The journey to the top of Mt. Tallac is not an easy one despite that it only stands at 9,735' while you begin your ascension at 6,400' give or take. You can spend the entire 9.5 miles hiking to the peak or like me you can enjoy a nice serene visit to Floating Island and Cathedral Lakes. They called it Floating Island due to its mats of sod that periodically break away from the shore then float around the lake. Just beyond this lake is Cathedral Peak and its lake below. Cathedral Peak can be summated easily from the ridge however most cliff climbing enthusiast prefer to take it on from the front and some do not make it its a pretty dangerous climb just to make a safety note for our viewers. But it is also one of the more challenging adrenline junkie type of climbs you can do in the region.

As you head on up to Floating Island Lake if you turn your back you can get lovely views of Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe in the distance. Much like Cascade Lake which is now enclosed the same also goes for Fallen Leaf Lake. At one time this was a bay but volcanic activity and fault movement have sanctioned off certain bays forming them into pristine lakes.

I really became interested in this area historically but also due to the fact that it seems to be full of oddities. For example the Desolation Wilderness appears to be a very high intense Bigfoot area. Although you may not put much belief into what I am saying do your research and you will find this is a top contestant area for Sasquatch. Besides the fact that I have been a witness to odd vocalizations, tracks, hearing a deer violenty get taken down all the way to being chased by something so big it literally shook the ground at night as it ran towards us. I know things are out in this wilderness which is literally on the doorstop of one of the greatest retreats in the country. 

In the 1800's Lake Tahoe was a favorite getaway for Northern California's successful and wealthy entrepreneurs. Honestly even politicians, presidents and celebrities came across the country just to enjoy what is known today as Pope Beach. Back in the day glamorous parties were held, summer festivities, beach activities such as swimming and even building sand castles were just some of the activities one could enjoy. One could get out of the city stay at the various elaborate summer estates built by the rich and the famous in the later 1800's to early 1900's. These rustic estates were nestled in the forest which surrounds Pope Beach while some could rent cottages others preferred to stay at the resort which no longer exist today but back in the day this resort was top of the line. Today the three large summer estates built by wealthy San Franciscans still stand and you can tour them. Personally I believe the estates could be haunted their is allot of energy here and history so perhaps in the future I will focus more on the ghosts that haunt the grounds rather then Bigfoot on Mt. Tallac which overshadows these historic estates. 

Prior to this tract of land and resort being build during the gold rush it served as a resting place for the pioneers during the gold rush in the 1860's.  If you really want to dig a little deeper the early Washoe spent much of their time in the warmer months near Pope Beach fishing while some of the warriors went up around Mt. Tallac to hunt for larger game. This areas first settlers date back to almost 10k years old where the natives first came to the region to take advantage of how fruitful the Lake Tahoe basin truly is. One of their most ancient sacred sites is a place called Cave Rock supposedly this is the area where Tessie has made her den in the volcanic lava tubes below it. While the natives believe that this cave is where the lady of the lake is often seen. Quite a few sightings of her from fishermen and other recreational boaters. Tessie is not just confined to her cave or the lower depths of Tahoe she has also been seen in the water just off of Pope Beach where remnants of the old resort and the historic estates currently reside.

When the transcontinental railroad came to the region in the later 1800's it brought in allot of tourist or vacationers to the Tahoe basin.  The Tallac Resort along had two major hotels, casino, multiple out-buildings. In the roaring 1920's the locals surrounding the lake and guest who stayed at the Tallac Resort were enjoying boating, saloons and even a dance floor that was mounted on Springs here. So you have to understand that while humans were hosting glamourous parties, couples enjoying a honeymoon or some kid building a sand castle on the pristine beach just above it all is Mt. Tallac. So to be able to bring you such a wonderful scenic location and combine it with the history that resides below the mountain goes really hand in hand with one another. You can spend an early morning climbing to the top of Mt. Tallac taking in the million dollar views or exploring many of the remnants of the past at the bottom of the mountain which is rich in history.

Just over a century ago they called the Tallac Historic Site the "Grandest Resort In The World" perhaps it was afterall when I showed a few of my friends the scenic stills we took here as a group some told me they wanted to add this location on there bucket list. May I say I do not blame them but for me to enjoy sites like this they are within a short distance away so I never myself take anything for granted. This is a stellar journey and hike which allows you to either backpack up to the pristine shores of Tahoe or up into the Desolation Wilderness to enjoy a region that was carved out of glaciers from the last ice age as if it were yesterday.  

