Gotcha. I've been up highway 50 through Placerville a couple of times. Nice country up through there, and Lake Tahoe of course, is beautiful. If you've never visited Lassen, it is definitely worth a visit. It is beautiful with its snow capped peaks and alpine lakes and it does not have the crowds that many of California's other national parks do. We always had it pretty much to ourselves up there.
Actually (let me reset my bearings), if your on the north shore side of Lake Tahoe, your probably up highway 80 toward Auburn. I've been up that way a couple of times as well and it's very nice country that direction as well. )