Tahoe from above

The Sierra Nevada offers us this altitude in stages, starting with its ski lifts, which operate even in summer, for the sole purpose of taking us on a journey into the azure blue of the sky, suspended in space to better discover its unique 360° panorama.

But for some of us, the summits aren't enough. And that's just as well, because the United States is very keen on helicopter and aeroplane tours. Lake Tahoe even boasts a hot-air balloon, the only one of its kind in the world, which takes off from the middle of the lake and then returns.

At higher altitudes, you'll need to take the Heavenly Gondola cable car (Scenic Gondola), which is already worth it for the view you'll get on the way up.

At the summit, an observation platform awaits you, offering breathtaking views. The Tamarack Lodge & Bar is a pleasant place to stop before taking the Tamarack Express, a chairlift that will take you even higher!

But that's not all: in summer, Heavenly has even more to offer: the Heavenly Air or Aerial Tram, a gondola that climbs and climbs, first to 2000 m, then continuing its journey until it reaches 8000 m altitude. A journey at 40° that will make a lasting impression on your stay!

These high-altitude climbs make you want to go even higher. So why not take to the skies?

Lake Tahoe Balloons offers a unique service for aspiring customers: take off from a hot-air balloon in the middle of the lake. And take to the skies to discover a remarkable landscape. The Sierra Nevada from the sky! The experience takes place at sunrise, when the light over the landscape is clear, low-angled and golden (between 5:15 and 6:45).

Head to the Tahoe Keys Marina, South Lake Tahoe's marina, to board the Tahoe Flyer, the only boat certified to launch and recover hot-air balloons. Wrap up warm, it's chilly, but the inconvenience is worth it! The views over Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Lake and Desolation Wilderness are breathtaking. And weather permitting, you'll even see Yosemite in the distance.

On the way back, you'll be impressed by the pilot's skill in landing you on the deck of the Tahoe Flyer, which just a few minutes earlier would have seemed like a speck lost in the immensity of the earth's landscape. On the way back, champagne for all!

Tahoe Helicopters, based in South Lake Tahoe, will take you off from Lake Tahoe Airport (KTVL) for an aerial tour of the lake and surrounding area.

There are two main advantages over the previous option: the price (from $90) and the fact that flights are available all year round, every day of the week!

We don't all have the same relationship with the sky. Some see it as a place of spirituality, others as a journey to be taken by helicopter or balloon. But once up there in the air, there is a category of people who simply expect the void to welcome them unceremoniously, in free fall!

Skydivers have found a paradise in Tahoe and Truckee, where professionals take them up into the skies in their planes to indulge their passion for flying. In American, this is known as skydiving. Of course, not everyone can do it. First of all, you have to want to do it. And then you need hours of training on the ground to learn the rules and the method. But for a first flight as a duo, you can let yourself be guided.

In Minden (Nevada), there's the Skydive Lake Tahoe (Skydive Center) and in Truckee, the Skydive Truckee Tahoe. Skydive Lake Tahoe will take you up in the air in a twin-engine aircraft if you weigh less than 250 pounds (113 kg). The weather is monitored by the team, who will advise you to fly as early as possible in the morning, before the strong winds threaten to pick up. Otherwise later in the afternoon. Obviously, beginners will be flying in tandem.

Skydive Truckee Tahoe is a family-run business with a long history of skydiving. You'll take off from Truckee airfield, just a few kilometres from Reno. Flights start in May. You'll see, it's a blast!

If this is your 1st time and you have no valid skydiving training, you will jump in tandem. This will be done with a highly experienced and qualified instructor. After a short training session that will teach you the basics, flight postures, how to exit the aircraft and how to land, off you go!

You'll discover a form of enjoyment, a form of joy. Parachutists have a saying: "We know why the birds sing...". That says it all!

Finally, if you couldn't resist the call of the winds and the celestial altitude, perhaps you'll be tempted by the Blue Streak zip line! Set at an altitude of 3,000 metres at Heavenly Mountain Resort, this unrivalled zip line will have you reaching speeds of up to 80 km/h, with the lake in perspective.

On the other side of the lake, another zip line awaits you: the Silver Rush and its high-altitude Carson Valley desert. This is no laughing matter either. It's a far cry from the ziplines in amusement parks and other accrobranches. You'll be launched at high speed several dozen metres above the ground, above the pines and above the lake! Thrills guaranteed.