Tahoe, Lake, a scenic mountain lake on the California-Nevada border. It lies 6,229 feet (1,899 m) above sea level in the Sierra Nevada. The lake, oval in shape, is some 193 square miles (500 km2) in area and 1,644 feet (501 m) deep. It is drained by the Truckee River. Along Lake Tahoe's shore are numerous resort and sport areas; Squaw Valley, site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, is nearby. The lake was discovered by John C. Frémont in 1844.