The first person to swim across Lake Tahoe was a woman, naturally, Myrtle Huddleston. Yes, Myrtle accomplished this feat in 1931, the same year we legalized gambling in Nevada, and there were more than a few bets placed on Myrtle to not make it…
But Myrtle did make it. She swam from Glenbrook to Tahoe City, twelve miles, without a wetsuit. It took her 23 hours. And what was amazing about her marathon crossing was that during the night she got separated from her escort boat. So there she was, in the middle of Lake Tahoe, in the middle of the night…alone. Not since Jonah found himself inside that big fish has anybody felt quite so alone, I can only imagine…
At dawn they spotted her, and on that escort boat was her son, her 12-year-old son, and when he saw his mother he shouted out to her, “Ma, you can make it!”
Well, those were the last words in the world Myrtle Huddleston wanted to hear right then, but she did it. She put her head down, swam on, and she made it. They carried her up to the Tahoe Tavern on a gurney. Myrtle lost 12 pounds in the crossing. So if ever you want to lose twelve pounds in one day, there it is, The Myrtle Huddleston Weight Loss Plan, guaranteed to work every time. But try not to get lost in the night, it’s such a worry to everybody…
Personally, I have great admiration for Myrtle’s accomplishment, for I swam two miles in a leaky wetsuit held together with Duct Tape before I was ordered out of Lake Tahoe by a lifeguard during The World’s Toughest Triathlon.
Just before I was instructed to, “Follow me!” I could see my grandmother’s face on the bottom of the lake, and she had been gone from this earthly realm for ten years. Next, I remember shaking like a Trembling Aspen in front of a humongous heater inside a First Aid Tent, trying to thaw out.
When I asked, “Can I go now?” I was told by a medical practitioner, “You were white when you came in here, you’re purple now, we’ll let you go when you’re red.”
For a year after that embarrassing falling-out, I was greeted in various Tahoe taverns with this question, “Does anybody know the difference between McAvoy and the Titanic?”
“Yeah, the Titanic had a band!”
More recently, this summer, August of 2025, a hearty 55-year-old man, Alex Kostich, became the fastest person to swim the width of Tahoe when he swam from Homewood, California to Glenbrook, Nevada in four hours, 28 minutes and 55 seconds. Should I happen to run into Alex here at the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, I shall buy him an adult beverage of his choice and carry him around Incline Center twice on my shoulders. Then the two of us can hoist one on high to the greatest long-distance swimmer of all time, Myrtle Huddleston…
Bright orange leaves hang in front of the top of an old fashioned house in autumn.
From IVCBA Member Canopy Property Services, 08/29/2025
As the busy tourist season winds down and the locals summer begins in Tahoe, now’s the time to prepare your property for the fall and winter seasons ahead.
At Canopy Property Services, we make the transition effortless so you can enjoy fall without worrying about upkeep.
Our team specializes in seasonal services tailored to the unique mountain climate, including:
Pine-needle, roof & gutter, and yard cleanups to keep your property safe and tidy
Winterization of irrigation and landscapes to protect your investment and keep your outdoor spaces thriving season after season
Turf care and irrigation adjustments to prepare for cooler weather
Property checks and maintenance to protect your home year-round
Lock in your snow removal services with Canopy now
Extra Peace of Mind — We Have Your Property Covered
More than landscaping—we’re here as your year-round property and real estate partner.
Regular House Checks – Know your home is safe and cared for, even when you’re away.
Seasonal & Long-Term Rental Management – From guest turnover to maintenance, we handle the details so your property earns stress-free.
Fall Real Estate Services – Thinking about buying or selling? We can advise on market trends and position your property for success during Tahoe’s busy fall season before the snow falls.
Let us handle the transition from summer to fall and winter —so you can focus on enjoying Tahoe’s best season.
