“The Mountains are Calling and I Must Go.”
~ John Muir ~
Heavenly Ski Resort - South Lake Tahoe, CA
I was working a corporate job in 1987 and my youthful enthusiasm came to a fork in the road. My position in Human Resources (commonly referred to as Useless Resources) was losing its luster. The data center expansion was moving along as scheduled and all the new IT employees had been hired. Doubling the staff was no easy task: Screening resumes, interviewing applicants and making recommendations to Senior Management required a lot of work hours. As the project was nearing completion, I was facing a conundrum. My morning commute had me inquisitively asking myself, “What are you going to do all day?” PC’s weren’t main stream in the ‘80’s and there was no surfing the internet to pass time. Not sure if we even had internet at that time (I’ll call Al Gore to confirm)? I read the WSJ every morning to pass time and slowly turned each & every page. Looking at my watch… tick, tock, tick, tock… became entertainment and trying to fill 8 hours per day was exhausting. It was time to turn the page… literally & physically.
The peaceful serenity of mountain living has always captivated my imagination. Breathtaking vistas, fresh air and a peaceful co-existence with nature has always danced in my head. The hustle of any metropolitan area was never my game. Too much concrete made me itchy and I always longed for more outdoor living. The famous words of John Muir, “The Mountains are Calling and I Must Go” were engraved in my soul.
Having skied since the age of two in the white mountains of Vermont, a bigger set of mountains were calling my name. Higher peaks, longer runs and more moguls were a perfect match for me and my 203cm Rossignol skis. Having previously skied at Vail and Alta, I naively ruled out the rest of Colorado and Utah. Silly when I look back, but what did I know? I was only 24 years old and thought I had all the answers.
Mark Twain famously commented about Lake Tahoe in 1872, “As it lay there with the shadows of the mountains brilliantly photographed upon its still surface, I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” This was a little deep for a young man simply looking to ski every day, but I was picking up what he was laying down. Opportunity was knocking and I was ready & willing to answer the Lake Tahoe call.
South Lake Tahoe - iPhone Pano
When game day arrived, my Volkswagen GTI was stuffed with euphoria and as much life as a tin can could hold. The car was filled to the sun roof with ski equipment, clothing and daily essentials… stereo, toothpaste & twinkies. I was ready for the open highway. Not sure I fully comprehended how long the trip was to the west coast… 1 day, 16 hours and 43 minutes to be exact. It was a virtual straight line from NY to CA encompassing a mere 2,744 miles. Childs play for a kid with a restless soul.
The anticipated tedium of the drive never quite materialized. Instead, the landscape offered a captivating narrative. The close-knit woods of the Northeast loosened their grip, unfurling into the broad, open arms of Midwest cornfields as far as the eye could see. The flatlands eventually ran out of real estate and ceded the stage to the majestic Rocky Mountains. Emerging like a dream, the rugged peaks pirouetting into view. The white capped mountains made a grand entrance, shouting for admiration – a promising sign of early powder days. This majestic display would soon transition into the grandeur of the Wasatch mountains, and eventually, the dramatic beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. A siren song for the adventurous soul.
As my VW exited I-80 in Truckee, CA, I followed the signs to Olympic Valley… home of the 1960 Winter Olympics. The road was as as dark as any I’ve ever travelled and winding through the Sierra darkness, high beams helped illuminate the stillness of night 25 feet at a time. Ponderosa Pines towered above the asphalt and hovered over the road as if protecting a friend. It was pitch black and yet a peaceful calm prevailed. It felt as though I belonged here and was returning home. Perhaps my child dream of living in the mountains prepared me for this moment?
Heavenly Ski Resort Gondola
Approached my destination, I made one final right turn off Route 89 at the Olympic Calderon. My ‘Fahrvergnugen’ was gasping for air at 6,200 feet, but I was too mesmerized by the perpetual dancing flame. A sign of continuity, unity and peace. It also displayed hope & inspiration for the future. A fitting conclusion to my journey and yet a new beginning.
Skiing for one full season was the plan. As circumstance would have it, things didn’t go as planned. Yes, I skied all season at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows (now called Palisades Tahoe), but then Spring turned to Summer and I decided to extend my ski season in New Zealand & Australia. My endless winter resulted in skiing 150 days in 1987. A personal best.
Upon returning to Lake Tahoe… I became a ski instructor, spun a few records (yes, vinyl records!), tried my hand as a short order cook and even worked as a photojournalist. It was great fun, so I decided to sign on for another 2 years.
One day I woke up and realized, it was time. Time to once again turn the page and move on. Time to return to home base. As an only child, my parents were still in New York and would enjoy having their son around more often. It was tough to leave the warm confines of a resort town, but all good things come to an end.
Apres Ski…
Earlier this month (March 2025), I had the chance to return to Lake Tahoe for a week of skiing. Things look different with age and this trip was no different. I’m a firm believer in the adage, ‘You can’t go back in time, you can only create new memories.’ This wasn’t my 1st trip back to Tahoe since 1990, so reminiscing and walking down memory lane wasn’t the objective. Our group of 30 would be staying in the Village of South Lake Tahoe next to the Heavenly gondola. I wouldn’t be visiting my former domain of Squaw Valley & Alpine Meadows, but new memories would ensue.
Morning Mojo at Heaven’s Little Cafe - The Village, South Lake Tahoe, CA
