Just for Grandparents and Grandkids, California

The Trip

Share your love of the Great Outdoors with your grandchild(ren). Take short hikes together through the woods. Swim in refreshing mountain lakes. Explore the historic sites of Donner Pass. Then return to the comfort of our rustic lodge for crafts, games, dinner, and lively evening programs. All of these activities, and more, are possible at this annual lodge-based event.

The fun begins at Clair Tappaan Lodge, the Sierra Club's own mountain home on a forested hillside near Donner Pass, roughly 35 miles from Lake Tahoe. Built by Sierra Club volunteers in the 1930s, Clair Tappaan still retains its original rustic character. The lodge is situated in the middle of miles of scenic country, full of spectacular overlooks and small alpine lakes. Summer here means glorious wildflower displays in the surrounding mountain landscape of Tahoe National Forest. Hiking trails begin right out the back door. Three historic wagon routes are less than three miles away, and the route of the first Transcontinental Railroad is visible from the lodge. There are even nearby Native American petroglyphs to puzzle over.

Getting There

The lodge is located at 7,000 feet in California’s Sierra Nevada. It’s 48 miles west of Reno, Nevada, and about 12 miles west of Truckee, California. Participants flying into Reno/Tahoe airport should rent a car or make arrangements to carpool with other trip participants. All participants will receive detailed driving directions and a trip roster so that they may make arrangements to carpool. All transportation to the lodge, trailheads, or other activities is the responsibility of each trip member. Please do not make travel arrangements until the leader has confirmed you as a trip member. 

Accommodations and Food

In 1934, Sierra Club volunteers built Clair Tappaan Lodge as a rustic retreat for hikers, skiers, and mountain climbers. Since it’s located near Donner Summit, the area receives the highest average snowfall of the entire Sierra Nevada Range and is a favorite of winter sports enthusiasts. In summer, a network of nearby trails offers miles of hiking and bicycling and provides access to fishing streams, remote meadows and peaks, and alpine swimming lakes.

Although it is not a luxury lodge, Clair Tappaan Lodge has a special rustic charm. It boasts a spacious living room, enormous fireplace, cozy library, and outdoor fire ring. A small, friendly staff cares for the lodge. In keeping with the cooperative spirit of the lodge, each guest pitches in by doing a simple chore that requires about a half-hour each day. Chores include preparing and serving meals, setting tables, sweeping/mopping floors, bussing tables, washing dishes, and taking out trash/recycling.

Before breakfast, guests prepare their bag lunches from plentiful and varied ingredients. A hearty breakfast and dinner are prepared by the professional kitchen staff and served in the lodge's large communal dining room. A vegetarian meal option is always available. Participants with other dietary restrictions can usually be accommodated, provided that their trip leader is informed in advance.

Coffee, tea, and water are served with meals. Those wishing hot drinks before or after mealtimes should bring change for the donation box. A soft drink coin machine is available in the lodge.

Because the lodge is an old building, constructed of wood and shingles, no smoking is allowed indoors or outdoors. Sleeping accommodations vary in size from very small two-person cubicles to larger family rooms, to separate dorms for men and women. All rooms are furnished with bunk beds with mattresses, pillows, and pillowcases. Trip participants provide their own sleeping bags or sheets, towels, soap, and toiletries. Bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper. The Lodge Manager assigns all accommodations in advance. For more information about staying at the lodge, please go to: http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/lodges/ctl/thingstoknow.aspx.

Doors do not lock, but there are lockers, and you can bring your padlock. Restroom and shower facilities are shared, with two men's and two women's bathrooms (bring your towel). The lodge also has a hot tub, so be sure to bring your bathing suit. A washer, dryer, and refrigerator are available.

All luggage has to be carried or pulled by cart from the unloading zone to the front door of the lodge, then upstairs to your room. We recommend that you travel lightly. If you have a backpack or a carry-on bag, these might serve you better on this trip rather than a suitcase.

Reservations for extended stays before or after your outing may be made by calling the lodge directly.

Trip Difficulty

Our hikes will be two to five miles round-trip, up and down over uneven ground. Grandparents and grandkids must get in and stay in good physical condition. Remember, we'll be hiking and playing above 7,000 feet where the air is thinner, and that thin air will make our lungs work harder. Start some kind of aerobic conditioning program now -- you'll be happy you did.

Equipment and Clothing

Imagine you're going camping; you'll need just about the same gear at the lodge, except for plates, cups, and cutlery. That includes day packs, water bottles, hiking boots or sturdy shoes (no sandals) for hiking, and waterproof shoes or Crocs for the beach. We will send you a departure bulletin with reminders about equipment and pre-outing preparation before the trip begins. You should expect evening temperatures in the low 40s and days in the mid-80s, as well as an occasional afternoon thundershower. Note that the lodge is not heated in the summer. The grandkids may want to bring along a favorite game, hobby supplies, a frisbee, a whiffle ball, and books to read.

References

Maps:

• Tahoe National Forest

Books:

• Sorer, Tracy I., Sierra Nevada Natural History.
• Blackwell, Laird R., Wildflowers of the Tahoe Sierra.
• Powell, Margie, Donner Summit, A Brief History.

Websites:

• Forest Service Tahoe National Forest: http://www.r5.fs.fed.us/tahoe
• Donner Memorial State Park: http://www.parks.ca.gov
• Tahoe Visitors Bureau: http://www.visitinglaketahoe.com

Conservation

Your leaders are volunteers. They have a long-term dedication to the Sierra Club, conservation, and enjoyment of the outdoors. Their wish is that the children on this outing will become strong believers in the need to protect our wild areas. Who knows -- maybe someday they’ll become Sierra Club activists. We'll be practicing Leave No Trace wilderness principles throughout the trip to minimize our impact on the environment.

The Donner Pass area is a readily accessible recreation mecca, appealing to retirees as well as to winter and summer recreational users. As more and more people come to the area, they contribute to a growing environmental problem. We'll discuss the ecological implications of the area's popularity.

While on the trip, please don't hesitate to ask your leaders about any conservation concerns that you may have. They look forward to having you share conservation challenges and successes from your home. Since any traveling leaves a carbon footprint, check out the information that the Sierra Club offers about carbon offsets at: http://content.sierraclub.org/outings/national/sierra-club-outings-and-carbon-offsets

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.