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October 31, 2005
More Fall Colors to Behold
This past Friday was Nevada Day, a day when we celebrate our statehood. What better way to honor our state than to appreciate its natural beauty?! I (with 6 month old fetus in tow in my belly) went with a friend, who had her 16 month old daughter in a backpack. We tried out the Galena Creek Trail (to access, take Mt. Rose Highway to Callahan, turn South, and follow Callahan until it dead ends).
This trail had a nice, gradual slope, was was perfect for both of us, considering the "loads" we were bearing. The Fall leaves were amazing, and the weather was perfect -- not too hot, and not too cold.
This really is one of the best times to hike in the Reno-Tahoe area. Come see for yourself!
Posted by AdventureGrrl at 03:35 PM | Comments (0)
October 25, 2005
Discover Twin Falls Above Fallen Leaf Lake
(Modjeska Falls)
(Assembly Hall at Glen Alpine Springs)
In Nevada, where water is such a precious commodity, it is always a special treat to stumble on a waterfall--even if it's just over the border in California.
Two of the more accessible and scenic waterfalls in this region are Big Falls, also known as Lower Glen Alpine Falls, and Modjeska Falls, which is also called Upper Glen Alpine Falls.
Both of these falls are part of the Glen Alpine Creek system, a snow melt and spring-fed stream that flows into Fallen Leaf Lake and eventually into Lake Tahoe via Taylor Creek.
Fallen Leaf Lake is a picturesque body of water that rivals Lake Tahoe in beauty. In fact, if not for a fluke of nature, namely a small stretch of land that separates Fallen Leaf from Tahoe, the area could easily have been another Emerald Bay.
Fallen Leaf Lake is located five miles west of Highway 89, immediately north of Camp Richardson on Lake Tahoe's southwest shore. A marked and paved road is located directly across the highway from the entrance to the U.S. Forest Service Visitors Center and Tallac Historic Site.
The U.S. Forest also operates a developed camping area at the northeast end of Fallen Leaf Lake. The entrance to the 206-unit campground, which is open from May to October, is located about a quarter of a mile north of Fallen Leaf Lake Road, off Highway 89.
The drive from the highway to the lake is pleasant, passing through large pine trees. About three miles from the turn-off, you travel by a lovely aspen grove and open meadow, both of which are spectacular in the fall, when the aspen leaves have turned gold.
The road narrows as it reaches the east end of the lake and, after passing into a residential area, you catch your first glimpse of the lake. As you drive, you can see incredible scenery, including Cathedral Peak at the southern shoulder of Mount Tallac, which rises over the lake, its 9,785-foot crown reflected in the lake's crystal waters.
I think it is the mirror effect of Fallen Leaf Lake that makes the view so remarkable. Rather than enclosing the lake, the reflection of the surrounding mountains seems to enlarge the scene.
While much of the lake is private property, you can continue to drive to the lake's west end where, in the summer months, Fallen Leaf Lodge offers accommodations and a marina. In the winter, the lodge is closed but you can park and enjoy the marvelous views.
About a half mile from the end of the road, which comes to a dead end, you can turn west on another narrow, paved road, lined by large log railings.
This road leads to Lily Lake, a trailhead for hiking into the Desolation Wilderness and to the pair of waterfalls. Frankly, even if Fallen Leaf Lake didn't exist, the waterfalls would be worth a visit. The joyous, rolling waves of falling water are an impressive and unexpected sight.
The first waterfall you reach, before arriving at Lily Lake, is aptly named Big Falls, a 75-foot spill that cascades over rock slabs that resemble steps.
While the falls aren't nearly as large as 500-foot Horsetail Falls, located at the south end of the Desolation Wilderness and visible from Highway 50 near Twin Bridges, they are, nonetheless, impressive and beautiful.
You can park off the road here and hike down to the base of the waterfall. From the top, the view of the rapidly cascading water as it falls down the lush canyon is noteworthy. Across the creek, you can also see private homes owned by people fortunate enough to be able to look out on the waterfall any time they want.
The road continues west, paralleling Glen Alpine Creek, for another mile or so to Lily Lake. Opposite the creek, parallel to the road, is a jumbled mountainside of loose boulders and stones, wonderful for casual rock hopping.
