Like so many others, Jake Smith couldn’t resist the magnetic pull of Tahoe’s soaring peaks and piercing blue waters. He left city life and his job-with-a-future for Tahoe in the mid 70s, becoming a ski patroller at Alpine Meadows and an avid backcountry enthusiast. In the winter of 1982, Jake passed away in an avalanche. The peak north of Emerald Bay where he laid down fresh tracks was later named “Jake’s” in his memory. Read the full story of Jake Smith and his namesake peak in Tahoe Quarterly.

Jake’s Peak tells another story – about the irresistible attraction of Tahoe and the collective effort needed to protect it. It’s the natural wonder of Tahoe that draws in so many: “You know the cliché: Your Tahoe bartender and carpenter both have advanced degrees.”

Many of us know someone like Jake, or maybe you were drawn to Tahoe just like he was. Millions of others are too, each and every year.

In 2019, more people visited Lake Tahoe than the top three national parks combined. However, Tahoe doesn’t have the same protections as a national park to keep it healthy and thriving. To Keep Tahoe Blue, it will take all of us, residents and visitors alike, working together.

Since 1957, the League has worked to preserve the delicate ecological health of the Tahoe Basin. This magnetic place is here for all to enjoy. Yet, with that privilege comes a responsibility – to Keep Tahoe Blue – so future generations can experience a clean and healthy Tahoe too.

Join the League and be part of the solution. Together, we Keep Tahoe Blue.