South Lake vs. Truckee

Contemplating a move to the S. Lake or Truckee area for this fall/winter that could possibly turn into something more permanent depending on how it goes. My question is, which area would likely offer better options for climbing and seasonal/permanent employment? I've already climbed at the Leap and really enjoyed it so I'm kind of leaning towards S. Lake (I hear Sugarloaf is good in winter also) but the gf is more into snowboarding and thinks Truckee might be a good option. In addition to being close to climbing & snowboarding, we would also enjoy having a town somewhat close for community, music, nightlife, etc. We both snowboard (backcountry & resorts) so that's another consideration.. Any advice from locals out there on the positives/negatives of the two sides of the lake is greatly appreciated!

South Lake is like Wasilla while Truckee is kind of like downtown Palmer. There is a lot more of a yuppie vibe in Truckee than South Lake which is a lot more white trash-ish (not that that's a bad thing).

All of the Tahoe economy thrives on low wage, seasonal workers many who many bail after a few years. The younger population is pretty transient. There isn't much in the way of full time employment, at least that you can make a living on. The economy is almost entirely based upon tourism which makes primarily for low wage service jobs, many of them seasonal.

I was in the same position and chose the dirty south for the same reasons you are looking at. Truckee is nice but it gets mobbed every weekend by bay area people (worse than south shore) and I don't think the skiing at Jake's is that great. I can't comment too much on resorts, but I think most people would agree that Squaw and Alpine on the north shore are hard to beat.
I'd say both shores have great rock climbing. The north shore has more sport climbing. The premiere crags at both ends get mobbed on the weekends (Leap and Donner). Bouldering is happening a lot now with lots of new development going on just about everywhere.

I've seen good bands at casinos at both ends of the lake, but a lot more in South Lake. Montbleu casino brings in good acts regularly as well as Banff Mtn, Reel Rock, etc. Truckee probably has the best food and beverage in the Tahoe region, and as mentioned previously, has a more tight knit community. I have met lots of good people in South Lake. You just have to work for it a bit more.

The summer traffic blows along the lake, but more so around Tahoe City. Living close to where you work is a good idea because riding a bike in Tahoe can be a lot better than grinding out slow miles in traffic.

You might look at a few other places... I would personally choose Kings Beach over Truckee. You get to live on the lake instead of the freeway and it's cheaper. I also think living down the hill in Reno isn't a terrible idea. Lots more going on down there, better employment options, cheap and it's relatively close to the goods.

Thanks bergbryce, that's actually pretty helpful. I like the Wasilla/Palmer analogy!

Went through the pros and cons a lot as well before we made the move earlier this year (and you can see which way it went) :)

Truckee has more of a community sense and feel, not sure why, but that was a big factor for us. In the summer there aren't nearly as many tourists or traffic as right at the lake. There is free "music in the park" every Wednesday and "Truckee Thursdays" are absolutely awesome (main street closes to cars and there are food trucks, art, farmers market, beer garden, etc.) Squaw and Northstar also seem to hold a lot of events on the weekends etc. (McConkey film premier this last weekend, which brought thousands of people there; Oktoberfest the weekend before). For climbing, Donner Summit is basically < 10 mins from town - meaning you can be climbing 10-15 minutes after you leave the house. The Snowshed Wall is basically the summer climbing gym. Big Chief is a 20 min drive + 20 min hike, etc. Proximity to Reno is great for shopping or flying somewhere from the airport there (~40 minutes from town to the airport). There are more options for good jobs in Reno & commuting if you would potentially consider that.

South Lake is closer situated to more climbing - in terms of proximity to Woodfords, Sugarloaf, Phantom Spires, the Leap, ... which are all great, but they are tougher to do in an evening after work (unlike Donner Summit). More importantly you save ~40 minutes when driving south to Yosemite/Bishop... which is nice if you think you will do that a lot. It feels poorer and dirtier due to casinos and associated crap primarily (unless you happen to like that), but there are many cool people who live there. Housing is cheaper there too which is nice. If I lived there I'd probably pick Meyers.

But I would spend a couple of days in each place and see if you lean one way or the other, but honestly they are both pretty great. Let me know if you visit Truckee and would love to grab a coffee/beer (I'm really interested in meeting more people here, as we're pretty new to the community and haven't met enough people... if some locals read this too and are interested, shout out ;p)

I lived in Truckee for a fall/winter/spring to snowboard and climb and it was great, the resorts and great and the backcounty is pretty good. Climbing was also really great in fall and later spring. Traffic wasn't a problem often, but the bus system sucks.

