Downtown Reno is in the midst of an urban renaissance that includes public works projects like the Truckee River Whitewater Park, renovation of the Reno Post Office into a retail plaza, and construction of a train trench cover that will create a pedestrian center.

Downtown Makeover, a local blog about all things downtown, chronicles many of the projects with artists renderings and interviews with the principals involved in the developments. Check it out, and get a peak into the changing face of downtown Reno.

-Jim Scripps

Gold Hill Hotel

The former mining town of Gold Hill shares a similar history with Virginia City. In the late 1850s, both were the location of gold and silver discoveries that became part of the fabulous Comstock Lode.

Historians believe the community of Gold Hill formed in about 1859, initially as little more than a few dozen miners camping under trees, in tents, and in crude shacks. But within a few years, Gold Hill rivaled Virginia City in size and population.

By the early 1870s, the town claimed 8,000 residents as well as one of the most well known newspapers in the state, The Gold Hill News. It had schools, several fire companies, banks, churches, a post office, a town hall, and was an important stop on the V & T Railroad line, which, at that time, stretched from Virginia City to Reno.

As with Virginia City, Gold Hill’s decline began in the late 1870s when the mines were played out. By 1882, the newspaper had closed (it moved on to Idaho), and the people gradually drifted away. By 1943, Gold Hill couldn’t support a post office.

While much of Gold Hill has disappeared over the years—the buildings were generally victims of fires, neglect, and removal—enough remains to offer an interesting historic walking tour of this once-thriving mining town.

The old V & T Depot, for example, still sits on a flat near the north end of the canyon. The wooden board and batten frame building, constructed in 1872, was used until the Virginia City portion of the V & T ceased operating in 1936.

In recent years, the depot has been partially restored and serves as the ticket office for the revived V & T Railroad, which restarted service between Gold Hill and Virginia City in 1990. Trains run daily from May to October.

 Down the canyon from the V & T Depot is the former Bank of California building, which dates back to 1862. The red brick and stone structure is one of the few surviving commercial buildings from Gold Hill’s early days.The bank building was originally the home of the Gold Hill Bank, then became part of the Bank of California empire, when purchased in 1873 by William Sharon. In 1879, the Bank of California moved to Virginia City and the building housed a variety of businesses including a pool hall and art gallery.

Next door to the bank is the Gold Hill Hotel, the oldest hotel in the state. The original stone structure—the front part of the building—was constructed in 1859. The two-story wooden section, to the rear, is a newer addition built about a decade ago.

Up the hill from the hotel are the picturesque remains of the Yellow Jacket Mine incline shaft and headframe, built in 1937. The warped, wooden chutes leading down the hill once carried ore from the headframe at the shaft at the top.

Adjacent to the hotel is the Crown Point Mill, constructed when the area’s mines were reworked in the 1930s. Built in 1935, the mill processed ore from the Yellow Jacket and Crown Point mines. The main buildings have been maintained over the years.

Across State Route 341 from the Crown Point Mill are the Lynch House, a white Victorian on the highway, and the Pink House, a very pink-colored Victorian on the hillside above, which was once a very fashionable neighborhood in Gold Hill.

The Lynch home was built in 1869 by a state legislator while the Pink House was constructed in the 1860s for a nephew of U.S. Senator John P. Jones, who served as Nevada’s Congressional representative from 1873 to 1903. Both have remained private residences.

Next door to the Lynch place are the green-colored stone foundations of the Rhode Island Mill. Dating to 1862, the mill was one of the first stamp mills in Gold Hill.

Of course, throughout Gold Hill you can still find a handful of long-abandoned mining shacks and ruins, which provide an idea of the modest existences of most of the town’s miner-residents.

Two significant headframes mark the southern boundary of Gold Hill and the next town downhill, which is Silver City. The first, an impressive metal skeleton on the hill above the road (there is a mine shaft at the base of the hill) is part of the New York Mine and was built in 1913.

The other, located about a quarter-mile south, is the Keystone headframe. This wooden structure, surrounded by a metal fence, was built in the late 19th century and is considered one of the best remaining examples of the type of mining equipment once common throughout the Comstock.

