Here is the schedule for all the great activities at the Shaver Lake Museum for 2012.  Notice that the steam donkey engine will be fired up for a demo 6 different times during the year.  I have participated in this event twice and can vouch for the fact that this is really a nostalgia trip back over a hundred years when this kind of steam power was used to drag logs from deep in the forest to a lumber mill or to a staging area when they could be loaded on oxen or mule drawn wagons for transport to the mill.

Click on the PHOTO GALLERY tab for photos of the donkey engine.
Click on the Calendar of Events to enlarge.

Museum Activity Schedule

The Central Sierra Historical Society and Museum at Shaver Lake is a wonderful repository of information and exhibits about the development of the hydroelectric system developed in the very early 1900′s and the logging and lumbering industry in the area.  The flyer below presents just some of the museum activities.  For more information Click Here.

What's Happening At The Museum

This is a video of a visit to Rancheria Falls near Huntington Lake, California in September 2011.  The elevation is about 7.500 feet but fortunately the trail is in very good condition and not too steep so it was a very pleasant hike.  Notice how the creek has washed out a large recess in the terrain over millions and millions of years.  Next May it will be spectacular with the Spring snow melt.  Stay tuned!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTnGH-RNbFU

The Hiker's Guide To The Central Sierras

This is a great Hiking Guide for 35 day hikes in the Shaver, Florence and Huntington Lakes Region.  They range from an easy walk around Granite Ridge (known as the Granite Ridge Trail) to some steep and challenging hikes up solid granite mountains. They are rated from Easy (most of them) to Moderate and only one is Moderate/Difficult.  Each description includes the degree of difficulty, round trip length, approximate time, directions to the trail head, where to park, general description of the trail, and a detailed almost step by step description of what you will see on each hike.

Each description starts out with the following instructions:  “From the hardware store in the center of the village of Shaver Lake, drive  . . .”   This is not a coincidence since this book is for sale at the hardware store.  What is a happy coincidence though, is that the very first hike in the book is the Granite Ridge neighborhood trail that is next to ShaverHaven.

The Rancheria Falls hike is number 15 in the Hiker’s Guide.

We have a copy of this guide at ShaverHaven for your enjoyment.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMX6oY9hDIs

“High in the western slope of California’s Central Sierra Nevada, nestled amidst a vast expanse of timberland, there lies a deep blue body of water surrounded by shades of evergreens. The sweet smell of sugar and white pine is heavy in this brisk mountain air. Scattered across the lake, an occasional fisherman can be seen, or a family with a picnic spread out upon some of the largest sand beaches in the Sierra. Wildlife, timber, and sunshine abound here at one of California’s most beautiful vacation spots. Fresnons use the short drive to Shaver Lake as a quick, clean escape from the Central Valley’s heat of the summer, and from the fog of the winter.”

This was written by Douglas Shaver McDonald II in his biography of his great, great grandfather.  It is called “Cannonball,”  A biography of C.B. Shaver, and it says it all – about the beauty, the environment, and the feeling one gets upon visiting Shaver Lake.

McDonald’s description is the best I have read and, in my 73 years of experiencing the Lake, is the most accurate and descriptive of this magnificent area.

In his publication, McDonald chronicles the life of Shaver and his development of the lumber mill that now sits at the bottom of Shaver Lake.  It is fascinating reading.

Click Here for the complete biography.

Please scroll down to see the latest Blog Posts.

We hope the information in our website will be helpful and informative.

And now I would like to introduce you to an opportunity to spend quality time Shaver Lake.

Shaver Lake - Click Image to Enlarge

Picture a spectacular High Sierra mountain lake where you can swim, go boating, waverunning, picnic on a pontoon boat, sail, and fish either from a boat or from shore, in an uncrowded environment.  Relax on the deck of an upscale cabin or meditate and commune with nature in its purest form.  That is the mountain village of Shaver Lake!

The cabin is called ShaverHaven.

Welcome to ShaverHaven

“We had a wonderful time here at Shaver Lake.  Your cabin is wonderful and we plan on coming up again next year  Thank you for sharing your cabin – keep renting!                  The Huseins.  7-4-05

There is a unique atmosphere associated with small mountain towns like Shaver Lake.  The semi- isolation seems to make them immune to the rushing and busyness of the cities.  You can walk the streets safely at night, stop in a saloon that may have been there for a hundred years, and see the stars as you walk around town.

In time, I will be presenting blogs about Shaver Lake, ShaverHaven, Shaver Lake Village, its colorful history, its culture and some of the interesting characters, past and present, who have created this paradise in the California mountains.

Check out the videos below.

If a fantastic vacation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains appeals to you,
Click ABOUT for more information about the Lake, the Cabin, and the area.

Click here for TRIP ADVISOR REVIEWS.

To book a great vacation click RESERVATIONS

For an extensive collection of photos of the area, including the Village, the Lake, the mountains, and the recreation opportunities, click PHOTO GALLERY.

Click RESOURCES & SUPPLIES to see a list of the various stores and services you might need to enhance your ShaverHaven vacation – from groceries, to marinas, to sporting goods to gifts.

We have compiled a description of the various historical publications that are available that describe the incredible cast of characters who participated in the development of the Florence/Huntington/Big Creek/Shaver area.

CLICK HERE for a collection of histories and a trip back in time!

And to read what our guests have said about ShaverHaven CLICK HERE.