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Ski areas have announced their opening dates, October begins with four days of dark-sky events, and restaurants around Truckee are rolling out special menus for the Taste of Truckee.
THIS WEEK AT A GLANCE
Local ski resorts have started publishing their target opening dates. Northstar is aiming for November 20, Palisades Tahoe for November 25, Sugar Bowl for November 27, and Homewood for December 11, conditions permitting.
Keep It Dark Astro Weekend runs Thursday through Sunday with stargazing, photography, art, wine, and writing events around Truckee.
Taste of Truckee begins October 1, bringing special menus, pairings, and prix fixe meals to participating restaurants throughout the month.
The 39° North development will return to a future agenda after a four-hour design review meeting ended without a definitive recommendation.
Truckee Town Council backed Measure P, which would renew and increase TTUSD’s local parcel tax from $148 to $188 per year.
Expect a sunny, dry week with afternoon temperatures climbing from the mid-60s Monday to around 80 degrees by Thursday.
LAST WEEK’S LOCAL SPOTLIGHT
What’s Actually in the Bin? María López Godoy Wants to Know
María López Godoy came to Truckee to teach skiing. Today, through Waste Free Tahoe, she helps businesses understand what they are throwing away, what it costs, and how much of it could stay out of the landfill.
At one ski resort, her team found that roughly 80 percent of the waste could potentially be diverted by changing collection and handling systems. Only about 2 percent had no identified alternative.
Her larger point is that waste is often a systems problem, not simply a behavior problem. A walk through the property, a look inside the bins, and a review of purchasing and hauling invoices can reveal opportunities that are otherwise easy to miss.
Read the full Local Spotlight →
A WINTER WORKSPACE AT THE SHACK
If your winter routine involves fitting work between ski days, The Shack at Palisades Tahoe is offering two seasonal coworking options:
Fixed Desk: $300 per month for six months, December 1 through May 31
Flex Membership: $180 per month
Reserve by October 15 with a $99 deposit, which will be credited toward your first month. Members also receive a complimentary guest day pass. Fixed Desk members can start early and will get first choice of available desks.
Learn more and reserve a spot →
LOCAL NEWS AND COMMUNITY UPDATES
Ski area opening dates
California resorts have started sharing target dates for the 2026–27 season.
Northstar California: November 20
Palisades Tahoe: November 25
Sugar Bowl, Royal Gorge, Soda Springs, and Tahoe Donner Cross Country: November 27
Diamond Peak: December 3
Auburn Ski Club Training Center: December 5
Homewood and Tahoe Donner Downhill: December 11
Boreal and Tahoe XC: To be announced
Two major gondola projects are debuting this winter. Homewood’s new eight-passenger gondola replaces the Madden Chair, and Sugar Bowl’s new Village Gondola is part of the resort’s new $100 million investment.
39° North review continued after four-hour meeting
The Tahoe Basin Design Review Committee continued its review of the proposed 39° North development in Kings Beach after a meeting that stretched for approximately four hours.
The proposal includes a 132-room hotel and commercial building, 38 market-rate condo-hotel townhomes, and 64 deed-restricted apartments. Community comments focused heavily on the project’s scale and fit within Kings Beach.
The project is expected to return at a future meeting.
Measure P heads toward the November ballot
Truckee Town Council has backed Measure P, the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District parcel tax measure appearing on the November 3 ballot.
The measure would renew the district’s existing $148 annual parcel tax and add $40, bringing the total to $188 per parcel for nine years. TTUSD estimates it would generate approximately $7 million annually for local schools.
Existing senior exemptions would continue, and the measure also includes an exemption for qualifying low-income residents with disabilities.
Serene Lakes homeowner moves off the FAIR Plan
After years of defensible-space work and home hardening, Serene Lakes homeowner Chase Cambron recently moved from the California FAIR Plan to a traditional Mercury Insurance policy, saving approximately $7,000 per year.
The same result will not be available to every property, but it is a tangible example of how long-term mitigation work can affect insurability.
Truckee Fire offers free defensible-space evaluations and a home-hardening rebate covering 50 percent of eligible expenses, up to $2,000.
A new sensor network is tracking Tahoe conditions in real time
The newly launched Tahoe Environmental Observatory Network brings together data from approximately 120 sensors around the basin.
The sensors measure weather and water conditions, with some readings updating as often as every 10 minutes. Researchers hope the system will improve long-term monitoring and provide earlier warning of changing algae, bacteria, and water-quality conditions.