The resort itself is long gone but the estates, cottages, boat house and some foundations do remain standing. Its hard to believe when you stand high above this historic site that so many other adventurers came before you to do the same even in the 1800's for the curious who perhaps wanted some serenity.  But one today could take a stroll visiting the various estates, cottages, wishing well or gazebo maybe to take in history or even bird watching all very relaxing things. 

When Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin came to the region from San Francisco he visited Virginia City and Sacramento to enjoy a lavish lifestyle but also was in search of new ways to make money. When he visited Tahoe he found that their was allot of money to be made just by offering the rich a means to enjoy these beautiful pine scented white sandy beaches some of the best in all of Tahoe perhaps. Baldwin was part of many romantic scandals such as even affairs but he was also one hell of a businessman truth be told including investments in the Comstock Lode.  If you want to know more about his other successes please click the wiki link to learn more about him in depth. 

It was in 1880 that Baldwin had built two lavish hotels, a massive casino state of the art boasting over 500 electrical lights and several other buildings on site. The resort could feature 250 guest which boasted a grand ball room, croquet, tennis, full string orchestra, steamer rides and even strolls along the promenade. Despite the fact that one of his hotels burned down he did rebuilt it making it better then the last so in actuality Baldwin was truly motivated to succeed in making this location the grandest resort in Tahoe perhaps even the entire country. Overtime things were added even after the death of Baldwin by his granddaughter who basically recieved most of his inheritance. 

You have to understand that at the time most of the land surrounding this area had been lumbered by C.M. Gardners operation which basically had a saw mill and other structures on the property. This actually was the site of some of the oldest structures on Lake Tahoe prior to the bark homes the early Washoe built. When the white man arrived many of the Washoe actually worked here doing lumbering for Gardner for a wage.  Baldwin bought up most of the holdings even renovated one of the structures to build his first resort while also building a summer estate here so that he could oversee his tourism business grow.

Baldwin unfortunately died in 1909 his grand daughter Dextra Baldwin Winter took over the deed for the resorts. During that time she had one of the resorts moved to a parcel of land to temporarily live on till her summer retreat could be built. Eventually the resorts would be dismantled for various reasons. This was because the age of the automobile came to be and other estates were closing in on the resort itself. During the time he owned most of this land he was selling parcels to prominent indivudals such as the Pope, Comstock, Tevence and Lawrence families.

Dextra had a U-shaped main esate built on the Baldwin property completed in 1922 featured a wishing well, interior courtyard and a massive stone fireplace. The fixtures were made of wrought iron while Western Insense Cedar log walls were used in this rustic estates construction.  Some people remember the estate being called the McGonagle named after her third husband who honestly never set foot inside but yet it bears his name. Dextra was married three times while the estate was constructed during her first marriage to an Ardine Winter which was one of the founders of Richfield Oil.  During her later years it was said that Dextra was fairly one of the quiet residents who often entertained her friends at her estate time to time. 

I believe the final resort closed down in the early 1920's however today three large summer estates do remain on 150 acres of land including 33 historic rustic structures all the way up along Pope Beach to Taylor Creek and Camp Richardson. I guess if you really wanted hypthetically speak you could say these remnants of the past symbolized a small settlement/community here as many of the cleaners, maids, cooks, groundskeepers etc did live actually on site which probably was paradise considering the views of Mount Tallac. What made this one of the grandest resorts in the world is that some of the best white sand is found here and truly is one of the most beautiful alpine lakes in the world. So it was fairly obvious as to why so many sought to come here while Gardner's old railroad became eventually a highway thus tourist poured into the area and even today not much has changed. You can climb Tallac your going to run into allot of backpackers or you can spend a day on the estates white sandy beaches and your going to find its bustling. 

The old Baldwin estate is a museum which boast local Washoe Indian Culture and talks about the signififance of the Baldwin's family history in California. Just as you can see old photographs of the casino and the hotel. Today even though it is a place of education and learning it really celebrates an "Era Of Opulence".   If you were to visit today you would see a 1930's kitchen, children's games and toys or yesteryear, Baldwin Room and even the Washoe Room. Believe it or not Anita Baldwin the daughter of the infamous Lucky Baldwin loves to take tourist around to share stories about the Tallac Casino and Resort. 

