Hang in there, friends… just a bit more winter ahead! In the meanwhile, here are a few ideas to keep you motivated to play and train in the mountains.
1Stay on Snow: Hike or snowshoe up Cold Stream Canyon. The hidden backside to Donner Memorial State Park features free parking (where the pavement ends about 1/2 mile past the Truckee Donner Lodge on Cold Stream Rd,) user-packed snow routes, and seductive views of the pacific crest. In colder temps, the snow is usually packed and firm enough to walk in regular shoes. Snowshoes can help with post-holing in fresh snow or warmer conditions. Click here for GPX tracks for a 3.6-mile loop.
2Drive to Dirt: Explore the dry and delicious trails on Peavine in Reno. Sometimes we forget that “summer” is less than a 45-minute drive away. Keystone and Evans Canyons on the eastern side are usually drier and pack less of that infamous Peavine mud. Click here for GPX tracks for a 5-mile loop. (Trail runners: you can use this route as a starting point, but know that there are many, many miles of single track to be explored. Trailforks has excellent trail map coverage of the area.)
3Peek at a Peak: Check out Lloyds trail and the dirt roads beyond Prosser Dam. If you’re in a hurry for a mountain run or hike before work, this is a good choice right in town. This route is typically mixed dirt and snow in the Spring, so the best strategy is to go early when everything is still frozen. Traction devices, such as kahtoola NANOspikes, are highly recommended. Click here to explore a 3-mile route on Trailforks. (FYI – This is how you’ll get to Boca Hill!)
*Trail Runner’s Bonus: Join the Donner Party Mountain Runners for a snowshoe run – loaners available, thanks to Alpenglow Sports! Click here for details on this FREE snowshoe run program – get it while it lasts!