The public can explore the data at the Tahoe Environmental Observatory Network.
Taste of Truckee begins Thursday
October is Restaurant Month in Truckee.
Participating restaurants will offer specials ranging from $5 bites and dish-and-drink pairings to three-course menus priced at $35, $55, or $75.
Diners can also use the free digital Taste of Truckee pass to browse participating restaurants, check in, and enter prize drawings.
LOCAL JOBS
Check out some positions that were recently added to the Truckee North Tahoe Jobs Collective:
EVENTS THIS WEEK
Tuesday, September 29
Author Talk: Heather Hansman on “Fierce Country”
6 p.m. at Tahoe Wine Collective. Hansman will discuss her new book in conversation with local writer Megan Michelson. Free, with advance registration appreciated.
History Talk: Hydro-Electric Power Plants of the Truckee River
6–8 p.m. at Truckee Tahoe Airport. A free presentation exploring the history of hydroelectric power along the Truckee River.
Wednesday, September 30
Winter Hiring Fair
4–7:30 p.m. at Pizza on the Hill. Meet Tahoe Donner hiring managers, learn about seasonal opportunities, and enjoy free pizza. No appointment required.
FuturePreneurs Speaker Series
5:30–6:30 p.m. at Lift Workspace. A monthly entrepreneurship series created for local high school students.
Thursday, October 1
Community Connections: Under the Tahoe Stars
7:30–9:30 p.m. at Northstar California. An evening of guided stargazing and dark-sky education. Tickets are $30 and advance registration is required.
Friday, October 2
Keep It Dark Photo Contest Awards Reception
5–7 p.m. at Truckee Tahoe Airport. See the winning images from this year’s dark-sky photo contest. Free.
Saturday, October 3
Kings Beach Free Dump Day
8 a.m.–4 p.m. at Kings Beach State Recreation Area. Residents can dispose of household debris, large items, and unbagged green waste at no charge. Space is first come, first served, and some materials are excluded.
Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop
Noon–4 p.m. throughout downtown Truckee. Visit more than 25 tasting locations while supporting Tahoe Food Hub. General admission is $75 in advance or $85 on the day of the event. Designated-driver tickets are $30.
Lake Tahoe Mushroom Festival
Noon–6 p.m. at The Hangar in South Lake Tahoe. This fundraiser for Sierra Nevada Alliance includes guided mushroom forays, talks, cooking demonstrations, vendors, live music, crafts, and a children’s zone. Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for children.
Milky Way in the Meadow Astro Photography Workshop
7–10 p.m. at Norden Meadow on Donner Summit. A free evening photography workshop with limited capacity. Advance registration is required.
Sunday, October 4
Dark Skies Brunch and Creative Writing Workshop
10 a.m.–noon at 9848 Gallery in downtown Truckee. A free creative-writing workshop inspired by the night sky. Advance registration is requested.
SEND Dip
10:30 a.m.–2 p.m. at the North Tahoe Event Center in Kings Beach. Celebrate the end of SENDtember with a community cold plunge supporting young adult cancer survivors. The group plunge begins at 11:10 a.m., with coffee, donuts, and a vendor village.
WEATHER OUTLOOK
High pressure will keep the week sunny and dry. After some early fog Monday, daytime temperatures will climb steadily, peaking near 81 degrees Thursday before settling into the upper 70s for the weekend.
Nights will remain crisp, with lows in the 30s and low 40s.
Today: Areas of fog before 9 a.m., then sunny. High 65°F, low 33°F.
Tuesday: Sunny. High 73°F, low 36°F.
Wednesday: Sunny. High 79°F, low 39°F.
Thursday: Sunny. High 81°F, low 42°F.
Friday: Sunny. High 77°F, low 41°F.
Saturday: Sunny. High 77°F, low 41°F.
Sunday: Sunny. High near 78°F.
There is no precipitation in the current seven-day Truckee forecast.
View the latest National Weather Service forecast →
LOOKING AHEAD
Truckee Candidate Forums | October 6 and 8
The Truckee Chamber’s free candidate forums return next week with discussions covering Measure P, TTUSD, Truckee Donner PUD, Truckee Fire, Town Council, Tahoe Forest Hospital District, and Truckee-Donner Recreation and Park District.
The forums will also be livestreamed and rebroadcast on Channel 118.
Thanks for reading and supporting local news.
Have an event, job, news tip, or neighbor we should spotlight? Send it to matt@truckeetahoe.news.
See you next week,
Matt