What’s New?
Dog Water Springs
Dog Water Springs & Alta Creek
For years, a dry wash stretched from the sidewalk to the walkway in the Alpine Division, picturesque but missing one essential element: water. In the spring of 2025, I decided to bring it to life. The creek bed was carefully lined and connected to our existing water feature, transforming it into a flowing stream that winds through the landscape.
The new Alta Creek runs beneath the walkway through a large drainpipe, which returns the water to the main pond, creating a fully circulating system. Along the way, the stream flows under two historic stone viaducts, originally built in the 2000s for our previous layout—the Sierra & Kettle Valley Railroad. Each bridge section was hand-crafted from over 1,000 individually cut stone bricks, shaped one by one on a tile saw. When we relocated to our current site, two of the three bridge sections were reused to carry the legacy forward.
At the upper end
Dog Water Springs
At the upper end, near the sidewalk
You’ll find Dog Water Springs, a favorite stop for neighborhood dogs who pause for a refreshing drink. The creek below bears the name Alta Creek, in honor of our beloved Rottweiler, Alta.
Zye’s Bait Shop
The Old Water MIll
Adding to the charm, the old water mill
Dog Water Springs, now spins gently in the current, and perched above the twin bridges is Zye’s Bait Shop named after another of our Rottweilers, Zye. It’s the perfect spot for anglers seeking gear to fish the legendary waters teeming with Brook Trout, Golden Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Koi, and Goldfish.
At night, if you listen carefully, you can her the frogs, owls, and a lonely wolf howling in the distance.
Watch it on YouTube