So keep in mind for our first visit we sort of wanted to give our viewers a bit of what the estates look like from the outside via video and photography. Eventually maybe we will work more in depth during our second investigation to cover or uncover any more secrets or pieces of history we may have missed maybe even uncover its ghosts of the past.  For example our next visit will be doing some searches for any old foundations left behind from the resort and do some testing for anything paranormal. 

Another estate comes to mind prior to the Baldwin majestic summer home and that would the Tevis-Pope estate was built in 1894 using an "Old Tahoe" style architecture or at least a formal period of Tahoe life. The home was constructed by a George P. Tallant who was involved with San Franciscos Crocker Bank and a fisherman whom the Tallant Lakes were named after west of Meeks Bay.  His father Drury Tarrant was the founder of one of California's banking institutions known as the "Crocker Bank. Eventually in 1899 Tallant sold the property to a Lloyd Tevis who was a director later then president of Wells Fargo Bank.  I also read his family was the founder of the Wells Fargo Company. I believe that the Crocker Bank eventually was merged with Wells Fargo thus the Lloyd Tevis was a very wealthy man and able to build his estate like no other. 

Unfortunately Tevis died before the close of the escrow therefore the property became that of his son William S. Tevis.  The son continued to upgrade the grounds such as walkways were built to other states including flower gardens. In 1902 a portion of Taylor Creek nearby was diverted to supply a private trout pond on the property which cascaded a picturesque waterfall a highlight of an arboretum featuring a collection of various botanical specmens at the lake. Then came all the exotic flora which were implented around the Gazebo which so many have enjoyed for over a century. 

Sadly Tevis was forced to sell his fathers estate in 1923 it just cost to much to maintain and their were financial set backs. During that time he sold it to a new owner named George A. Pope Sr. naming this 38 acre estate the "Vatican Lodge" or as some today called it "The Pope Estate".  Pope was involved in the shipping industry and other marine pursuits. He was also a man who enjoyed recreational activities on the lake. The "Sheik" was a 60' Elco cruiser he owned which had formely seen service as a West Coast rum runner during the prohibition. But later it became his private party boat and he took it on Lake Tahoe for excursions. He stored the boat in the historic boat house which is something we plan on visiting through our next visit. When he did not take his party boat out onto the lake they would use their Sea Lyon for shorter day trips prior to it being used in WWII. 

The estate was a summer retreat used to entertain the famous and the rich from author John Steinbeck to actor Rudolph Valentino. Many cottages were build on the site which including a maid, workers, laundry and childrens quarters.  The estate is actually much smaller and not as elegant as the main house. The main house has a beautiful view of Lake Tahoe and today is being restored. However most of the structures you see today such as the rock gardens, fountained ponds and rustic bridges were Lloyds doing and today they still remain making a stroll in the forest here absolutely serene along one of the countries most beautiful lakes. 

Following the next generation the Pope estate was given to the next generation or rather children so they could continue the summer tradition of enjoying the lake in the 1960s. Sadly in 1965 the family transfered the title of the "Vatican Lodge" to the US Forest Service so that it could be preserved for future generations to enjoy. Even today Pope Resources originally called Pope and Talbot continues to be one of the nations largest most successful shipping and lumber businessess. More or less this estate along with others nearby are all considered historic landmarks and everything inside is related to this era in time which gives the place a certain eeriness. 

The final estate that I would like to talk about would be the "Valhalla" or what some would called the Heller Estate.  In 1922 a man by the name of Walter S. Heller had this summer home built from San Francisco. He was an investment broker and the name he had founded for it was taken from the great hall of the Viking after life. The estate had featured a vaulted central living area surrounded by a balcony of horseshoes made of stone and very large slabs of timber. The Valhalla was able to accomodate several dozen people thus making it was of the grandest out of the three estates in my opinion. 

Walter loved Lake Tahoe much like me I am in love with this region. I never care where in Tahoe I am the hikes like Mount Tallac are worth more then all the money in the world. Even after the divorce in 1936 Walter's wife Claire alternated with her husband on weekends sharing this estate for nearly 20 years or till around 1955.  Not sure what happened because Claire Heller Strauss had then sold the estate to Wilber E. Kuhl and frive years later in turn sold it to a Raymond H. Goodrich. In 1965 Goodrich sold it to the South Tahoe Valhalla Corporation which was a private yacht club with plans to develop the property to be used by members only however very few memberships were sold thus the government obtained the land which today its used as a cultural center for learning about this areas history. 

