Saturday, May 12th, 2007 Mike and I ventured off to what began as the trailhead to Meiss Lake, but I saw another thin trail up the crest of the ridge and we decided to hike that way instead.  At the time I had no idea that we were actually on the Pacific Crest Trail; later I discovered that fact.  The Pacific Crest Trail is 2600 miles long and runs from Mexico to Canada on the ridge tops of the mountain ranges.  We only hiked about 2 miles up Meiss Trail and then cut over to the Pacific Crest Trail to hike another 2 miles to the top where you see me jumping in the extremely strong wind.  From the top you can see Caples Lake, Meiss Lake, Round Lake, Showers Lake, and Lake Tahoe in the distance.  It is amazing. 

Type of hike:  Easy-Moderate if you are in shape.  Day hike.

Suggestions:  Bring a Camelbak, some sandwiches, and a few snacks.  Stop at the ranger station right past Red Lake on Carson Pass and get a trailmap and get information.  Wear sunglasses, put on sunscreen, and bring a long sleeved shirt incase it is very windy so you do not get cold.

Map:  Check out my Meiss Trailhead Google Map to get driving directions to the approximate Ranger Station stop.

More information about the Pacific Crest Trail

Mount Rose Highway 431 is a drive that reveals breathtaking views of the Lake Tahoe Basin.  This scenic drive from Reno, Nevada over the summit and into the Lake Tahoe Basin offers wonderful vista points for stopping and viewing or taking photos.  The view you see in the photograph here is from one of my favorite stopping points along the way (click the photograph to see the panoramic view I captured).  I did have to cross the road and climb up a small hill to capture the full view of Lake Tahoe, but for viewing the ground level view at the vista point is very nice also.  I make this drive off and on throughout the year just to stop and photograph the sunsets in the evening.

Points of Interest:

1. Mount Rose Ski Resort - If you are in the Lake Tahoe Basin for a ski vacation, or are looking for a resort that is less crowded, less mainstream, and also contains some expert terrain, check out this resort.  Being at the top of the mountain range, Mount Rose Ski Resort has some amazing views from the slopes.
2. Tahoe Rim Trail - You can access the Tahoe Rim Trail from Mount Rose Highway.  For more information visit the Tahoe Rim Trail Association.
3. Diamond Peak Ski Resort - Diamond Peak Ski Resort is one of the smallest and least mainstream resorts in the Lake Tahoe area.  I would recommend spending a day here if you want to spend less money on a lift ticket and not deal with such a large resort atmosphere.

If you are traveling to the Tahoe area I highly recommend taking this drive on Mt. Rose Highway just for the view alone.  To get directions to Mt. Rose Highway from where you are staying in the area, check out my Google Map of Mount Rose Highway.

I have lived in the Lake Tahoe area for several years and had never made it over to Pyramid Lake.  The curiosity about this ”Pyramid Lake” that I kept hearing about finally lured me into making the 109 mile drive from South Lake Tahoe, California.   So, off I went to catalogue a new destination in my adventure travel series. 

The lake is about thirty-five miles northeast of Reno, Nevada and is strangely placed out in the middle of the desert making you wonder how this lake was formed.  Pyramid Lake is located on the Paiute Indian Reservation.  It is very desolate, but is a very captivating sight as you can see from the picture.   

 As part two of the Regan Beach Lake Tahoe sunset series, I am posting the time lapse video of the sunset on March 31, 2007.  As you can see, I have decided to use Revver to host my videos and share with others.  At a later date, I will be explaining how to capture and edit a time lapse video so all of you can try it out. 

You might be wondering:  

1. Where is Regan Beach?  

Regan Beach is located in South Lake Tahoe, California about two miles from all of the major hotels and casinos at the state line. 

2. How do I get to Regan Beach if I am visiting the Lake Tahoe area? 

Visit my Google Map of Regan Beach and get directions from where you are staying in the Lake Tahoe area.

This is the beginning of the Lake Tahoe Sunset series.  Throughout the year and years to come, I will be documenting the beautiful sunsets of Lake Tahoe through photo and time lapse video.
This particular sunset took place on Saturday, March 31, 2007 at approximately 7:23 PM.   This is one of the more amazing sunsets I have seen recently.  The clouds stretched all the way from South Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe.  The view is from Regan Beach in South Lake Tahoe, CA.