Re: [pct-l] Resupply updates

[Karl Brandt <brandt@snf.Stanford.EDU>]

On Tue, 30 Mar 1999, mark dixon wrote:

> >Vermilion Valley Resort. Butch and Peg Wiggins are fantastic and you 
> >will enjoy your stay with them very much.  Their pies are delicious and 
> >they go out of their way to help us.  To allay any confusion, here is 
> >the e-mail address for VVR so you can contact them personally; 
> >		<VVR@EdisonLake.com>.
> Bring your credit card!

Sure it's a little pricey but well worth it. That was the only stop
that I stayed longer than I intended because I was having so darn much
fun. 

> >For Echo Lake -- don't send packages there and don't plan on staying!  
> >For the last two years they have been too busy to cater to PCT Thru 
> >Hikers.  
> I think they simply don't like hikers at all. Last year these folks were as
> snotty as they come. I think they're used to serving the wealthy residents
> who own summer homes on the lake.

Oh sure, they weren't the nicest folks around but the store sold ice
cream! At that point in time, I was willing to overlook a lot of
unfriendly behavior for a little ice cream. Or well...a LOT of ice
cream in my case. :-)

FWIW, they have an official US Post Office in their store. If you
arrive in the middle of the day, it'll likely take a little asking
before they get around to looking for your package but try to be
polite even if they aren't the most friendly. After all, it's easy to
forget that nobody owes you anything just because you're a thru-hiker.
To most people, we're just dirty, smelly people with backpacks.

> >Plan on sending packages to the South Lake Tahoe PO and 
> >staying at the Tahoe Sunset Lodge with Sam Patel.  For a small fee he 
> >will shuttle you from Echo Lake to his motel -- wonderful Trail Angel!  
> 
> We met Sam, a real nice guy. Unfortunately he was booked when we arrived.
> It took us many hours to hitch a ride down to S. Lake Tahoe but it was
> worth it. One suggestion is to call Sam using the payphone at Carson Pass,
> one day before you arrive at Echo Lake. It is in front of the visitors hut
> there. As far as post offices, there are a number of them in S. Lk. Tahoe.
> You need to make sure that you know which one you are sending to and where
> to go to pick up your package. There is one just down the street from Tahoe
> Sunset Hotel, but I don't know the zip code. Maybe call Sam. I also know
> that some folks sent boxes to Sams last year.

I spoke to Sam about a month back. I stayed in the Tahoe Sunset Lodge
while heading up to a snow camping trip. I was surprised that he even
remembered me with as many people as go through there. Well, he didn't
recognize me without my two months of beard and trail dirt but after
a few words he remembered who I was. Then he proceeded to talk my ear
off for about half an hour.

He said that he had seen very few thru-hikers last summer. I almost
got the impression that he missed having us smelly folks around.
There's no accounting for taste I suppose. :-)

Also, he said that he would be accepting resupply packages again this
year. In '97 he was offering free rides from Echo Lake if you stayed
in his Motel. He may now be charging for the rides as I suspect a few
people were taking unfair advantage of him. It takes a fair amount of
time for a Motel owner to disappear during a fairly busy time of year.
So be nice to Sam, he's a genuinely nice guy.

Tahoe Sunset Lodge 
1171 Emerald Bay Rd,
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150-6206
Phone: (530)541-2940 

-Karl

*********************************************************************
Karl "Birdman" Brandt PCT97 LT98                       (650) 725-3686
http://gump1.stanford.edu/kbrandt/

"There's nothing a good day at the track can't fix"

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