The Heller estate today borders Camp Richardson and is a community events center for Tallac Historic Estates. Today many can enjoy the grand hall which has smooth wood flooring, high wood beamed ceiling, 20' tall stone fireplace and even a balcony of lodge pole that over looks the local scenery. Some might refer to this place as some sort of heaven but early on its years it was the heaven of very wealthy men who could afford the best.

Today summer concerts, workshops, art events all the way from Bluegrass to Jazz and even Cajun music have all been a part of Valhallas history. The Valhalla Art, Music and Theatre festival works very hard at restoring the Tallac Historic Site by bring such cultural events inside their walls. Its almost surreal to be able to enjoy a good show near the shores of Lake Tahoe and its snow covered peaks while enjoying this beautiful estate from the inside out.  One of the largest events held here is the Great Gatsby Festival in mid August when members dress in that periods costumes serving gourmet foods and displaying many unique antique classic cars.  The small cabins near the state host summer attractions like a photo art gallery, fiber arts, folk craft exhibits, fine art gallery, children art workshops and even a cultural arts center store. The diversity between all the estates differs but Valhalla upholds its greatness!

 Back in the day they even use to hold the winners circle at the Tevis/Pope estate. Both families had a huge interest in horses and racing them. If you pay close attention the water tower, barn and corral are all still visible today. The family at the Pope estate would also play polo and once a year a 100 mile horse race would transpire. When you visit the barn here you have to keep in mind that all these old wagons and even the structure itself are all part of history. They were all used by these prominent men when at one time the horses here grazed and raced all along beautiful Pope Beach. These men would get up in the morning to enjoy a beautiful summer day at Tahoe then ride their horses right along the lake shore. One can imagine how lovely a ride it must had been now today we are only left with visions of what life may have been like when visiting the grandest resort in the world in the later 1800's and early 1900's even prior to the Titanic sinking!

I really want to thank the Forest Service for acquiring these properties between 1965 to 1971 then preserving them so people like our group could enjoy there history. Also on site for those who are interested they still operate a blacksmith shop on site during many Summer days. They force fire pokers, marshmallow forks, ladles and other items sold at the Baldwin Museum which is the old estate.  Even on site is an old bark teepee like structure, butterfly and rose garden, scarecrow and even a vegitable garden. Its an amazing place and after climbing up around Mount Tallac for the day why not finish the later half of the day enjoying a piece of Tahoe's history enjoying this scenic place between Emerald Bay and Camp Richardson.

If you decide to climb to the summit of Mt. Tallac the view is quite jaw-dropping. From the top of the summit you can see to the east Fallen Leaf Lake, Freel and Jobs Peak in the Carson Range. If you look south you can see Ralson Peak and Echo Summit above the Carson Pass. The Carson Pass has been the most researched area by our team in the past few years when working Bigfoot cases. If you were on Tallac facing west you could see deep into the Desolation Wilderness seeing Pyramid Peak and Mt. Agassiz members of the Crystal Mountain Range.  You can also see below Gilmore, Susie and possibly Aloha lakes below. If you turn towards the NW you may see on a clear day Dicks and Jacks Peak. If you look to the north you can see Twin Peaks, high camp at Squaw Valley, Castle Peak and the Granite Chief Summit of the Granite Chief Wilderness. From afar on a clear day you can see all of Lake Tahoe including Mt. Rose which stands at 10,776' piercing the skies above Reno, Washoe City and Carson City NV. On the opposite side of this mountain you can also see Maggie's Peaks which are found in the Desolation Wilderness and seem to be the location of some strangeness. 

I chose this area to explore with good reason not just because its historical or that it is a scenic location that gives you some of the best views of Lake Tahoe. But this is an intense paranormal location I have seen UFOs over Lake Tahoe then again did you expect any less in the mysterious Sierra Triangle? Then you have to factor on in that the Desolation Wilderness is truly a Bigfoot hotspot which is part of the ElDorado Forest. If you ever studied an evidence/sightings map you would see that this entire region is covered point to point as far as sightings or evidence transpires over the years. Even though at the moment we cannot prove the estates are haunted they are creepy even up to the wax figures found inside them. From my experience anything historic with allot of energy generally turns out to have its own fair share of ghosts. I will work with this area again it may not be till 2015 to 2016 but we will return to uncover its secrets.

