February 2018

To say this winter in Tahoe has been a dud (especially compared to last year) would be an understatement. The entire Tahoe region has been quite dry, receiving only an occasional snowstorm that covers the mountains. There is snow out there, but you have to go and find it. Fortunately I live close to Carson Pass. Its elevation is high enough to consistently receive and hold snow and, as my friend Val said, “That place is like going into the backcountry right out your car door.” So, I’m grateful for having that playground in which to explore. In fact, yesterday I cross-country skied to Winnemucca Lake with friends. Although, it was so hot the three of us were shedding layers with every passing minute!

Burn piles in the forest on January 17, 2018. © Jared Manninen

What this lack of snow (and work at the cross-country ski center) has caused me to do is to be more flexible. So, for a couple of weeks I worked for (my company’s) forestry department and helped with their prescribed burns. Interesting work, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to make some money, but the fact you’re surrounded by smoke all day is a deal-breaker. I definitely wouldn’t want to do it for more than a few days at a time.

Fortunately Tahoe did receive enough snow toward the end of January to open up the cross-country ski center. It was a relief to get back into the swing of things. Not sure how long the snow will last because our daytime temperatures have been, and will continue to be, in the mid-50s. Still crossing my fingers…

Cowboy Camp trail in the Euer Valley on January 26, 2018. © Jared Manninen

Trying not to burn down the forest hasn’t been the only work I’ve performed during this slow period. I’ve also managed to write three more blogs for Tahoe Trail Guide, create some cool infographic posters, and have a couple meetings and consultations regarding trademarking and intellectual property. Believe it or not, I really am treating this whole Tahoe Trail Guide, Tahoe Swag, and Wilderness Activity Books thing as a legitimate business venture (albeit a really long-term one!). But as I get older, my resolve for building a quality enterprise only becomes stronger. And, no matter how compelling the urge is to go out and find a full-time job that will enable me to feel “normal” and pay down my credit card debt, I just can’t do it. I have a vision I believe in, and I’m committed to exhausting every possible resource in order to achieve it. Oh yeah, I also washed a couple loads of laundry this last month. And I did some dishes.

Elephants Back is on the left and Round Top is right of center on February 1, 2018. © Jared Manninen

Of the three articles I wrote, two focused on cross-country skiing (no surprise) and the other was about Jeffrey Pines. Click an image to read the article.

Here are two more Lake Tahoe posters I created for my Tahoe Swag collection on RedBubble. The first is an infographic about Freel Peak, which is the highest peak in the Lake Tahoe Basin at 10,881 feet. The second is a blueprint-style infographic about the most common tree found in the Lake Tahoe Basin, the Jeffrey Pine. The print quality of these posters is excellent and would look great at home, in the office, or in the classroom.

Since I haven’t been cross-country skiing (or shoveling snow) much this winter, I’ve put a lot of effort into writing about it. The skiing, that is. This past week, however, I began to take my Lessons Learned a step further by beginning to produce some “how-to” videos. While I waxed a bunch of “waxless” skis the other night, I went into full-on production mode by filming the process and adding commentary. I only have the raw footage at this point, so I still need to edit and compile the clips. I also want to write some accompanying text that will clarify any points of confusion stemming from me bumbling my way through the on-camera descriptions. I will post the videos on YouTube and then embed them along with the written portion on Tahoe Trail Guide. Clearly, this will take me some time, but I hope to have them finished by the end of February.

Thanks for being a part of my life. Until next time…

-Jared Manninen

Tahoe Trail Guide is an online magazine for sharing my knowledge about hiking, backpacking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing, as well as information about traveling to (and through) the Lake Tahoe region. I refine that information for a younger audience and produce it in a printed format under the title Wilderness Activity Books. Lastly, Tahoe Swag is a collection of art and design products I create based on my love of the outdoors and appreciation for Lake Tahoe.