Gold Hill is located about 20 miles northeast of Carson City via U.S. Highway 50 and State Route 341.—Rich Moreno
 

If there was ever a place where you could believe that you’ve managed to escape from the hassles and pressures of daily life, it’s the rustic Belmont Inn in the historic Central Nevada mining town of Belmont.

Located about 40 miles northeast of Tonopah, Belmont can trace its beginnings to the discovery of silver in 1865. Within a few years, the town has grown to include about 5,000 residents.

In 1867, Belmont was designated the seat of Nye County and a few years later, in 1876, it constructed an impressive a two-story Italianate-style brick courthouse.

During Belmont’s heyday—which lasted from the late 1860s to about the late 1870s—the town was a beehive of building activity, boasting a bank, a couple of churches, a school, a post office, several stores and saloons.

It was during this period, in about 1866, that the distinctive two-story structure that houses the Belmont Inn was constructed. Built of wood and local limestone, the Inn originally served as the offices of the Combination Silver Mining Company.

The building was converted to a private residence several decades ago and, more recently, transformed into a bed and breakfast with five guestrooms.

The Inn, operated by Henry and Bertie Berg, is a wonder. It’s been lovingly restored so that guests can enjoy quiet, comfortable quarters in a quaint, historic setting.

Behind the main house, the Berg’s have rebuilt an old stone miner’s cabin and offer it as a kind of “honeymoon” cottage that offers plenty of privacy, although without running water or electricity. However, candles have been strategically placed around the room to provide illumination.

Large groups more interested in “roughing it,” can rent an old bunkhouse behind the main house, which has accommodations for up to ten additional guests.

The guestrooms, however, are only part of the story. The Belmont Inn also has its own, old-time saloon—Henry Berg is a great bartender who knows not only how to pour a good stiff one but lots of great anecdotes and stories about the area.

Not to be overlooked are the breakfasts, cooked by Bertie Berg. She prepares hearty, tasty fare that can include pancakes, sausage, biscuits, fruit and other delicacies.

The charm of spending time in Belmont is having a chance to explore the old mining town. The town’s silver mines began to slump after 1876. By 1890, only about 150 people remained in the town.

Jim Butler’s discovery of huge silver deposits in Tonopah in 1900 accelerated Belmont’s demise. In 1905, the county seat was moved to Tonopah and Belmont’s fine courthouse, which is now a historic state park, was closed.

Despite the years of neglect, it’s still possible to find glimpses of the settlement that once rivaled Virginia City. With more than a dozen buildings sprouting out of the sagebrush and a number of substantial ruins, Belmont looks and feels like a genuine ghost town.

Behind this row of structures is a dirt road leading to the Belmont Courthouse, which has been stabilized by the state parks. Guided tours of the courthouse are offered during the summer.

While exploring Belmont is encouraged, visitors are cautioned not to touch or take anything so that the town can be preserved for future generations. For more information about Belmont and the Belmont Inn, call 775-482-2000 or go to www.belmontinn.com.

Late June, my friend Katie called me and asked me if I wanted to do an ATV tour in the Plumas Forest, half-hour north of Reno.  A friend of hers, Gairik, had been there and loved it, and had asked to see if Katie and Ken could wrangle some models and a movie crew up there to film, and then blog about it if we liked the experience.  Unconventional, but it seemed like a really cool idea, so I said yes right away.  But I had no idea how fabulous this trip would turn out to be.

On July 1, Sunday, I grabbed a couple of friends (Krystal and Zarah, both models I work with) and when we got out there at about 9:30 in the morning, I got the chance of a lifetime to view some of the most beautiful sites in the High Sierras.  We had the most awesome time.  I had never ridden an ATV before and was a little nervous but Jay, our tour guide, took us through the basics of the Arctic Cat ATVs and made us feel so at ease with everything.  Then we hit the road.  O my God it was amazing, NOT kidding!  We saw the most beautiful scenery, flowers and even some deer (unfortunately we didn’t get them on camera) but it was great.  On top of Crystal Peak, I felt on top of the world and the view was so peaceful and beautiful.  And all this paradise just 30 miles out of Reno!  We had some good laughs too — with Nino’s spectacular acrobatics hanging out of the back of his ATV trying to film us, Katie crawling through a ditch to hold out the boom mic, and Gairik (chicken!!!) wrapping himself in everything he could find (including my blue shirt) to keep the dust from blowing into his face.

