For 150 years Lake Tahoe has attracted generations of adventurers, artists, and pioneers to its shores—folks drawn to the magnificent rugged landscape of the Sierras and the intense beauty of the crystal-blue alpine lake. It was a mutual admiration of this place that helped lay the groundwork for my friendship with Kevin Systrom, the cofounder of Instagram, and his wife, Nicole.
We first met in 2013 as neighbors in San Francisco. Kevin and his then-girlfriend, Nicole, came over for supper after a mutual friend introduced us. Instagram was already somewhat of a sensation but certainly nowhere near what it has become. Over the course of the evening we discovered many shared interests—in food, music, and travel, specifically Lake Tahoe.
For years my husband, Kurt, and I had rented an old camp on the north shore for two weeks in the summer and had developed a deep fondness for the place. Kevin shared my romantic ideas about the area—the history of its fearless explorers, the mystique of the Wild West, its place in San Francisco lore since the Victorian era, when timber resorts dotted the shores and Bay Area families would retreat to homes designed by the most prominent local architects. At its core, however, the real pull for both of us is the otherworldly beauty, an ever-changing source of profound inspiration.
Within a few months’ time, Kevin invited me up to see a spot he found on the north shore of the lake, just around the bend from where I had vacationed. Though newly built, the house had the character of an old-fashioned lodge, with massive timbers, hand-scraped floors, and ceilings soaring over 30 feet. The most remarkable feature was the view of the lake. It was February, so snow covered the ground, and Lake Tahoe’s intense blue presence filled the rooms and was amplified by the craggy, snowcapped peaks surrounding it.
Our visions for the property were in sync: a year-round camp to rival the best historic resorts, one that felt intriguingly timeworn, as though it had been there for generations. —Ken Fulk
