Welcome to South Lake Tahoe!
All you need is right here: http://tahoesouth.com.

The elevation is about 6,300 feet. The weather could be either snowy ski weather or clear and sunny hiking/snowshoe weather in April, so remember to check the National Weather Service update before your trip  http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sto/ or at the Tahoe South site above.

Plan your visit to Lake Tahoe. Here is a list of things you may want to check out:

• Ride the Heavenly gondola (located a few blocks walking distance from Harrah’s) for a view from the top.  Once there, you can snow shoe hike, snow tube, or even snow bike if skiing isn’t your thing.  Or you can eat at Tamarack Lodge at the top. http://www.skiheavenly.com/the-mountain/adventurepeakwinter.aspx

• SKI! Isn’t this one obvious? Most of the ski/snowboard slopes are open until April 14, so if the snow is good, go for it!  Sierra at Tahoe has a shuttle from the hotel; Heavenly is walking distance; Kirkwood is a beautiful drive. Nordic and cross-country trails and equipment rentals are available.  http://tahoesouth.com/play/ski_snowboard/.  Squaw Valley, home of the 1960 Winter Olympics is a short hour drive to the northeast side of the Lake.

• Hike Lake Tahoe – Explore the Tahoe Rim Trail. If the weather is mild, you can count on the east shore (between South shore and Incline Village) to be thawed enough for a walk.  Take a Hike! http://www.tahoerimtrail.org/

• Bike Lake Tahoe – The loop around Lake Tahoe is 72 miles of beautiful scenery, or try bicycling any number of shorter jaunts in the local area.  Weather permitting, explore the easier bicycle trails or dare the rugged mountain terrain.  http://tahoesouth.com/play/biking/

• Lake Tahoe Environmental Research Center – Open for tours Sunday afternoon just for you if there is enough interest. Are you interested in a personal guided tour of TERC on the North Shore?  Family friendly. http://terc.ucdavis.edu/facilities/facilities.html  About a one hour scenic drive from Harrah’s on the North Shore.  Contact Local Arrangements Chair, Lynn Wunderlich (lrwunderlich@ucanr.edu) by Friday March 29th, if interested in going.  If enough interest, we will carpool to TERC Sunday noon and return to Harrah’s in time for Dr. Schladow’s presentation.  Must sign up in advance.

• Visit the HOT Springs. The area has several geothermal waters. You can go fancy (Walley’s Resort-just on the other side of King’s Grade) or simple (Grover State Park in Markleeville).
   o Grover Hot Springs State Park (about an hour drive from hotel) http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=508
   o Carson City Hot Springs (about 45 minutes from Harrah’s) http://www.carsonhotspringsresort.com/
   o Walley’s Hot Springs (about 35 minutes from hotel, this condo offers day passes for the spa) http://www.davidwalleys-resort.com/

• Do some WINE tasting!  No you are not in Napa, you are in the Sierra foothills where El Dorado County and Amador County wineries are making Zinfandel, Rhone style and white varietal wines that are finally getting the attention they deserve.  We are trying to get special discounts for ESA members, so be sure to mention you are from the Pacific Branch ESA in case they are offering them! http://eldoradowines.org/ and http://www.amadorwine.com/new/pages/home.cgi

• Visit Carson City and/or Virginia City - Step back in history.  http://www.visitcarsoncity.com/

• Visit Reno – If you missed the national ESA meeting, here’s your chance to check it out again.  Concerts, casinos, museums, shopping, and much more.  http://www.visitrenotahoe.com

• See http://tahoesouth.com/ for more ideas and information.