LGBT+ Service at Clair Tappaan Lodge, Tahoe National Forest, California

The Trip

This summer, enjoy your love of the outdoors and give back to Mother Nature in the company of other LGBTQ+ folks (friends, family, and allies also welcome!).

Our planet is our one and only home, and this volunteer vacation is all about taking a week to connect with the natural world and other adventurous and like-minded LGBTQ+ friends. We'll have fun in the shared experience of the outdoors, and at the end of the trip, you'll leave with a host of new friends and memories, feeling confident and fulfilled from the meaningful work that helps preserve an area of the iconic Tahoe National Forest.

We believe in bringing the LGBTQ+ community together and creating a space where we all can enjoy the great outdoors and you can be completely yourself. This will be a safe and inclusive environment where you feel welcomed and affirmed.

We'll stay in Clair Tappaan Lodge, a historic rustic mountain retreat nestled in the Tahoe National Forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As Sierra Club's flagship lodge, it is used to promote accessibility to the outdoors, increase awareness of the threats facing our climate, and nurture environmentally attuned, conscious conduct. In order to ensure the lodge can be used for future enjoyment and adventures that promote these goals, we'll be working on projects to benefit and maintain the Donner Pass and Pacific Crest Trail area of Tahoe National Forest that surrounds the lodge.

We'll also enjoy hearty, vegetarian-friendly meals, served family-style; spend evenings swapping stories around the fire; or chill out in a hot tub after a rewarding work day. On our day off, you can choose from a variety of activities, including hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, visiting Donner Memorial State Park, riding the Squaw Valley Tram, or exploring mountain streams, meadows, peaks, or crystal-clear lakes to quietly enjoy nature.

The Project

You will help further a long-term plan to improve the health of the forest surrounding the Lodge, situated at roughly 7,000 feet altitude near Donner Pass, in the Sierra Nevada in central California. Since the Civil War, the forests in the Tahoe Basin have been heavily logged to build railroads and buildings. Since the Lodge's construction in the 1930s, the forest has remained mostly untouched except for the addition of a few nature trails. After an expert inspection in 2003, a plan was created to restore the forests to their pre-1860s state (before the railroads came through). Our specific tasks to improve forest health or to preserve the Lodge will be determined by the Clair Tappaan staff.

Specific projects may include invasive plant removal, trail improvement in the surrounding National Forest, or preservation work on the Lodge. Work tools and safe-use instructions for them will be provided by Lodge staff.

Day 1: We will meet at the Lodge. Around 4:00 p.m., we’ll begin with a group introduction, orientation meeting, and tour. For the rest of the evening you will be free to visit with your fellow participants, read, play games, settle into your rooms, or turn in early.

Days 2-3: Work days. The "come and prepare your lunch" bell will ring at 7:30 a.m., followed by a hearty breakfast that starts at 8:00 a.m. On day two, we’ll watch a short video documenting the history of the Lodge. Work will start daily at 9:00 a.m., or as soon as we finish our kitchen cleanup chores. Since we are working at a higher altitude, we will stop frequently for water and rest breaks. We will break for lunch at the most beautiful spot we can find. 

Day 4: Off day –- free-time! In groups of three or more, explore a network of nearby trails that offer miles of hiking and access to streams, meadows, mountain peaks, and crystal-clear lakes. The well-known Pacific Crest Trail is a short hike from Clair Tappaan's back door! Lodge staff will be happy to suggest outdoor activities you might enjoy. Or, you may choose to enjoy the atmosphere of the Lodge. If there is interest, an excursion to nearby Lake Tahoe can be organized by carpool.

Days 5-6: Our final work days. We’ll finish projects the staff has prepared for us. 

Day 7: Departure day. We will have a “goodbye” breakfast together before going home to share memories with loved ones. You can pack a lunch to take on your trip home. Safe travels!

Getting There

Clair Tappaan Lodge is near the edge of the Lake Tahoe Basin, and the Lake Tahoe community is a short 25 miles away. Reno, Nevada is located 45 miles away, and Sacramento, California, is 98 miles away. Both cities have large airports with numerous flight destinations. The Lodge is also about 180 miles from San Francisco.

