Overview

Geologists believe that the basin of Lake Tahoe was formed between the Carson mountain range on the east and the Sierra Nevada on the west when the Sierra Nevada lifted at some time between 25 to 50 million years ago. The upheaval caused the range to crack and created a trough like depression. More than 20 million years later, during the volcanic age, streams of lava flowed from Mount Pluto on the north shore pushing masses of boulders ahead of it, forming a dam across the basin's outlet to create a lake several feet higher than the present Lake Tahoe. Finally, eight or nine thousand years ago, a massive glacier moved northward through the region. When the glacial ice melted, the whole area was a breathtakingly beautiful landscape of valleys, peaks and troughs. Eventually, a new outlet, the Truckee River, was eroded from the lava dam. The Truckee remains Lake Tahoe's only outlet. It flows from the northwest shore.

The area around Lake Tahoe was the summer hunting ground for the Washo Indians. They named it "Tahoe" meaning "big water in high place." In 1844 the Fremont party of U.S. Topographical engineers saw Lake Tahoe but could not discover an outlet to it.

In subsequent years, attempts were made to discover a pass through which to cross the mountains and travel to Sacramento, California. Several tragedies occurred when searchers were trapped in inclement weather in the mountains.

In 1848 gold seekers came upon Lake Tahoe as they moved across Nevada to the Sacramento valley. Several passes were opened during that time. The most frequently traveled route was by way of the Truckee River. In 1851 a trading post was set up After the California gold fever subsided, the Comstock lode was uncovered in Virginia City, Nevada, and the tide of fortune hunters turned in that direction, crossing the Sierra Nevada mountain range through the pass at Lake Valley at the south shore of Lake Tahoe. By 1860, about 400 wagons traveled the road daily. This rapidly increased, and by 1862 over 100 hotels, saloons, and other businesses had sprung up along the route.

Farming and logging operations took place along the north shore in the 1860's, and logs were sent from there down the Truckee River to build the transcontinental railroad. Fifteen tunnels had to be blasted through the granite of the Sierra Nevada mountains and more than 40 miles of track had to be sheltered by snow sheds in order to complete the railroad. The town of Truckee was established at that time. In April of 1868 the historic moment of the opening of the tracks brought the first train across the Sierra range eastbound.

The forests around lake Tahoe seemed endless at first, but by 1895 those on the Nevada side were stripped. The focus of the area turned to tourism. Luxury hotels, steamboats, and fishing boats replaced the tug boats and logging barges. Throughout the twentieth century, the tourist industry thrived, and continues to do so. In the 1920's the area was opened to winter recreation and in the 1940's a casino district was added. Improved highways brought even more visitors and big name entertainers. The building boom was brought under control in the 1960's and 85% of the land is now either owned by the state or federal governments and has been turned into National Forests and State Parks. The Olympic games and World Cup skiing have both been hosted by Lake Tahoe.