A concrete bridge marks the end of the driving portion of the road. On the north side of the bridge, you can park and hike a short distance to Lily Lake, a small but photogenic lake literally cupped in the mountains.
The main Glen Alpine Trail leads northwest from here into the Desolation Wilderness and onto Glen Alpine Springs, an historic mineral spring resort, located about a mile west.
An easy half-mile walk from Big Falls is Modjeska Falls, a smaller but equally scenic spillway. Here, you'll find picturesque craggy cliffs surrounding a robust 30-foot waterfall. A trail leads to the base of the falls.
Modjeska Falls is named after Madame Helena Modjeska, a famous Polish actress of the late 19th century who performed at Glen Alpine Springs in 1885. Those who attended the show were so taken with her performance that they named the nearby falls in her honor.
Continuing past Modjeska Falls, it's only another half-mile or so to Glen Alpine Springs. Nathan Gilmore discovered the namesake mineral springs, originally called Soda Springs, here in 1863.
In 1884, Gilmore developed a renowned resort, which included a 16-room hotel, around the restorative powers of the springs. He also began bottling and selling the spring's water.
A fire destroyed most of the original buildings in 1921 but the resort was rebuilt two years later using designs by famed architect Bernard Maybeck, who also designed San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts.
Maybeck and his family summered at Glen Alpine Springs, so he was willing to help rebuild the resort following the fire. Between 1921 and 1929, he prepared plans for some ten buildings; four of which were actually built and remain in use today.
The Maybeck buildings include the Assembly Hall, the Kitchen building, a Dining Hall and the Bubblestone Cabin, an experimental concrete building that is considered one-of-a-kind. The buildings are noteworthy because of their extensive use of native materials, particularly local stone.
Glen Alpine Springs Resort closed in the 1960s and was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service in the 1970s. Today, a non-profit organization manages the property and helps to preserve the buildings.
For more information about Glen Alpine Springs, contact the Historical Preservation of Glen Alpine Springs, Inc., P.O. Box 694, Glen Ellen, CA 95442, 707-996-6354, gasprings.org--Richard Moreno
Posted by Rich Moreno at 12:14 PM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2005
Another fall weekend in Reno
I can't believe how blessed I am to live in this area - this is truly America's Adventure Place! This weekend was another fun fall weekend. We hiked Snow Flower Peak on Saturday with a friend. We drove to Timberline Road, then followed the dirt road all the way up to Thomas Creek and started our hike at the Mount Rose Wilderness trailhead.
We were planning to do the entire hike to the trop of Mount Rose, but since we started at noon, we soon realized that we wouldn't have time to make it all the way up.
But reaching the top of Snow Flower was perfect! The view of Boca and Stampede on one side, and Reno on the other - was incredible! And again, the fall colors... just so beautiful!
We drank mate (green tea from South America), relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of the Sierras. Of course, we finished the hike in the dark - but it was so worth it, we didn't mind it at all!
On Sunday we went mountain biking and took some friends with us who haven't done much moutain biking -- so we took it easy. We had a blast! We did the Whites Creek-Thomas Creek loop again. I just can't stay away from this trail -- it's the coolest single track only 15 minutes from my house! Here's a picture of our group:
This is me pretending to be working hard...
And this is my friend Carolina, smiling at the camera:
Posted by tele girl at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)
October 19, 2005
Nissan Xterra USA Championship Series Triathlon
This is Adventure Grrl, back to report about a truly insane event that happens on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe every year. On October 2, my brother, Greg, completed the Nissan Xterra USA Championship triathlon. The course, which is considered the toughest and most scenic in the Nissan Xterra Championship Series, combined a 1 mile swim in Lake Tahoe (which was 60 degrees and had white caps the day of the race), a 22 mile mountain bike ride that clumbed 2,500 feet in the Sierras, and a 6.2 mile run.
Greg said that something like 50 swimmers were pulled out of the water that day because the water was so rough. It was a windy, cloudy, and rainy day up at the lake. Luckily, my brother didn't have to be pulled out of the water. Instead, he went on to a strong finish, despite having a cold and a touch of the stomach flu (hence, he didn't eat anything the morning of the race).
