Nevada
These 10 Nevada outdoor thrills are one of a kind
Plenty of gems throughout the Silver State await those who are willing to wander outside of the Las Vegas Valley.
In a list released this month, the Nevada Division of Tourism, also known as Travel Nevada, detailed 10 hand-picked experiences that its staff considers off-the-beaten-path outdoor adventures. Titled the “Top 10 ‘Out There’ Experiences,” it is sure to help Las Vegans discover new, outlying places.
For those with desert wanderlust — or who would enjoy a skydiving free fall with views of Hoover Dam at 120 mph — the list is fodder for bucket lists and exploration in the new year.
“Nevada’s public lands are home to some of the nation’s most diverse landscapes and exhilarating outdoor activities, and there’s something extraordinary waiting for everyone,” said Tracie Barnthouse, chief communications officer at Travel Nevada, in a statement. “Whether you’re chasing adrenaline or craving solitude, this list is a call to embrace the spirit of Nevada and ‘Get a Little Out There’.”
Heli-ski in the ‘Swiss Alps of Nevada’
Southern Nevadans may never have heard of the Ruby Mountains, near the city of Elko in northeastern Nevada. The snowy range, which was recently awarded 20-year federal protections against oil and gas exploration, is one of the state’s lesser-known untouched places.
National Geographic considers heli-skiing in the range one of its “Best American Adventures.”
In the rural town of Lamoille at the foothills, the Royer family owns the Ruby 360 Lodge — an idyllic home base for those looking to ride a helicopter up to the top of the mountain for skiing in the winter.
To book the aerial experience, Nevadans can go to helicopterskiing.com.
Skydiving near Hoover Dam
Standing on top of Hoover Dam conjures up a feeling of immensity felt in few other places in the world.
Millions of visitors make the trip each year to the dam located near Boulder City, but only a select handful can say they had the guts to jump out of a plane above it and fall at 120 mph.
Skydive Las Vegas, based out of the Boulder City Municipal Airport, boasts that it is has the only drop zone in the country with views of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, the Colorado River and the golf courses of Boulder City. It also has views of the Las Vegas Strip, Mount Charleston, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Valley of Fire.
Information about pricing can be found at the company’s website.
Look up at the dark sky at Massacre Rim
To find the most impressive part of the state’s untouched landscapes, look up.
Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary in northwestern Nevada has been recognized as one of the darkest places on the planet by DarkSky International.
Located hours from hotels, electricity or paved roads, the experience is prime for backcountry exploring — and, of course, stargazing.
Hot springs, spooky town
Among the best-kept secrets of Nevada’s desert are its hot springs and its ghosts towns.
In an ideal one-two punch, the list recommends Gold Point, a ghost town in Esmeralda County where mining slowly died off at the start of World War II.
At its peak, the town had 125 houses, a post office, hotels, a store and saloons. It’s preserved today largely because of a Las Vegas jackpot earned by Herb Robbins, the man who bought most of the buildings alongside his partner Walt Kremin.
The town is a stone’s throw from Fish Lake Valley’s hot springs, a remote soak with views of the White Mountains.
Mine Nevada’s state gemstone
Nevada’s state gemstone, the Virgin Valley black fire opal, can only be found just south of the Oregon border and nowhere else in North America.
Rockhounding, as it’s called, is a popular outdoor activity in the Silver State, with many rare gems to be found across the Great Basin and Mojave Desert.
The Bonanza Opal Mines, Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine and the Royal Peacock Opal Mine all offer such an experience for those who relish in the rarity of gemstones.
World’s tallest outdoor climbing wall
Residents of the world’s biggest little city may be familiar with what claims to be the world’s tallest artificial climbing wall on the side of Reno’s Whitney Peak Hotel.
It reaches 164 feet, where climbers can see above the city’s downtown arch. Those seeking the thrill can find prices and information at basecampreno.com.
Mountain biking in Ely
The city of Ely, about 240 miles north of Las Vegas, features dozens of miles of trails that amount to a mountain biker’s paradise.
That includes Nevada’s only national park, Great Basin, as well as Ward Mountain Recreation Area and Cave Lake State Park. The relatively remote city is naturally stunning, home to 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine trees.
Zip line in Old Vegas
The Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas is known for its world-class performances, bars and dining experiences.
It’s also the location of the only travel adventure in the Las Vegas Valley to make the list: a zip line just below the attraction’s ceiling screen that launches riders off a 12-story tower. Riders can choose between a start point of 77 feet or 114 feet high.
Reservations are available at vegasexperience.com/slotzilla-zip-line/.
Be one with marine life at Lake Tahoe
Arguably one of the most well-known spots for recreation in Nevada, deep blue Lake Tahoe has plenty to see.
At South Lake Tahoe, Nevadans may be interested in see-through boats with Clearly Tahoe Kayak Tours. Several tour lengths are available to fit different paddling abilities.
To reserve a tour, go to clearlytahoe.com.
See ancient rock drawings
The final entry on the list is in Austin, about 325 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
So-called “petroglyphs,” or images carved into rocks, can be found throughout the state, including within the Las Vegas Valley. However, the ones in Toquima Cave are unique, largely because they are pictograph drawings rather than carvings.
