Lake Tahoe & Truckee Stories
I call myself the "rare native” as I am one of only a few of my friends who grew up in the Lake Tahoe/Truckee area, who actually came back to live here.
I have the fondest memories of growing up here and was so lucky to have parents who were die-hard outdoor enthusiasts to pave a path for me to grow up skiing, playing in the backcountry and adventuring through the Sierras.
I was born in the Truckee hospital in 1980 and at the time we lived in Carnelian Bay at Lake Tahoe. I grew up exploring the woods and gazing at the lake from above on our quaint little street, Huckleberry. My dog Shamrock, an Irish Setter, used to pull me around in the winter in a metal saucer through the streets and I learned to make my first turns on our driveway at 18 months old. We lived in this house until I was 6 years old and then my parents were faced with a difficult choice.
At the time, they owned 2 other investment properties in the area, plus the home that we lived in on Huckleberry. One was a duplex in Kings Beach and the other a home that they purchased in foreclosure, just outside of Truckee in a neighborhood called Glenshire. My father was a General Contractor for 30+ years so they bought it to fix up and then sell. However, being a little strapped for cash, it was time to sell something quick so they put all 3 properties on the market and decided that whatever didn’t sell, we would move into.
Low and behold, Huckleberry and the Kings Beach duplex sold right away, which meant we were moving to Truckee! At the time, my parents got quite a lot of pushback from their Lake Tahoe friends and colleagues as Truckee was regarded as the ugly, red-headed stepchild to the Lake and they couldn’t figure out why in the world we would leave the basin.
Well, needless to say we did and Glenshire was an ideal neighborhood for children to grow up. I played endlessly with other kids on the street, rollerskating, biking, adventuring in the backyard, building the most incredible forts in the summer and sled runs in the winter. I really couldn’t have asked for a better community to grow up in.
After graduating from Truckee high school, I received a skiing scholarship to attend Montana State University where I spent the next 5 years (1998-2003) and received a degree in Business Marketing. I competed on the downhill ski team for a couple of years and then ventured off on my own to compete on the International Freeskiing World Tour, where I ranked No. 1 in North America my first year, and had the honor to travel with Jamie Burge and Ingrid Backstrom, two of the most iconic women skiers in the world.
After a stint of knee surgeries, 8 to be exact, I hung up my skis for 3 years and moved to Seattle, where I pursued a career in Marketing. I secured a job working for a company called Kingman Winslow as their Marketing Director. They are a subsidiary to First American Title and they provide tax services to Real Estate agents in particular. After 2 years in Seattle, they transferred me to Phoenix, where I lived for another 2 years.
Recruited by another real estate company, HomeSmart, I later started a position as an Agent Recruiter, which I absolutely loved, but I couldn’t say the same for Phoenix. The desert and the summer heat just weren’t for me so I decided to return home to partner with my mother in real estate. A long time Realtor for over 36 years, serving North Lake Tahoe and Truckee, she was the perfect mentor!
Long story short I couldn’t be happier to be back in Truckee! This year, I celebrate my 12th year in real estate and hold my Brokers license in CA and a Salesperson license in NV. I’ve since married and we have a 3-year-old little boy, Asher, who I get to share this beautiful life with - just as my parents did for me. He has been on skis since 10 months old and we adventure like crazy! I am truly blessed to call Lake Tahoe and Truckee home. Who would’ve thunk that Truckee would be the hot spot that it is today? Our cute little town, once just a po-dunk stop off the interstate, has transpired into a bustling little ski town, offering great shopping, dining, and access to the Sierras. I couldn’t be more grateful than to call this place home!
What’s your Truckee-Lake Tahoe story?