School starts in a few weeks and now is the time to get ready for class. Tahoe Mountain Sports has all the essentials to help you gear up your brain from summer mode to smarts. Here’s a few necessities that will keep you nourished, store your gear, and even keep your pants on.
The Dakine Campus LGBACKPACK has a padded laptop pocket to keep your hardware protected. It also features an insulated cooler pocket for storing sustenance and a fleece lined pouch for your shades.
Keep your coffee hot or your water cold with the Hydro Flask WATERBOTTLE, an absolute necessity for keeping you hydrated during long cram sessions. Part robot, this water bottle regulates temperatures, keeping hot beverages steamy for up to 12 hours and cool beverages refreshing for a full day.
Books, sports gear, computer, lunch, wallet, pens, phone — check. If your backpack is stuffed to the brim, you might want to check out the Vapur Element soft WATERBOTTLE. This waterbottle allows you to stow-n-go when your bottle is not in use and comes with a clip on the cap so you can attach it to anything. It’s durable, freezable, and has an antimicrobial lining to keep it clean.
We all know what it’s like to be on a student budget. So save some cash and pack your lunch. The Kelty ToTo Cooler is an insulated FOOD TOTE that is large enough to pack enough food for two or a big eater. It keeps food cold and packs easily when not in use. Also check out the Dakine Lunch Box, which packs your food in style and keeps it fresh.
Not quite 16? Or saving the planet? We know you love your two-wheeled ride. Keep it safe while you’re in class with the Kryptonite Keeper BIKE LOCK.
A couple other ACCESSORIES you might want to check out: The Nite Ize WrapLit will shine on your reading or writing from any precarious spot. Wrap it around a chair, a tree, a bed post or whatever and shine on.
The Snowlands Network, an advocacy group representing “those who venture into the winter backcountry in search of peace and solitude,” recently contact Tahoe Mountain Sports about a revised land management plan the Forest Service is currently drafting for Lake Tahoe. They wanted to let us know that if we want to have any input in this plan — if we want to let the Forest Service know what is important to us about the mountains and woods in our backyard — that now is the time. They are taking comments on this plan, which will influence decisions and land use for the next 15 to 20 years, until Aug. 29.
Here’s what Bob Rowen, vice president for advocacy at Snowlands Network, had to say:
What are your favorite activities in the Lake Tahoe Basin? Would you like the Forest Service to give more attention to certain issues? Well, now is your time to speak up because they are listening. The Forest Service is revising its management plan for lands in the Lake Tahoe basin. They have circulated a draft revised plan and are taking comments on the draft plan through August 29. This revised land management plan will provide overall direction for management of the forest for the next 15 to 20 years. So it is very important that you speak up now! You can access and review the draft plan on the Forest Service website. However, you do not need to read the plan to make your voice heard. Simply tell the Forest Service what activities you enjoy in the Tahoe Basin and what activities you would like to see the Forest Service support.
This is OUR forest and OUR government agency. We urge you to take ownership of the issues by participating in this process. One issue of concern to the Snowlands Network is the failure of the draft plan to address motorized recreation in winter. Snowmobiles are exempt from most prohibitions against motorized travel and the Forest Service does not propose to change this in the revised plan. Snowmobile use has effectively foreclosed skiers and those on snowshoes from enjoying certain areas of the Basin and this trend continues with more areas at risk of being taken over by snowmobiles. We are asking the Forest Service to include winter motorized travel management in the draft plan and hope you will too.
Other issues of concern include whether the Forest Service will propose (and then manage) additional lands as Wilderness. (Actual Wilderness designation must come from Congress.) A group of environmental organizations are pressing for more Wilderness designation and have sought to define new Wilderness areas so as to NOT impact existing mountain bike trails — something the Forest Service failed to do in its own “alternatives”. You might also comment on whether you support additional Wilderness, in particular Wilderness with boundaries drawn that are consistent with existing mountain bike trails.
Comments to the Forest Service may be emailed to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us
Include “Draft Land Management Plan” in the subject line of your email.