The bright red, yellow, black and white colors of the pictographs at the Western Shoshone heritage site have allowed the drawings to withstand the test of time.
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
A man serving time at the Southern Desert Correctional Center for felony reckless driving died last month, the Nevada Department of Corrections said Tuesday.
Shiloh Walker, 28, died at the Indian Springs facility on Nov. 24, a news release said. Cause of death was not listed.
Walker was serving a sentence of up to six years after a plea agreement was reached in 2022 following a DUI crash that happened May 31, 2021 in Las Vegas, according to online court records.
An autopsy was requested following Walker’s death, though results were not available as of Monday evening. Attempts to reach Walker’s family members have been unsuccessful, according to the department.
Contact Bryan Horwath at bhorwath@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BryanHorwath on X.
After widespread condemnation last year, the U.S. Postal Service backed away from plans to move its Reno mail-processing operations to Sacramento — but did it stay true to what it told the public?
The question arose recently after letters sent from one Carson City address to another in Carson City were both postmarked in Sacramento.
Northern Nevadans did not want first class mail sent from one Northern Nevada address to another going first to California. They sent a unified message to the USPS all the way up to the postmaster general.
Critics of the USPS plan were especially worried about delays from mail having to go back and forth over the Sierra during winter.
The Washoe County District Attorney’s office filed a lawsuit over the plan, the Washoe County Commission voted to oppose the plan, public comment was universally opposed, and Democratic and Republican elected officials from across the state joined to stop it.
Could it possibly have happened anyway? The answer is yes, temporarily, for a brief time.
How letters sent in Carson City came to be processed at Sacramento USPS facility
A reader told the Reno Gazette Journal they’d twice had letters internal to Carson City postmarked in Sacramento, so we asked USPS if the policy had changed.
“Mail processing for First Class mail that originates in Northern Nevada and is destined to Northern Nevada has not changed,” USPS spokesperson Sherry Patterson responded by email.
“However,” she added, “without the specific mail piece and class of mail, we cannot determined if there is an issue.”
The reader then supplied a photo of the two envelopes postmarked Nov. 5 in Sacramento, and this was shared with USPS.
“Our processing machine in Reno was temporarily out of service while we awaited a replacement part,” Patterson said after viewing the postmarks to nail down the specific date the letters went through Sacramento.
“To ensure that mail was not delayed during this time, we implemented a contingency plan that involved routing certain mail to our Sacramento facility for cancellation and processing. This measure allows us to maintain service continuity and minimize disruptions for our customers. We understand that this may cause some confusion, and we are committed to ensuring that all mail is processed efficiently and accurately.”
Bottom line: Regarding first class mail that’s being sent to and from Northern Nevada addresses, it’s still USPS policy to process that in Reno at its Vassar Street facility, she said.
The path these particular letters took, Patterson added, “is indeed an unusual occurrence.”
Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.
LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Loneliness has become a significant health issue for people everywhere, and the holiday season sometimes intensifies those feelings. For many, December looks like family gatherings, matching pajamas and bustling homes. But this time of year can also be very difficult for those who may be battling distance, work commitments or recent life changes.
Marc Valli, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, has lived in Las Vegas since 1988. He moved to Nevada to join a ministry and be closer to his wife’s parents.
WATCH| Shellye Leggett talks to an army vet who’s recently moved into Escalante at the Lakes assisted living facility
Holiday loneliness affects thousands in Nevada as many face Christmas away from loved ones
“I wanted to come and join ministry here. Also my wife’s parents lived here,” Valli said.
Valli’s wife Barbara, known to friends and family as Bobby, passed away in 2018 after 54 years of marriage.
“I’m still counting the years. We’ve been married 54 years,” he said.
His children moved him into Escalante at the Lakes assisted living facility in June, making this his first holiday season in his new home.
“People are very nice, they treat you good,” Valli said.
Come Christmas Day, the facility’s common room will be filled with residents ready for holiday activities, but Valli hopes to get outside these walls to see his family that still lives nearby.
“I have grandkids. One goes to Cal Poly. He’s here right now, but he’s on vacation, and then I have two little granddaughters, one’s 11, one’s 7,” Valli said. “I don’t know if they’re gonna come for Christmas or I’m going there.”
Gus Farias, the executive director of Escalante at the Lakes Assisted Living, says many of his residents don’t have family nearby. Keeping their spirits high throughout the holidays is an important task.
“We can tell when our residents are feeling down. There’s a lot of pressure during the holidays because some of our residents don’t have families that are nearby, but they have us,” Farias said.
The organisation A Mission for Michael released a study showing just how many people are expected to spend the holidays alone this year. Nevada ranked 43rd on the list of loneliest states, with more than 212,000 people expected to spend Christmas by themselves.
“It’s pretty surprising that there’s so many Nevadans that are gonna spend the holidays by themselves,” Farias said.
He says combating loneliness will take a community effort.
“When you’re at the grocery store or whatever, reach, look back and ask them, you know, wish them a merry Christmas or happy holidays and ask them how they passed their holidays in the past because we, we as a younger generation than our seniors, we can learn a lot from that,” Farias said.
It’s an effort that Valli says makes the holidays a little brighter.
“Oh, it makes a big difference,” he said.
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