Tahoe Mobility Hub Moves Forward at Spooner Summit
August 28, 2025 | Member Submitted
Project will improve safety and recreation access in one of Lake Tahoe’s most popular roadway corridors
August 27, 2025 (Stateline, Nev.) – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Governing Board approved a key environmental improvement project today that will continue the transformation of the Nevada State Route (SR) 28 corridor into a safe, sustainable roadway, TRPA and the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) announced today. The Spooner Summit Mobility Hub project will also help protect Lake Tahoe from aquatic invasive species with construction of the first permanent watercraft inspection station in the Tahoe Basin.
Located near the junction of U.S. Highway 50 and SR 28 at Spooner Summit, the 250-space parking area and transit hub will replace roadside parking spaces in the popular recreation corridor and connect Nevada State Parks, USDA Forest Service trailheads, and other transit stops, according to the agencies.
The Nevada Department of Transportation is leading the project with support from partner agencies under the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP). In response to safety and environmental concerns, EIP partners developed the State Route 28 Corridor Management Plan to identify transportation projects that will protect lake clarity, improve public safety, enhance recreation access, and reduce roadway congestion.
“This is a visionary project that will improve water quality, enhance public safety, reduce roadway congestion, and make access to the basin’s abundant public lands safer and more sustainable,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said.
Removing parking on the road shoulders will increase safety, protect vegetation, reduce soil erosion, and improve scenic quality in the corridor, which is a designated National Scenic Byway.
“This project is more than just creating infrastructure, it’s about shaping the future of mobility in the Tahoe Basin,” said Jim Marino, Executive Director of the Tahoe Transportation District. “By creating a mobility hub at Spooner Summit, we’re setting the stage for a safer, more sustainable corridor that enhances recreation access while safeguarding the lake and surrounding environment for generations to come.”
Key project components include:
Safe, managed parking with pay kiosk
Permanent watercraft inspection station
Transit hub with increased service to decrease traffic
Reduced erosionand stormwater runoff to protect the clarity of the lake
Technology for real-time parking availability and reservation systems
Increased enforcement and ticketing for illegal roadside parking
Reinvestment of parking revenues in the corridor
Electric Vehicle charging stations and infrastructure for electric buses
At 11 miles long, the two-lane roadway from Incline Village, Nev. to Spooner Summit is the longest stretch of undeveloped shoreline in the Lake Tahoe Region and the popularity of its public beaches, trails, and scenic beauty has been growing. Surveys in 2024 showed roughly 1,000 vehicles parked on highway shoulders in the SR 28 Corridor on peak days. Illegal, off-highway parking can crowd the roadway with pedestrians and traffic and increase erosion.
Project construction is expected to begin in 2026 and the permanent watercraft inspection station, parking lot, and transit stop are scheduled to open by the fall of 2027.
The Spooner Mobility Hub parking lot will be the largest along the corridor, making it a critical location for transit services. Co-locating the aquatic invasive species inspection station on site leverages the federal, state, and private funding that supports the watercraft inspection program.
The permanent watercraft inspection station to be incorporated in the project will house aquatic invasive species inspection and decontamination equipment that has been operating in the region since TRPA and Tahoe Resource Conservation District began the program in 2008. In that time, trained staff at regional inspection locations have inspected more than 115,000 boats to protect Lake Tahoe from new aquatic invasive species. The permanent Spooner Summit inspection station will make the inspection process safer and more efficient and serve as a model for future stations.
Images
Spooner_Mobility_Hub_Simulation_Planview Caption: An East Shore Express bus parallels the East Shore Trail carrying passengers to recreation areas along the scenic Nev. SR 28 corridor. Credit: Drone Promotions
East-Shore-Express-aerial-trail-walkers-lake Caption: A simulation of the Spooner Mobility Hub and watercraft inspection station with the entrance to Spooner Lake Nevada State Park below. The project is scheduled to break ground next year and will replace hundreds to unsafe, off-road parking spaces on Nev. SR 28. Credit: Drone Promotions
Spooner_Summit_Boat_Inspections Caption: Lake Tahoe watercraft inspectors decontaminate boats heading for Lake Tahoe at the seasonal inspection location at Spooner Summit. The mobility hub project will incorporate the first permanent boat inspection station in the Tahoe Basin. Credit: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
Media Contacts:
Jeff Cowen Public Information Officer Tahoe Regional Planning Agency jcowen@trpa.gov (775) 589-5278
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment.
