A Late-August Trip to Lake Tahoe in 2013

Towards the end of August 2013, Lake Tahoe was in the path of smoke from the Rim Fire that was burning to the south near Yosemite. There was another fire closer to the Lake Tahoe Basin to the west - the American Fire - but its smoke was blown mainly to the north. I was on a late August trip to the Lake to enjoy the famously clear waters with my family. Dense and consistent smoke filled the Tahoe Basin for most of the trip, creating a fog-like obstruction that blocked the spectacular view of the many peaks that circle the lake. This is a short memoir of this experience at one of the most spectacular Alpine lakes in the world.

Living 22 miles east of San Francisco, I am used to and appreciate the fog that envelops us, keeps us cool, and obscures our views of the area. On a recent trip to Lake Tahoe, smoke took the place of the fog and instead of drizzle, very fine specks of ash rained down on the North Shore. It was like being near a constantly burning campfire, complete with itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, and a serene red glow.

Reno schools were closed, jet ski rentals ceased, and people with certain sensitivities to airborne particulates were advised to stay inside with the air-conditioner running. To escape the smoke, some of us went to make pottery at the Northstar Village and the rest went to the Incline Bowl over in Nevada. Both places were fairly empty; only one other person was making pottery and just three other occupied lanes in Incline.

Back at the beach, the smoke created rare and spectacular conditions for photography, including red skies and orange-tinted waves. I have tried to capture in pictures how the Lake looked and felt on and around the 23rd of August 2013.

Although not related to the fire and smoke, I have also included a couple of pictures that attempt to show the drop in water level between August 2012 and August 2013. Much more beach was visible and small "ponds" were scattered around the newly exposed sand. Some of the ponds were cut off from the Lake and some were still connected. The ponds that were not connected were filled with algae and a strange rainbow colored substance that created patterns that one might expect to find on another planet (see photo below). Reflections in the ponds also made for interesting photos, some of which are shown on this page.

By Michael Morris