Comments may also be mailed to: Draft Land Management Plan, LTBMU, 35 College Drive , South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Please note: Comments on the draft plan should address overall management direction for the Lake Tahoe lands, rather than particular complaints about specific facilities.
Donner Pass in Truckee is where the West meets the East. It’s the transition between Nevada’s arid high desert and California’s fertile valleys. It stretches across the spine of the Sierra Nevada and it survives some of the most severe weather coming in from the Pacific and heading East. Since the 1800′s — and likely before then — Donner Pass has seen countless travelers traverse from one side to the other and back again. It’s the eye of the needle. It’s also home to limitless recreation.
I’ve spent a lot of summer days on Donner Summit. And a few winter days too. It’s where I find myself passing time, getting strong on the rock or pushing my legs uphill on my bicycle or skiing lake runs. These days are mellow. They’re not epic long days (although that’s not meant to discount the quality of terrain). Donner Summit is a perfect spot for a couple hours, in the day before heading to work a night shift, or in the evening sun burning off energy pent up from sitting at a desk all day.
This summer, I owe my progression in climbing to Donner Summit. It started with a solid couple top roping sessions on the southwestern face of Grouse Slabs. With just a couple ropes, you can access anything from a 5’8 corner to a 5’10 slabby arrette, including one of my favorite 5’9 routes, Greener Pastures, which features a solid undercling move into one of the most perfect lieback cracks ever.
From Grouse, I went to Snowshed and attacked a line that’s intimidated me since I’ve known it’s name: Farewell To Arms. And from Snowshed, I progressed to a place where my head space wanted to be pushed. Leading: It’s a different game when you are actually climbing at the top of a rope. But Donner Summit, (I love this place!), is the perfect spot to ease into it. Started with the aptly named Kindergarten Crack on School Rock, and graduated to Junior High Crack. Then made the move to Jellyroll Arch. And from there it felt like the sky was the limit — until I found myself off route in ’10a sport climbing territory and fell on my ankle, which has been about the size of a golf ball ever since. I’ve since been humbled to take a week off from climbing. But it won’t be long until I’m back up at Donner Summit, taking a step back, but still getting after it.
Despite what I may say, it’s not all about climbing at Donner Summit. The other night, I found myself sitting on a pier on Donner Lake at midnight. The sky was clear and the Milky Way was a cloudy streak behind the stars. Across the lake, the horizon lit up from lightning in a distant thunder storm. In a split and silent second, the sky flashed as bright as day and then turned night again, like nothing ever happened. I went to sleep and in another hour, a torrential rain hit the roof and thunder clapped the sky.
This is a place named after the worst in humanity — a group of people so desperate they ate each other. But honestly, I find that Donner Summit brings the best out of me.
When getting a glass of clean water is as simple as turning on the faucet, it’s easy to take water sources for granted. It’s not until I’m looking for water to brush my teeth with in a cheap, third-world city hotel room, or when my mouth is parched from backpacking in remote, high country that I want assurance the water I’m drinking will nurture my body, not make me sick. With CamelBak’s new All Clear water bottle, which takes UV purification and makes it simple and portable, I can rest easy and drink as much purified water as I need anywhere and everywhere.
All you have to do with the CamelBak All Clear is fill it up (if you are in the backcountry, you might want to get the pre-filter to get all the twigs and debris out of the water), press the button to turn on the UV light, agitate the water as the timer counts down from 60 seconds, and voila, 3/4 of a litre of purified water. It’s designed to be sturdy and survive travel. The UV bulb is tested to be just as effective from day one to the end of its lifetime, which according to CamelBak is about 10,000 cycles (as in three bottles a day, everyday, for nine years). And you can recharge the battery with any USB power source.
Tahoe Mountain Sports Owner Dave Polivy took the CamelBak All Clear out on a backpacking trip earlier this month and put it to the test. Here’s what he had to say:
I have wanted to try this bottle/device since it first showed up at the shop. With a backpacking trip planned, it was finally time. I’ve used traditional water filters like the MSR Miniworks for years, enjoyed many a bottle of water flavored and treated with Iodine tablets, and used the Steripen Classic on a number of trips as well.
