A WINTER HAVEN AT CAPLES LAKE RESORT
EGW LUXURY MAGAZINE | WINTER 2025/2026
FEATURE | TRAVEL AND ESCAPE
Written by Monica Lofstrom
Amid the stillness of snow-laden pines, where early dusk mutes the world and the wind carries its own hush, the alpine waters of Caples Lake glimmer under rim-cold skies. At 7,800 feet, this reservoir in California’s High Sierra offers not simply a stay, but a sanctuary — one that its new custodians Mike & Gwen Niccoli have tenderly restored, preserving its historic soul while quietly elevating the experience.
Photography courtesy of: Gwen Niccoli & Caples Lake Resort
Tucked one mile east of Kirkwood along California State Route 88, the resort nestles into a glacial cirque where forested ridges fall into glassy lake margins and every window frames a stirring mountain moment. The Niccolis embraced the resort in June 2023, determined to honor the legacy of the land, its water, and the generations who came before.
From the moment you arrive, you sense the intention: the rustic lodge, the cabins tucked among pines, the lounge that glows softly as snow drifts beyond the windows. Mike and Gwen speak of stewardship — of keeping the family atmosphere alive and making mindful choices to protect the surrounding wilderness.
WHERE HISTORY MEETS HEART
Along Highway 88 near Kirkwood, snow-dusted pines frame a landscape that feels suspended in time. Established in 1939, Caples Lake Resort once served as a cherished waypoint for travelers crossing the historic Mormon Trail during the Gold Rush. Today, under the loving care of Mike and Gwen Niccoli, the property has been reborn — its soul intact, its spirit renewed.
The couple first dreamed of owning the resort decades ago while skiing at nearby Kirkwood. “We would come here for dinner on date nights,” Mike recalls. “It was this special, tucked-away place where everyone knew everyone.” In 2023, they made that dream real — purchasing the long-closed lodge and spending nine months restoring it. Beneath fresh timber and new foundations lies a story of devotion: to heritage, to wilderness, and to the enduring art of hospitality.
“There’s a huge amount of community,” says Gwen. “People who came here in the ’90s are turning around and coming back. Half the time we know everyone in the dining room, because they remember this place as the cool spot to come to.”
THE RESTAURANT RETURNS — AND SO DOES CHEF PETER
Perhaps the most celebrated revival is the Caples Lake Restaurant, once dark for two decades and now alive again with mountain warmth and creativity. Under the direction of Chef Peter O’Keefe, the kitchen quickly earned acclaim across Alpine County, praised for dishes that feel both grounded and artful: eight-hour short ribs with black-garlic jus and sunchoke purée, or a cioppino brimming with chorizo, scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, and smoked trout.
As of December 18, 2025, the resort proudly welcomes Chef Peter back after his enriching experience at the Culinary Institute of America. His return marks the next chapter in the resort’s story — a continuation of excellence, creativity, and heartfelt hospitality.
“The ambiance is awesome, but it’s the food that brings them back,” Gwen shares. “We’ve been so lucky — people leave saying it’s ridiculous how good it is.”
Whether you dine beneath summer’s blue shimmer or winter’s soft white hush, each meal feels cinematic — the kind of view and flavor that linger long after leaving.
Explore menus and reservations: The Restaurant at Caples Lake
STAYING HERE
The resort offers seven cabins and six rooms — intimate, authentic, quietly luxurious without losing its nature-first charm. The lodge and restaurant remain open through both summer and winter, while the marina and store awaken in warmer months with aluminum fishing boats, pontoons, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards.
And when snow blankets the lake, Caples transforms into an alpine haven of skiing, snowshoeing, cross-country trails, and the soft rhythm of life at elevation. Whether in sun or snow, Caples Lake holds an allure that transcends seasons — a place where the rhythm of life follows the land itself.
WINTER BEYOND THE SLOPES
There’s something transcendent about winter on Caples Lake — a stillness that invites both reflection and adventure.
For those willing to embrace the cold, ice fishing here is one of California’s most magical winter pursuits. The lake, rimmed by red cliffs and pine, becomes a glittering field of possibility. Surprisingly, it doesn’t require much gear — just determination, a fishing pole, some bait, an ice auger to cut through the frozen surface, and perhaps a shovel if snow covers the ice.
