Tahoe Backcountry Alliance
Washoe Tribe kids on cross-country skis on a sunny snowy meadow

Active project

Washoe Tribe Kids-on-Snow

Status
Active
Location
Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, Lake Tahoe region
Partners
Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California

TBA is broadening our definition of the word access and expanding it to include helping kids, who might not otherwise have the opportunity, get a chance to experience winter recreation. Additionally, we recognize that we both live and recreate on historically Native American land. This season we’ve purchased snowshoes and cross-country skiing gear for about 30 kids in the Washoe Tribe of Northern California and Nevada. The gear will be given to the Tribe to use anytime they have the opportunity. TBA will also be coordinating 4 days where TBA Board Members, along with other non-profit partners, will work with the kids to showcase how to use the gear, learn about hydrology and leave-no-trace principles and, most importantly, just have fun on the snow!

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Tahoe Backcountry Alliance projects are funded by members and donors. Every membership helps pay for trailheads, parking and snow removal.

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Graphic: Check out a California Sno-Park permit with your library card, with kids sledding and sample passes Active

El Dorado County and Nevada County, CA

Library Sno-Park Program

California Sno-Parks have traditionally allowed for diverse groups across California to have inexpensive Winter access to public lands. Last year, the cost for a day pass tripled and the annual pass increased by almost double. This increase can be prohibitive for many families in being able to access Sno-Parks. To help counteract this, TBA purchased sno-park passes and provided them to libraries in El Dorado County to be checked out (for free). This program was incredibly successful with most and sometimes all passes checked out and we will be continuing the program in El Dorado County this Winter and expanding it to Nevada County for the 2024/25 Winter.

Snowboarder walking out of the dark Donner Summit railroad snowshed toward daylight Active

West End Beach, Donner Lake, Truckee, CA

Donner Lake Run

In the fall of 2020, TBA and the Truckee Donner Land Trust collaborated on the development of a winter trailhead for legal parking access to the historic Lake Run along the west shore of Donner Lake. TBA received approval from the Truckee Donner Recreation and Parks Department to utilize their West End Beach parking facility for this purpose. The agreement to use the West End Beach parking area required TBA to pay for repaving of a portion of the parking area ($15,000, costs shared with Visit Truckee Tahoe) and provide signage and snow removal annually ($4,000/year).

TBA is fundraising for next year’s maintenance costs and ongoing community education and messaging surrounding the run.

View Lake Run entry/exit information

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