My first impression of the CamelBak All Clear was it’s weight. It is a bit heavy when compared with a Steripen. But when you realize you are carrying the bottle and the purifier in one package, it seems to be an OK weight range, though still not the super lightest. Other than that, it looks just like a normal water bottle, just with a bigger top.
A couple of usage tricks I figured out: You only need to hold the button down for about 2 to 4 seconds or until the timer starts counting down and gets to 58 seconds. If you hold it longer than that, it will flash with an “E” for error and stop working. If you don’t hold it down long enough, it won’t even start counting down. After I did this a few times, it was easy to hit that sweet spot. Once the timer is counting down, that is pretty much it. Flip the bottle up and down a couple times to “agitate” it. Then wait for the UV and the check symbol and you are good to go.
We went backpacking with four adults and two kids for two nights and this was the only system we used for all our water needs, including drinking and cooking. We filled it up, purified it for 60 seconds, dumped it into somebody’s water bottle or dromedary bag and repeat. It worked perfectly the entire time and we probably did about 20 to 30 treatments throughout the weekend. The battery life only lost 1 bar, or a quarter of its power during that time.
Verdict: While this might not be the lightest setup for everybody, it works and it works well. There is no room for user error like with a Steripen, and it is way easier than a pump filter and about equal the weight as a MSR Miniworks. I would highly recommend this for the avid traveler and for the backpacker who is concerned with performance and ease. Again, not the lightest purifier on the market, but an affordable one that works.
A huge stash of prizes is just two clicks of a mouse away — seriously. Tahoe Mountain Sports and Lake Tahoe North have teamed up to give away more than $1,000 worth of swag to one lucky Facebook fan. All you have to do is “like” both Tahoe Mountain Sports and Lake Tahoe North on Facebook and a Nemo Tent, Deuter backpacks, two pairs of Smith sunnies, and more could be all yours.
Here’s a little more info on the sweet prizes we’ve got:
Not one, but TWO Deuter backpacks — one for yourself and one for the man or woman in your life. The Men’s Deuter Spectro AC 24 ($128.95 retail value) and the women’s Deuter Spectro AC 28 SL ($138.95 retail value) are great day-hiking backpacks both featuring the AirComfort Back System that is designed to reduce perspiration by 20 percent.
Two pairs of Smith Optics Sunglasses: The men’s Smith Prospect Polarized Sunglasses with a black frame and grey-green lenses ($119 retail value) and the women’s Smith Shoreline Polarized Sunglasses with an apple tortoise frame and brown gradient lenses ($109 retail value). Both have function and fashion for the active Tahoe lover.
A Nemo Obi 2 Person Tent ($390 retail value), so you can take your two Deuter packs and Smith shades into the woods and go camping. This Nemo backpacking tent is lightweight, with no wasted material and every feature and detail driven by purpose and strategy.
When you get home from that backpacking trip, might as well go jump in the lake. Take your lucky significant other paddle boarding with two full day stand up paddleboard rentals ($160 retail value) with Tahoe Adventure Company.
And for the cherry on top, Tahoe Mountain Sports is adding a $50 gift certificate. Just in case there’s anything else you need for your summer backpacking/paddleboarding/hiking/camping/whatever adventure, stop by the Tahoe Mountain Sports shop in Kings Beach or visit our website. We’ve got you covered.
Why are we giving away all this awesome free stuff? Because we like you. And we want you to “like” us.
So here’s the deal, visit the Lake Tahoe North Facebook page to enter. Remember to “like” Lake Tahoe North and Tahoe Mountain Sports. And even if you’re not the lucky winner, you’ll still get to be part of an awesome community of like-minded Tahoe folk and stay in the know about sweet deals on gear and some of the best events in town.
