Cultivating Cheer Everywhere

​Tahoe is a wonderland.  Every season creates not only beautiful landscapes, but also new opportunities to get outside and play.  For those of us that enjoy playing in the outdoors there are some simple practices we can all engage in to spread cheer all year and everywhere.

Tread Lightly

In the show “The Crown” the queen educates Margaret Thatcher on proper behavior while stalking a stag.  She mentions the importance of dressing properly, speaking quietly, and avoiding wearing perfumes.  The same is true for spending time outside while visiting Tahoe.

Before heading outdoors consider your clothing; are you dressed practically for the temperature and weather?  Have you dressed up as though going out to dinner or spending time in snow, dirt, and potentially changing weather conditions?  Feel free to skip putting on scents that distract from those naturally occurring in the forest and you’ll be able to enjoy the smells of juniper, ponderosa, and sage.

Listen to the Silent Trees

There are so many magical sounds to hear while you are outside.  From unique birds to the whisper of the wind and the crunch of snow beneath your feet the opportunity to fully experience the outdoors includes listening.

Leave your personal speaker or stereo at home.  If you do choose to listen to music do so with one headphone only.  Not only will you be better able to hear the sounds of the next osprey or eagle that flies overhead, you will also be able to hear other people as they approach you.  

Leave Only Footprints

As you travel take notice of the naturally occurring flora and fauna around you.  Banana and orange trees do not grow in Tahoe.  Plastic bottles and wrappings do not grow on any of our plants.

Help to decrease litter in the basin by not only carrying out what you have brought with you, but also by grabbing any trash you find while outdoors.  In addition, leave the outdoors outside.  Building cairns, taking pinecones, or gathering other items from the forest impacts the basin.  Take only photos and leave nature in its place.  Leave the place you visited just as it was before you arrived.

Park Properly

Not all parking areas have parking spaces delineated.  When parking at a trailhead or in a backcountry access area take a moment to consider the shape, how other cars are parked and how your vehicle can fit while taking up the least amount of space.  

It helps to check out the license plates.  Look for a car with local plates and take note of how they parked.  They may know some unspoken rule and following their example is likely a good choice.  Remember to get out of your car cautiously when parking in outdoor access areas and be sure to keep your person, pets, and belongings out of the way of other vehicles.  Be considerate and aware of your surroundings at all times.  Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to turn off the “beep” sound that your car alarm makes when you lock it up.

Share the Space

You are unlikely to be the only person exploring Tahoe’s outdoors.  With every step you take, imagine that you are about to walk into a stranger’s home.  After all, you aren’t in yours anymore. 

​While adventuring into this new territory remember that all of the animals and plants call it home.  Not only are you likely the only animal in the area, you are probably not the only human.  Allow others to enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents.  

Show your respect for the wilderness and it will show you it’s magic

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