The last time I was there I was told I could leave my car off of the dirt road if I was not able to make it to the parking lot as I had a Mercedes 350 sedan with low profile tires. I still made it but I guess the option is there if you don't feel comfortable.

I once made the mistake in Tahoe in my personal car of trying to avoid highway 50 because they were enforcing chains during the winter, so I took a very steep hill down to what ultimately should have put me en route to highway 80. Well after 2 miles of driving down this road, I came to a locked gate. I put the stick into reverse, no luck, tires spinning. My car is rear wheel drive and technically was never designed not to see pavement. I couldn't do a 3 point turn because the road was too narrow. I got out and put chains on, only to snap one of links. Hence I was stuck. The sun was setting. On the way there, I passed only one cottage which looked like it was closed up for the winter. I had enough water to last me overnight. No cell signal as well. I figured worst case scenario I would break into the cottage for better shelter and leave the owners a note. I tried to fix the chains and was about to call it a day when I spotted a 4Runner coming down the same road with three teenagers. They stopped a few feet away and looked at me holding my chains and a wrench, covered in snow and mud. They looked at my car and were wondering how I ever made it in that thing so far. They said the road was technically not used during the winter but they didn't expect the gate to be locked. Needless to say, they saved my butt. Hitched me up and pulled me out of there back up the steep incline. I vowed never to return to Tahoe during the winter without a 4x4 vehicle since then.