Typing this from my camper up in Quincy, my fingers and toes are frozen, which means Fall has officially arrived in the Sierra. We have a sunny week ahead, but mornings will be chilly, with temperatures potentially dipping below freezing in the Sierra valleys.
There is plenty happening this week, including the Truckee Community Block Party, Tahoe City Oktoberfest, the Tahoe Cup Lake Crossing, POW Stoke Fest, and an open house at Auburn Ski Club Training Center.
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
Palisades Tahoe announced its 2026/27 upgrades, including $3.2 million in new avalanche mitigation systems and expanded snowmaking on Mountain Run.
The proposed SNOW Museum in Olympic Valley cleared the Placer County Planning Commission and is expected to go before the Board of Supervisors on October 20.
The free Truckee Community Block Party takes over the area outside the downtown train depot Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m.
Tahoe City Oktoberfest returns Saturday with beer, Bavarian food, live music, games, and family activities.
TART has added real-time vehicle tracking and trip planning as its fall schedule begins.
LAST WEEK’S LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
Four programs, one club
Last Wednesday, I published our first Local Spotlight: Four Programs, One Club: Inside Auburn Ski Club’s Mountain Community.
The story explores how ASC has spent nearly a century creating pathways into Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, and biathlon while building a multigenerational community on Donner Summit.
ASC will host a community open house this Sunday, September 20, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Training Center. The afternoon is expected to include a Dryathlon relay, coach Q&A, and a walk along the Nordic trails highlighting improvements completed over the summer.
Winter registration is also open for all four programs, with prices scheduled to increase by $150 after October 6. Applications for the ASC Legacy Foundation’s needs-based scholarships are open through October 17.
LOCAL NEWS & COMMUNITY UPDATES
Palisades announces upgrades for the coming winter
Palisades Tahoe is investing $3.2 million in remote avalanche mitigation systems across Palisades and Alpine. The additions include Gazex and Gazflex exploders, Wyssen avalanche towers, and a new CATEX cable system.
Gazex and Gazflex exploders are fixed, gas-powered devices that create a pressure wave above the snow to disturb weak layers. Wyssen avalanche towers store explosive charges in a deployment box at the top of a tower, then remotely lower and detonate one above the snowpack. The CATEX system uses a permanent cable to carry explosive charges to selected avalanche starting zones. All three are designed to help patrol treat avalanche-prone terrain more quickly, including during storms and poor visibility.
The resort is also expanding snowmaking along Mountain Run to improve early-season coverage and extend top-to-bottom skiing later into spring. Apex Club will return for its second season, and opening day is scheduled for November 25, weather and conditions permitting.
SNOW Museum moves closer to reality
The proposed Sierra Nevada Olympic & Winter Sports Museum and Community Cultural Center received unanimous approval from the Placer County Planning Commission on August 27.
The approximately $20 million, two-story museum would be built in Olympic Valley Park and celebrate the 1960 Winter Olympics and the broader history of snow sports throughout the Sierra. The proposal is expected to go before the Placer County Board of Supervisors on October 20.
TART adds real-time tracking
TART riders can now track vehicles and plan trips in real time using the TART Connect and Transit apps.
The technology arrives alongside TART’s fall schedule, which runs through December 11. Fall service includes night service on the North Shore and on-demand TART Connect service until 10 p.m.
Truckee artists receive community mini-grants
Nevada County Arts & Culture awarded $14,000 to 14 local artists through the third round of the Truckee Cultural District Mini-Grants Program.
The funded projects include writing workshops, public art, live music, exhibitions, community gatherings, film screenings, and an October Halloween zine event at Dark Horse Coffee. One of the first upcoming projects is Joseph Chang’s free sunset cello concert at Alibi Ale Works on September 24.
Tahoma Grid earns Firewise certification
The Tahoma Grid Firewise Committee has received official Firewise Community certification, covering more than 900 parcels.
Property owners participating in home hardening and hazard reduction may also qualify for reduced fire insurance premiums by submitting the community’s current Firewise certificate to their carrier.
Nevada County wants input from east county residents
Nevada County has opened an east county community survey asking residents what county services are working, what may be missing, and what the community will need in the future.
The county will also hold a public meeting on October 22 at 5 p.m. in the Donner Room at the Joseph Center in Truckee.
Juniper Award nominations close Tuesday
Nominations for the 2026 Juniper Awards close Tuesday, September 15.
The Jeff Hamilton Legacy Fund recognizes people who live or work in the Truckee-Tahoe region across six categories: visual and performing arts, writing and music, elite winter athletics, medical care, trades, and community impact.
Solar property tax exclusion approaches its deadline
California’s active solar energy system property tax exclusion is scheduled to expire January 1, 2027.
A qualifying solar installation must be completed before January 1 to receive the current exclusion. Projects still under construction when the deadline arrives will be assessed as new construction unless the state enacts an extension.
LOCAL JOBS
A few fresh openings from the Truckee North Tahoe Jobs Collective:
Outdoor Gear Sales/Service Specialist, Backcountry Ski and Winter Focus, Tahoe Mountain Sports, Truckee. The role focuses on technical winter gear, ski and snowboard sales, boot fitting, and backcountry services. Pay is $24–$29 per hour, depending on experience.
Adaptive Snowsports Instructor, Achieve Tahoe. Part-time and seasonal from December through April, starting at $21 per hour. Benefits include a Palisades Tahoe or Northstar season pass and instructor-development opportunities.