For visitors needing equipment, Tahoe Fly Fishing Outfitters in nearby South Lake Tahoe offers auger and tackle rentals. But the best way to experience it all is to stay directly on the shore — to wake in your cabin, step into the bright, crisp air, and cross the short distance from hearth to horizon.
Here, beneath the winter sun, time slows. You drill your hole, breathe in the cold, and wait — not just for fish, but for silence to settle around you like snow.
Afterward, thaw beside the fire in the lodge, where laughter mingles with the scent of pine and wood smoke. During Happy Hour (Thursdays & Sundays, 3 PM – 5 PM, Jan 1 – Apr 12, 2026), the glow of camaraderie replaces the mountain chill.
A RESORT ROOTED IN NATURE
Every corner hums with life and legacy. In summer, children run toward the docks for ice cream while parents gather bait and snacks in the marina store — a ritual that has continued through generations. “We’ve got refrigerators full of worms and power bait and a wall full of tackle,” Mike laughs. “Kids love coming in from a day of fishing to get their ice cream.”
Autumn brings community: the Second Annual Kids Fishing Day in September and the resort’s first Oktoberfest, destined to become a local favorite. Weddings now grace the lakeshore — intimate celebrations framed by mountains and reflection.
NATURE, HISTORY & LEGACY
Caples Lake is more than backdrop: once known as Twin Lakes, it was a deep-wilderness waypoint for the Washoe people and later a halting place for wagon travelers during the Gold Rush. Its fjord-like basin at elevation reminds you that you are far from the everyday — surrounded by silence, sky, and the untamed grace of the Sierra.
Mike’s 35 years in mountain operations at Kirkwood lend him a rare respect for snow and structure. Gwen’s background in outdoor education and her Irish warmth infuse every detail with grace. Together, they’ve built not just a business, but a calling — to preserve, protect, and invite others into the serenity they’ve found.
Their story is the soul of Caples itself.
THE SPIRIT OF THE LAKE
They are dreamers who quite literally live with their heads in the clouds — 7,806 feet above sea level, where sky and earth meet in quiet conversation.
Mike and Gwen Niccoli are the kind of mountain souls who don’t just live in nature; they listen to it. As the dedicated stewards of Caples Lake Resort, they’ve taken an off-the-grid marvel — powered by solar arrays and generators, untouched by public utilities — and turned it into a self-sufficient sanctuary that feels both timeless and modern.
Their journey here has been as poetic as the place itself. They renewed their wedding vows on these shores, the gentle lapping of the lake echoing their promise to the land and to each other.
Gwen, one of eleven children born in Ireland, came to the U.S. with an unshakable love for the outdoors and a calling to guide others through it — first as an educator for inner-city youth, later as a river guide and maître d’ at Lake Tahoe’s famed Edgewood. Mike, an adventurer since boyhood, spent his life chasing wild horizons — ski patrol, smoke-jumper, firefighter, fisherman — before devoting 36 years to mountain operations at Kirkwood.
They met on the slopes, fell in love over dinner at the very restaurant they now own, and raised two children, Sloan and Iris, with that same spirit of freedom and resilience. Iris now works alongside them at the resort, continuing a family legacy shaped by love, laughter, and alpine grit.
“Life presents opportunities,” Gwen says. “You just have to take them with open arms.”
And they have. Their restoration of Caples Lake Resort is more than business — it’s an act of devotion.
A return to the kind of living that honors the earth, the water, and the quiet pulse of wilderness.
As Mike reflects, “Caples Lake gets in your soul.”
Here, amid the red cliffs and still waters of the High Sierra, you understand — entirely — what he means.
PLAN YOUR ESCAPE
Caples Lake Resort
1111 CA Hwy 88 • PO Box 88 • Kirkwood, CA 95646
📞 (209) 258-8888 | ✉️ reservations@capleslakeresort.com
🌐 www.capleslakeresort.com
📸 Instagram @capleslakeresort
For lodging, dining, and seasonal updates:
capleslakeresort.com/lodging | capleslakeresort.com/the-restaurant-at-caples-lake
Gwen and Mike Niccoli