I have spent some time in South Lake and it was fun, but not really my scene; ski resorts arnt as good, too much partying, more spread out. I hear the bus system is a lot better than Truckee.

I decided to move to Mammoth, where I can take a bus climb in the summer and ski in winter. I can also drive 45 mintues or less and climb world class rock during the winter, which is one of the main reasons I didn't stay in Truckee. Also, a pretty close knit community and you can walk, bike, or bus anywhere for free.

Yeah, these comments are spot on.

Truckee definitely has a better sense of community IMO. Better place for a family or to settle down long term if you ask me. South Lake has more of a transient party vibe. The casinos offer some nightlife/music options that you won't get in Truckee. Truckee is a lot closer to Reno, which is the nearest large city to both places. Truckee and South lake are about equidistant from Sacramento and the Bay Area, where you'll find a lot more cultural opportunities. I can't speak much to current job markets.

I think South lake has better climbing options with the Leap, Spires, Sugarloaf, Woodfords, and Eagle Canyon. Also, the sunny side of Woodfords and Sugarloaf both offer good winter climbing options when it's not snowing. Not a ton of winter climbing near Truckee that I know of. But Donner summit is rad during the warmer months. Both have a shit ton of bouldering.

Resort skiing is better near Truckee with Squaw and Alpine. Kirkwood is rad but is a bit of a drive from South Lake. Backcountry skiing is superior on the South Side IMO. Tallac, Echo Lakes area, Freel Range, Luther Pass, and Carson Pass all have tons of options for BC skiing/riding. South lake is a little closer to Sonora Pass, Bishop, Mammoth, Yosemite, etc.

All of that being said, both have tons of climbing and skiing options. Plenty to keep you busy for a while. Good luck.

truckee is wayyyyyy better! hands down! no question!

Mike McL wrote:Yeah, these comments are spot on. Truckee definitely has a better sense of community IMO. Better place for a family or to settle down long term if you ask me. South Lake has more of a transient party vibe. The casinos offer some nightlife/music options that you won't get in Truckee. Truckee is a lot closer to Reno, which is the nearest large city to both places. Truckee and South lake are about equidistant from Sacramento and the Bay Area, where you'll find a lot more cultural opportunities. I can't speak much to current job markets. I think South lake has better climbing options with the Leap, Spires, Sugarloaf, Woodfords, and Eagle Canyon. Also, the sunny side of Woodfords and Sugarloaf both offer good winter climbing options when it's not snowing. Not a ton of winter climbing near Truckee that I know of. But Donner summit is rad during the warmer months. Both have a shit ton of bouldering. Resort skiing is better near Truckee with Squaw and Alpine. Kirkwood is rad but is a bit of a drive from South Lake. Backcountry skiing is superior on the South Side IMO. Tallac, Echo Lakes area, Freel Range, Luther Pass, and Carson Pass all have tons of options for BC skiing/riding. South lake is a little closer to Sonora Pass, Bishop, Mammoth, Yosemite, etc. All of that being said, both have tons of climbing and skiing options. Plenty to keep you busy for a while. Good luck.

Thanks everyone for all the great comments! I gotta say I'm leaning towards S. Lake due to the proximity of winter climbing opportunities. Woodfords & Sugarloaf both look awesome. Haven't climbed much all summer so looking forward to getting back at it. Truckee sounds great too & the lady is leaning towards that so we'll see what happens. First world problems...

Good to hear that the backcountry riding around S. Lake might be better as that tips the needle toward the S. side. I'm guessing we're probably more likely to be spending time in the bc than at resorts anyway.

We're flying down to Bend in a week and plan on arriving in the Tahoe area near the end of the month so I'll probably be posting again looking for some partners around then. Thanks again!

Here's a quick recap.

Truckee: better community, more accessible climbing, better ski resorts.

South Lake: more accessible winter climbing, more climbing options in general, maybe less bay-area influence.

I think they're pretty similar in terms of access to backcountry skiing...they're both really really good. Bouldering is everywhere and is blowing up. Excellent mountain biking throughout the Basin.

South Lake is an hour closer to Bishop, but Truckee is only 45 minutes to the Sierra Buttes.

Tough call. I lived in Truckee for about 8 years, and South Lake for about 8 months. I would take Truckee in a second. I wouldn't be disappointed if I had to live in South Lake tho.

Wear the pants and come to south lake I'll show you some spots

I live in South Shore and love that my car is parked in the driveway most days because I can do all my errands, even get to Pie Shop, other local crags and trailheads easily by bicycle.

Better yet, move to Incline/East shore and save yourself the income tax.