Tahoe is full for the first time in 11 years, and stunningly beautiful in all its blue-water glory.

In the first three weeks of January alone, the region received nearly a full winter's worth of snow. Then came February, and the Sierra Nevada was slammed yet again with moisture-packed chains of storms fueled by weather systems known as atmospheric rivers or the "Pineapple Express."

By winter's end, the Sierra snowpack was among the largest in recorded history.

And then the hot weather hit, the snow began to melt, sending water pouring down the mountainsides into the lake. 

When the first heat wave of the season hit in mid-June, more than 12 billion gallons of water flowed into the lake in a single week. Between June 16-23, the lake level rose four inches. 

To further understand the significance of a four-inch gain in a week, consider that during the spring snowmelt season in 2015, the lake only rose 2.5 inches over several months.

On July 9, the lake level peaked at 6,229 feet, a hair shy of 6,229.1 feet above sea level, the point when it reaches full capacity. The last time it reached near full capacity was 11 years ago.