September 29, 2014 (Monday) Spooner Lake Paint-Out

Spooner Lake

Date:         Sept. 29, 2014 (Monday)
Time:         9:30 am
Place:         Spooner Lake State Park
Parking:      Entry fee is $10.00 per car, $2 per bicycle in, $1 walk-in
Meeting Place for paying entrance:     If you drive in, turn right to park in the area where bicycles can be rented.  There is a paved path with "Interpretive Trail" sign.  I will park near that trailhead. 
Amenities:     Bathrooms, drinking fountains, Bicycle repair shop, maps at the ranger entrance, trails in all directions - around Spooner Lake, and in the other direction to Marlette Lake (a very long hike) and also bike trails to Flume Trails.  Dogs permitted on leash only.

Painting Places:      Those of us who will be meeting in the pay entrance will be walking down to the interpretive area and pass the picnic benches in a cement patio.  We will continue on a dirt trail that is called the Spooner Lake loop.  It is a gentle and mostly level path through the shady aspen and fir trees that heads south or southeast.  Carts can be used.  You can stop anywhere you wish to paint, but step off the trail so hikers and dogwalkers (all on leash) can pass.

Optional Free Parking:  If you wish, you can park for free outside of the park.  Parking lot and trail head to Spooner Lake is on Highway 50 about 3/4 mile east of the intersection of 50 and 28.  It will be on the north side of 50.  From the parking you can hike about 10 minutes up and over the hill and down into the trail that loops around Spooner Lake where we will be painting.

Colors:  These pictures were taken on 8-13-13.  The colors will be different - maybe the aspens will be turning (?)

What to bring:

• $10 if you don't have an annual Nevada State Parks pass (about $100 per year and good at Sand Harbor, Spooner Lake, Washoe Lake, and all other Nevada State Parks)
• painting gear
• camera
• cart, shoulder bag, or backpack to walk as far as you want
• walking shoes
• cell phone service is spotty
• drinking water and snacks or lunch
• hat, sunscreen, bug spray (just in case), umbrella if you choose to sit in a sunny spot

Directions to Spooner State Park (pay entrance):  From Reno:

580 South to Carson City, take the last exit (Fairview) and turn Right

Turn Left at old 395

Turn Right at Hwy 50 to South Lake Tahoe

At the summit, turn Right on Hwy 28

About 500 yards the entrance to the park will be on your Right

Travel Time:  45 minutes from Southern Reno

Links:
http://parks.nv.gov/parks/marlette-hobart-backcountry/

September 22, 2014 (Monday) Paint-Out Lily Lake and Glen Alpine Falls

Lily Lake

Monika, Pat and I will not be able to attend, but the directions are pretty easy and Pat enjoyed painting there earlier this summer and sent these photos.  (The rest of us were at the meadow area before the cabins).  Be sure to look for other artists and say Hi!  We have on average 5-6 artists each week - different ones each time and some are regulars.

Date:                 September 22, 2014 (Monday)
Time:                9:30 am
Place:                Lily Lake (near Fallen Leaf Lake)
Meeting Place:  parking area for Lily Lake

Amenities:         Close to Taylor Creek Visitor Center - ranger station, shop, restrooms - near turn-off for Fallen Leaf Lake Road but on 89.  Also, at the end of Fallen Leaf Lake Road is a snack shack, gift shop and restrooms

Glen Alpine Falls - on the way to the parking lot

What to paint:  Lily Lake or the nearby Falls.  Parking on the side of the road for the falls.

What to bring:

1. painting gear
2. camera
3. cell phone
4. lunch and drink or cash to purchase at the snack shack
5. Might be 77 degrees, but bring something for breeze or cool morning
6. Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
7. Bug spray
8. map!

See below map - right click it and you can save it and print it...