Although no public transportation to the Lodge exists, there are several ways to get to it. The town of Truckee, California, offers a taxi to the Lodge; carpooling is also an option and one that the Sierra Club encourages. The trip leader will provide everyone a list of all participants and email addresses should you want to arrange a carpool or find a ride-share with other trip members.

Driving directions: the Lodge is located on Donner Pass Road (old US 40), 2.4 miles south of Interstate 80. Once there, look for a loading zone located up the paved driveway on the north side of the road. The Lodge entrance is just beyond that at the end of the footpath. Parking is available on the south side of Donner Pass Road.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

Participants will enjoy hearty, family-style meals every day. Vegetarian meals are always an option. (If you have dietary restrictions or concerns, please contact the trip leader.) Breakfast is served at 8 a.m., but coffee and tea are always available. Refrigerators, food storage lockers, free laundry facilities, and a microwave are available. 

Sleeping accommodations feature a variety of room types (all with bunk beds): small two-person cubicles, five-person dorm rooms with a triple and double bunk bed, 10- to 12-person dorm rooms with triple and double bunk beds. Participants may bring their own sleeping bags, towels, and toiletries or may rent sleeping bags from the Lodge. Beds include two sheets, two blankets, a pillow, and a pillowcase. Towels are also included. Tents will not be needed.

Though not a luxury facility, the Lodge possesses a rustic yet comfortable charm: spacious living room, enormous fireplace, cozy library, and outdoor fire ring. A friendly staff cares for the Lodge, yet in keeping with the cooperative spirit of the Sierra Club each guest pitches in by doing a simple chore that takes about a half-hour each day. Chores could include helping to prepare or serve meals, setting tables, keeping floors clean, bussing tables, dishwashing, and doing trash/recycling duties.

While every effort will be made to accommodate roommate requests and other rooming preferences, desired rooming arrangements may not always be possible at all lodging facilities due to limited room availability or other factors. Leaders will work with participants to arrive at the most agreeable rooming arrangements possible.

Trip Difficulty

The work projects, under the supervision of the Clair Tappaan Lodge staff, can be moderately strenuous; however, no one will be asked to work beyond his or her comfort level, and we encourage all participants to take regular water and rest breaks to enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Equipment and Clothing

Bring work boots and heavy leather work-gloves as well as long-sleeved shirts and heavier pants to protect you from rocks, thorns, and sharp twigs. Disposable gloves are useful for painting projects. Bring a sun-shade hat for high-altitude, bright days, and several layers of clothing for the crisp mornings and evenings. The average daytime high in summer is in the upper 70s, but the temperature can drop below freezing at night, so a hat and warm gloves might come in handy. Mountain weather conditions can change fast, and we will be there at the “swing” season. Sierra Nevada is Spanish for "snowy mountains,” so do prepare and bring waterproof jacket, pants, and boots. Once you are accepted as a participant, a full equipment list will be sent with more details.

You’ll certainly want to bring a camera and binoculars. A small telescope for stargazing would be a welcome addition. If you play a musical instrument, bring it so we can sing along!

References

Books:

• Muir, John, My First Summer in the Sierra.
• Farquhar, Francis, History of the Sierra Nevada.
• Powell, Margie, Donner Summit, A Brief History.

Websites:

• Tahoe National Forest: http://fs.usda.gov/
• Pacific Crest Trail Association: http://www.pcta.org/

Conservation

Your leaders are Sierra Club volunteers who have dedicated time and energy to the enjoyment and conservation of the outdoors. Please don't hesitate to ask your leaders about conservation concerns, and come prepared to share conservation successes and challenges from your local environment with the group one evening.

The Sierra Club is focused on conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding and participation in the goals of the Club. We will have opportunities throughout our time together to discuss different aspects of resource conservation and learn more about the challenges in preservation and management of the Sierra and, specifically, those related to the Tahoe National Forest and Clair Tappaan Lodge area. 

In 2014 the U.S. celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act, which the Sierra Club played a large role in passing. While the Act was far in the future when our outings program started, we were already promoting the concept behind it: to forever set aside from human development certain special places. This is the basic principle on which the Sierra Club was founded in 1892. The Wilderness Act anniversary gave us a chance to think about the Sierra Club's leading role in promoting the principle, in passing the Act, and in achieving much more designated wilderness since then. The volunteer work-project you do in this trip will further help preserve the ethic and appreciation for the wilderness.

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