Sorensen's resort, Carson Peak/Eagle Lake/Tahoe
January 30-31, 2010 (& Jan 16-17)
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While Melissa lived in Tahoe she heard lots of good things about Sorensen's resort, a quiet and awesome little "Norwegian village" on highway 88, tucked away from the usual resort madness. I remembered those words and booked it for her birthday. The cabins are super cute and small, but have everything you need, and certainly are made to feel authentic with the all-wood interior. There is also an awesome sauna, and of course the food is good! Overall, highly recommended.

On Saturday, we had a lazy afternoon and rolled into the Carson Pass parking lot pretty late... snowshoed around Roundtop and enjoyed the awesome light show provided by the sun and many clouds rolling by. Sunday we went to Eagle Lake in search of some ice, and sure enough, we found plenty of it (for California)!! There were a few people toproping the right side of Sunny Falls but there was a nice line on the left that was free. The ice was kinda hollow/detached so some care had to be taken, but I placed a couple of screws in the solid stuff and was then on top. We toproped it for a bit and since the other guys seemed to have no intention of moving, we hiked back 5 minutes to another little area with some ice and climbed there before we called it a day. There are some nice mixed lines and one overhanging rock section with 5 bolts to gain a hanging dagger... maybe another trip here will be in the plans. Orchid's Thai place in South Lake provided an awesome dinner, and by that time there was no traffic, so we made record time back! (Just under 3 hours to SF)

At the bottom of the page is another album from 2 weeks prior, when we went to Truckee and stayed at Avi's cabin. We tried x-country skiing for the first time (I fell 10 times in the first 40 feet, but eventually got a little better) - quite a bit different! On Sunday a storm was moving in, and we snowshoed around Castle Pk area (Melissa's knee is not quite up to skiing just yet!)

   
 

   
 

  Our little cabin The wood-powered sauna - awesome The other cabins  
  Our little cabin The wood-powered sauna - awesome The other cabins

  Well stocked for the winter :) Around Carson Pass  
  Well stocked for the winter :) Around Carson Pass

  Clouds rolling in  
  Clouds rolling in

  We were treated to quite the lightshow  
  We were treated to quite the lightshow

  Roundtop  
  Roundtop

  On the way to Eagle Lake, with Emerald Bay in the background  
  On the way to Eagle Lake, with Emerald Bay in the background

  Lake Tahoe  
  Lake Tahoe

   
 

  Some mixed climbs We came back to this Melissa on her first ice climb, on her birthday no less! Sunny Falls, Eagle Lake  
  Some mixed climbs We came back to this Melissa on her first ice climb, on her birthday no less! Sunny Falls, Eagle Lake

  To the left were 5 bolts leading up to this hanging dagger (dripping and too wet at that time)  
  To the left were 5 bolts leading up to this hanging dagger (dripping and too wet at that time)

  The mixed climb Bolts are visible when you zoom in 100% - cool!  
  The mixed climb Bolts are visible when you zoom in 100% - cool!

  Preparing to do another lap  
  Preparing to do another lap

  Sunny falls area Right side of Sunny Falls Left side of Sunny Falls with some mixed climbs  
  Sunny falls area Right side of Sunny Falls Left side of Sunny Falls with some mixed climbs

  Another frozen slab of granite  
  Another frozen slab of granite

  Walking on the frozen Eagle Lake From a gully next to the road  
  Walking on the frozen Eagle Lake From a gully next to the road

  Clipping into my suicide pretzels This is harder than it looks!  
  Clipping into my suicide pretzels This is harder than it looks!

  Sketched... double black diamond :) Better  
  Sketched... double black diamond :) Better

  Not having quite as much trouble.. Blizzard the next day  
  Not having quite as much trouble.. Blizzard the next day

  Avi  
  Avi

  The forest was a nice shelter from the wind  
  The forest was a nice shelter from the wind

   
 

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