Jay and Lisa of High Sierra ATV Tours treated us so well. Made sure we had plenty of sunscreen (which we definitely needed) and water, and bandanas, and so much more. After the video shoot they even fed the whole crew and made us feel really special. If they treat all their customers this well — I have no shame plugging their wilderness/adventure tours, and sending all my friends to them.

I have lived in Carson City for a few years now and had no idea there were things so cool to do within an hour’s drive. I really hope they decide to start snow-mobiling tours this winter, as they are planning to do. I will go back for sure. If you are ever in the mood to see the beautiful sites of the High Sierras with the excitement and fun of an ATV, I definitely recommend these guys. 

I hope you enjoy our little videos because we had a lot of fun making them.  I really appreciate the Reads (HighSierra ATV Tours), Katie, Ken & Nino (BarFlyProductions) and Gairik (Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place — now is that a cool gig or what???) for giving me the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing adventure. You guys ROCK! 

Monica Jayne Booth
http://www.MySpace.com/JayneHazard

Please don’t forget to see me and Krystal in spring 2008 starring in Bar Fly Productions and Sinnergy Entertainment’s production of “Pyramid Highway”.

July 5th at Camp Richardson Resort was spent under sunny skies and above blue water. We made our Lake Tahoe vacation plans online where we could plan our trip ahead. Our day started at Camp Richardson resort and lunch on the deck. The view was beautiful and the local band playing made the day just that more entertaining. Our afternoon was spent on Lake Tahoe cruising on the Tahoe Queen where we road through Emerald Bay. It was great to see the historic Vickingsholm Castle up close and the popular "Tea House" in the bay. I recommend http://www.tahoeactivities.com for a list of sightseeing tours and places to visit around the lake. Our next trip we will attend Shakespeare at Sand Harbor, an experience we enjoyed once before and recommend to others.

Joe

        A few Saturdays back (the first time), I got a chance to spend some time exploring what has got to be one of the best outdoor adventures available in Reno-Tahoe, America’s Adventure Place! I signed on for an ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle, a.k.a. Off-Road/Off-Highway Vehicle) tour, of a part of the Plumas National Forest, off the romantically named Last Chance Creek near Frenchman’s Lake. The 30-mile drive from Reno was an easy 35 minutes – north on US 395 past Stead, up to Hallelujah Junction, and then West on Hwy 70 to the tiny hamlet of Chilcoot (just before Vinton), which boasts a miniscule but massively cute Frosty Freeze burger-shop (straight out of an Andy Griffith episode).  I called Lisa and Jay, the owners/operators of "High Sierra ATV Tours" from there, and they gave me directions to their location. I was running a little early (I guess you could say I was a little excited) – otherwise they would have come over and picked me up. The drive to their place took about 6 minutes. Another group was already there, and we did the basic paperwork and put on our gear (a helmet, long pants [not shorts], closed-toe shoes and lots of sunscreen), plus about 5 minutes of instructions on how to drive our fully-automatic Arctic Cat ATVs – and then it was off into the Sierras on our Arctic Cats.  The equipment was all new, surprisingly clean, and astonishingly comfortable.  I chose to ride with Jay, the owner, so I could take a bunch of photos, and boy – was that a great idea or what!  Within ten minutes of leaving the starting point, we were high enough into the mountains that even in mid-June, it was fairly cool, and I was glad I had brought a jacket.

        We were climbing some pretty steep grades and the Arctic Cats negotiated the climb with real ease. The ground clearance was almost as good as the Hummer I’d driven out in from Reno, and the 650 CC engines delivered enough power that even the 35-40° grades and boulder-stacked trails did not slow us down.The landscape transformed rapidly from the dry and sun-drenched nether elevations to cool greens as our adventure threw us deeper and deeper into the hands of the hills. The vegetation quickly moved to tall Ponderosa pines, Cedars, and then lots of other more Alpine trees. The forest was so beautiful. And we did not encounter a single other soul. No, I take that back, we ran into two people on the way back, but that was everyone the entire ride. It is pretty much an undiscovered country – silent in its majesty, and breath-takingly beautiful.  We stopped on numerous occasions, to take pictures, splash about a little in the different (very cold) little creeks we crossed.  There was one little picnic spot that I absolutely fell in love with – it was a tiny little spring-and snow-fed lake called Snow Lake, that does not appear in the maps.  I could have stayed there forever.