About Tahoe Transportation District The Tahoe Transportation District (TTD) is a bi-state agency responsible for the management and implementation of safe, environmentally sound, multi-modal transportation projects and programs in the Lake Tahoe Region, including transit operations. TTD leads multi-jurisdictional infrastructure projects to make travel safer, improve access to recreation, and reduce traffic congestion and private car use. TTD focuses on transit’s pivotal role in improving air and water quality because more than 70 percent of the pollutants impacting Lake Tahoe’s clarity come from transportation system and built environment run-off. TTD has delivered numerous projects to help reduce environmental impacts and address the high demand residents and visitors place on the region’s transportation infrastructure, including transit solutions, roadway and safety enhancements, water quality improvements, and pedestrian/cyclist paths. For more information, please visit TahoeTransportation.org.
Even though summer is not officially over until September 21, Labor Day weekend seems to mark the end of that vacation kind of lifestyle. Kids are back in school, and many people just stay in town rather than go somewhere. If the weather manages to end its series of thunderstorms, now is the time to go to the beach on the weekend or try for a parking space to walk the East Shore Trail in the middle of the day. Events that mark Labor Day weekend in Incline:
Selling yellow rubber ducks has been the fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Incline Village for a long time. A number of years ago, it switched from a race in the creek to a “duck drop” with the help of a fire truck from North Lake Tahoe Fire Department. 9:00 on Monday at Aspen Grove parking lot. Don’t be late or you will miss it.
BBQ AND PICNICS
Can you believe we have no smoke this year?? Every grocery store in town is promoting their picnic-style foods for the classic backyard party with family and friends. Just in case you haven’t noticed, there are THREE stores in town: Raleys, Natural Grocer, and Grocery Outlet.
Plan NOW to go to this classy event that also raises money for the Boys and Girls Club. It’s expensive, but I promise the venue and the high-end wines are worth it!
Don’t worry. There is still music every night, somewhere in Incline, for another week or two.
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In The News – New interactive map makes exploring Incline Village and Crystal Bay easier for visitors and locals
August 27, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally published with KUNR, 08/20/2025, Written by Maria Palma
If you’re planning a trip to North Lake Tahoe, there’s a new tool to help you get the most out of the Incline Village and Crystal Bay area.
The Incline Village Crystal Bay Community and Business Association (IVCBA) has launched an interactive digital map in partnership with Travel North Tahoe Nevada and Vibe Maps.
This mobile-friendly map highlights places including restaurants, shops, and scenic trails in Incline Village and Crystal Bay.
The map is about more than just directions, it’s a way for residents and visitors to connect with the heart of the community, said Kristin Derrin, IVCBA’s marketing and communications manager.
In The News – Author’s newest love story ‘Sierra Fall’ brings lovers together in Tahoe
August 26, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 08/26/2025, Written by Eli Ramos
Martha O’Sullivan’s love of Tahoe has inspired five books, including one trilogy and her latest story titled “Sierra Fall.” O’Sullivan’s writing has been praised by friends and readers for evoking the beauty of the North Shore and the different perspectives she brings in her main characters.
O’Sullivan says she’s always loved romance novels and reading, taking the city bus to the library and devouring books as winters settled in the Midwest. She had a penchant for finishing a story to her liking as she read, an early writer’s instinct. “But writing went on the backburner for a long time,” said O’Sullivan. She previously worked as an acquisitions editor, then became a stay-at-home mom to her daughters.