Brad Miller and Clay Kimmi of Adventures for Action set out last May to climb the West Buttress of Denali (Mt. McKinley) to raise awareness and funds for the International Health Partners of the United States and Tanzania (IHP-TZ). This blog post is the third in a series Brad and Clay are writing for Tahoe Mountain Sports, who is helping to gear them up for Denali. In past posts, Brad mused on the difficulty of big mountain training and how they were training for the summit.
Anyone who participates in a big mountain expedition inevitably gets asked the same few questions over and over again. One of which is this one:
“Did you train hard enough?”
In the case of Clay and I the answer is yes and no.
However, when it was all said and done, we were definitely prepared enough to get up Denali, which we did in a very respectable time. After being stuck in weather for 4 days at 17,000 feet, we were able to summit on day 12 and were down on day 15. We were definitely up for the task.
Climbing Denali is definitely not easy. We both had times where one of us would crash and were hurting by the end of the day. More than once I had to fight tooth and nail just to stay awake in camp long enough to quickly choke down as much food as possible before passing out in my sleeping bag.
Most amateur climbers occasionally have a few of those days where you think that you should have trained harder because you feel like you just can’t go on. But, those days are one of the reasons we all get out there in the mountains. Those days are the tests we seek; they are the proving grounds. During the times when you feel like you are at the end of your reserves, you have the opportunity to grit your teeth, dig deep and find the hidden strength to succeed. And, after all, that is what big mountain climbing is all about.
CLAY
Once on the mountain, Clay found that there was a distinct hole in his training regiment that left him hurting up to 14,000 feet. When I asked him if he thought his training was adequate, his to-the-point reply says it all:
“Overall . . . no. It was quite simply the lack of sled training that kicked my ass. Not living and training at altitude was a small part of it, but the lack of strength training with the sled was what really affected me.”
No matter how much altitude you do with a heavy pack, everything changes when you pull a 70 lb sled. You have another item to deal with that is constantly trying to foul and trip you up. You use different muscles than when just packing loads on your back. And combining all of this with skis makes everything that much more difficult.
In Kansas, Clay focused on stair climbing and running. While those activities certainly helped prepare him for the mountain, he neglected training with a sled and paid the price. Having trained up to 70 lbs with a pack while in his hotel stairwell in Kansas City, he felt fit and prepared. However, adding another 70 lbs on a sled that constantly fought upward progress showed him just how possible it is to take yourself to the end of your energy reserves while hauling heavy loads.
In addition to the hard work of pulling a sled up, Clay, a Kansas dweller, was not able to practice skiing downhill with a pack and sled. This missing skill set was desperately missed on our descent. Add to that bad breakable crust snow conditions, the descent was a constant fight instead of a pleasant cruise back to base camp.
In reflecting back on how he trained, Clay said that aside from obviously adding a heavy sled element, he would have focused more on interval training in place of long distance running as he feels the intervals were more beneficial.
BRAD
For my part, training in the Tahoe region served me well. Throughout the summer months I was able to pack very heavy loads to altitudes of 10,000 feet on a regular basis. The winter months allowed me to train in a manner that exactly reflected the work we were to undertake on the mountain. Being able to work up to a 65 lb pack and 70 lb sled while skinning up and skiing down packed forest service roads helped my mind and body comprehend and prepare for the task ahead. Doing all this work at an altitude of over 6,000 feet made me that much more fit and I feel like Clay underestimates how much working out at 700 feet set him back. Although he spent a week in Colorado before flying to Alaska, I don’t think this “acclimation trip” helped him much. To access Denali’s West Buttress route you fly in to base camp at 7,200 feet. While my blood was already accustomed to this “daily living” altitude, Clay had to immediately started acclimatizing and so was handicapped from the start.
I agree with Clay that interval training was very important, surprisingly so in fact. It is counter-intuitive to think of interval training as preparation for mountain climbing because there are no sprint-rest periods like in soccer or football. What we discovered, however, was at 17,000 feet and above, a simple slip or stumble that requires a fast movement to correct constitutes a sprint. These snap reactions skyrocket your heart rate and breathing and intervals definitely helped in recovery during these situations. Intervals also greatly helped me lower what I call my working heart rate — the heart rate level I maintain when slowly slogging up the hill in a pace where I can climb for an hour or two without stopping to rest.