Namaste,
Lord Rick aka AngelOfThyNight
Founder
Author, Producer, Talk Show Host and Paranormal Investigator

Camp Richardson History 

http://www.camprichardson.com/the-resort/history

Before the white man came, Lake Tahoe was the sacred center of the world for the Washoe Indians. These gentle people lived a hunting and gathering existence moving with the seasons from the Carson Valley to the Tahoe area for fishing, hunting and seed gathering. The Taylor Creek area was their summer camp, and from it they took fish and animals, which fed them during the long, cold winters. After white men came for ranching and lumbering, the Washoe People began to work in the camps and mills of this area for cash wages, and changed their lifestyle to accommodate that of the white residents.

The earliest records of ownership of the land around the present Camp Richardson Resort and Marina are from 1875 when M.C. Gardner acquired a timber holding of several thousand acres from the U.S. Government and built a sawmill and railroad line. He paid 25 cents an acre for the land, plus $1 per acre payable over 20 years. His railroad followed the present Jameson Beach Roadway. He sold over 12,000,000 board feet of logs each year for 12 years from this location.

By the late 1880’s, he had logged over much of the area. E.J. “Lucky” Baldwin then bought out his holdings and began to develop the lakefront portion. He built a stately summer home, and sold parcels to other families (Pope, Tevis, Comstock, and Lawrence) who built the lovely homes which are now on the adjoining properties. The Tallac Hotel was built to standards of the great European Summer resorts and until the 1920’s was a prime attraction of the Lake Tahoe Area.

In 1904 Joseph Parmeter and his niece Nellie Copeland, bought the 100x400 ft. parcel that is now the Camp Richardson Marina and built tent cabins and summerhouses in Copeland’s Grove. Nellie and her husband, the hard drinking, hard-swearing J.C., also built a saloon over the water and a dance pavilion for their summer resort and catered to “Folks weary of the city”. Such was J.C.’s devotion to the saloon that the next owner of the Grove was their bartender Ziegler, and it became “Zeigler’s Grove" until the late 1930’s.

In 1921 Captain Alonzo Richardson leased a large parcel from the Comstock and Lawrence families and set up a stage service from Placerville to South Lake Tahoe. For many years his oversized, low-slung Pierce Arrow touring cars were a familiar sight in the area. In 1924, he bought the property and began to build cabins and a lakefront pavilion. By 1926 he added the hotel, dining room, gas station and other buildings of the present day resort. In 1927, the Tallac Hotel was torn down and Al Richardson moved the Tallac Post Office to Camp Richardson. He built the “long wharf” which is now the Resort pier, and operated a launch and other water services for guests. The Steamer Tahoe and mail boats called in at the wharf daily.

In 1953, the tragic death of Richardson’s son, and his subsequent passing left the ownership and operation of the Resort to his widow, Cora, and his daughter and son-in-law, Florence “Sis” and Ray Knisley. Ray Knisley was already well known and respected in both California and Nevada for his management of the Baldwin Estate and properties as well as his active roles in conservation and parks in both states.

In 1967, the operation of the Resort was becoming more difficult and less profitable, and there were great pressures on the family to sell the property for condominium or commercial development. This was the period of greatest building and development in the Tahoe Basin, and the lakefront properties were extremely valuable. Ray Knisley was determined not to allow the area to be over-commercialized, and approached the USFS to take over the entire recreational area from Baldwin Beach and Taylor Creek through Camp Richardson to Pope Beach. This conversion was accomplished without a single dollar of government money and has created one of the largest and most valuable areas of recreation ever converted to public use.

Today, Camp Richardson Resort is operated under a SPECIAL USE PERMIT from the USFS. The Camp Richardson Marina is privately owned and operated in conjunction with the Resort.

Many families have returned to Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe every summer for up to 70 years, making the trip with two, three, and four generations. Some older guests remember “Rich” Richardson meeting the mail steamer or driving up the road in his favorite red Pierce Arrow. (The cabins still bear the names of the automobiles and bus equipment given to them by the Richardsons.) The Washoe Indians, who were here before us and who worked in the Resort in the early days, are now returning to build summer encampments on Taylor Creek which will show visitors some of the ways of the Washoe Indians.

We hope some of the Lake Tahoe history and nostalgia of this very special place will bring you back to Camp Richardson to enjoy the beautiful lakefront setting, comfortable facilities, wealth of activities, and our great staff.

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