Step into wellness guru’s blissful Sierra retreat for sale north of Lake Tahoe
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Wellness retreat 'Origin' near Lake Tahoe listed for sale at $2.25 million.
- Property spans 52 acres and includes a main home, guest cabins and pond access.
- Owner hosted retreats for decades, highlighting natural beauty and solitude.
After seven years of searching the West for the perfect place to call home, Northern California author and wellness practitioner Osha Reader stumbled upon her peaceful High Sierra retreat by chance.
“On the way back to the Bay Area, I took a shortcut over Highway 49,” she said in a news release announcing that the rare legacy property is for sale. “Just after crossing Yuba Pass, I noticed a For Sale sign and turned in for a quick look. It was love at first sight.”
For more than 50 years, Reader has lovingly preserved and meticulously maintained her mountain haven on 52 lush acres off scenic Highway 49 in Calpine, California. She purchased the property in 1970.
“The sense of peace and privacy was exactly what I’d been searching for,” Reader said. “I made an offer the very next day and it’s been one of the best decisions of my life.”
Nicknamed Origin, because it lies at the headwaters of the North Fork of the Yuba River, the property just hit the market for $2.25 million.
The residence, located about 48 miles north of Lake Tahoe, blends natural beauty, craftsmanship and comfort. Some of its attraction lies beyond the property line, where crystal-clear alpine lakes await swimming, boating and fishing, and miles of trails provide hiking and biking opportunities — all set against the backdrop of the Sierra Buttes.
“What I didn’t realize when I bought this property was everything else that came with it—the hidden alpine lakes and swimming holes on the Yuba River, the nearby Sierra Hot Springs, the solitude of Sierra County, and proximity to skiing without the crowds of Tahoe,” the owner said.
National Geographic visits
In September 1973, National Geographic magazine featured the property in an article celebrating undiscovered gems of the Lost Sierra, a region of untouched beauty between the Sierra Nevada and Cascasde ranges, according to the news release. The article was titled “Golden Ghosts of the Lost Sierra.”
“I’ve always been enchanted by the wildlife at Origin, especially the deer and owls, and the ducks that came to swim in the pond,” Reader said.
A well-crafted main residence with three bedrooms and two bathrooms is the centerpiece of the compound, which also encompasses two storybook, one-bedroom guest cabins and a one-room sleeping cabin.
The guest cabins were built in the 1950s by Mabel and Frank Delaney, who lived on the property until Frank was in his 80s, according to the news release from Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty.
The Delaneys rented the cabins to families who wanted to fish rainbow trout in the spring-fed, half-acre pond known as Delaney’s Trout Fishing Lake, according to Reader.
“Sometimes old-timers still stop by to say they were brought here by their parents to fish,” Reader said.
Expansive windows in the main home offer forest, meadow and water views. The chef’s kitchen is well-appointed with double ovens, a pantry, oversized refrigerator and a maple butcher-block island. The kitchen opens into a living room with vaulted ceilings, a stone hearth and wood-burning stove.
Rich, handcrafted details — wool carpeting, Portuguese tile, vintage stained glass and custom woodwork made by yacht craftsmen — carry throughout the home.
“Some of the stained glass dates back to the 1800s,” Reader said.
Wellness wing
The primary suite is a quiet retreat spotlighted by redwood detailing, cedar-lined closets and a sleeping loft.
There’s also a guest/study with built-in shelves and clerestory windows and a flexible family/guest room with loft.
Reader’s dedicated wellness wing is like a luxury spa, with a teak hot tub, cedar sauna, massage area and indoor pool that accesses a sunny deck overlooking the pond and meadows. The space is “perfect for sunrise yoga, afternoon lounging, or evening stargazing,” according to the news release.
The teak hot tub is Reader’s favorite feature in the whole house.
“I found it at a custom woodcraft store in San Francisco, and the house was built around it,” she said. “In the evenings, I love settling in with the lights dimmed, watching the daylight fade from the sky. It’s incredibly peaceful.”
Barbara Hartley and Brit Crezee of Sierra Sotheby’s International Realty are the listing agents.
More features of the main residence include:
▪ Radiant heat flooring
▪ Central vacuum system
▪ Wine storage
▪ Two hot water tanks
▪ Laundry and utility rooms
▪ Two backup generators
▪ Custom window treatments.
Origin has been a place of connection and healing for Reader and others.
“I set up a nonprofit organization and hosted year-round wellness retreats here for almost 50 years,” she said. “The property is beloved by so many people who have gathered here over the years.”