Growing up on the West Shore, hiking in Lake Tahoe’s woods and spending afternoons wading in high altitude lakes were things I took for granted. In hindsight, I was one lucky kid to have the endless trails in Tahoe just out my back door and I realized it as soon as I moved away. (Which is why I moved back home to Tahoe immediately after college.) Tahoe offers a plethora of scenic trails in the woods for both the avid hiker and the young family. For this post, I thought I would outline a few of my favorite family hikes in Lake Tahoe from when I was a kid. These easy-to-moderate trails are great day hikes with excellent destinations. Some are more crowded than others. But they all offer spectacular views, and most a nice cool body of water to dip your feet — or for the kids, to splash in feet first.
Angora Lakes
Photo Credit: Ktpdancer/Flickr Creative Commons
A gradual two-mile-or-so hike takes you to the two Angora Lakes, which are located above Fallen Leaf Lake. Both lakes are beautiful, but it’s the upper lake that you should hike to. Nestled in a glacially carved basin surrounded by Echo Peak and Angora Peak, the upper Angora Lake features a sandy beach, cool waters, and rocks — even large cliffs for those more experienced — to jump off of. You probably won’t find complete solitude on this popular hike, but you will find fresh-squeezed lemonade and paddle boat rentals operated by Angora Lakes Resort, a string of rustic cabins that have hosted guests since the 1920s.
Directions to the trailhead are a bit confusing, and I can’t guarantee signs. But take Fallen Leaf Road off of Highway 89, turn left on Tahoe Mountain Road, and then right on Angora Ridge Road. Follow Angora Ridge Road until you reach the parking area where the trailhead is located.
Eagle Lake
If you just have an afternoon (preferably on a less-crowded weekday), Eagle Lake is a great place to take the family. Located on the edge of Desolation Wilderness, this lake is very popular, and rightfully so. It’s a quick hike that’s not too steep. And the setting is spectacular with views of Emerald Bay on the way up and plenty of beach next to the lake. Bring your dog and throw a stick in the water. And don’t forget your bathing suit. You’ll find the trailhead in Emerald Bay. This is also one of the biggest access points to Desolation if you’re feeling like a longer hike and bigger adventure.
Vikingsholm and the Rubicon Trail
Take a stroll down history lane on this trail. Start at the top of Emerald Bay and walk down a wide dirt road to the famous Vikingsholm Mansion, where the infamous Mrs. Knight spent her summers and entertained guests in the early 1900′s. This Victorian mansion looms over the beach of one of the most famous landmarks in Lake Tahoe. A few hundred feet off shore sits the island, where Mrs. Knight hosted afternoon tea. There are plenty of trails that weave around the mansion, and you can walk up to Eagle Falls from here. But for those with a full day and more energy, I would highly recommend the Rubicon Trail.
You’ll find the trail weaving its way north from Vikingsholm. It follows one of the most dramatic shorelines in the Basin between Emerald Bay and Bliss State Park. Hikers pass secret coves and azure waters, and meander above gigantic cliffs that jut down hundreds of feet below the surface of the water. This is a great trail to set up a shuttle and park a car at Bliss and Emerald Bay if you don’t want to hike back.
For this Adventure of the Week, TMS Blog Editor Julie Brown writes about the High Sierra Music Festival, which took place in Quincy over the Fourth of July weekend.
For years, my friend has always told me that I should go to the High Sierra Music Festival. But being on the Fourth of July weekend, I’ve always had to work and made excuses. Not this year. I finally put my foot down and bought my four-day ticket to this little festival with a big heart. And after four whirlwind days of solid music, dancing the night away, 95-degree-cool temps, camping in stables with an endless crew of friends, and immersing myself in an eclectic community of music lovers, I’m sitting here writing this and thinking: Did High Sierra really happen? I’ll definitely be attending the High Sierra Music Festival again next year, and for years to come after that.
