Alpenglow

ALPENGLOW

LAKE TAHOE, NV

Having grown up in a metropolis of 13 million

people, serenity like this was unnerving in the

beginning. But a decade later, the mountains

have become my indubitable home. If I were

to write postcards back to the folks still in the

big city I grew up in, it would be of the

mountains, for sure.

I try to fill my life with as many cartwheel-

inducing and bucketlist-worthy moments

as possible. Watching the sun set over

Lake Tahoe from the top of a mountain,

the disappearing sun casting a wildly

colorful alpenglow on the water and the

snow-capped mountain range in the

distance, has always been at forefront

of that mountain wish list. A full moon

slowly rising as the sun vanishes is an

added bonus.

The sky was clear and it was a crisp spring day

with just a notch of wind. With intimate friends

quietly and soberly climbing the top of the ridge,

I certainly was not prepared for the awe.

I found myself pondering this yesterday – I’ve been

fortunate to have seen Lake Tahoe many, many

times and from many striking angles, but this

was the first time I had the most serious of

goosebumps upon gazing at the spellbinding

Lake Tahoe, still and calm, surrounded by

mountain peaks.

We huddled around hot chocolate spiked with

Irish coffee, stories and laughter, watching the

dizzying light show of the fiery sunset and

collectively gasping until the full moon

rose and invariably stole the show.

In the shadows cast by the full moon, the trail

illuminated by but one headlamp (sometimes

two), we navigated the snow-covered forest

back to the car.

#adventure #snow #hiking #renotahoe