        I could see that snow marks were still fresh here, and commented that this would be a perfect location for snow-mobiling in winter (something that Jay and Lisa are gearing up to provide in the coming winter seasons).  I was told that the area gets over 15 feet of snow on the ground many winters.  But it is unspoilt and hard to get to – unless you have a knowledgeable local guide.

        Jay was the Tour Guide, and that was what made this so great. If I had just rented or brought an ATV over and done this by myself, it would have been (a lot of fun still, but) nowhere close to such a wonderful experience. Jay knew just about every little inch of that wilderness (1.2 Million acres), and he knew just which way to go all of the time, even when there was no trail to follow.

        We got to see some great flora all along the way. I was particularly fascinated with the almost maroon-red ‘Snow Flowers’ that Jay pointed out. These grow for just a few weeks in the year, just as the snows leave the mountains, and are quite striking.  But while it’s so pretty now in summer, Jay pointed out that best time to visit these forests is the Fall, as the leaves turn from green to crimson to gold, in all their autumnal glory.

        Our trip was a pretty long one – we climbed to the top of Crystal Peak, got a glimpse of the spectacular, volcanic Lassen Peak in the distance and rode out to the overlook where we gazed at a stunning bird’s eye view of Frenchman’s Lake. I was surprised that even with such a long trip, I was not really physically exhausted. You DON’T have to be very athletic, young, or even particularly fit – to enjoy an adventure like this. The Arctic Cat ATVs, being fully automatic, are very easy to maneuver, easier than driving any automatic-shift car.  I wonder if I can get my dad to do this with me, if we could come here together. I mean, he has lived in big cities all his life, as I have, but I know he’d love it as much as I did this time. 

        One thing I was a little disappointed about was that we did not see much fauna – Jay tells me that there’s quite a bit of deer in those woods, but they generally don’t come out until twilight or early in the mornings. There are also some bears around (and Jay had shot one a couple of years ago), but they really shun human presence, so it is very hard to get to see one up close, though we did see some quite fresh bear-tracks along the way. 

        It was almost evening before we got back to the homestead, which incidentally is also Jay and Lisa’s home.They were very generous and allowed us to use the bathrooms at their home to wash and clean up, and since the Frosty Freeze (the only game in town for food) was certain to have closed for the evening – they even invited to me to join their family (plus a few guests they had that evening) for a weekend barbeque.  (Mind you, they probably do not do this for their customers in the normal course, but I must have looked more hungry than most, LOL.) 

        Jay showed off his skills (and that old boy’s got skillz in this dept) with some very juicy thick ribeye steaks on his ‘Cowboy Grill’ – a very interesting and useful contraption that doubles as a barbeque pit and a campfire centerpiece (that you can sit around, as you would around a campfire). (I just know I want to buy one of these — I found out that he’d bought his from the Hearth Patio Show at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center earlier in the year.)  The food was great, the company very friendly and cheerful, but the overall experience – stupendous. They invited me to come back again. And I know I will, and very soon. 

        I love the forest, the wilderness of the Wild Sierra around Reno-Tahoe. I love the whole adventure feel of Reno-Tahoe, you know, that story-book feel of the Wild Wild West not being all that far away or long ago.  There are not too many chances to experience that up close and personal – particularly if you are from the city. To me, that is the charm of Reno-Tahoe – the Wild Sierra is still untamed there, and it is just around the corner from a pretty big city (which feels like a much bigger city than it really is) with all the urban comforts, great hotels, superb nightlife, world-class headliners and an overall entertainment scene that puts most US and European metros to shame.

        I am so glad I went on this tour, and I sure as heck am going back!!!!

        And I am going to try and post a few of the photos soon here – as soon as I get a chance to catalog them and pick out the best ones.

P.S.: I went back next weekend with my friends Katie and Ken and their troupe, the cast and crew of a local indy film production company (BarFly Productions), and made a little movie about this place – check it out below.