Wow. Pure insanity, but the man is a machine. Any person that can complete this race is a machine! I mean, regular triathlons are tough, but this one adds in extreme mountain biking and trail running. I'm amazed.
Pics of my bro below... What's next, Greg? The Ironman?!
This portion of the bike was so steep that it was mandatory to walk your bike.
And here he is running across the finish line, with his 4 year old son cheering him on!
Posted by AdventureGrrl at 09:59 AM | Comments (1)
October 17, 2005
Fall Colors
Wow, Tele Girl is back after so long! The summer went by too fast, but I have to say that I had a great time - lots of camping in the Sierras, swimming in Lake Tahoe, playing beach volleyball at Kings Beach -- and a six-week long backpacking trip through Europe -- what an amazing summer!
This weekend my hubby and I decided to go for a mountain bike ride and enjoy the fall colors. We did Thomas Creek on Saturday and Whites Creek on Sunday. The single track was awesome, especially right next to the creeks (Thomas Creek and Whites Creek). If you've never been there, you'll have to check it out!
Here's a picture of me sitting down by the creek, enjoying the fall colors.
Posted by tele girl at 12:03 PM | Comments (0)
Date Night in Downtown Reno
The hubby and I have been extra busy lately, not leaving nearly enough time for fun in our lives. That is why on Saturday night, I declared Date Night, full of surprises for the hubs.
We started off at the Siena Spa, where we were treated to a couples massage. What a better way to relax together?! The spa is open until 9:00 pm, so we were able to get their last appointment of the day as a start for our date.
The Siena has a great atmosphere, and some of the best masseuses in town. Before and after our treatments, we lounged in robes in the Serenity room. It was a piece of heaven on earth.
After our massages, we then headed to The Chocolate Bar, a new, hip hang-out located at Arlington and California Streets in Downtown Reno. The hubby ordered a white chocolate almond truffle to go with his white chocolate amaretto drink, while I enjoyed a milk chocolate caramel truffle and a white chocolate peppermint hot drink. The bar is a fun blend of a bar, cafe and a candy shop. I highly recommend it for an after-dinner stop. But don't make that after-dinner stop too late, as the Chocolate Bar closes around 9:30 pm.
Once we got our chocolate fixes, we headed out to 3rd Street Blues, which is a newly opened and redecorated blues club located on 3rd Street by the Eldorado. The band of the night was Uncle Funkle, a well known local band, that dazzles us with subdued blues, featuring a saxaphone player that played both the alto and soprano sax at the same time.
Once Uncle Funkle went on break, we strolled along the Truckee River Riverwalk until we came upon EJ's Jazz Cafe. The featured band was a lovely jazz quartet (the name escapes me), featuring a full size bass (the old fashioned kind!), a keyboardist, a drummer and a saxophone player. They nailed John Coltrane's version of My Favorite Things, and offered a rather romantic setting for our last stop on our date. EJ's also has a very unique wine list, with older and hard-to-find wines. The hubby enjoyed a glass of Bogle Phantom, which was a very full-bodied and unique petite sirah.
Overall, I'd proclaim Date Night as a success. I think that we may have to do this more often!
Posted by AdventureGrrl at 11:43 AM | Comments (1)
Get Natural at Oxbow Nature Study Area
A string of ducks--a mother and three, fuzzy offspring--swim upriver in a line, each weaving perfectly to the movement of the one ahead.
Tall cottonwoods and willows provide a shaded and protected habitat for ducks, geese, herons, muskrats, kestral falcons, doves, beavers, squirrels and other creatures not usually seen in the rapidly developing Truckee Meadows.
The setting is the Oxbow Nature Study Area, a unique wildlife and plant preserve located on the Truckee River at the end of Dickerson Road in west Reno. To reach the area, drive west on Second Street, past Keystone Avenue, then turn left on Dickerson Road.
The study area is dedicated to preserving the plant and animal life once found in plentiful supply in the Truckee Meadows. To that end, visitors can wander on more than two miles of trails marked with interpretive signs.
Many first time visitors to the Oxbow Area think they're heading in the wrong direction since Dickerson Road passes aging warehouses, apartments and a large trailer park complex. But at the road's end, is a parking lot that is the beginning of the nature area.