Now, she writes as an independent and self-published author, which she calls her “second dream in life.” She was inspired by writers like Nora Roberts, who is also self-taught and explores a variety of character voices and perspectives.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe & Osteria Sierra Announce New Dining Experiences
August 26, 2025 | Member Submitted
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, a spacious resort nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, unveils refreshed dining experiences at Osteria Sierra, featuring comforting, seasonal Italian dishes with an alpine twist.
“We are excited to introduce these new dining experiences that give guests more ways to enjoy Osteria Sierra throughout the day,” said William Stout, food and beverage director at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe. “With a curated wine lounge and live music on weekends, these additions are designed to create a more vibrant and flexible dining atmosphere for both locals and resort guests.”
Osteria Sierra now transforms into a wine lounge each Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m., offering a relaxed, intimate setting for wine lovers to explore an expertly curated list of domestic and international selections. Guests can enjoy thoughtfully crafted wine flights inspired by the surrounding Sierra Nevada peaks, including sparkling selections, crisp whites, light-bodied reds, and bold mountain pours. Non-alcoholic options including premium zero-proof wines, are also available to ensure a welcoming experience for every guest. The wine list has been crafted by resident sommelier Jana Manfredi, who brings more than seven years of experience with the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe team.
“I love helping guests discover something that surprises them,” said Jana Manfredi, sommelier at Osteria Sierra. “There’s always a new wine to try, and sharing that experience is the best part of what I do.”
Enhancing the dining experience, live music on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. brings a vibrant, local flavor to Osteria Sierra, inviting guests to enjoy exceptional food alongside local performances.
For more information or to book a getaway to Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, please visit HyattRegencyLakeTahoe.com, or call (775) 832-1234.
About Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino
Situated among the towering peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the award-winning Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino offers a premier destination based in the nature-infused setting of North Lake Tahoe. The resort is home to an on-site Adventure program offering daily guided activities to help guests explore the Tahoe outdoors with everything from group hikes and archery classes to meditation sessions. Guests can enjoy premium amenities such as a year-round heated lagoon-style pool, two hot tubs, and a 25,000 square-foot Grand Lodge Casino. The resort also boasts the 20,000 square-foot Stillwater Spa featuring a variety of relaxing massages, facials and body treatments as well as state-of-the-art touchless therapies including the Cryobuilt Cryochamber, “Pearl” a revolutionary float orb, and the “Harmony” bioacoustic mat. The property showcases premier dining opportunities at the brand-new Osteria Sierra offering elevated Italian cuisine, pub-style fare at Cutthroat’s Saloon, and grab-and-go selections at Tahoe Provisions. Additional culinary delights include afternoon tea service on the weekends and a selection world-class pastries created by the resort’s renowned team of pastry chefs. Recognized for excellence, the resort has garnered numerous awards including Travel + Leisure’s 500 Best Hotels in the World, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best, Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, Smart Meetings Smart Stars Awards, and U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hotel Awards.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino is located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, at 111 Country Club Drive, Incline Village, NV, 89451. For more information, visit HyattRegencyLakeTahoe.com or follow the resort on Facebook or Instagram.
About Hyatt Regency hotels
The Hyatt Regency brand is a global collection of hotels and resorts found in more than 200 locations in over 40 countries around the world. The depth and breadth of this diverse portfolio, from expansive resorts to urban city centers, is a testament to the brand’s evolutionary spirit. For more than 50 years, the Hyatt Regency brand has championed fresh perspectives and enriching experiences, while its forward-thinking philosophy provides guests with inviting spaces that bring people together and foster a spirit of community. As a hospitality original, Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts are founded on openness—our colleagues consistently serve with open minds and open hearts to deliver unforgettable celebrations, effortless relaxation and notable culinary experiences alongside expert meetings and technology-enabled collaboration. The brand prides itself on an everlasting reputation for insightful care—one that welcomes all people across all countries and cultures, generation after generation. For more information, please visit hyatt.com
We honor and celebrate PIO Tia Rancourt, who is retiring after 29 years of dedicated service with NLTFPD.
