OK. Were going on a field trip to Lake Tahoe and my mom Wants to chaperone. HELP!!?
My mom and I have a good relationships but we argue alot. (previous question). Were going to lake Tahoe for a school field trip. Noone really wants their parents to chaperone. Cuz she'll be like "KINGSLEY-BRODERICK! make sure to wear sunscreen. Pull your pant's up Don't go to far" and nag me and embarress me infront of my friends and girlfriend by telling stories about me. I don't want her to go. She knows that. But she's out to get me. How can I get her not to go? DESPERATE!!! DON'T WANT HER TO GO!!!!
What's the weather like in Lake Tahoe during Christmas?
Um... winter in the mountains (a high elevation), in a place that's a a well known ski resort area. What do you *think* the weather will be like? ;) There will be snow. There will be ice. Lows will be in the low 20s, possibly 10s. Highs will be in the low 40s, upper 30s. That's just *average*, of course. South Lake Tahoe is typically the cheapest and least opulent place to stay, but it's also the opposite side of the lake from Squaw Valley. Truckee is super nice and the hotels in the area have lots of variation, so you should be able to find what you're looking for. Likewise, it's close to Squaw Valley. Or you can stay in Carson City, which is relatively big and pretty easy to find something in whatever price range, but it's a bit more of a drive in... same for Reno, which looks further but you can take 80 which makes it reasonably quick. Both would take about the same amount of time to get to Squaw as South Lake Tahoe. But yeah, Truckee is the nicest and closest to Squaw Valley, but still California side so without the huge casinos (though if you WANT casinos, go for the Nevada side, obviously). Anyway, if the main reason you want to go is for hiking and rafting, I'd say Christmas would be a HORRIBLE time to go, as you won't realy be able to do either (of course, you could cross country ski or rent snowshoes for certain trails, but... your options are definitely limited). April through October would be your best bet. April is probably the best time for you as it's warm enough and the snow's gone from most places but still on the slopes, ie: ideal time to hike, raft, AND sled, ski, etc... You have the option of winter and spring activities (though probably still too chilly to actually swim - for that I'd hold off till around June through September).
Where to go winter camping in Lake Tahoe?
I'm a frequent winter camper and I spend a lot of time at Tahoe too. There are a few Tahoe area campgrounds that sometimes stay open in the winter, try Sugarpine Cove, Emerald Bay and Fallen Leaf Lake for some of the more scenic locations. The one risk about these areas (all on the west shore of Tahoe) is that part of Hwy 89 in this area is succeptable to closing during storms. Another option a little further south is Grover Hot Springs State Park just outside of Markleeville. Grover is definitely open during the winter and the campground itself is pretty quiet. The top draw of this nice spot is the Hot Springs pool which is also open all year. It's a great place to relax after a hike, snowshoeing or skiing. As for the weather, expect anything from sunny and mild to cold and rain to light snow to Blizzard. I've camped at Tahoe in all of these conditions and they are all manageble, but I'd say the worst would be the cold and rainy. Temps will likely drop into the low 20's to upper teens but could drop into single digits but rarely drop below zero with the exception of a few inversional valleys (Hope Valley, Martis Valley, Truckee...). As far as dealing with the conditions, be prepared for any weather, you're car camping so might as well bring plenty of extra clothes. If you have a down jacket, bring it but don't count on it if it's raining. Bring a parka or other rain jacket which you'll need if it's raining or if the snow is falling wet. Be prepared to layer underneath your jackets. Bring tarps to provide extra shelter so you don't have to hide in your tent if it's raining or if wet snow is falling. Arrange the tarps so that they cover the picnic table as well as provide some shelter near the campfire. There are some telescoping poles that are great for putting up tarps, get about 4-8 of them and use them and the trees to guy out the tarps. Bring lots of firewood too. Insulated boots and gloves are also a must. If you end up camping at the lake, check out Vikingsholm and Eagle Falls which are both on the west shore. If the weather is good, there are a lot of nice trails going up into Desolation Wilderness. If you decide on Grover, consider hiking or snowshoing near Pickett Junction or Hope Valley and if the weather is good, head up to Carson Pass and hike to Winnemucca Lake in Mokelumne Wilderness.