©Jason Kelley -- Tom Burt killer of backcountry steeps as well as Lake Tahoe swell.
by Jon Coen
ESPN Action Sports
It’s long been known that landlocked surfers have found waves on freshwater lakes. The weather required to create swell on these lakes is often generated by winter storms — picture heavy onshore wind, tiny periods, and snow-covered beaches. In fact, it’s not unlike what Northeast surfers are used to. It’s just less consistent and colder. Because of the weather they deal with, these surfers are often snowboarders as well. And while their surf may seem like a novelty, stoke is stoke where ever you are.
Every winter, we hear about some swell in a far-flung corner of the Great Lakes. But that’s not the only lake surfing action around. Lake Tahoe, at the foot of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, gets its share as well. And when it does, you’ll find Tom Burt out there catching it.
A fourth-generation Tahoe native, Burt began snowboarding in 1982, when the sport was a literal translation of surfing on snow. He is backcountry pioneer, an early snowboard film star, a respected Alaskan guide, and a bonafide legend. To this day, he’s known for riding deep swallowtails through deep Tahoe powder. When the conditions on the lake warrant it, he trades his swallowtail for … a swallowtail.
So, how was the fall for surf in Tahoe?
Surfing Tahoe is an event that happens only a handful of times in a year. We need to have enough wind to create the swell big enough to have a good day. This fall we have had two or three ok days and the Nov. 20th storm was a good one.
Do you head out to the coast to surf much?
I surf when I can and with friends in different towns. I don’t get to the coast a ton, but I surf Northern Cal from North of San Francisco to Santa Cruz, I also get down to North County San Diego and Malibu. I usually drive down Baja with my wife and family and surf where ever we end up.
©Jason Kelley -- Shooting the pier is shooting the pier, wherever you are. Tom Deck high altitude hot dogging.
The whole surf world is pretty fired up about this El Nino season. What does that mean for Tahoe?
Tahoe during an El NIno gets big storms with lots of moisture — feet upon feet of snow in one storm cycle. The storms also hit with big winds, so the lake gets the swell at the beginning of the storms. Back in 1981 to 1983, my Mom use to think my best friend and I were nuts to be out surfing, windsurfing, and/or boggie boarding when it was snowing out. These were huge El Nino years and the waves were great those seasons along with record snowfalls.
Do you ride a swallowtail?
I do ride a swallowtail, both on the snow and on the water. Any power day that I can pull out the my Winterstick Swallow is as close to surfing as you get on the snow.
Have you been keeping track of the big north swells heading to Hawaii?
No, I am not a surf tracker. I surf when I can, but I don’t go in search of it. When surf comes to Tahoe though, the stoke is always there, and I will go do surf checks at the local spots to see if it is on.
©Kevin Quinn -- JPhotog Jason Kelley, on the other side of the lens at Sand Point.
The idea of driving around a lake on a surf check is so foreign. Where do you guys surf on the Lake?
Surf spots in Tahoe are tide dependent. At least that is what I seem to have found. The tide is the lake level, so for the most part there are two factors of where to surf. One is the wind direction and the second is the tide. For the most part, I surf the North Shore from Tahoe Vista to Incline, because the wind usually has south in it and thus the North Shore gets the biggest swell.
What’s the best you’ve seen it, and what kind of conditions do you look for on the best Tahoe swells?
For the most part the best surf comes from a short window when a storm blows and the swell builds. Then the wind stops, and for that magical half hour there is clean glassy swell. It happens, but rarely. I’ve caught it a few times in my life. For the best conditions for my favorite spots, south wind with little or no west. It happens rarely because most Tahoe wind has west in it, but if the south wind blows, that’s the way the lake has the longest fetch so the swell gets the biggest.
I’ve seen that Jeremy Jones seems to shred Tahoe waves. What other surf and snow notables are into lake surfing?
I don’t know everyone, but ski film maker, Scott Gaffney, pro snowboarder Dave Hatchett, and snow photographer Ruben Sanchez, are a couple that come to mind. There are at least 20 or more people that surf Tahoe when it happens.
Jason Kelley -- Mike Vail at Speedboat.
via Lake Effects – ESPN.
Posted in Surf's Up
