An idle chairlift provides a constant reminder that this scenic mountain resort will be operational again when the cool mountain temperatures disappear and winter’s harshness once again inhabits the picturesque Squaw Valley.

Skiers and snowboarders revel in a visit to this full-service ski resort that received world-wide attention more than four decades ago when this anonymous Lake Tahoe ski resort stepped on the world stage for the first time, hosting the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Squaw has grown in stature since those magical Olympic moments, becoming a vacation destination for many winter enthusiasts who want the experience of big-time ski resort. What is less publicized regarding this winter wonderland is it’s a tremendous place for a summer vacation as well.

Situated at the foot of the ski resort is arguably Lake Tahoe’s finest lodging facility – Resort at Squaw Creek. It offers convenient ski-in, ski-out capability during the winter months, but provides many more recreational pursuits in the summer and fall when ideal temperatures and scenic mountain backdrops entice visitors to the outdoors.

That was the plan Karen Moran of Folsom was following during a July visit to Squaw Creek. While her husband was busy attending a business conference, Moran and her twin teenage daughters were hardly staying idle in their room. Rafting down the Truckee River, horseback riding a few minutes away, trying to tame the Squaw Creek golf course, and hiking were all recreational pursuits for this active family.

“My husband is up here for a conference and we’ve been coming to Squaw Creek for several years,” Moran said. “I like it much better in the summer. There is more to do and you don’t have to travel up here and worry about stressful mountain driving (in snow). There’s just so much to do, we really look forward to it. We’ve gone rafting, played golf as a family, hike up the ski run, visit Olympic Village, and enjoy the pool area.”

Located on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, there are 403 luxury rooms residing on the property at Squaw Creek, a four-diamond facility. There are two prime options when you wake up each morning – stare out the window at a mesmerizing panoramic view of the nearby rugged mountainside peaks, or cram in all the activity a body can handle.

Squaw Creek’s heated outside pool is a hub of activity, starting in the early morning when ambitious guests can be seen swimming laps in the somewhat chilly mountain air. The area includes a smaller “plunge” pool, a 120-foot waterslide, three hot tubs of varying sizes, plus a bar area that features some very refreshing alcohol and non alcoholic concoctions.

Other activities include:

• Golf – The resort offers discounts in the late afternoons, giving families the opportunity to play a quick round on the front nine from family tees (approximately 150 yards from the green). Serious golfers can play from the tips and challenge a course that can be penalizing with some tight fairways that requires precise shot-making.

• Biking – There’s a challenging ride on nearby Highway 89, or leisurely pedaling along the Truckee River bike path to Tahoe City. Nearby Squaw Valley is an option as well. Bike rentals are available.

• Hiking, backpacking – Squaw Creek’s nature trail begins just beyond the chairlift and connects to a variety of trails around Squaw Valley’s peaks. For an offsite adventure, take a guided hike up the Granite Chief trail that features wooded areas and waterfalls.

• Horseback riding – Nearby Alpine Meadows offers a guided horseback riding tour and gentle pony rides for the kids.

• Fly fishing –Squaw Creek’s on-site fly fishing center provides guided trips to nearby ponds and the Truckee River, catering to both fly-fishing beginners and enthusiasts.

• Tennis – Tournaments, clinics, lessons and private court reservations are available.

Speaking of diversity, a quick shuttle ride lands one at Squaw Valley’s doorstep. An extended ski season concluded on Fourth of July, but snow is still visible on a cable ride to High Camp, which deposits visitors at 8,200 feet, offering an extraordinary view of Lake Tahoe.

There’s no shortage of activities at Squaw Valley, which includes roller skating at the Olympic rink, mountain biking, tennis, climbing wall, zip line, disc golf, paintball, shopping, plus a large swimming pool and hot tub at High Camp. The Poolside Café is a great outdoor/indoor spot to grab lunch and a beverage.

The great thing about a visit to Squaw Creek is one never has to drive until departure time. Besides activities, there are numerous dining options as well.

The favorite dinner spot here is the Six Peaks Grille, where creative chef Chad Shrewsbury offers an innovative menu of distinctive dishes that feature fresh produce, seafood and steaks. The majestic view of Squaw Valley’s six peaks and the surrounding meadows may keep you tableside long after the dinner has concluded.

Other dining options include a microbrew pub that specializes in appetizers and ribs (Sandy’s Pub); the Chuck Wagon, located outdoors by the sun deck, and the poolside Oasis. One other option is the popular Sweet Potatoes Deli, where one can get a bite to eat or a Starbucks coffee in quick fashion almost any time of day.

For more information on the Resort at Squaw Creek, visit www.squawcreek.com

or call (530) 583-6300. source: my.rosevillept.com

Three species of hummers normally prevalent in Summit County, Colorado during June, July and August appeared in far fewer numbers this year.

