Tahoe City, located on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, is a world away from the casinos and development of South Lake Tahoe. Tahoe City is rustic, with a proud local base, and echoes the old Lake Tahoe, with post and beam buildings and sunburned loggers in bars. On the weekends, Tahoe City gets congested with visitors, but on weekdays, the locals take over again. On warm days, locals head to secret beaches, and on snow days, locals build jumps in their backyards, avoiding the crowded ski resorts.

A perfect day in Tahoe depends on the season. In the summer, it would involve floating the Truckee River followed by a barbecue on the West Shore. In the winter, it would be getting some fresh lines with friends (because there are friends on a powder day), and stopping for a shifter at the end of the day.

The best thing about Tahoe City is its abundance of nature. There is a ton of national forest land, with miles of hiking and biking trails. The wilderness areas provide some amazing backpacking spots, and of course Lake Tahoe is a great place to spend a day.

The housing situation. It is difficult to find affordable housing given the wages that people make. Most people have a bunch of roommates, and I even know a few homeless working people who can only afford to live out of their cars or on friends’ couches.

How large that Lake Tahoe is, and how different South Lake is from North Lake. Most people think of casinos when they think Lake Tahoe, but there really aren’t many casinos in North Lake Tahoe. Tahoe City has a laid-back, small town vibe.

Probably someone rugged. This place is full of transplants, but embodies the essence of the West…everything is larger than life, and there is so much visible success.

Ansel Adams, Justin Hogan, Candide Thovex