From classrooms to community events, Tia has been at the heart of our public education and fire safety efforts. Her passion for teaching, outreach, and connecting with people has touched generations of families in Incline Village.
Thank you, Tia, for your commitment, leadership, and heart. You’ve inspired generations, and you will be deeply missed but we are excited to wish her a well-deserved retirement filled with new adventures and time to enjoy all she has given to others.
Please join us in wishing her a happy, healthy, and well-deserved retirement!
To make yourself officially amazing you really need to get yourself into the Guinness Book of World Records, and this is not an easy task. Take Tom Dalton of the UK, who crawled 100 meters on his hands and knees to set the current Guinness World Record of 39.7 seconds for fastest crawling male. You do not want to see the video of his wife. My guess is most record holders do not want to have their videos posted online.
But picture this: The heaviest weight lifted by a beard is 140 lbs. This Herculean record was achieved by Antanas Kontrimas from Lithuania on June 26, 2013, on the set of “Rekorlar Dunyasi” in Istanbul, Turkey. Antanas, using only his beard, lifted the show’s host, Gupse Özay, right up off the ground. Again, you do not want to see the video…
And forget the shotput. You can set your shotput on a shelf and close the curtain around it, because Johan Espenkrona threw a washing machine 14 ft 7 in – about as long as a giraffe they said. Johan has never thrown an actual giraffe, but I’ll bet my Golden Gloves that he might like to try if presented with a giraffe.
Okay, for endurance let’s put aside triathlons and take a look at Łukasz Szpunar from Poland, who made history by becoming the first person to stand in a box of ice for over four hours. When Łukasz climbed out of that icebox he was asked how he felt, but nobody could understand him because his teeth were chattering so darn hard. They say to this day Łukasz cannot look at a glass of ice water without his teeth starting to chatter…
Finally, there is The Pride of Maryland, Kimberly “Kimycola” Winter, who belted out a belch measured at 107 decibels, loud enough they said, to wake General Grant in his New York tomb. Kimycola told Guinness World Record officials she slurped coffee and beer with her breakfast on the morning of the attempt to ensure maximum volume for her humongous blast, which was just short of the 112.7-decibel male version of the record. Again, you do not want to see the video…
Just looking at some of the records in the Guinness Book has caused me to wonder how I might become officially amazing by getting my name in that book somewheres, and I think I’ve hit on it. This Pine Nuts column, number 1,671, just happens to be the longest running column in the world to be published without a blemish of an untruth in it anywhere…
Ask any AI, and you can see for yourself that Pine Nuts stands alone for veracity and accuracy over time. I shall make the Guinness submission myself, and alert you when we appear in next year’s Guinness Book of World Records alongside Łukasz Szpunar and those other 4,000 officially amazing people. As they say in Hawaii, “Hope me luck.”
In The News – Chasing the sun; Sunrise and sunset hikes
August 22, 2025 | Member Submitted
Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, written by Haley Beyer, 08/22/2025
It’s mind blowing how something so captivating and subliminal can happen twice a day and humans all around the world forget to watch it happen. The sun rises and sets like clockwork. Whether society is ready for it or not. It’s expected and falls into the long list of everyday things but it really should be celebrated. It should be a time to set aside all of life’s fluff for a few moments of gratitude and grounding. How can something so far away dance its light off the clouds and paint our skies with oranges, purples, yellows and pinks? The mixture of colors is unique every single day. No two sunrises or sunsets will ever be the same. And its expansiveness is truly radiant. Especially when it’s reflected off the glassy still water of Lake Tahoe.
There’s something special about purposefully reserving your morning or evening to hike to a high point and sit patiently waiting for the sun to do her thing. Whether creating a positive mindset for the day ahead with a sunrise or reflecting back on the day with a sunset, there are beaches all along the perimeter of Lake Tahoe that could very well do the job but why not take it a step further and complete a hike for that stunning view? It’s never not going to be worth it.
