Everybody knows Tahoe as the destination for amazing mountain biking, skiing, hiking, and boating…but surfing? Sure, it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of playing outside at Tahoe, yet surfing is gaining in popularity in the area. But surfing Lake Tahoe is not something that can happen every day; exact conditions must be in place, specifically sustained winds of at least 20 to 25 mph, which happen most frequently in winter. The main surf spots are on the northeast end of the lake where the predominantly southwest winds have the most distance to whip up some swell.
In general, waves are generated by either windswell or groundswell. Windswells are created by winds that travel a relatively short distance of a few hundred miles or less. Conversely, groundswells originate in large, open ocean storms which create waves that can travel thousands of miles. Tahoe waves are the former, with only a maximum of 22 miles for the swell to travel. Windswells are also defined by a shorter swell interval than groundswells, which means there are more waves packed closer together in the same distance compared to groundswells, and the waves look as if they are stacked on top of each other.
All this translates to a Tahoe lineup that is virtually always choppy, relentless, and disorganized, whereas in the ocean it’s possible to find calm winds and clean sets. The wind at Tahoe is also permanently onshore (blowing from the water to the beach, as compared to offshore winds), creating waves and wind that travel in the same direction, the opposite direction for ideal surf conditions.
The few who surf Tahoe’s cold waters aren’t complaining. Fresh water, high alpine surfing provides one of the more unique wave riding environments in the country. To harness these waves, most Tahoe surfers go for longer and thicker boards for increased buoyancy, making for a smoother ride on the weaker waves, while some have the tenacity to ride smaller high-performance shortboards, which require more balance and finesse to remain up and moving.
Tahoe surfers are also generally happy to share the cold water with others of their kind, perhaps simply due to the miniscule (but rising) numbers of Tahoe surfers compared to participants in other local sports like skiing or mountain biking. The competitive nature or hostile vibe often seen in the surfing world is absent here. The quote from legendary California surfer Phil Edwards would be an apt fit on Big Blue: “The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.”
Here are three folks that enjoy the simple glide and pull of surfing on the Lake of the Sky.
Conner Wagner
Conner Wagner, a 22-year-old senior at Sierra Nevada College, brings a strong surf background to Tahoe. He was born and raised on the planet’s most hallowed surfing ground, Hawaii’s North Shore of Oahu, with a circle of family and friends passionate about the sport. Notably, his uncle was big-wave legend Mark Foo, who died surfing Mavericks in Half Moon Bay in 1994. Wagner spent his youth riding some of the most celebrated breaks in the world before moving to Tahoe in 2009 and developing an interest in snowboarding.
“Once I moved here I started hearing about the enthusiasts who surfed the lake, so I borrowed a buddy’s board and a crappy wetsuit, and I’d try to get just one wave and freeze my ass off,” said Wagner. Soon after investing in a warmer wetsuit, he hit the lake whenever he could.
“I get just as stoked running down to Hidden Beach and surfing little, knee-high waves as I did in Hawaii,” Wagner said. “In the lake it’s just hootin’ and hollerin’ and having a blast on little mushy, slop waves, but it’s so much fun.”
Wagner rides a shortboard and is one of the few who can do maneuvers on Tahoe’s short, weak waves that are considered big on a head-high day. In comparison, the North Shore of Hawaii has waves that can get four-times higher overhead than Tahoe waves and exponentially more powerful.
“Any time I’m able to do an actual turn, I’m just super stoked,” he said. “It’s ridiculous — I’m surfing a lake. In Hawaii I’m a crappy surfer, but in Tahoe…” Wagner trails off, laughing.
The vibe in the water is a stark contrast to Hawaii as well. “Not a lot of people do it, so it’s cool to see people out on the lake,” Wagner said. “At most breaks you don’t want other people out in the water. People can be pretty rude, but not here. Here people are excited to see others out in the water.”
In December, Wagner will graduate with a degree in outdoor leadership and entrepreneurship, and will head to Central America to find jobs related to his degree and to revel in the warm, consistent surf.
Scott Gaffney
If you talk about surfing in Tahoe for long enough, Scott Gaffney’s name will come up. The co-director of Matchstick Productions, as well as a prolific skier, photographer, and writer, Gaffney, 45, has been living in Tahoe for 20 years and surfing for 14 of them. He didn’t learn to surf on the lake, and in fact says it’s not a great place to learn, but made several trips to Santa Cruz and other California spots before realizing Tahoe had everything he needed.
“A lot of people look at surfing Tahoe as a novelty,” Gaffney said. “I don’t see it that way. I see it as a legitimate chance to surf and ride waves.”
Surfing is growing in Tahoe, and over the past 14 years Gaffney has seen an explosion of wave riders on the lake. During a recent wind event on Oct. 25, he heard reports of roughly 50 people in the water at Incline Beach between surfers, kayakers, and kiteboarders.
“That’s getting pretty ridiculous,” he said. “There have been times when I’ve had to pull back on a few waves to avoid the other heads in the water. Back in the day it was mostly all solo sessions.”
Gaffney considers days in the fall an added bonus to his main surfing season in winter, when the frigid air and water provide automatic crowd control. Water temperatures have averaged 41.9 degrees Fahrenheit over the past 10 years in the coldest month of February, according to David Antonucci of tahoefacts.com. Add to that the wind chill, which is guaranteed when there are waves in Tahoe, and the glamour of summer surfing disappears.
“It’s not so fun surfing when you’re walking across snow to hit the water, then you’re hands turn to claws after a certain amount of time in the water,” Gaffney said. “Well, it’s a different sort of fun.”
Amie Engerbretson
Growing up in Truckee, Amie Engerbretson, 26, has built a career as a pro skier, sports model, and TV host, among other endeavors. She has surfed in a handful of spots around the world, including just one surf session at her home break in November 2013, when she discovered that surfing Tahoe was both similar and different to ocean riding.
“Once you’re up and riding it feels just like a real wave,” Engerbretson said. “Although it may be mushy and crumbly, the feeling is there.”
In the ocean you can find calm, wind-free conditions on the right days that allow plenty of relaxation between waves, but on the lake bigger waves mean more wind and weather.
“It was more tumultuous compared to the ocean, with the never-ending onslaught of waves and winds,” she said. “You have to paddle more, you are always getting hammered by the waves and chop, and getting pushed around. You can’t really just sit there. Plus it was freezing.”
With that non-stop exposure to the elements, there also comes a blessing. “When you’re often underwater or being splashed, it’s amazing to not only have fresh water, but the crisp, clean water of Lake Tahoe,” Engerbretson said. “It adds a different element in a good way.”
Though the movements of surfing are more often compared to snowboarding, she finds some crossover between riding a wave and skiing, like line selection.
Engerbretson’s busy schedule hasn’t allowed for more days on the lake, but she would like to jump on her next opporunity to experience something most California surfers never have the chance to — surfing a freshwater, alpine lake.
“The setting adds something you can never find on an ocean,” she said. “You get to have snow-covered mountains and thick forests all around you while catching really fun waves.”
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