He is a walking encyclopedia of Tahoe-Truckee history and a captivating storyteller.

Local historian and author, Mark McLaughlin, will host a bus load of history lovers on a tour of Donner Pass to Rainbow Bridge and the transcontinental railroad tunnels on Friday, August 5, 2016 starting at 9am.

The tour will visit Donner Memorial State Park and take an interpretive walk along Donner Creek and visit to the new Visitors Center.

Easy walk; no serious hiking. Walking shoes recommended. Picnic Lunch included.  $45 for museum members or $60 for non-members. To RSVP, please call 530.583-1762 or email info@northtahoemuseums.org.

Mark will discuss the history of the most devastating storms to hit the Sierra Nevada in Truckee, and history of the 1860s construction of the first transcontinental railroad over the Sierra. And he should know.  He wrote the book, literally. “Western Train Adventures: The Good, the Bad & the Ugly” is an exciting narrative about the romantic era of the Iron Horse and how it shaped the western United States and the Sierra. In fact, Mark is the author of several other award winning books including The Donner Party: Weathering the Storm, Sierra Stories: True Tales of Tahoe Volume 1 and Volume II.  Click here to visit Mark’s website and to purchase his books.

Lake Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlin is an award-winning, nationally published author and photographer with five books and more than 500 articles in print. For more than 30 years he has entertained and educated countless groups and conferences about Tahoes regional history in more than 1,000 presentations. Mark McLaughlin is one of Lake Tahoe’ss most popular public speaker and historian.

A professional and popular lecturer who has lived at North Lake Tahoe since 1978, Mark McLaughlin teaches Sierra Nevada history using dramatic stories, slide shows and field trips.

Mark McLaughlin is clearly one of the most impressive professional speakers at Lake Tahoe. His subject matter is fascinating and his infectious enthusiasm and engaging stories make for an outstanding presentation. Mark has an entertaining performance quality and his command of material is exceptional.