13,000 pounds of garbage hauled off Spooner sledding area this winter

More than 6 tons of garbage has been removed from the sled hill at Spooner Junction this winter, according to a Lake Tahoe clean-up group.

“This winter, we removed 13,000 pounds of litter from the Spooner sled hill,” said Clean Tahoe Executive Director Katie Sheehan. “Volunteer cleanup efforts like this – and simply cleaning up after yourself – are crucial to protecting Tahoe’s beauty.”

The nonprofit is dedicated to improving Tahoe’s environment through proper litter management.

During the winter and early spring, the snow-play area near Spooner Summit is in need of constant attention.

Thousands of pounds of broken sleds, food trash, plastic tags from new winter clothes, and human waste are left behind at the site every winter. Volunteers help keep the litter in check, as the site lacks trash facilities or restrooms.

As part of #EarthWeekTahoe, volunteers turned out to clean up winter litter that had been buried under snow until the recent spring melt. Ninety-six volunteers removed more than 700 pounds of trash from Heavenly Village and Spooner during events on April 22- 24.

Litter is a year-round problem that requires constant action to avoid harm to wildlife, the Lake’s delicate ecology, and the Basin’s scenic beauty.

“It might be Friday afternoon, but it doesn’t matter what day of the week it is. I’m out here taking care of the place I love most,” noted Geoff Miller, a cleanup volunteer and leader of one of the League to Save Lake Tahoe’s Tahoe Blue Crews. “I don’t mind devoting my time and energy to bringing this place back to how beautiful it is naturally.”