has played in the celebrity golf tournament in five years.

Romo has a long history on the links. He began as a boy, playing with his father, Ramiro (who eventually competed in the 2015 U.S. Senior Amateur). At Burlington (Wisconsin) High School, Tony Romo was a three-sport athlete, competing in football, basketball and golf. And although he didn’t play much basketball beyond high school, he continued with a heavy golf course load even as he was looking for his break in the NFL.

Before his rookie season in 2003, Romo made his first attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open, finishing seven strokes shy in Chicago. In May 2004, he fell short in another run at the Open. Later that summer, he won the Tri-Course Golf Tournament in Racine, Wisc., before competing in Cowboys training camp. In fact, during that camp—which he entered as the No. 4 quarterback behind Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde and Drew Henson—Romo considered a permanent change in profession.

Although he never did make the cut for the U.S. Open, he found success in several other tournaments during those years, most notably the American Century Championship, a competition that pits celebrities and athletes against each other for a week at Lake Tahoe each summer. Romo participated every year from 2007-12, coming in second place three times and never finishing worse than 11th.

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