Driving to North Lake Tahoe
In the second installment of our two-part Tahoe travel series, we take the highways head-on, as we take an unflinching look at what it takes to drive to North Lake Tahoe.
Road trips are a great way to connect with the world around you: whether you spend the trip singing along to the radio or having in-depth discussions with a friend, memories from a road trip are likely to be treasured forever. Unless that road trip happens to be from the Bay Area to North Lake Tahoe on a Friday evening in January. In winter, the roads to the mountains are teeming with eager snowsports enthusiasts. The stress can discourage Tahoe-bound travelers who contend with closed routes, traffic jams, or weather-related hazards. However, there are some simple steps that one can take to make sure they have nothing but a fantastic trip ahead of them.
gather intel
Remember that your most important safety device is between your ears; before you leave home, do what it takes to prepare, and make yourself aware of the conditions on the road. While you’re en route, make safe choices, and don’t let the pressure or stress cause you to make a misguided decision.
To ‘know before you go,’ we recommend a couple of online sources:
Caltrans Road Conditions: https://roads.dot.ca.gov/roadscell.php
Guests typically arrive via I-80, and this page is the definitive source of information for the highways in California. Type 80 into the search field for up-to-date information.
Those who are more visual might prefer QuickMap, which shows the same information overlaid on a map.
Live Traffic Cameras: http://cwwp2.dot.ca.gov/vm/iframemap.htm?long=-121.4944&lat=38.5816&zoom=24
Sometimes, a written description can be dry or leave you wondering. The cameras give you a good sense of what it is like to be on the roads right now. Use them in conjunction with other sources.
Twitter feeds to check out.
Leave at the Right Time
If you retain nothing else from this article, retain this: there is a right time to leave for Tahoe and a wrong time to leave for Tahoe. Don’t be in the wrong!
The rule of thumb for Bay Area drivers is that, if you don’t leave by 3, you might as well wait until 7. Traffic between 3 pm and 6 pm is brutal, and you will likely arrive in Tahoe around 10 pm, regardless of when you leave during those hours. Do yourself a favor and skip the 7-hour Tahoe trip by leaving early (if possible) or delaying your departure until traffic has cleared.
If you find yourself hitting the road at 4:30 pm on a Friday and you can tell it’s going to be a nightmare, consider a stop along the way for a leisurely shopping trip or dinner. There are excellent markets and good dining options in several places along the route. We recommend Vacaville, Sacramento, and Auburn as our favorites. A bit of shopping for groceries might just save your sanity, as well as save you a shopping trip in Tahoe.
Plan Ahead, and Bring the Right Gear
Get a start on transit planning early. Whether that means buying a special dessert for a birthday celebration in Tahoe or making sure you know how to put chains on your car, take care of these tasks well before you leave.
It’s not fun to spend six hours in a traffic jam wearing your ski pants, nor is it fun to be on a train with no cash and nothing to read. Whatever it is that keeps you comfortable when traveling by train, plane, bus, or car, take care to start your vacation on the right foot.
Drivers, in particular, must plan ahead. Roads are icy in the winter, and, although Caltrans does a great job keeping the roads clear, it’s up to you to ensure the safety of your vehicle and your passengers.
Chain control is enforced by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). If your car does not have four-wheel drive and snow tires, a set of chains should be in the car at all times when snow is in the forecast. Before your leave, make sure your car’s wheels can be fitted with chains (some ‘performance’ tires cannot!) and purchase a set online—it’s much cheaper than buying a set on the mountain!
It’s also a good idea to have your parka, boots, and a set of gloves ready to go, in case you need to put on chains on the roadside. This already-unpleasant task can be downright miserable without a warm, dry parka and gloves!
Pack an emergency blanket in your glove compartment. These thin mylar sheets have saved many lives from exposure. They are inexpensive, so it’s always a good idea to have one in the mountains.
If your travel plans include nighttime driving, carry a bright flashlight with strong batteries—bonus points for a roadside flare or LED beacon.
If you’re traveling with kids, some snacks, a deck of cards, or a playlist of sing-a-long songs can go a long way to keep the kids comfortable and preserve your sanity.
park smart
When parking in Tahoe, it’s important to be aware of the unique danger snowplows pose to your car. Look for tall, vertical poles, often with the ends painted in fluorescent orange. These are to signal the edges of the road to snowplows. Do not extend past these poles into the street, or your risk damage from the plow! Also, avoid parking under eaves or anywhere else where ice and snow may fall from a height onto your car.
Clearing the car of snow (remember the roof!) and the area around will be necessary. A scraper with a brush will help with this task. Do not let your car go un-cleaned for several days! The snow will harden around your vehicle and be much more difficult to remove. It’s much easier to remove fluffy, light snow than snow that has settled, so please don’t put off this task! This ensures that both you and the neighbors can access your cars and helps with driving in/out of the chalet.
You might see some cars parked with their wiper blades up; this helps avoid burning out your wiper motor if you leave the wipers on and they become stuck in the snow.
checklist for drivers
Let’s wrap this up with a handy checklist for you to review before you hit the road for Tahoe!
☐ Four-wheel-drive (not all-wheel-drive!) or chains that you can install yourself
☐ Plenty of windshield washer fluid, rated to 0°F
☐ An ice scraper and a snow brush
☐ A flashlight or headlamp
☐ An easily-accessible parka, gloves, and snow boots, in case you need to apply chains or do something else by the side of the road
☐ An emergency blanket in the glove compartment
