No matter if you’re a “techie” or just a social person, one of the only ways to stay in touch with humanity nowadays is video-conferencing. When you’ve been stuck at home for as long as we have all doing video-chats, things may be getting stale. Luckily, we have something to cure those doldrums a bit… virtual Zoom backgrounds from the High Sierra.
Instead of just providing you these Zoom backgrounds, we thought why not add a little trivia behind them. That way if somebody asks you about it on a call, you can give them the scoop!
Mariposa Grove
It’s no wonder that John Muir started Teddy Roosevelt’s journey to Yosemite in the natural cathedral known as Mariposa Grove. Standing amongst these giants, there’s a sense of awe that even as adults we can admire. As the park remains closed and you’re looking to refresh yourself mentally, emotionally, and maybe even spiritually, check out our ways to enjoy Yosemite and all the other areas of the High Sierra virtually via the following:
Come With Us….On A Virtual Carpet Ride Through The High Sierra
Enjoying High Sierra Virtually From Boating Emerald Bay To Skiing Mammoth
Heavenly Mountain Gondola
In the winter, Heavenly Mountain resort offers 28 chairlifts, 4,800 skiable acres, and the most vertical feet of skiing in Lake Tahoe. And in the summer, it’s home to a myriad of fun activities such as hiking, a mountain coaster, and even a scenic 2.4 mile gondola ride. While Heavenly may be closed until further notice, you can get your Tahoe Fix virtually here.
Also, check out Tahoe South’s post for a few more virtual Lake Tahoe backgrounds
Rainbow Bridge (Donner Memorial Bridge)
An engineering marvel when it was built. The first of its kind. The Donner Memorial Bridge is one of those hidden treasures that you’ll find deep in the High Sierra. To be able to cross the deep creek chasm, the state of California had to build a bridge that curved AND had a grade. Just a short drive from the historic town of Truckee, this is a unique attraction that is well worth the drive once the travel restrictions are lifted. Until then, enjoy it’s beauty as a background on your next video conference.
Thunderbird Lodge
If you’ve ever wondered why the eastern shore of Lake Tahoe is pretty much undeveloped, you can thank Captain George Whittell Jr. While his refusal to pursue development on the 27 miles of shoreline he owned was more from his need for privacy and seclusion rather than intentional conservation, it did help create the natural playground we have today. And in the center of this is his own magnificent summer estate, the Thunderbird Lodge. The historic compound is visible to the south of Sand Harbor and beach visitors can still catch a glimpse of the Thunderbird yacht cruising by on warm summer evenings.
Tunnel Rock
Yabba Dabba Doo! As you drive into Sequoia National Park on the Generals Highway near the Ash Mountain entrance, you’ll come upon the unique natural phenomenon known as Tunnel Rock. It looks like something you’d see in a Flintstones movie. Although the road wraps around it today, you can still see the remnants of the highway which ran beneath it years ago.
For more fun Zoom Virtual Backgrounds, check out Visalia’s blog post featuring eight background from the park and around Visalia.
Again, thank you SO MUCH for staying away and doing your part to keep the High Sierra healthy. As we’ve said before, we’ll be the first to welcome you back to our mountain playground. Until then, stay safe, healthy, and happy.
To save the backgrounds to your computer: Click on the image and right-click to save the image/video.
To add a Virtual Background to Zoom: Go to Preferences > Virtual Background and upload from there. Make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of Zoom to use video backgrounds.
Additional instructions on how to use a Virtual Background on Zoom can be found HERE
Author: Alex Silgalis
Alex founded Local Freshies® in 2014 to be the #1 website providing the “local scoop” on where to eat, drink & play in mountain towns throughout North America. When he’s not writing and executing marketing strategies for small businesses & agencies, he’s in search of the deepest snow in the winter and tackiest dirt in the summer.
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