Kindergarten & First Grade Teacher, Long-Term Substitute with Potential for Full-Time, Tahoe Expedition Academy. A newly posted teaching opportunity with the potential to grow into a permanent position.
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Monday, September 14
KBD Advisory Committee Meeting, 3–5 p.m., North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach. The new committee represents Kings Beach, Tahoe Vista, and Carnelian Bay and will help guide local business support, advocacy, beautification, and community events.
Tuesday, September 15
Truckee Certified Farmers Market, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Truckee River Regional Park. Shop for local produce, flowers, meats, cheeses, baked goods, crafts, and prepared food.
Good Morning Truckee: Leading with Purpose, Women Shaping Truckee, 8–9:30 a.m., Truckee Town Hall. Breakfast, coffee, and a community conversation highlighting women helping shape Truckee.
Truckee Planning Commission Meeting, 6 p.m., Truckee Town Hall Council Chambers.
Wednesday, September 16
Tahoe City Downtown Association Board Meeting, 8:30–10:30 a.m., Fairway Community Center, Tahoe City. The public is welcome.
Putting Your Garden to Bed for Winter, 11 a.m., Tahoe Tree Company. A free workshop covering pruning, mulching, and protecting plants from mountain winter conditions. Advance RSVP is requested.
Thursday, September 17
Tahoe City Farmers Market, 8 a.m.–1 p.m., Commons Beach. Produce, meats, honey, prepared food, and local artisan vendors by the lake.
Tahoe XC Women’s Fundamentals Mountain Bike Clinic, 3:30–5:30 p.m., Tahoe XC. Open to riders ages 14 and older. Registration is $75.
Truckee Community Block Party, 5–7 p.m., outside the Truckee Train Depot. This free, family-friendly event includes food trucks, live music, art, games, more than 40 community organizations, a bike valet, and extended downtown shopping hours.
Homemade Fire Cider Workshop, 5:30–7 p.m., North Tahoe Regional Park Community Garden. Make a personalized herbal tonic using ginger, garlic, spices, and other warming ingredients.
Friday, September 18
Tahoe Cup Lake Crossing weather window begins and runs through Sunday. The 22-mile race crosses Lake Tahoe from El Dorado Beach to Waterman’s Landing. Organizers will announce the safest race day on Wednesday.
The Brothers Comatose, doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room. A standing-room-only night of bluegrass, folk, and Americana. Ages 21 and older.
Blind Flight Fridays, 5–8 p.m., Tahoe Wine Collective, Tahoe City. Test your palate with a blind wine flight.
Saturday, September 19
Tahoe City Oktoberfest, noon–5 p.m., Gatekeeper’s Museum. Admission is free, with craft beer tastings, Bavarian food, live music from Alpine Sound, lakeside games, and family-friendly activities. A free bike valet and event shuttle will be available.
Sunday, September 20
Auburn Ski Club Training Center Open House, 1–3 p.m., Donner Summit. Visit the organization featured in last week’s Local Spotlight, meet coaches, tour the Nordic trails, and learn about Alpine, Nordic, snowboard, and biathlon programs.
Fall Equinox Renewal: Gentle Yoga and Meditation, 4:30–6 p.m., The Yoga Room, Tahoe City. A seasonal yoga, journaling, meditation, and mulled-cider gathering. Registration is $35.
POW Stoke Fest, 5 p.m., Tahoe Art Haus & Cinema. Protect Our Winters brings together films, athlete stories, community conversations, giveaways, and climate action ahead of November’s election.
WEATHER OUTLOOK
Expect a sunny and mostly dry week, with chilly mornings and a brief midweek cooldown.
Today: Sunny, high near 74°F, low around 31°F.
Tuesday: Sunny, high near 78°F, low around 31°F.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny and breezier, high near 72°F, low around 33°F.
Thursday: Sunny and cooler, high near 67°F, low around 29°F.
Friday: Sunny, high near 73°F, low around 29°F.
Saturday: Sunny, high near 75°F, low around 32°F.
Sunday: Sunny, high near 77°F.
The National Weather Service’s Monday morning discussion expects a weak low-pressure system to bring cooler temperatures and increased breezes Wednesday and Thursday. Truckee should remain dry, although the stronger afternoon winds could briefly elevate fire-weather concerns.
Check the latest forecast before making plans.
COMMUNITY ALERTS & REMINDERS
Truckee’s seasonal burn ban remains in effect. Review the current rules and permitted devices through Truckee Fire.
Breezier conditions Wednesday and Thursday could create short periods of elevated fire weather. Monitor Tahoe Alerts and Watch Duty for current incidents and emergency information.
Juniper Award nominations close Tuesday, September 15. Submit a nomination.
LOOKING AHEAD
Nevada County Community Baby Shower, Tuesday, September 22, 10 a.m.–noon, Truckee Regional Park. Free resources, support, and giveaways for new and expectant parents.
Sunset Cello Concert with Joseph Chang, Thursday, September 24, Alibi Ale Works. A free, all-ages performance combining cello, hip-hop production, live looping, and beatboxing.
Top of the Town, Truckee Chamber’s 73rd Annual Awards Celebration, Friday, September 25, 5–7:30 p.m., Alder Creek Adventure Center. Celebrate this year’s nominated local businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders.
Thanks for reading Truckee/North Tahoe This Week!
Have an event or local update we should include? Send it our way, and please share this newsletter with a friend who wants to keep up with the community.