The refuge serves as a peaceful retreat from the hustle of everyday life. The path to the right of the parking area is a good place to begin a visit since it includes an elevated wooden platform that affords an overview of the entire park.
Interpretive signage explains a variety of things, including, the Truckee River system, the river's water flow, the purposes of a beaver lodge, the native flora and fauna and how the "riparian" habitat nurtures certain types of plants and animals.
The main trail continues west through small groves of tall trees and grassy open areas that contain many of the elements that make the area's environment so unique--such as sagebrush growing adjacent to thick cottonwoods. The path winds through the jungle-thick vegetation, which includes wormwood, horsetails, poison hemlock, stinging nettles, cattails, bulrush and wild rose. If you look closely, you can even find giant mushrooms growing at the base of some of the plants.
Interpretive signs explaining such things as how cottonwoods can get sick (e.g. beavers can chew them up, which is why so many trees in the area have chicken wire around their base).
A few wooden benches along the way provide places to relax, listen to the soothing sounds of the bubbling Truckee River and contemplate the beautiful surroundings. Tucked into the overgrowth are several marked marsh and pond areas, home to a variety of waterfowl. Cattails and grass indicate their locations.
Guided nature walks of the area are conducted regularly with various area schools. The public is invited to join any of the school tours. For more information about scheduled tours contact the Reno Parks and Recreation Department, 775-334-3808.
--Richard Moreno
Posted by Rich Moreno at 11:28 AM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2005
Shelly Robertson Blogging from Switzerland
The Reno-Tahoe Blog will occasionally feature entries from athletes sponsored by Reno-Tahoe, America's Adventure Place. Shelly Robertson, who lives in Reno, is a member of the U.S. Ski Team, and was the 2004 U.S. dual moguls champion.
Hope you all are having a great Fall! I was in Reno the past couple of weeks and it was really nice to be home! I was training hard everyday, a little bit in the gym, but mostly outside because the Fall weather was perfect; lots of running in the mountains, playing tennis, riding my bike and BBQ's with my friends.
Now I'm in Switzerland for the next two weeks training in Zermatt. It's my first time here and it is amazing. Emiko and I are staying right in the center of town in the cutest little apartment that looks right up at the Matterhorn - so beautiful. Everyday, we take one gondola and two trams to get to the top where there is a glacier and a course set up. The last couple of days have been blue bird so we are very happy! Also, a bunch of European teams are here training as well so it has been nice to mix up the scene, as well as the coaching.
Anyway, thanks everyone for all of the emails and support- it means a lot to me! Hopefully we will be skiing in Mammoth soon after my return home!
Shelly Robertson
Posted by AdventureGrrl at 03:41 PM | Comments (0)
Jay Kincaid On Kayaking and More
The Reno-Tahoe Blog will occasionally feature entries from athletes sponsored by Reno-Tahoe, America's Adventure Place. Jay Kincaid, professional kayaker, has been paddling over half of his lifetime, and is back to blog about his life as a professional kayaker living in Reno, NV. As 2003 Freestyle Kayaking World Champion, 2001 U.S. National Champion and three-time U.S. Point Series Champion, Jay is the most proud of the many first descents he's done on rivers and waterfalls in his native Oregon and in California.
It has been hard to match the great time that I had on the Gauley a week ago. I had a session on the Sout Fork of the American River the other day though that was at least as fun as any in the last couple of months. First threat was at around 1400 which makes for a really top notch hole. You ever see a fat boy fly? Huge air loops, air back loops, tricky woos, back loops linked into tricky woos, clean cartwheels, blunts, and just flat getting nasty. Man, I love this game, and it is a whole lot more fun in the boat called Super Star!
Lucky for all of us Reno folk, we seem to have a bunch more water this year then last. This means that as soon as the canals are shut down we should have close to 500cfs here in town. Not bad. Lately though, and until that happens, I have been spending lots of time up at Floriston playing at all my little play spots. Not so top notch, but a lot better then nothing.
I got back from a short trip to Colorado yesterday. I am working with the McLaughlin Design Group and we are working hard to get a white water park built in Eagle. So, the day was spent meeting with some town officials and examining some potential job sites. This is a project that I am very excited about and am optimistic that will turn out to be on of Colorado's best.
