You can’t stay at a luxury vacation rental without experiencing ALL that South Lake Tahoe has to offer. It goes without saying that one of the top items on the winter bucket list here in South Lake is snowmobiling.
I decided to “take a sick day” here at Buckingham and venture out into the wilderness with a 2-hour ride that advertises “the only Snowmobiling company in town with Lake Views“, Lake Tahoe’s Zephyr Cove Resort! We called ahead to reserve our spots for the day and headed out about 45 minutes ahead of schedule. After almost checking in for the Tahoe Queen boat ride by mistake, we made our way in to the lodge to sign our lives away and, of course, pay. The friendly staff member at the front quickly asked if we wanted our own vehicles or if we were going to be riding together. The only comment I had was, “Wait, you are going to let me drive myself on this death trap? Don’t you want my car insurance info or something?” We quickly opted into the small $20.00 insurance they offered; knowing my driving record, I wasn’t taking any chances. After a short debate and alternating the pro’s and con’s, my Co-Pilot and I decided to share a ride and alternate putting our lives in each others hands. After getting fitted for our super-clean and comfy helmets, we walked around the gift shop for a few minutes until our cattle call to board the shuttle. Our bus ride was eventful to say the least, with a driver rocking out to Classic Rock and excited groups all nervous but ready for the trip of a lifetime.
Hopping out of the bus, we made our way out to the cool lookin’ dudes all dressed in blue. They were our trusted guides that would be leading us on this new adventure. Tyler and Jared were assigned to our group, and while they both looked to be about 12 years old, you could tell they were experienced and trustworthy. They gave us each a quick intro on our motorized stallions. After learning the ropes, the snowmobiles looked much less like “death traps” and more like a Lamborghini on snow. These 800 lb. puppies had built in hand-warmers, the comfiest of seats, and little pockets for your phone and keys. Tyler noted that experienced drivers should make their way to the front of the line, while those who didn’t even know what a snowmobile was, head to the back. Co-pilot and I looked at each other and apparently had a boost of confidence as we took to the front (bad idea). Losing the rock-paper-scissors, I got in the drivers seat and said a little prayer, wishing I had a vacation rental hot tub to run home to.
OK… So maybe my nerves were a bit exaggerated in the beginning. The ride up to the top was SO AWESOME! Topping out at about 25 miles per hour this exhilarating rush came over us, driving this unpredictable motorized vehicle, dodging trees left and right! As a passenger, Co-Pilot sat back to enjoy the scenery and take in the once in a lifetime views of Lake Tahoe. Up at the top, we pulled over for a quick picture, snapping as many as we could of the crystal clear water and snow-covered mountain tops. We walked over to catch Tyler talk about “Tahoe Tessy” and other South Lake Tahoe fun facts.
After hopping back on, we began our decent back down hill, still averaging about 22 mph along the way! Tyler and Jared veered off for a quick surprise almost at the bottom. Piping hot chocolate to warm us up on this…. well, 60 degree and mostly sunny day. But hey, it was quite a surprise and delicious hot chocolate!
After making our way back to civilization, I was exhausted and couldn’t wait to report back to all my valued guests staying in our rental properties. This trip was unexpectedly a highlight of living in South Lake Tahoe. I would recommend this trip to anyone looking for an alternative to skiing and snowboarding here in the winter. It may cost a pretty penny, but when is an adventure of a lifetime not worth it?
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