The town of Quincy is small and quiet. But for four days, the High Sierra Music Festival transforms this sleepy town into a pulsing city of tents that never goes to bed. When we arrived, camps were set up in a matter of minutes. Shady Grove, the most popular camping area, was filled to the brim immediately. Good thing our friends beelined to the stables, and reserved a nice area under the shade. Conveniently located next to the Vaudeville Tent where dozens of bands played all day, this was our home sweet camp for the weekend. And we filled it with friends of friends of friends from Tahoe and Davis and Reno and SLO and beyond.
I can’t give you an exact rundown of this and that. It’s all blurred together in a mesmerized medley of color and eclectic people and dancing and hot sun and good music and late nights. But I can give you a couple glimpses of favorite moments:
Like watching Tahoe’s hometown band, the Dead Winter Carpenters, kill it on the Grandstand stage in front of hundreds of patrons.
Stumbling upon a silent disco at 3 am, where to the observer people danced in silence, but to the participant, a massive dance party could be accessed via head phones.
Falling in love with new music — the folksy Elephant Revival, Rubblebucket whose lead singer is full of rad personality and jumped into the crowd to dance with the rest of us, Delicate Steve, Kids These Days, David Garza… there was so much!
Rediscovering music legends like Toots and the Maytals. And getting to know the bands I already listen to. STS9 put on one crazy light show.
Destroyed guitars and crowd surfing.
Lotus drew me right up front. And I spent the last few late night hours of the weekend with Paper Diamond and Big Gigantic, closing out the festival with some sweet beats and jams.
High Sierra sold out this year. And I am very happy that I got to be part of the celebration. It was my first time at High Sierra Music Festival, but definitely not the last.
For this Adventure of the Week, Truckee resident and skier Mike Vaughan writes about an early-summer tradition to summit and ski Mt. Shasta. While the rest of the state is baking in June sunshine, Mt. Shasta still holds perfect corn for thousands of vertical feet.
Who: Aaron Breitbard, John Riina, Mike Vaughan
What: Climbing, summiting, and skiing the Hotlum-Wintun Route from the Brewer Creek Trailhead.
First rays of morning sun hit the east side of Mt. Shasta
For the past four years, I have been prying myself away from the great early-summer mountain biking around Truckee and North Tahoe to make an annual pilgrimage north for one last ski. The east side of mount Shasta provides a sustained corn run of close to 7,000 vertical feet. Alright, it’s generally not perfect corn the whole way — but when timed well, it’s an awesome ski considering it’s summertime in California.
The road to Brewer Creek Trailhead is not plowed and generally melts out sometime in June or July. Last year, I couldn’t quite drive to the trailhead when I skied it on July 30. This year we drove straight up to the trailhead on Saturday night, June 16th.
The forecast low on Saturday night was 39 degrees at 12,500 feet, and the forecast high in Redding for Sunday was 104. An early start was definitely in order. Many people choose to take two days, but we opted for the 24-hour turnaround. Camped at the trailhead Saturday night, making coffee by 3:30 am, and hiking shortly after 4:30. Just after 5 am we were on snow skinning.
One great thing about the east side of Shasta, as opposed to the more popular Bunny Flat Trailhead on the southwest side, is the fact that you can see the summit shortly after starting your hike and you get to watch an amazing sunrise. (If you miss the sunrise, you must hike really fast and can afford a late start.)
Skinning up at sunrise
Pat Harwood hiking up the Hotlum-Wintun Ridge, 2009
Snow was soft, due to the non-freezing temps overnight and we were able to skin to about 12,000 feet. From there it’s skis off, crampons on, and ideally ice axe in hand. We summited (14,179 feet) shortly after 10 am. We were met there by a steady stream of people hiking up Avalanche Gulch from Bunny Flat and Lake Helen. On a busy Sunday, 100 people might summit from the southwest side of the mountain, many with guides, and most without skis or boards. There were about 20 people climbing the east side of the mountain, all with skis or boards.
