Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Warmer than Lake Tahoe, tree-lined
Donner Lake
is great for swimming, boating, fishing
(license required), waterskiing and windsurfing.
West End Beach
SWIMMING
This Donner Lake beach is popular with families for its roped-off swimming area, snack
stand, volleyball nets, and kayak, paddleboat and stand-up paddle board rentals.
Tributary Whitewater Tours
RAFTING
( 530-346-6812;
www.whitewatertours.com
;
half-day trip per adult/child 7-17yr $69/62; )
From roughly mid-May through September, this long-running outfitter operates a 7-mile,
half-day rafting run on the Truckee River over Class III+ rapids that will thrill kids and
their nervous parents alike.
Hiking & Climbing
pecially around Donner Summit. One popular 5-mile hike reaches the summit of 8243ft
Mt Judah
for awesome views of Donner Lake and the surrounding peaks. A longer, more
strenuous ridge-crest hike (part of the Pacific Crest Trail) links
Donner Pass
to
Squaw
Valley
(15 miles each way) skirting the base of prominent peaks, but you'll need two cars
for this shuttle hike.
Donner Summit is also a major rock-climbing mecca, with over 300 traditional and
sport-climbing routes. To learn the ropes, so to speak, take a class with
Alpine Skills In-
ternational
(
530-582-9170;
www.alpineskills.com
; 11400 Donner Pass Rd)
.
Tours
Tahoe Adventure Company
ADVENTURE SPORTS
( 530-913-9212;
www.tahoeadventurecompany.com
; tours per person from $55)
A great option for guided Sierra adventures. Staff know the backcountry inside out and can
customize any outing to your interest and skill level, from kayaking, hiking, mountain bik-
ing and rock climbing to any combination thereof. They also offer full-moon snowshoe
tours, and stand-up paddle boarding lessons and guided lake paddles.
