Mountains

CARSON CITY — TravelNevada debuts five summer experiences in five Nevada territories, encouraging travelers to follow ancient Basque pilgrimages, traverse ghosts towns, explore alpine lakes and rock formations, practice mindfulness and view meteor showers from one of the last remaining dark skies.

Elaine and I just returned from an unforgettable trip to the Kilcher Homestead near Homer, Alaska. The Kilcher Family has been featured for many years on the Discovery Channel, TV series "Alaska: The Last Frontier."

MINDEN — Douglas County is currently recruiting for a highly-qualified, motivated, visionary leader with solid leadership, organizational, and financial skills to fill the role of County Manager. This position is at-will and serves at the pleasure of the Board of County Commissioners. Larry Werner, the current county manager, announced that he will be retiring in August.

The morning after the Fourth of July one year, a dog showed up at our back door; a shaking, frightened and forlorn black labrador.

In the mountains east of Lake Tahoe, visitors may notice some aspen trees have been defoliated due to an influx of invasive white satin moths.

Independence Day isn’t until Wednesday, but the red, white, and blue celebration starts now. For a complete listing of upcoming Independence Day events and fireworks displays in the area, you can go HERE. See the trains under steam at the Nevada State Railroad and ride the rails to your heart’s content.

The Fourth of July is one of America’s great landmark holidays, celebrating our nation's independence. It is also a perfect time to enjoy National Forest System lands. However, it is vitally important that all users be aware that possessing, igniting, discharging, or using any kind of fireworks is prohibited on public lands.

The annual Pony Express Re-ride, a re-enactment of the original Pony Express Route that spanned nearly 2,000 miles passing through what are now seven western states, is returning to Carson City this Thursday.

It’s going to be a breezy weekend, so you may want to rethink spending the day at the lake. Luckily, plenty of options are available just about anywhere you are. Carson City has a car show and Brewfest hitting the downtown corridor, and to the south, Minden and Gardnerville are having their party of the year: Carson Valley Days. It’s World Doll Day at the Nevada State Museum with special displays, activities, and a special performance by the local Young Chautauquans.

CARSON CITY — With the passage of the National Trails System Act on June 2, 1968, America received an incredible gift: The creation and protection of extraordinary trails to discover, explore, and connect with nature. With approximately 2,485 miles of national trails throughout the Silver State, the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is excited to “wear our hearts on our backpacks” as we join the country in celebrating five decades of the National Trails System.

It is time to gather up the family and gear and head to your favorite recreation spot. Memorial Day weekend is the kick off for the summer, and traditionally it is a very busy weekend on the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Forest visitors can enjoy biking, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, and many more recreations activities this summer.

Nancy Clarke of Carson City is one of two Nevada Artists Association members who's art is being featured in the NAA Gallery at the capital city's Brewery Arts Center.

It’s going to be a chili weekend, and that has nothing to do with the weather. The annual Chili on the Comstock Competition takes over the tiny town of Virginia City, including a saloon crawl Saturday and the hilarious ‘Fun with the Runs’ 5K. Families will have a hard time choosing between the Cops and Kids Open House and Safety Fair at the Sheriff’s Office and the ‘Kids to Parks’ Day activities at Silver Saddle Ranch. Keep reading, and I apologize in advance for throwing so many great options your way.

SATURDAY:  

We’re in for another gray day, but that won’t affect the fun to be had. Bike to Work Week always ends in a big bash. Head down to McFadden Plaza, even if you didn’t take the challenge personally. You’ll find live music, raffles, bike games, and too much fun. Western Nevada Musical Theater Company returns for another weekend of Singin’ in the Rain at the Bob Boldrick Theater. Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours are waiting to entertain you at the Brewery Arts Center. There may be some balcony seating still available, but tickets are very limited.

Next month's third annual Carson City Off-Road mountain bike event will feature a concert lineup of bands that is sure to rock the capital city, including the internationally-acclaimed, genre-breaking force of MarchFourth Marching Band.

