A weekend getaway in the Sierra

On early Friday morn we loaded up with masks, hand sanitizer and our gear and headed off to the mountains, putting in at the Hyatt Squaw Creek Resort for two nights. Squaw? Yep, site of the Olympics:



We had a comfortable suite at the resort -- which is also a timeshare property -- of nearly 700 s.f. with a semi-kitchen consisting of a small fridge, good-sized sink, coffee maker, two-burner Wolf cooktop and a dishwasher:



The sweetest part was the view, however:

 

beautiful in the summer. I have only been there for skiing in the winter, and that was many moons ago

 

We are huge fans of summer season at ski resorts -- around Tahoe, Mammoth, Whistler, Bend/Bachy. It's kinda weird being in such settings, this time of the year, so many moons removed from my uber-addicted days as a skier, and knowing how much I've changed and that sport has changed. The memories flash back in an instant. Anyway, smart hill operators long ago learned not to leave money on the table just because there's no snow and the days are warm and long. Squaw certainly isn't summered up like Mammoth, Whistler or even Northstar; still plenty to do.

 

It was glurpy when we arrived on Friday, the usual airborne shit from the valley and several fires making it less than clear, even at the lake. Physically distanced lunch at Jake's still had us lakeside, however:



And then we played golf:



We'd planned an afternoon round one of the days at the Links at Squaw Creek but the winds convinced T otherwise and I wasn't going to argue.

 

I have spent mucho time around Mammoth over the summer months as we used to stage our long Sierra hikes either beginning or ending in Mammoth. Yosemite to Mammoth. Red's Meadow loop around the JMT. Loop around the upper Mammoth Lakes. Some of those backcountry lakes and meadows are absolutely gorgeous!!

 

That looks heavenly! Thanks for the glimpse.

Part of our September trip may include Park City, we haven't decided on the final itinerary yet.

 

I'd previously written a few words about this putt-putt -- and a few others -- in the LA Times:

https://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-tip-sheet-best-mini-golf-places-in-the-west-20180608-story.html

 

You certainly did the animal thing many times. We have friends who do the John Muir most summers. My Mammoth days as a kid, camping with my dad, revolved around lots of fishing and of course farting by the campfire. High country backpacking was something I got into after we moved to Oregon when I was 13, mostly around St. Helens and the Three Sisters.

 

And we learned there's such a thing as poblano liqueur. Get out?!?!?!?

 

A few food shots ...




OK, that's actually beer. We were waiting to order dinner at the pub at the resort. (Note savvy, caring travelers have hand sanitizer and masks.)

And did you know you can get a pizza without meat on it? I had no idea. Fireside Pizza Company in the village (beer, again):



Starter and dessert at Six Peaks Grille, Hyatt Squaw Peak. Little gems and a deconstructed s'more. Guess we forget to shoot our scallop and sea bass mains. We took a bottle of 2012 Melville Estate Pinot. Give the captain a pour, no corkage. That's an old German trick, Or maybe it's Greek:



Breakfast yesterday morn, in Tahoe City. Fire Sign Cafe:

 

all looks really good!

 

This was our first getaway since the shit hit the fan. We've not been hiding in the cellar or anything, as T has gone to work every day, we were out and about buying a new vehicle earlier, with weekly retail runs be it the brewery or the bakery, the farmstand or the grocery store, and I've been doing (properly separated) group bike rides; just no getaways.

Tahoe was a mess in the sense of really quite packed. We never made it off the northwest shore -- Tahoe City and Kings Beach. And it looked like summer. At the resort and across the meadow at Squaw village it was a lot more tame, lighter crowds, as to be expected. Up on the hill we noticed excellent compliance with the mask order, and retailers and restaurateurs were heavy with signage and prodding those not wearing a mask; obviously it was cool to remove once seated, but we always put ours back on when the servers came by because, well, they are on the front line and making it possible for us to be out having fun. The hotel also had prominent signage about only solos or immediate pods in the elevators at any time, and almost all were observant. You might have to ride out a few elevators before an empty one arrived; people were cool. As we noticed elsewhere, those who insisted on boarding -- and generally being lax about masks and separation -- were overwhelmingly younger adults. The stipulations included masks while walking about the resort and village. Hand-sanitizer stations were ever-present.

Other than two meals and that quick "round" of miniature golf we didn't spent time at the lake, preferring the near solitude of the valley/mountain. Again, the proprietors were doing all they could, masking their employees and pushing for customer compliance; some obviously refused. But the large groups milling about, people dining in what obviously were far larger than their home/nucleus pods, and the hordes on the Truckee rafting, were another matter The raft time was like us riding our bikes, not a thing, out in the open. But they all had to eventually queue up at some point getting on and off the river, and being shuttled back in busses, and most faces were bare from what we saw.

 

for our golf tourney this past weekend, they wanted to shuttle us out to the course in a 14 person Sprinter van. I said no way in hell! I chose to "pay" ( the tip) for a limo driver to take me out there rather than be packed in with 13 other persons and their golf clubs

 

There's an awesome bike path connecting Squaw to the lake along the Truckee River. I should've stopped along the way and taken a few shots of how gorgeous the river is, but I was too lazy pedaling along to do so. Here are the kids, and us:

 

Great pics Ken. I'm envious. I actually still have my Masi Star—Reynolds tubing—with all Campy components, but haven't been on it in years. The thought of squeezing into some chamois has me shuddering. You're obviously an athlete. As for me, I'm happy just to hit a five iron 150 yards. Glad you had a good time.

 

Looks like a gorgeous weekend!!!

And that dessert - YUM!

Seriously though looks like great weather and a nice time. I gotta get back there.

 

Thanks for the report. That looks like a fantastic outing. The scenery is super. Those larger earth mounds are not like anything we have in Florida.

 

You picked a good weekend to be out of the SJV.

 

Oh, man, driving through Madera County yesterday ...

 

Thanks, Michael, but no athlete here.

Steel is real. And Campy ...