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Want to find the best Tahoe eats, drinks and activities away from the tourists? Ask a local. No one knows the region’s Alpine cafes, bars, mountains and trails better than the people who call the North Shore home.
Now Tahoe City chef-owner Douglas Dale of Wolfdale’s Cuisine Unique, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadow Resort snowboard instructor Karl Rogne and Resort at Squaw Creek spa manager Kacey O’Rourke are spilling their secrets on how to enjoy the perfect Tahoe snow day. (Psst, some of these attractions are seasonal and won’t re-open for the winter season until the lifts start running.)
The Snowboarder
Rogne, 44, who teaches both skiing and snowboarding, has lived on the North Shore for more than half his life. He currently resides in Mogul, Nevada, just outside Reno, and says that his perfect day is a day at work. He’s been with Squaw for 25 years, and admits it feels a little like high school — in a good way.
“You know everyone, but it’s on the snow, there’s no homework and you get paid,” he says. “Ideally, it’s a powder day, cold, in the teens, with blue skies, sun and light wind to keep the snow from melting.”
First stop is Wildflour Baking Company inside Squaw’s Olympic House for a bagel and a treat: “Their coffee is fantastic and the cookies are probably the best around — crispy outside and melty inside.”
Hit the slopes at Squaw Valley Ski Resort (https://squawalpine.com) and stay until the last lift at 4 p.m. Rogne’s two favorite mountains are KT-22, “a regular thing,” and Headwall, which is “striking on just the right day.” He looks for a combination of consistent pitch and varied and dynamic terrain.
Finish up with a beer at The Chammy, better known as Le Chamois & Loft Bar at Squaw Valley Resort (www.squawchamois.com) before heading to the PlumpJack Cafe (https://plumpjackcafe.com) inside the PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn for a relaxing dinner of rustic California fare. “Their menu changes seasonally,” he says. “My first choice is fish.”
The Restaurateur
Dale and his family have called Tahoe City their second home for 42 years. When he’s not at Wolfdale’s, which is known for its seafood and fresh, seasonal fare, the restaurateur can be found Nordic skate skiing in Tahoe’s backcountry. Skate skiing is exactly what it sounds like: Traversing the trails and meadows using a skating motion on skis.
“You get all the good Nordic stuff, fresh air, sunshine and getting your winter yah-yahs out without dealing with crowds and traffic,” he says. “It’s very Zen.”
Start the day skate skiing at Tahoe Cross Country (https://tahoexc.org). Afterward, Dale stops by TCC’s Nordic Center and its Free Heel Cafe for coffee. (Tip: Looking for a kid-friendly spot to learn skate skiing? Dale recommends Tahoe City Golf Course (www.tcpud.org/golf) which becomes a skate and ski park in the winter, and has a restaurant). “It’s a great place to learn.”
Stop into West Shore Market & Deli (www.westshoremarket.com) for a turkey pesto sandwich, then head to Gatekeeper’s (www.northtahoemuseums.org), a natural and cultural history museum with a huge park. “It’s just a really special and beautiful place,” he says.
Grab a casual dinner at Za’s Lakefront (www.zaslakefront.com), a bar and grill with a lakefront deck, where Dale’s favorite dish is the butternut squash pizza.
The Spa Director
A year ago, Kacey O’Rourke left behind the high temps of Sonoma for the serious seasons of Tahoe, and a job as the spa manager at Resort at Squaw Creek. Her first winter wasn’t “as bad” as she thought it would be. “Growing up in the Bay Area, my aunt had a cabin on South Lake so I’d visit every summer and loved it,” recalls O’Rourke, who lives in Tahoe Donner.
Start your day at the Fire Sign Cafe (www.firesigncafe.com) in Tahoe City, she says, for breakfast and mimosa pitchers: “I love the whole wheat pancakes with real maple syrup.” If you prefer a savory start, go for the breakfast burrito with housemade chorizo or the veggie Benedict.
Next, hike the Tahoe Rim Trail to Picnic Rock Viewpoint (https://tahoerimtrail.org). “That’s my favorite trail in the winter for snowshoeing.” It’s a moderately difficult, quiet, dog-friendly trail and her Great Dane, Bali, loves it.
Stop by the Truckee River Winery (www.truckeeriverwinery.com) in Truckee for wine tasting, tapas and artisan deli items — and a chance to cozy up at the fireplace with some hot mulled wine.
Then walk over to The Rock retail complex (www.therocktruckee.com) for dinner at FiftyFifty Brewing Company (https://fiftyfiftybrewing.com). “It’s our favorite because they brew their own beers,” O’Rourke says, “and the bourbon-glazed shrimp on sweet potato fries is so yummy.”