I just returned from a week long stay in a winter cabin in Tahoe City with daily visits to a couple of the casinos on the northern Cal/Nev border which is called Crystal Bay.

Managed to sneak in a few hours at the Tahoe Biltmore casino and at the Crystal Bay Club directly across the street.

Both of these casinos were relatively quiet even on Friday night but we had a great time none-the -less.

Two or three BJ tables ($5 minimums) were open at each club and the Craps table (also $5 minimum) had periodic action.

We had a couple of meals at the Tahoe Biltmore coffee shop and I have to say that I consider the Biltmore to serve the best and most affordable meal within the entire Lake Tahoe area.

We drove a few more miles up the road into Incline Village and visited the Hyatt Hotel Casino and had a great time there also. The Hyatt action was the same as the action at the Crystal Bay casinos - not packed but enjoyable with $5 minimums.

I asked every place we visited if they expected to have a good winter season, and without exception they all stated that each and every business in the Lake Tahoe region expected to have a bad winter due to the present day economic situation and some of the smaller businesses would be closing up. Even the ski resorts were feeling a bit let down.

But on our way back to the Bay Area we all noticed that the cars were lined up and jammed up on the freeway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe proceeding about 20 miles per hour, so I think that they will be very busy this next couple of weeks. They can sure use the business!

We had beautiful weather - A bright summer type day on our drive through the mountains to the cabin, then five continuous days of fresh snowfall (I had to dig for an hour before I found my car), and another bright summer day while driving back home.

Never did have to install the snow tires.

We built an authentic Igloo and installed five foot ice-cycles and windows made of clear ice and lit it up with two candles and it was a beautiful sight at night. Some of us actually slept in it.

Got pictures which I'll try to post later this week. You've definitely never seen a more attractive Igloo! Even an Eskimo would be impressed.

Would any of those meals at the Biltmore be called "country scramble?" That was the best breakfast on my work route. I think the Biltmore would have closed a couple of years ago if it weren't for that coffee shop.

LOL, the coffee shop at the Crystal Bay Club is pretty poor, but try their excellent steak house sometime - the filet almost melts in your mouth. They used to have live entertainment 2-3 nights a week, as recently as 2006.

You had five days of continuous snowfall but didn't have the snow tires installed? OK, it's pretty flat over toward Tahoe City, but weren't you a little bit uncomfortable going up & down that hill from Kings Beach to Crystal Bay? I guess I just don't have that much faith in that dented guardrail, and that lake is cold for swimming in July<g>.

It sounds like a lot of fun will. Too cold for my taste though. I look forward to your pictures.

Looking forward to your photos as well!
Thanks for the report!

Nope, Daisy! We never had any problem going up that Brockway Springs hill into Crystal Bay. I think that's its name. Smooth sailing all along that 17 mile drive from Tahoe City to Crystal Bay, but the snowplow was only a few yards ahead of us to and fro.

We drove it around 6:30 in the evening and it was pitch black and all the Christmas lights were in full array all along the route so it was a pretty spectacular sight with all those bright lights and snow-white stuff on the ground.

I wanted to drive down that snow covered driveway that led into the Cal Neva Lodge but we played it safe and never paid that casino this year.

One early afternoon we did drive about five miles further up the road into Incline Village to visit the Hyatt Tahoe Casino and along the way we passed a huge crane that has been in operation these past few years building some ultra huge, lakefront mansion overlooking the entire Lake region. That crane has been there for at least three years so it must be one heck of a huge home that someone is building in one of the most beautiful locations in the U.S.

Anyone have any idea of what's happening or to whom it belongs? It's a bit below the highway and set among some thick trees so it's difficult to see what's going on, but I will say that it's one of the biggest projects underway on any side of that beautiful lake.

Yeah, Brockway is the section I was thinking about - and yes, it is pitchblack between towns on that road!

Was CalNeva all decorated for Christmas?

Daisy, the road all the way from Tahoe City to Cal Neva was full of Christmas lights but I didn't notice anything colorful upon passing the entrance to Cal Neva.

As you probably know, there is a slight incline going from the main road down to the Cal Neva parking lot and entrance and the roadway was pretty icy so we didn't turn off that main road other than to drive into the Crystal bay covered parking lot.

I think I already posted that I did go into the Crystal Bay fine dining room to check it out and there must have been about five people at the little bar serving that room and about five or six of the dining tables had customers.

Had a great time and won a pocketful of change but nothing to rave about.