Lake Tahoe Facts
Interesting Facts about Lake Tahoe
1. Donner Pass and Donner Lake are named after the ill-fated Donner Party. This group of settlers attempted to cross the mountains in the winter of 1846-47. Most of them were trapped by the snow and several of them resorted to cannibalism to survive.2. Strange Fact: Truckee, California often registers the lowest temperature in the nation, but not during the winter season. During the spring/summer seasons of 1991, 1993 and 1994, Truckee claimed the honor of coldest spot in the nation, excluding Alaska.
3. The deepest snowpack recorded at Tahoe was over 30 feet deep in 1890.
4. Interesting Fact: If Lake Tahoe was tipped over, the water would cover California to a depth of fourteen and a half inches.
5. Weird Fact: Many drowning victims are never recovered from Lake Tahoe. The cold water at lower depths preserves the bodies and prevents the formation of gases that would otherwise float them to the surface.
6. Interesting Fact: As an "interstate navigable waterway," Lake Tahoe is protected by the U. S. Coast Guard and is reputed to be the most desirable Coast Guard duty station in the world.
7. Tahoe has nine mountains with peaks over 10,000 feet including Mt. Rose, Jobs Peak and Freel Peak.
8. The Tahoe area averages more than 300 days of sun each year.
9. Tahoe has 18 alpine and cross country ski resorts and over 50 championship golf courses.
10. Random Fact: Virginia City is known as "The Liveliest Ghost Town in the West.
11. The floor of the Tahoe basin (the bottom the lake) is near the 4,580 foot elevation, lower than the surface of the Carson Valley to the east.
12. Fun Fact: Sixty three streams flow into Lake Tahoe.
Things to See in Lake Tahoe