Spring has finally arrived and it's that wonderful time again for the annual Silver Saddle Ranch Open House. Located in southeast Carson City off of Carson River Road, the working ranch encompasses 703 acres that run along the east and west bank of the Carson River.

Hold onto your hat, Carson City, we’re in for one heck of a weekend. It’ll be cowboy hats and pioneer bonnets in Genoa for Western Heritage Day. Keep an eye out for Mark Twain, plenty of music, and fun for all. Leis are the preferred accessory for Lei Day at the Nevada State Museum where you’ll be treated to Polynesian surprises and free admission. With three local theater groups performing this weekend, you’re sure to find a performance that’s right up your alley. Read on and be prepared to be bombarded with options.

SATURDAY:     

Join us for a beautiful seven-mile hike, with five water crossings and stunning views, on Genoa Canyon Trail in Carson Valley. This hike begins with a 1300 ft elevation gain and ends with a 1300 ft elevation drop. The highest elevation on the trail is 6140 ft. The trail’s first two miles includes uphill switchbacks, then continues 3 miles south across the face of the mountains, and finally back down two miles of steep switchbacks to Carson Street in Genoa.

The projects are piling high like the snow on the summit of the Sierra Mountains. You are suffocated. You can’t breathe. The air is thin. There’s too much to do and no time to do it. You’ve hit overwhelm and you shut down. You Netflix and chill or find some way to forget about it, just making the matter worse. The pile gets bigger the more time you don’t tend to it, which just makes the overwhelm worse.

Join Sarah Hockensmith of the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) as she introduces you to the diverse landscapes of the Tahoe region from lake level to the tops of the mountains.

The presentation will cover how different flower, tree, bird, and mammal species adapt as they go up in elevation and what unique creatures you can find around specific elevations in the area.

Children 9 and under must be accompanied by a caregiver of at least 13 years of age at all times.

Tahoe's Natural Diversity: Lake Edge to Summit

Nevada Department of Wildlife game wardens recently wrapped up a complicated year-long investigation into the poaching of a large male black bear in the spring of 2017, resulting in formal charges being filed in Dayton Justice Court March 28 by the Lyon County District Attorney’s Office.

With soggy weather here, some cancellations are inevitable. One thing you can count on, however, is the monthly Downtown Business Association’s wine walk; it’s a rain, shine, or blizzard event. Stay dry and well-fed with the Kiwanis annual BINGO Spaghetti Feed at the Carson Senior Center. The Brewery Arts Center hosts some pretty amazing vocalists for their newest fundraiser, ‘Evening with the Divas.’ Keep reading for even more Carson City, Carson Valley, and Dayton options.
SATURDAY:

Meet at the Moffat Open Space parking area on Hell’s Bells Road and Parkhill Drive. The hike to Pine Nut Mountains was originally scheduled but it has been CHANGED to the Mexican Ditch Trail. Water and sturdy boots or athletic shoes required. No elevation involved, flat dirt trail.

For Omar Garza, the Mount Wilson Observatory in Southern California was his torch for becoming passionate about astronomy and cosmology.

Artist Bobbie Ann Howell grew up in picturesque Lee Canyon, a small community nestled in the Spring Mountains northwest of Las Vegas.

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Commission on Off-Highway Vehicles has awarded $1,290,293 to 28 off-highway vehicle projects and initiatives in Nevada.

Opponents of Nevada’s plan to give away more than publicly owned, free range horses in the mountains east of Reno are cranking up the legal, political and financial pressure against the plan.

After a successful inaugural year raising more than $26,000 for trails, the second-annual Epic Rides “Hail the Trail” fundraiser will launch March 1 with a goal of raising $40,000 by raffling off four high-performance mountain bikes worth $6,000 each.

CARSON CITY — University of Nevada Cooperative Extension and the Nevada Section of the Society for Range Management are now accepting applications for the Nevada Youth Range Camp to be held June 17-23 in central Nevada’s Desatoya Mountains. Applications must be submitted by April 27.

Better late than never.

Snow has blanketed the Eagle Valley at last this winter, providing peaceful snowscapes around the Nevada state capital.