Directions:
From Reno:  Take 580 south to Carson City, take the Fairview Exit to old 395.  Turn Left at old 395/Carson Blvd.  Turn right at Highway 50 to South Lake Tahoe.  Continue through South Lake Tahoe to the "Y".  Turn Right on 89/Emerald Bay Road.  Go 3 miles.  Turn Left on Fallen Leaf Lake Road (oops, I forgot to label the road on my map above).

Continue on Fallen Leaf Lake Road all the way to the end to where Post Office is and go beyond it to your right and you will come to the fire station.  Go past the fire station following the sign as pictured below:

Links:
http://www.fallenleaflakecabins.com/about/fallen_leaf_lake_boating/

http://www.laketahoegetaways.com/angora-lakes-lake-tahoe-hiking-trails/

Fall 2014 Paint-Out Schedule

About six of us met at Sand Harbor yesterday and I got input from others for great fall paint-out locations.  Thank you all for your input and photos and directions!  It was hard to pick from the list, but I chose some new spots and some places we have been in the past.  I tried to alternate locations between Lake Tahoe, Reno/Carson and Hope Valley area.  As you know, exactly when the fall foliage is turning is impossible to predict.  But, I basically tried for higher elevations first, and then the lower elevations later.

Mondays:

Sept. 22, 2014 - Lily Lake/Falls nearby - Fallen Leaf Lake Road area
Sept. 29, 2014 - Spooner Lake - summit of Highway 50 above Lake Tahoe
Oct. 6, 2014 - Red Lake (the lower end) east side of Carson Pass (Highway 88)
Oct. 13, 2014 - Aspen Grove Park - Incline Village
Oct. 20, 2014 - Luther Pass Ranch - few miles up 89 from Pickett Junction - overlooks Hope Valley
Oct. 27, 2014 - Tamarack Lake (1 mile east of Mt. Rose Summit)
Nov. 3, 2014 - Taylor Creek or Cathedral Road - near Fallen Leaf Lake
Nov. 10, 2014 - Lower Galena Creek - Joy Lake Road off of Mt. Rose Hwy
Nov. 17, 2014 - Hope Valley or Faith Valley
Nov. 24, 2014 - Silver Saddle Ranch - near Carson City

Monday, September 15, 2014 - Artists' Social at Sand Harbor

All painters are invited to attend - whether you have painted with us or are new....

Bring your lunch and your beverage and meet at Sand Harbor.  The covered group picnic area is a $400 a day reservation!!!!  Sorry, folks - I don't have that kind of money!!!!  But let's MEET there and then take our blankets and chairs to the beach or a picnic table in the trees if you see one available.  One of us will be there early and will scope it out.  Certainly on a Monday after kids are in school there should be some available.

Painting is optional - you can come early to paint, or stay later and paint....

...but do join us for lunch and discussion of setting a schedule for the next paint-outs until Thanksgiving.  If you have any painting spots you would like to share with us - we'd love to learn of new painting locations!

Date:          September 15 (Monday) 2014
Time:          Noon
Place:          Meet at the covered group picnic area.  From there we will either go to the beach with blankets and chairs or grab a picnic table in the trees

What to bring:

• park entry fee money (about $10)
• your lunch and beverage
• folding chair or beach blanket
• hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
• bug spray (bee season)
• your painting gear if you wish to paint

Directions:

From Reno:  Take the Mt. Rose Hwy(431) to Incline.  Turn left at Country Club Drive (there is a sign that says "Sierra Nevada College" - that is the turn).  At Hwy 28 (the road that goes along the lake) turn left.  Go south on this road about 3 miles.  Sand Harbor is on your right.  The boat launch parking is the first turn.  The main entrance for people without boats is the next entrance.  

From South Lake Tahoe - take HWY 50 towards Carson City.  At the summit get in the left turning lane and turn left on Hwy 28.  Go about 10 miles towards Incline.  Sand Harbor will be on your left before you get to Incline Village.

ttp://parks.nv.gov/parks/sand-harbor/

P.S.  Monika and I and some of our painters are involved in the North Tahoe Plein Air Event, so there are no paint-outs scheduled during that time until this painters' social event.  Hope to see you!

