World Country Guide

High Sierra

The spectacular High Sierra region is home to the Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the year-round resort of Lake Tahoe and some of the country’s best ski resorts. The Mammoth Lakes area, including the ski fields of Mammoth Mountain, is a major destination for outdoor enthusiasts and boasts some spectacular natural attractions.
The Washoe Native Americans called it ‘The Lake in the Sky’ and, situated over 1800m (6000ft) above sea level in a stunning alpine setting, it is not hard to see why. Tahoe has clear blue skies, snow-capped mountains and an array of cultural and historical riches. The 115km (72 mile) drive around the lake affords impressive views of the basin. Lake cruises are also available – the MS Dixie II and Tahoe Queen paddle-wheelers cruise from South Shore to Emerald Bay, with views straight into the clear waters. Tahoe’s spectacular scenery can also be enjoyed from the Aerial Tram at Heavenly Ski Resort, which transports passengers to 600m (2000ft) over the Gunbarrel Ski Run. Emerald Bay State Park, at the southwest corner of the lake, features Tahoe’s only island, Fannette Island. Sights here include Vikingsholm, a 38-room Scandinavian-style castle, open for guided tours in the summer. On Route US50, the Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum displays the area’s most comprehensive collection of early photos. Watersports enthusiasts are amply catered for, as the lake is blessed with excellent beaches at Emerald Bay, Baldwin, Regan and Timber Cove, where boating, jet-skiing, para-sailing, scuba-diving and windsurfing are popular activities. The site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, Lake Tahoe has a number of outstanding ski resorts. On the California/Nevada border, the Heavenly Ski Resort has the highest elevation in the Tahoe basin. Other resorts include Kirkwood and Sierra-at-Tahoe.
Gambling has been popular ever since wealthy holidaymakers started flocking to Tahoe at the turn of the century. Some of the biggest names in the casino industry, offering a variety of headline entertainment and 24-hour gaming, are to be found just over the border on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe.
This world-famous skiing destination has a great selection of high-quality resorts, including Alpine Meadows, Diamond Peak, Homewood Mountain Resort, Northstar-at-Tahoe, Squaw Valley USA and Sugar Bowl. There are plenty of activities for non-skiers, ranging from ice skating, swimming, hot tubbing and snow-tubing at Squaw Valley to sleigh rides and snowmobiling at Northstar-at-Tahoe.
The Mammoth Lakes area is a major resort with spectacular scenery, year-round activities and plenty of sightseeing. In winter, Mammoth Mountain has more than 9km (6 miles) of downhill ski runs and great cross-country skiing, while in summer, the same slopes attract thousands of mountain bikers. Natural features include the lakes which were scooped out by glaciers and the remarkable Devils Postpile Natural Monument, formed when glaciers flowed over the lava that had erupted and filled a river valley.
Other sights include Bishop, where the Bishop Creek Recreation Area offers camping, trout fishing, horseriding and boating, The Inyo National Forest is home to the oldest living things on earth: bristlecone pines more than 4700 years old. Bodie is one of the most authentic ghost towns of the West, preserved in a state of ‘arrested decay’. Mono Lake, an inland sea with bizarre tufa towers, was formed about 700,000 years ago and is one of the world’s oldest lakes. Hot Creek Canyon, where volcanic activity heats pools and streams of water, also makes for an interesting visit. Near Independence is the infamous internment camp of Manzanar, where more than 10,000 Japanese were held during World War II. The Eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada offer outstanding views of the Sierra Crest.
On the western slopes of the Sierra are the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, famed for their forests of giant sequoia trees, the largest trees on earth. The 2500-year-old General Sherman Tree in Giant Forest is the largest tree in the world (by volume) with a circumference of 31.1 m (102.6 feet). Kings Canyon is the deepest canyon in the USA. Yosemite National Park contains the world’s best-known glacier-carved valley, spectacular waterfalls and granite monoliths, and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Glacier Point offers some of the best views of the area. Attractions in Yosemite Village include the Yosemite Museum with a Native American cultural exhibit, the Museum Gallery with historical works of art, and the Ansel Adams Gallery, which has a large selection of limited-edition and signed photographs, prints and posters.
The following is a selection of special events occurring in High Sierra in 2005:
Mar 4-13 Tahoe Snow Festival (largest winter carnival in the West), Tahoe City. Apr 7-10 Jazzaffair Three Rivers, Sequoia National Park. Apr 29-30 Annual Gates and Wakes Competition, North Lake Tahoe. May 13-14 Reno-Tahoe Wine & Gourmet Food Festival, Reno Hilton, Reno. May 20-22 Lake Tahoe Jazz Festival. Jul 12-17 Celebrity Golf Championship, Lake Tahoe. Aug 1-13 Sierra Summer Festival, Mammoth Lakes. Aug 10-11 Great Gatsby Festival, Lake Tahoe. Sep 5 Labor Day Lake Tahoe, South Lake Tahoe; Oct Oktoberfest, North Lake Tahoe. Dec Night of Lights, throughout the Mountains area.