Читать книгу Top Trails: Lake Tahoe. Must-Do Hikes for Everyone онлайн

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When to Go

Though Lake Tahoe is considered a year-round recreation destination, those wishing to hike snow-free trails will have to wait until the summer hiking season, when the previous winter’s snowpack has melted and the customarily pleasant weather has settled into the region. Trails begin to shed their winter mantle at lake level as early as mid- to late April, with the snow line progressively receding up the mountainside until the highest elevations are clear, usually no later than mid-July. The wildflower bloom generally begins in earnest a couple of weeks after snowmelt, which varies, depending on such factors as elevation, exposure, and temperature.

On par with many locations in the desert Southwest, the Lake Tahoe Basin has a 93% probability of sunshine for any day from June through August. However, unlike the desert Southwest, mild summer temperatures rarely exceed 80°F. With the moderating influences of both the lake’s 193-square-mile surface area and the dense forests surrounding the lake, nighttime temperatures stay mild during the summer months as well, with lows ranging from the high 30s in June to the low 40s in July and August. Precipitation during the summer is generally light at lake level, with averages of 0.69 inch for June, 0.26 inch for July, and 0.31 inch for August. Most of that falls during thunderstorms, which can be intense at higher elevations in the mountains. Unlike the Rocky Mountains, the Tahoe Sierra may experience summers of little or no thunderstorms, or a run of days when they’re fairly frequent. Hikers should always be prepared for an afternoon cloudburst and to beat a hasty retreat from higher elevations when lightning is threatening.