What to do in Junuary in Tahoe?

For those that live and play in the Lake Tahoe area, you know all too well that this winter is now the fourth in a row in which the month of January has seen little to no snow! Hence, the locals have dubbed this month “Junuary”. With no snow in the upcoming week(s)’ forecast the local sentiment in the Lake Tahoe area has turned sour once again.

For a funny take on this quandary, check out our friends at SnowBrains.com’s article “Top 10 Reasons Why It’s Awesome That it Doesn’t Snow in Tahoe Anymore“!

Here is a video from last year at a lecture Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory (SNARL):

OpenSnow.com is often a good resource to find out what is coming our way in terms of weather in Tahoe. However, much like the past few seasons, Tahoe Snow Forecaster Bryan Allegretto has become frustrated with how the weather refuses to change in January (hardly any snow and huge amounts of dry, warm air). B.A. said, “It has become common the last 9 seasons that January is drier than the other months. It has also become common that the storms come again in February or March. Here is a graph I made for the average snowfall by month that I like to show.”

Below, you’ll find five ways to get out there and enjoy all that this beautiful has to offer:

1. Go Rock Climbing or Bouldering

There are a multitude of climbing spots in the area that have southern facing aspects that have a great deal of sun on them for many hours, allowing for fairly warm routes and happy adventures. For information on the rad climbing in the High Sierra region, check out SuperTopo.com.

2. Go Mountain Biking

Although the trails around Lake Tahoe, may have a decent amount of snow left on them, the biking is superb just “down the hill” in areas like Grass Valley, Nevada City, Colfax and Auburn. For information on the trails in Northern California check out Trails.com.

3. Play on the Lake

Whether its Lake Tahoe or Donner Lake, there are many great ways (such as on a Paddle Board) to get out and get some quality exercise in. Be sure to dress warm and bring some snacks for a fun day spent SUP’ing (Stand-Up-Paddle-Boarding).

4. Take an AIARE Avalanche Course

Tahoe Mountain Sports is proud to partner with Tahoe Mountain School which offers professional education for backcountry users including: avalanche education, backcountry skiing and wilderness medicine.

Learn more about the great opportunities to further your knowledge and skill-set here.

5. Play with your Dog

Get out on the trails, on the lake or even in your backyard and make old Fido happy because he is not stuck at home while you are at the mountain. GoPro offers a great tool to see the world through a dog’s point of view with the Fetch Dog Mount Harness. Tails will be wagging even if the snow is lagging!