| Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park | |
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| Location | El Dorado County, California |
| Nearest city | Tahoma, California |
| Coordinates | 39°03′27″N120°07′21″W / 39.05750°N 120.12250°W /39.05750; -120.12250 |
| Area | 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) |
| Established | 1965 |
| Governing body | California Department of Parks and Recreation |
Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park | |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000401[1] |
| Added to NRHP | March 30, 1973[2] |
Ed Z'berg Sugar Pine Point State Park is astate park inCalifornia in theUnited States. It occupies nearly two miles of the western shore ofLake Tahoe[3] and a total of about 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres)[4] of forested mountains inEl Dorado County. Originally calledSugar Pine Point State Park, its name was changed in 2003 to honorEdwin L. Z'berg, aCalifornia state assemblyman who specialized inenvironmental legislation and worked to develop state parks and other natural areas.[5][6][7]
The park is in the highSierra Nevada mountain range at anelevation of around 1,900 metres (6,200 ft). It is covered inmixed coniferous forest with tree species such asJeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi),white fir (Abies concolor),Sierra lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta ssp.murrayana),California incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens),sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana), andred fir (Abies magnifica).[4]Black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) andquaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) are part of the localfall foliage display.[8] This forest is not pristine, having been subjected to heavylogging in the late 1800s.[4] Wood was used byminers in theComstock Lode[8] and other great mineral deposits. Long-termfire suppression and periods ofdrought andbark beetle infestation have altered thefire regime.Controlled burns are used to help prevent very destructivewildfires.[4]
The park is bisected by General Creek, a stream about 15 kilometers long which runs from theDesolation Wilderness into Lake Tahoe.[4] On the General Creek Trail along the stream there are lakes, mountain meadows with wildflowers, and two largemoraines. The trail leaves the park and entersEldorado National Forest.[8]
In the summer, the high temperature is about 80 °F (27 °C) and the low is near 40 °F (4 °C). Winter highs reach about 40 °F and the coolest lows are below 0 °F (−18 °C).[3] The park receives about 32 inches (810 mm) of precipitation in an average year, mostly in the form of snow in the winter.[4]
The area was inhabited by theWashoe people, who made a summer home on the lakeshore. Their stonemortars can be found in the park. Thetrapper William "General" Phipps was the first white settler on the land. The cabin he built in 1860 still stands.[3]
In 1903 the wealthySan Francisco bankerIsaias W. Hellman obtained land and built the Pine Lodge, now also known as theHellman-Ehrman Mansion. The house was designed byWalter Danforth Bliss and featuredelectric lighting,indoor plumbing, and water directly from the lake. The estate included atennis court, twoboathouses, and cabins for the 27 resident staff.[9] Hellman's family spent summers on the estate for decades, and sold it to the state in 1965 when the park was established. The family still provides funds for the upkeep of the mansion and property.[10]
The1960 Winter Olympics were held in and around the nearbySquaw Valley Ski Resort. Thebiathlon andcross-country skiing events took place in what is now the state park.[11] The park and the communities of the western shore of Lake Tahoe hold an annual Olympic Heritage Celebration Week every January to commemorate the events.[12]
This is the only California state park in the Sierra Nevada that operatesrecreational facilities during the winter.[13] There are 11 miles (18 km) ofskiing andsnowshoeing trails for public use, some of which were sites of the Olympic events in 1960. Some snow paths aremachine groomed.Park rangers lead occasional snowshoeing tours of the park. Wintercamping is available, with many more sites opening for the summer.[3]
Other summer recreation includes swimming and other beach activities, fishing, and hiking. There is anature center for education and interpretation.[3]
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