While Steve stayed home to catch up on work, Brady, Eric and I headed to Skunk Harbor for one more day of hiking about in Tahoe.

 Much of the history of Lake Tahoe was shaped by the gold and silver mining rushes of the 1850's. This is also the case with Skunk Harbor, if somewhat indirectly. It was originally purchased by George Newhall as a wedding gift, for his wife Caroline. George's wealth was derived from his fathers fortune earned as an auctioneer during the gold rush and subsequent investment in railroads. The site and buildings were used as a second home or more often a party house by the San Francisco wealthy of the roaring twenties. It was then purchased by George Whittell, another Gold Rush millionaire. Currently, the Forest Service now presides over the site and it is open to the public although the buildings are not.

When we reached the lake shore, this group of New Year revelers were already there. Ken and his friends, have gathered for NYE every year since graduating college and welcomed us into their festivities.



This was an idyllic place to spend the last day of 2016!