Clair Tappaan’s Story .....
Clair Tappaan Lodge was built by a dedicated group of Sierra Club volunteers in the early 1930s. Today, guests continue the tradition of adventure and exploration on Donner Pass, much like the pioneers before them. With such a rich history and a wide-variety of programs, the Lodge has played an important role in introducing people to the outdoors and providing a safe and friendly environment in which to do so.
Sierra Club members receive a discount at check-in. Please bring your membership information with you. If you are not a member, you can easily join the Sierra Club at http://sierraclub.org
Clair Tappaan Lodge offers a rustic mountain retreat for snow enthusiasts and summer adventurers alike. Less than 2 mi from the Pacific Crest Trail and 25 mi from Lake Tahoe, we’re your headquarters for year-round recreation in the Sierra Nevada.
Our Lodge was built by hearty Sierra Club volunteers in 1934 and the spirit of volunteerism has been thriving here ever since. In order to maintain and build a sense of community and keep rates affordable for years to come, groups are able to receive discounts in exchange assisting in the daily operations of the Lodge. Guests are also allowed to volunteer while staying at the lodge. Volunteer opportunities include kitchen cleanup, setting tables, dishwashing, sweeping, shoveling snow, and splitting firewood. We encourage children of all ages to get involved, although adult supervision is often required.
Is the volunteer spirit strong within you? Ask about our seasonal volunteer opportunities or join the Clair Tappaan Lodge Support Team, a group of volunteers charged with planning and implementing programs and work parties, publicizing the lodge and its activities, recruiting additional volunteers, and setting policy goals for the Lodge.
History:
In 1934, a hearty group of Sierra Club volunteers built Clair Tappaan Lodge as a rustic retreat for hikers, skiers, and mountain climbers. The Lodge is named after Clair S. Tappaan. At the time of Tappaan’s death, Sierra Club members were organizing to build a ski lodge on Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California. In 1989, former Lodge Committee Chairman Lewis F. Clark, said they named the lodge after Tappaan to use his popularity to help with fundraising.
The Lodge opened on Christmas Eve, 1934, according to Lodge old-timer Frank Shoemaker. Clair Tappaan Lodge is the Sierra Club’s largest and most popular lodge, known among its many supporters as the Sierra Club’s “flagship lodge.” Tappaan’s photo hangs in the entry.
Historically, nearby Donner Pass played a key role in the early emigration of fortune seekers from the Eastern U.S. to California. The challenging wagon road over the Pass was used as early as the 1840s. Donner Lake State Park is a great place to learn more about this early emigrant route.
Railroad buffs will note that the Central (later Southern) Pacific tracks, which led to the joining of the rails at Promontory, Utah in 1869, can be seen from the lodge itself. Although the railroads made travel through the area easier, winter snow conditions frequently challenged their passage. There are still traces of the original 37 miles of snowsheds over the rails, used to keep the tracks from becoming clogged with snow.