    Feel free to share the love and leave a comment.

Gairik (HighSierraDogSledder)

For more …
High Sierra ATVTours

Videography by BarFly Productions (www.BarFlyProductions.com)

    Fun, funny, and freakin’ cool- this is ERIN 411!, my video blog showcasing all the awesome things that happen in Reno/Tahoe. I grew up here and I truly love living in the area; Reno/Tahoe is such a diverse place that there’s something for everyone: stunning natural beauty for the outdoor enthusiast, museums and history for the culture buff, and of course-wild nightlife for the young and reckless. This summer I’m going to all the best events and you’ll be right here with me, so bring your sense of humor (I have a tendency to tell bad jokes) and get ready to rock!  First up in my vBlog is ERIN 411! Destination: Reno Rodeo. I put on my best cowgirl boots and shortest shorts and went down to what we here in Reno/Tahoe proudly call the "Wildest Richest Rodeo in the West." Started in 1919, the Reno Rodeo is one of the biggest on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit and boasts all the biggest names in cowboy and cowgirl competition.  Sound cool? Well, it is. And it’s hot. Real hot. When you watch my video you’ll see exciting clips of the bronc bustin’ and calf roping and bull riding in all its dangerous glory, me shopping for the essential rodeo accessory in spite of my unfortunate anatomical problem, having my heart stolen by a pint-sized cowboy, and asking the perennial question: what is it that makes cowboys so darn cute?
    So watch it already! Click below to my see vBlog – live from the Reno Rodeo! 

    And feel free to share the love and leave a comment. You can contact me directly with questions, complaints, requests to host your next birthday party or bar mitzvah (or just to chat) at watch_erin411@yahoo.com. 
    See you soon!

Erin Granat (watch_erin411@yahoo.com)

Videography by Tim Gaer (gaer42@yahoo.com; www.ArchonFilms.com)

Wow, it’s already Friday and I’m finally writing about Memorial Day weekend! Well, better late than never… we had such a wonderful adventure that I need to tell everyone about it, especially young active parents with babies.

We weren’t sure what we were going to do so we keep it pretty open. That’s important with when you have kids, flexibility is key.

We had reservations for Friday night at Sugar Pine Point State Park so we camped there the first night — to test the weather and see how Cielo liked it. We got there around 5pm and went for a nice hike. After dinner we went to bed (early) so we’d be ready for the next day. We got up early and enjoyed a great camp fire while eating breakfast. Since Cielo slept great and we didn’t get cold at all during the night, we decided we would go backpacking for one night.

We got our permits for Desolation Wilderness and we started at the Bayview Trailhead (Emerald Bay area). Joe carried Cielo and the tent and I carried the rest! The pack was heavy (40+ pounds) — I’ve never carried that much stuff, but I had both of our sleeping bags, food and clothes for the 3 of us, diapers, stove, etc. etc. It was a great workout!

We hiked for 3-4 hours, took a little break by a waterfall/creek and hiked some more. Cielo loved it! She even took a nap while in the backpack.

We endep up near Lower Velma area, since Lake Azure was really hard to get to.  Some areas were covered with snow and others with water, so finding a spot to camp was challenging. But we found a great spot!

On Sunday we decided to stay at Bayview Campground since there was a site open. We put Cielo down for a nap at 5:30pm and she didn’t wake up until the next morning! She was exhausted from her first backpacking experience!

Monday morning we went for a hike with some friends to Cascade Falls and then we took a hike to Eagle Falls and explored Emerald Bay.

What a wonderful weekend! We highly recommend both campgrounds and of course, Desolation Wilderness is like heaven for backpackers who love solitude and breath-taking beauty. It’s a place to enjoy God’s creation to the full!

As others were enjoying the First Annual Park Crew and Microbrews event in Truckee this Saturday we decided to enjoy the beautiful weather and go for a family hike. So we invited our friends to join us and headed to the Hunter Creek trail around noon (which is way early for us!). Thanks to Friends of Nevada Wilderness the trail looks good even after the winter. If you need directions, check out the Reno-Tahoe website.

Here’re some pictures of our hike:

Our friends posing for the camera

Taking a break by the creek