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, which nest in Colorado's high mountains and Rufous Hummingbirds, which migrate through the same area on their path south to Mexico were conspicuous by their absence in 2011. Calliope Hummingbirds, though much more rare than the other two species, were not seen at all in areas where they have been recorded for at least two years.

Summit County, Colorado's Summer Hummingbirds

Much of Summit County, a skiing destination just 70 miles west of Denver, lies at elevations of 9,000 feet and more. During the summer months of June, July and August of 2009 and 2010, birders staying at the ski resort of Keystone observed heavy populations of Broad-tailed and Rufous Hummingbirds, as well as the rarer Calliope Hummingbird, which accounted for perhaps five percent of hummingbird sightings.

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds winter in Mexico as do the other two species, but while Rufous and Calliope Hummingbirds travel much farther north to the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Alaska to nest, the Broad-tailed Hummingbirds nest in high-elevation sites including Colorado. Rufous and Calliope Hummingbirds return to their wintering sites in Mexico beginning in early summer, and many of these birds cross Colorado, pausing in the high country to refuel. All three birds are attracted to high mountain wildflowers, such as Scarlet gilia, to sapsucker wells and to artificial feeders which are hung by local residents and summer visitors alike.
Evidence of Reduced Hummingbird Numbers in 2011

The author spent approximately one month in Keystone and the surrounding Summit County area in each of the past three years, hanging and observing multiple hummingbird feeders, as well as interviewing local residents and other visiting birders on extended vacations. While it was immediately obvious in 2011 that hummingbird numbers were down, the most telling proof was the drop in sugar water consumption. In the summer of 2010, two-cup (16-ounce) sugar water feeders were depleted in two days or less, regardless of the number of feeders offered, and this continued throughout the three summer months of 2009 and 2010. During two months of observation from mid-June through mid-August of 2011, however, these same capacity (and roughly the same number of) feeders in the Cinnamon Ridge Condominium complex in Keystone still contained some food after two weeks. This consumption ratio suggests the number of feeding birds in 2011 dropped seven-fold.

When hummingbird populations are high, birds appear to be less timid and aggressive, sharing feeders more and feeding from hand-held feeders. Seven or eight hummers were often seen on a single feeder in 2009 and 2010, and a hand-held feeder would not discourage the birds. In comparison, in 2011 it was rare to see even two birds on one feeder, and the birds were especially wary of nearby humans.

Field trip observations appeared to confirm those made at artificial feeders. Trips to Chihuahua Gulch, where active sapsucker wells and Broad-tailed and Rufous Hummingbirds have been found in earlier years, discovered no active wells, only an occasional Broad-tailed Hummingbird and, for that matter, no Red-naped Sapsuckers. Coincidentally, Red-naped Sapsuckers were commonly found around Keystone (a lower elevation), where they were a rarity in the two prior years. This suggests a possible retreat to lower elevations for a number of birds, and in fact field observations found far fewer birds of all types at higher elevations in 2011. A similar lack of hummingbirds were found on other field trips in Summit County, including Shrine Ridge, Lower Cataract Lake, Rock Creek and Spruce Creek.
Possible Reasons for Fewer Colorado Mountain Hummingbirds in 2011

To the author's knowledge, no studies or explanations have been offered regarding declining hummingbird numbers in 2011, although weather may well be a contributing factor. Northbound hummingbird migrants encountered abnormally severe cold weather in Arizona in early February, 2011. Temperatures in the typically mild winter in and around Tucson, for example, plunged to record lows of 13-17 degrees on two consecutive days, February 3 and 4. Many resident and migrating hummingbirds were impacted by this freeze, likely including all three species of Summit County's birds, and it is probable that higher than normal hummingbird mortality resulted.

According to Summit County residents, an unusually late snowfall occured in the area in May, and much more snow than normal was still evident on the surrounding mountains during the summer months. This late and heavy snow, together with heavy early summer rains may have impacted migrating bird numbers and also may be partly responsible for fewer birds having been observed at higher elevations this summer.
Hopes that the 2011 Decline in Colorado Mountain Hummingbirds is an Anomaly

Fewer hummingbirds observed in Keystone in July and August may result in lower numbers of observed birds in Arizona in August and September, as the migrating birds move south. However, hummingbirds are as tough as they are beautiful. Barely weighing as much as a penny, many North American hummers fly 2,000 miles or more between central Mexico and southwestern Alaska, and their ability to induce torpor helps them survive abnormally cold weather. Hopefully, 2012 will mark a return to high hummingbird numbers in Colorado's Summit County.
source: www.suite101.com