Starting at Squaw Valley USA on Monday, May 16th, at 10:30 am,  the riders will head north along Hwy. 89 and pass thru Truckee as they make a hard left at Donner Pass Road toward Donner Lake and the stage’s steep climb up Donner Summit’s roughly 7,100’ peak. Afterwards, riders will make a high-speed descent into Nevada City, through Grass Valley, for a quick sprint to the stage’s Sacramento finish line.

The historic Truckee Mousehole tunnel as well as Highway 89 are great photo opportunities for fans to capture the cyclists – and to see who will be King of the Mousehole, a sprint contest sponsored by Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce and Town of Truckee. Other great locations would be along Donner Pass Road as they pass through town, Donner Lake, with the lake’s pristine waters in the background, or Rainbow Bridge near Donner Summit.

Suggest you arrive early, as parking and traffic along the roadways are likely to be congested.

With information for both consumers and REALTORS®, the website is full of need-to-know resources about short sales, and provides up-to-the-moment news, legislative information, legal tips, and lender requirements.

Short Sales California is also a place to stay up-to-date on C.A.R.’s activities to enable more families to arrange a short sale.

There are two tubing runs that have been carved with high banks and long snaking turns, to end in a large central bowl area. From the end point, you can easily access the walkway back to the top to go again and again. The tubes are large and comfortable – plenty of room for a parent and child to go together. They also have long leashes to make the haul back up to the top much easier. Attendants are there to set you up for your slide and maintain proper spacing for safety. They’ll also spin you if you request it.

Adjacent to the tubing area are three groomed sled runs with high banks at the end to prevent out of control sledding. There are walkways to the sides of the sled runs to maintain the integrity of the slide area itself. Tahoe Donner provides the sleds as part of the amenity, so you don’t even have to worry about bringing your own.

Conveniently, there are picnic tables at the top of the sled hill and I saw many Grandparents settling in there to watch the kids at play and enjoy the sunny day.

Being back among small children and young parents brought back many wonderful memories. We spent many hours with friends and their children sledding here in what now seems a lifetime ago.  here is perhaps no better amenity for a family, including the older generation, to be able to enjoy together. And that’s what life is all about!                                                                                                         

 http://www.tahoedonner.com/snowplay.html

They report that no one is hurt and no vehicles are trapped, but when I-80 will reopen remains to be seen.  Caltrans and CHP are still assessing whiteout conditions, plowing resources and gauging potential for further snow slides.

Bad news for skiers and winter snow enthusiasts who were hoping to come up and enjoy this winter wonderland this weekend, but check for updates on road conditions at 800-427-7623.  An early morning start on Saturday could still get you 2 days of incredible fresh powder!

We enjoy Tahoe living…..Many locals have flexibility so that they can easily adjust their schedules to get out and enjoy as well as appreciate the lifestyle this Tahoe area offers us, a lifestyle we feel blessed to have available to us right out our doorsteps.

Today I went for a snowshoe, taking in the gorgeous scenery and crisp fresh air. Afterwards, I went home, freshened up, and then off to work for the remainder of the day.  The luxury of having the National Forest right outside our doorstep as well as access to seven major ski resorts, all within a 20 minute drive is absolutely priceless.  Tahoe Donner offers a nice downhill ski area, a world class cross country ski center and lots of trails for exploring and snowshoeing.

This past week we received 4- 8 feet of fresh new snow….If you enjoy the fresh mountain air, snow sports and the breath taking scenery….COME ON OVER, VISIT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD – Tahoe Donner Truckee California.

Feb 5 at Royal Gorge: 10k Snowshoe Race benefiting the Donner Summit Historical Society.  Contact Royal Gorge for info 530-426-3871.

In looking at the Tahoe Donner subdivision in Truckee, which comprises the largest percentage of the sales in the overall area, the statistics are similar. A total of 222 single family homes sold in the subdivision (5 less than in 2009), at a median price of $520,000, a decrease of 8% from 2009, and a total decrease of 32% over that subdivision’s high of $765,000 in 2005. The 86 homes currently on the market within Tahoe Donner is only a 4.6 month inventory.

The sale of distressed properties increased in 2010, no surprise. Of the 858 homes sold, 151 were REO (investor owned) and 108 were Short Sales, an increase of 22% over the number of REO/Short Sales sold in 2009. We anticipate this distressed property activity to continue in 2011, as homeowners and their real estate agents/representatives continue to negotiate short sales where loan modifications/refinances are not an option, and lending institutions continue to sell their inventory of homes taken back in foreclosure.

A bright light for Buyers, and Sellers too, for that matter: Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac, says he expects long-term mortgage rates to hold below the 5% threshold throughout 2011, as key macroeconomic drivers provide a backdrop that supports a continued, albeit gradual, housing recovery. Turning to home prices, Nothaft says markets that have large inventories of for-sale homes and REO properties will continue to see home-value weakness in 2011, but he believes price indexes for the U.S. as a whole are close to bottoming out.

In this mountain paradise we love to call home, that’s great news. We look forward to another successful year, helping buyers and sellers realize their dreams!

These pictures are of the snow out my home office door (obviously I don’t use this door in the winter). The other picture is Corky and our daughter, Kim, and our son in law, Greg, shoveling off our deck. I  took the picture out the 3rd story window of the Lodge. 

The snow is great and the forecast is for mostly sunshine for the next week. Should be great skiing.

If you haven’t yet made your plans for the evening, check out Truckee’s Chamber of Events Calendar.

Wishing all a wonderful New Year, filled with love, laughter and happiness!