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Truckee
Born Of Trails And Rails
The heavy snows
that blanket the Sierra Nevada around Truckee in winter bring with
them the joys of skiing, sledding, and snowboarding. With its busy
downtown, Truckee is an ideal headquarters for the winter sports
enthusiast - it's close to ski lifts and backcountry trails, and
its charming 19th century buildings house convenient shops, cafes,
and lodgings. Truckee is also relatively close to Lake Tahoe and
the glittery attractions of Reno.
Truckee has
the look and feel of a crossroads town, which it has been through
much of its history. In addition to being on the Emigrant Trail,
the town made way for the Transcontinental Railroad in 1868 and,
years later, the Lincoln Highway. Today, the renovated 1896 Southern
Pacific Depot serves as the Amtrak/Greyhound station as well as
the Visitors Center. Inside are pioneer belongings, railroad items,
and historic photos.
A stroll along
historic Commercial Row reveals other period buildings. Walking
tour information is available from the Visitors Center. Of interest
are the Old Jail, built in 1875 and used until 1964, the Capitol
Building (a former theater and county court), and the Truckee Hotel,
featuring 36 guest rooms and Victorian decor.
The winter snows
that delight skiers have not always been greeted so enthusiastically.
During the winter of 1846-47, a combination of extremely bad fortune
and the elements overtook the exhausted Donner Party as they were
preparing to make their way over the mountains. Stranded by deep
snows, starving, and forced to resort to cannibalism, only 47 of
the 89-member party survived.
The tragedy
is remembered at Donner Memorial State Park, just west of Truckee.
The Emigrant Trail Museum features Donner Party belongings, items
from the Central Pacific Railroad, and natural history displays.
A 25-minute slide show is presented several times daily.
The park maintains
trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Rangers lead hikes
throughout the season; (916) 582-7892.
If you like
your cross-country skiing with touches of civilization such as groomed
trails, lessons, and day lodges, head to Tahoe Donner, Royal Gorge,
Northstar, Squaw Creek, and Lakeview.
Those wishing
to strike off on their own will find several marked and unmarked
trails and unplowed roads within the Tahoe National Forest, from
the Pole Creek Trail System, six miles south of town, to Sagehen
Summit, north on Highway 89, to the more difficult Castle Peak-Donner
Summit area, west on I-80.
Downhill skiers
can satisfy themselves at nearby Boreal, Tahoe Donner, Squaw Valley
USA, Donner Ski Ranch, Soda Springs Ski Area, Sugar Bowl, Alpine
Meadows, or Northstar. The Tahoe Area Regional Transit system (TART)
provides ski-rack-equipped bus service to several resorts; (916) 581-6365 or
(800) 736-6365 (out-of-area).
Whether or not
you're a skier, there are other winter activities nearby. You'll
find ice skating rinks at the Resort at Squaw Creek; (916) 583-6300,
and Squaw Valley's High Camp; (916) 583-6985. Northstar offers horseback
riding in the snow; (916) 562-1230. Eagle Ridge Snowmobile Outfitters,
Inc., 14 miles north on Highway 89, has tours of various lengths;
(530) 546-8667.
In west Truckee,
with its gas stations and supermarkets, there are other points of
interest. The Sierra Nevada Children's Museum, 11400 Donner Pass
Road, focuses on interactive and hands-on activities. The new "Kids
in Space!" exhibit, continuing through September of 1996, studies
the stars as well as the Space Shuttle missions; (916) 587-KIDS.
Bargain hunters should seek out the Tahoe Truckee Factory Stores,
12047 Donner Pass Road, for Dansk, Van Heusen, Bass Shoes, and other
outlets.
For daily event
updates call (916) 546-LAKE.
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PLANNING
YOUR TRIP
Where
to stay:
In
addition to the Truckee Hotel; (800) 659-6921, lodging
may be found at the Best Western Tahoe Truckee Inn;
(916) 587-4525, and the Donner Lake Village Resort;
(916) 587-6081. Bed & breakfasts include the Donner
Country Inn; (916) 587-5574, and the Richardson House;
(916) 587-5388.
Where
to eat:
On
Commercial Row, the Passage, adjacent to the Truckee
Hotel, and O.B.'s Pub & Restaurant both serve lunch,
dinner, and weekend brunch. For French cuisine, try
the Left Bank. For Mexican, there's El Toro Bravo. Breakfast
spots include Theresa's Kitchen and, for omelet lovers,
Squeeze In. The Truckee Brewing Company & Pizza
Junction, 11401 Donner Pass Road, is easy to spot with
its boxcar and caboose in front; it offers Italian and
pub food. Brewery tours are available by appointment;
(916) 587-5406.
To
get there, use CSAA's Bay and Mountain Section map;
local streets are shown on the Lake Tahoe Communities
map.
Contact
the Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce, 12036 Donner
Pass Road, Truckee, CA 96161; (916) 587-2757 to request
The 1996 Truckee Activity Guide and Visitor Information
and The North Lake Tahoe and Truckee Winter Travel Planner
1995-1996. The U.S. Forest Service's handout Winter
Recreation, Tahoe National Forest covers everything
from skiing and snowmobiling to snowplay areas and winter
camp sites. Contact the Tahoe National Forest Headquarters,
631 Coyote Street, P.O. Box 6003, Nevada City, CA 95959;
(916) 265-4531. You'll also want to pick up CSAA's 1995-96
Winter Sports Guide which contains descriptions of downhill
and cross-country ski areas as well as other winter
activities and lodgings.
Sno-Park
permits are required at some popular trailheads; these
are available at your local AAA office and various retail
outlets, or phone (916) 324-1222.
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