Squaw Valley, North Tahoe and Truckee Real Estate

Surface Elevation: 6,225 feet above sea level
Length: 22 miles. Width: 12 miles
Shoreline: 71 miles
Depth: Maximum, 1,645 feet; Average 900 feet
Surface Temperatures: Max 68?F, Min. 41?F

Interesting facts about Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America, and the second deepest in the U.S. (Crater Lake, OR is 1,932 feet deep).
If Lake Tahoe was tipped over, it would submerge California under 14.5” of water!
The Lake is fed by 63 streams and two hot springs. Its only outlet is the Truckee River at Tahoe City.
An average of 335,000,000 gallons of water (1/10 of an inch) evaporates every day—more than is released through the Truckee River!
Many drowning victims are never recovered from Lake Tahoe – the cold water at lower depths prevents the formation of gases that would otherwise float them to the surface.

FAQs about Lake Tahoe

How was The Lake formed?

The Lake Tahoe Basin was formed by faulting (fractures in the earth's crust allowing blocks of land to rise and sink) occurring over several million years. A fault on the eastern margin created the Carson Range, while the Sierra Nevada rose out of a shallow sea on the western side. From the “up-thrown” fault blocks arose the highest peaks in the Tahoe Basin. A lake formed near the southern and lowest part of the basin, fed by snow, rain, and rivers. The lake rose until it found an outlet near the present town of Truckee. Several active volcanoes poured lava into the basin, eventually damming the outlet, then the waters rose again, several hundred feet higher than the present level. A new outlet was cut, just east of one volcano (the present location of Northstar). Rivers of ice followed the V-shaped stream canyons, carving them, as they moved downward, to smooth U-shaped valleys.

Why is the water so clear?

The sides of the Tahoe Basin are mostly granite, with little topsoil, and therefore few nutrients have washed into The Lake to promote the growth of algae and other organisms that make water murky.

Where does the water go?

The Truckee River, Tahoe's only outlet, flows east through Reno and eventually drains into Pyramid Lake in the Nevada desert. From there, it evaporates back into the atmosphere. Pyramid Lake has no known outlet, though legends abound.

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SQUAW VALLEY

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FEATURED
SQUAW VALLEY
LISTINGS

RESORT at
SQUAW CREEK

VILLAGE at
SQUAW VALLEY

GETTING THERE: Squaw Valley, off Highway 89 between Truckee and Tahoe City on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, is 196 miles from San Francisco via Interstate 80. Exit onto Highway 89 south in Truckee, go approximately 8 miles to Squaw Valley Road, and turn right.
For the Resort at Squaw Creek; take the first left onto Squaw Creek Road.
For the Village at Squaw Valley; stay on Squaw Valley Road for approximately 2 miles, then turn left onto the bridge that crosses the creek into the parking lot and to the Village.
For the Olympic Village Inn; stay on Squaw Valley Road for approximately 2 1/2 miles, where the road turns left at the Clock Tower angle right off the road and follow the "Hotel Registration" signs.