We first met Lorrie Pompei and her husband, John Pompei, in 2021. While the rest of the world was shut down, Tahoe Short-Term Rentals were heating up. With the ability to work and attend school remotely, visitors flocked to the lake hoping to escape the constant barrage of bad news and, instead, take in the fresh mountain air, some backcountry skiing, and an entirely different perspective from 6500’. 

Three years later, we strapped on our snowshoes and headed up the trail for an interview with Lorrie to see how things have changed and what new adventures we can expect from our favorite outdoor Xperience partner, Navigating the Wild.

TX: It’s so great to catch up with you again finally! How’s life at the lake these days?

LP:  Life at the lake is always dreamy. It’s an outdoor playground. As an avid outdoorswoman, you can find me most days on the trails, in the stillness amongst the trees, or on the water, appreciating everything Tahoe has to offer. 

However, the last couple of years have been unpredictable with the Caldor Fire, the intense snowfall last year, and minimal snowfall so far this year. The great news is with the right gear, one can enjoy every day of the year here.   

TX: Navigating the Wild offers several different experiences. Tell me what adventures are available for the coming year.

LP:  We are always ready to create an experience around our many offerings, from paddle boarding and kayaking to hiking and earthing yoga.  However, the Snowshoe hikes and Full Moon Hikes have always been the most requested and enjoyed.

TX: I loved our snowshoe hike up Chickadee Ridge. Is that the most popular hike you offer? 

LP:  It is the most popular. Although, we have added a few other locations, all in the North Lake Tahoe area. When a request comes in, we assess the number of people, skill level, and experience in the region. From that, we make recommendations, and they make the final choice. No matter where we end up going, the experience is always magical.

TX: You may recall the time when I showed up for a hike less than prepared, and your safety team had to intervene. (Ahem) Tell me a bit about the safety precautions when out on an experience.

LP:  We provide the equipment and send a message to our guests requesting that they come prepared along with a list of what is needed to prepare for an outing in the outdoors.  With that, we always come prepared to outfit someone in the event they do not come prepared.   

We also have a Safety Lead. His name is Spike Wimmer and he is a Wilderness First Responder and Wilderness EMT, also a Volunteer Medic with Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue.  Lastly, he holds an AIARE Certification and is a Medic for Big Blue Adventures.  He has us covered and will be ready to serve in any scenario where needed.  

TX: NTW is also a Coaching and Leadership Development Company. Can you speak to that segment of your business and how coaching and leadership tie into outdoor experiences?

LP:  Upon making Tahoe our full-time home, I have been a leadership coach of 20+ years working with leaders and teams.  After COVID, we made the decision to bring our love of the outdoors and people development together and created Navigating the Wild LLC.  With the benefits of spending time in nature, it seemed fitting to combine the external world of nature and its elements to the internal world of leadership development.  We have worked with many teams in and out of the classroom, all focusing on personal development and leadership.  

TX: Thanks for getting me out on the trail! I live here and I still get inspired every time I have the chance to go on this hike. There really is no place like Tahoe.