August 25, 2014 - Emerald Bay/Eagle Falls Paint-Out

Eagle Falls across the street from the free parking

Date:          August 25, 2014 (Monday)
Time:          9:00 am
Place:          Emerald Bay/Eagle Falls
Park:           Free parking on street outside the Eagle Falls/Eagle Lake Trailhead parking lot
Meet:          At the free parking area
Amenities:    pit toilet is at the Emerald Bay Look-Out parking area before you get to the Trailhead parking Lot.  There is also a pit toilet inside the Trailhead parking lot.  I am hoping these are still open, since they close them off-season in the winter.

After we meet, you can decide where you want to paint from.  An easy short walk across the street and down some crude steps of rocks will take you to the top of Eagle Falls with views of Emerald Bay.  You can also take your car back to the viewpoint parking lot if it is not full and paint Emerald Bay from there. Some people hike a short way down the trail that leads to Vikingsholm and paint from a viewpoint there.  It is a long hike all the way down, and remember you have to hike it all the way up to get back to your car.

What to bring:

• camera
• painting gear
• cell phone
• a backpack or tote to be able to carry your gear down rock steps if you decide to go there
• good walking shoes with tread
• drinking water and lunch or snack
• art umbrella/hat/sunglasses/sunscreen
• bug spray

Directions:
From Reno:  take 580 south to Carson City, at the end of the freeway take Fairview Exit and turn Right onto Fairview.  Turn Left at old 395 So Carson Street, turn Right on Highway 50.  Stay on 50 going through South Lake Tahoe for a total of 27 miles.  Turn Right on CA-89/Emerald Bay Road.  Go 8.5 miles.  Trailhead and parking is on your Left.  There are some hairpin turns before you get to Emerald Bay.

From Reno, allow 1-1/2 hours drive time

If you are new or want me to look for you, please email me at carolynjean@carolynjeanthompson.com

Links:

www.tahoesbest.com/eagle-falls-trail-lake-tahoe

http://www.truckee-travel-guide.com/vikingsholm-trail.html

August 18, 2014 Carnelian Bay Paint-Out

Date:          August 18, 2014 (Monday)
Time:          9:00 am
Place:          Carnelian Bay
Meet:          Near the pier in front of Garwood's
Parking:       Perhaps along the street.
Amenities:     Garwoods is there and they serve wonderful lunches on their deck!  Also, Waterman's Landing has a cafe and public restrooms and parking

This writer is unable to attend, but Monika will be there.

Here are some links for the area and also a map:

Patton Landing – Watermans Landing | Lake Tahoe Public Beaches

http://www.watermanslanding.com/

http://www.tahoepublicbeaches.com/patton-landing/

Map:

39°13'33.3"N 120°05'03.5"W

http://goo.gl/maps/SBZtD

August 11, 2014 (Monday) Tahoe Meadows (Mt. Rose) Paint-Out

Date:          August 11, 2014 (Monday)
Time:          9:00 am
Place:         Tahoe Meadows (Mt. Rose)
Meet:          Instead of the parking lot, we will park on the road on the south side near either of the stairs

The picture above was taken in early spring....there is no snow there yet!

What to bring:

• camera
• art gear
• carts work on the boardwalk and trail
• bug spray
• I wonder if there will be sun (????)
• drinking water and snack

Amenities - not right there, but at the parking lot of the trailhead to the Tahoe Meadows is a bathroom

This writer will not be able to attend, but I'm sure some of the regular painters will be there.

Directions:  From Reno:  take the Mt. Rose Hwy, pass the top summit and as you start to go downhill, look for the level area where people park on the road.  Make a U-turn and park on the south side.

From Incline, go up the Mt. Rose Hwy and look for the meadow on the right side.