Ann is looking for a good hill climb that is close enough to Reno to hit after work. People disparage Peavine as being ugly, but we enjoy a steep climb and the dreamy charm of desert hills at twilight. Peavine Hill Climb Peavine Dusk High Point Reno Lights

I’m eager to see more of the Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak wilderness, and another volunteer named Mike offers to join me. I warn him that I’m considering some bushwhacking, and he tackles it gamely, even when it turns out to be a LOT of bushwhacking. Our first climb to a ridge up a steep sage-covered slope…

To celebrate National Public Lands Day I join a friends of Nevada wilderness trip to improve some trail in the Santa Rosa mountains north of Winemucca. I’m curious what these mountains will be like. From a distance they appear to be treeless. On the dusty drive in, the road dust seems to make pools in…

On the first of two friends of nevada wilderness trips celebrating national public lands day, we head for the Black Rock desert after Ann gets off work on Friday. Arriving on the playa at night is intimidating. Aside from the occasional orange cone, nothing shows up in the headlights except flat white playa. We can’t…

Castle Peak rises just northeast of the intersection of Interstate 80 and the Pacific Crest Trail. We figure it will make a good day hike, but thunderstorms get there before we do. Of course we see many interesting things anyway, including a couple of insects I haven’t seen before: a mourning cloak butterfly and a…

A few people we’ve met while hiking in the Carson pass area have recommended the Thunder Mountain hike, so we decide to try the loop variation of it. This is a definitely a more developed area with campgrounds, roads, and the Kirkwood ski area, but we’re won over by the views and interesting cobblestone rock…

We liked last week’s Round Top hike so much that we invite our friend Grace and her friend Sharli return there with us to hike the scenic loop. The flowers are starting to fade a bit, and with them the mosquitoes, but there’s still plenty of life on display. The curiosity of our guests spurs…