Today I am getting all of camping and hunting gear packed up because tomorrow morning I am off on a two week long bird hunting trip.
These trips are something I really love, but it is always a bit weird for me because as much as I love it, it kills me to not be on the river. I can be having the time of my life doing something other then kayaking, but I am always thinking about kayaking.
So, in two weeks I will be back in my boat and hopefully seeing a bunch of you on the water.
Jay Kincaid
Posted by AdventureGrrl at 02:50 PM | Comments (0)
October 09, 2005
Hike Through the Trees at Galena Creek Park
Despite boasting a picturesque creek, beautiful trees and some spectacular views, Galena Creek Park is often overlooked by both locals and visitors to the Reno-Tahoe area.
Encompassing 440 acres, the park, which is operated by Washoe County, is a great spot to spend a day enjoying nature at its finest--without having to drive very far from Reno.
Galena Creek Park is located off the Mount Rose Highway (State Route 431), about six miles west of U.S. 395.
Washoe County acquired the land for the park in 1931. Named for a mining town that once existed a few miles to the east, the area was originally part of the Galena mining district.
The word, "galena," derives from the type of lead sulfide rock that was found with the gold mined in the district.
Later, the town of Galena (off what today is Callahan Ranch Road) became an important lumber center, boasting 11 sawmills by 1863, as well as stores, hotels, a court, school, homes and, of course, saloons.
Disastrous fires in 1865 and 1867 destroyed the town, which was abandoned after the second conflagration.
Ironically, floods have had more to do with shaping the face of the Galena area. Over the years, snow melts in late winter and early spring or flash floods in late summer produced "wet mantle" flood, (sometimes as high as 10-feet) which are sheets of water pouring down the mountainside.
The result of such floods can be seen in the mounds of rocks and boulders found scattered around the park.
With its groves of White Fir and Jeffrey and Ponderosa pines, the park is a wooded sanctuary that rises from a high desert, sagebrush vegetation zone to the more heavily wooded alpine environment.
At the lower elevations, there are shrubs like Bitterbrush, Manzanita and clumps of twisted Mountain Mahogany. Animal life includes a wide variety of birds, such as jays and hawks, as well as an occasional black bear and mountain lion (although both are rarely seen).
The park also encompasses several beautiful creeks, including its namesake, Galena Creek. The easiest and most accessible hike is the Bitterbrush Trail, which stretches from the north picnic area (the first turn-off into the park when driving west from Reno or Carson City) to the south picnic area.
The trail wanders about a quarter of a mile through the pines before reaching the sturdy wooden bridge that spans Galena Creek. This is a particularly beautiful place to observe the rapidly rushing water tumbling over the smooth rocks.
North of the Galena Creek Bridge is a Nature Trail that winds up the hillside to a variety of local flora and fauna. An informational brochure available at the park describes the rich natural history of the area and points out native plants, including tobacco brush, willows, manzanita and mistletoe.
Visitors often wonder about the huge concrete blocks supported rusted metal boxes that can be seen along the trail. These are actually old camping stoves placed there in the 1940s when the girl scouts had a camp there. The campers would put charcoal into the box and heat pots and pans on top.
More challenging hiking can be found on the Jones Creek-White's Creek Loop Trail (9.2 miles roundtrip) and the Black's Canyon Trail. Both are considerably more challenging than the lower trails but offer some of the best views found in the park.
The Jones Creek-White Creek Trail, which can take six to eight hours to complete, winds all the way up the side of the mountain and ends at Church's Pond.
The Galena Creek Park, is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day, with more limited hours during the rest of the year. There is no use fee at the park.
Additionally, the park has 68 individual picnic sites, available on a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as two group picnic areas, which can be reserved in advance. No woodcutting or private campfires are permitted.
A couple of years ago, the county restored an historic stone building at the park's south entrance. Known as the Galena Creek Park Stone House, it contains a visitor center filled with historic photos and displays describing the history of the area as well as the geology, plant and animal life. It is open from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
For more information call 775-849-2511 or go to www.washoecountyparks.com
-Richard Moreno
Posted by Rich Moreno at 06:48 PM | Comments (0)
October 05, 2005
Geocaching in Reno: High Tech Treasure Hunt
It's easy to get hooked on geocaching. Recently, I purchased a GPS (Global Positioning System) unit, which is the electronic device tht guides you to a geocache, and decided to see what I could find in my own backyard.