After some time hanging out on the summit we dropped in around 11 am. When skiing the east side, you can literally put your skis on 15 feet below the summit and drop in to the true east face above the Wintun Glacier. It’s about 45-degrees at the top, and remains relatively steep for 3,000 to 4,000 vert. The snow on this whole pitch was perfect corn. Then we traversed left to the lower portion of the Hotlum-Wintun Ridge we hiked up earlier. More good skiing, followed by some very sticky skiing, dirt skiing, and ultimately some dirt walking. Beers at the car shortly after noon.
Pat Harwood shredding down the Wintun Glacier, past a group of jealous hikers, 2009.
In the years I have been skiing this route I have encountered boiler-plate re-frozen snow, all-time corn, painfully sticky snow, a little pow, and large sun cups. All in all though, the east side of Mt. Shasta has never failed to produce an awesome day of skiing to wrap up the season.
The east side of Mt. Shasta, from the road to Brewer Creek, June 2009
When Tahoe Mountain Sports asked if we wanted to try on their summer swimwear and put it to the test, it was a no-brainer. We get to wear colorful bikinis and hang out on the beach?! Um, yeah — we’re in.
Like kids in candy shops, Melanie, Kendra and I got to pick several outfits each with different bikinis and hats. And while shopping for bikinis is often a lot like shopping for jeans (dreaded, and you never seem to find the right one unless you’re not looking for it), trying on bikinis at Tahoe Mountain Sports made us feel like the models they wanted us to be. That’s because these suits are designed to fit and flatter the women we are. That is, girls who are active, who go to the beach to lay out and kill it paddleboarding, surfing, in a volleyball match, or wherever. These are suits that won’t fly up when you dive off the dock into the lake. And not only do the fit well, but they look good, too.
After the morning on Speedboat Beach in Kings Beach, we all left with more than one bikini in mind that we were just going to have to buy. Funny how that happens.
Here’s what we all had to say about the bikinis we loved the most.
Melanie
Melanie mastering paddleboard yoga in a Next halter bikini top and Oakley board shorts
“When picking out bikinis to wear, the first thing I considered was color and print. I love color and fell in love with the bright Next suit prints right away. From there, it’s all about finding the perfect fit. I really like athletic-fitting halter tops and bottoms with good coverage since I always seem to be doing something active in my bikini — like swimming, paddling, climbing on boulders…”
”I actually bought the Oakley board shorts already, and will probably end up getting a new Next swimming suit as well to wear with the shorts.”
Kendra
Kendra in all her natural beauty with a bikini by Carve Designs
“I look for comfort and support in a bikini first! Then, I hope that it is super cute too.”
“My body, like most girls, is all mixed up with sizes. I am larger on top and therefore am constantly in search of a supportive bikini bra. The Carve swim line does just this. I loved the support and comfort they offer and the patterns and fit are flattering to my shape.”
“Lole and Oakley have some adorable prints and designs this year. Their fun, bright colors are super cute with a tan.”
“In all three brands of bikinis, I love the fact that I can look summer stylish and still go out and kill it on the volleyball court without worrying that I am giving a little show without even knowing it.”
Julie
Julie exploring Tahoe’s clear waters and boulders in a bikini by Carve Designs
“I love stripes. And Lole has some really cute prints with stripes and contrasting colors this year. Something about horizontal stripes — I think they’re really slimming.”
“When I wear a bikini, I want to feel confident and comfortable. So a suit that fits well, doesn’t slide up, covers my bottom, and gives me support up top is huge. At the same time, I’m always looking for functionality that’s fashionable. I think that Carve Designs, Lole, and Next all hit that market really well.”
“One pieces are my new thing. With deep neck lines and bare backs, a one-piece can be very sexy. And they are so comfortable. The Lole Madiera One-Piece caught my eye immediately. It flatters and fits well.”
“Where do I not wear a bikini?! Beyond the usual summer, hiking, and beach activities, I’ve gone ice skating in my bikini, skiing in my bikini, and recently raised some money for the Tahoe City fireworks in my bikini!”
