The Hardest Working Man in the Ski Lift Business
Hans Burkhart had the skills and determination to make Squaw Valley Ski Resort (now Palisades Tahoe) founder Alex Cushing’s dream of a great ski area a reality in concrete and steel. Burkhart talks about his life and projects in an autobiography to be published this fall.
The Trailblazer
Photographer Larry Prosor’s images elevated both the nascent sport of mountain biking and the concept of Tahoe as a summer destination.
Unsinkable
Miles off Pearl Harbor lay the remains of the USS Nevada, which were located in 2020. Longtime Moonshine contributor Pat Dillon shares the story of the ship that wouldn’t go down without a fight.
A Shooting Star in the Sierra
Air Force Lt. David Steeves was in the prime of his life when he was accused of being a communist during the age of 1950s McCarthyism. He died at 31, never seeing the day when his name was cleared.
The Secret Mountain Laboratory
Decades after its 1970s demise, the Secret Mountain Laboratory — the KSML radio station that once broadcasted from Kings Beach — lives on in memory for locals like writer David Fenimore.
The Day Blyth Arena Fell
Pete Bansen’s creative actions saved lives when Blyth Arena, the beloved 1960s Olympic Games structure, collapsed on March 23, 1983. Writer Eddy Starr Ancinas explains how.
Shirley of the Canyon
Local resident Trevor Kekke discovers just how far his family name reaches when he realizes that Palisades Tahoe’s Shirley Canyon is named for his great aunt.
Early Days of Tahoe Skier Glory…
Pat Dillon reflects on the days of skiing on skinny rockets and burning the midnight oil with Tahoe skiers of the 1970s and ’80s.
When the Commons Was Removed From Commons Beach
The central beach in Tahoe City, Commons Beach, was deeded to the public in the late 19th century but for a time was taken over by private interests. A mysterious event opened it back up to the public.
History in the Making
Truckee’s Veterans Memorial Building and Rocking Stone Tower are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places following years of effort by the Truckee-Donner Historical Society and others.