If you're not familiar with it, geocaching is a relatively new sport that involves using a GPS unit to search for a metal or plastic container (known as a cache) that is filled with inexpensive trinkets. The person that stashes the cache in some hidden place lists the location coordinates on the official geocaching website, www.geocaching.com. Other folks try to find the cache, using their GPS unit as a guide.
Geocaching etiquette is that if you find something in the cache that you want to take, you should replace it with some other trinket. There is also a logbook in each cache for you to record the date of your find and any other remarks or observations.
The challenge in geocaching is that most GPS devices are only accurate to around six to 20 feet of the coordinates and that the person or organization that hid the cache probably put it somewhere that is not always obvious or easy to see.
To date, I have only gone on a half-dozen geocaching expeditions with my new toy, so I'm no expert on this new game. In fact, on our latest, my daughter and I actually failed to find the cache we were searching for.
The way it works is fairly simple. I went to the geocaching website and began looking for geocaches within a mile of my house. A dozen or so sites in the vicinity of Huffaker Hills in Reno quickly popped up on the screen. The cache names were intriguing and had names like: II can see where I used to live from here, Reno High Roller, The Riddlers Lair, and Indiana Jones Fortress of Doom.
The latter was not only about a half of a mile from my house but also had the coolest sounding name or so my ten year old daughter thought. So, we decided to make that our first geocache. We looked up the Fortress of Doom site on the computer. The site was thorough, offering comments from folks who had previously found it as well as a nice photo of the Fortress of Doom, which overlooks south Reno.
We inputted the site coordinates into the GPS unit, and embarked on our journey. My daughter kept on eye on the GPS, barking out directions, like, Go east now, Dad. and telling me our distance. We finally parked at the base of a big hill located behind a new condominium project in South Reno. The GPS indicated that the Fortress was straight up the hill.
We began to climb through the sagebrush and tall grass. The terrain soon became rockier, dustier and steeper. The GPS prompted us still farther up the hill. Eventually, we could see a wall of dark rocks in a semi circle near the top. We could see it was the Fortress of Doom.
We scampered over the rocks and made our way to the fort. The GPS told us we were within five feet of the coordinates but where was it? We searched inside the rock walls but found nothing. We climbed to a series of boulders in front of the fort and scanned the surrounding hillside. The view, here, was spectacular, with the south Truckee Meadows spread out below and Mount Rose in the background.
My daughter stood on top of one large rock and sighed. After all our hard work to climb to the top of the hill, she feared we wouldn’t find the cache. I turned to reassure her and noticed that in the rock wall right behind her head was a metal container. It was the cache.
We pulled out the box and found all of its treasures. There were several pens, toy cars, luggage locks and other gee-gaws. She took the luggage locks and, in return, placed a clip on clock that we had brought with us into the container. I entered our names in the log.
Mission accomplished.
Of course, not all of our adventures have been so successful. A few days later, my daughter, my 17 year old son and I journeyed into another part of Huffaker Hills to attempt to find a pair of caches said to be located there. We easily found the first one, known as the Reno High Roller cache. There, the little bugger was a metal army-style canister tucked into a crack in the rocks. We took an extension cord and left a little screwdriver set we bought at the Dollar Store.
The second, however, proved more elusive. Despite three sets of eyes and a GPS reading that said we were practically standing on top of it, we could not find the other cache, located about a third of a mile from the other one. But we're not giving up. We'll be back.
While much of the fun of geocaching is in the hunt, for us the real reward was having an excuse to do something together as a family. We certainly don't do it for the luggage locks and extension cords.
For anyone interested in geocaching, the GPS unit itself will cost between $100 and $400, with the more expensive ones having such bells as whistles as color screens, more memory and computerized area maps, none of which is essential. The two main manufacturers are Garmin and Magellan.
More information about geocaching can be found at the official website, www.geocaching.com, or the Nevada geocache website, nevadageocaching.com.
-Richard Moreno
Posted by Rich Moreno at 09:45 PM | Comments (0)