IPD Reader Survey:

• I’d love to know more about who you so I can continue to improve this website. Please complete the IPD Reader Survey linked here. The responses will help me better understand who is using the website, how, and what I can do to keep being a useful resource in our trails community. Thank you in advance!

Trail Karma Opportunity:

• Saturday, May 20:

  • Silver State Striders are looking for volunteers to help staff their annual Silver State 50/50 trail race on Peavine. This is a great way to have fun outside, give back to the trail community, and meet a lot of very appreciative runners. For more information about the race and to contact them to volunteer, check out their event website linked here.

Trail Traffic Advisory:

• Saturday, May 20:

  • Peavine Trails

    • The Silver State Striders annual endurance trail running race, the Silver State 50/50, will start and end at Rancho San Rafael and travel through Upper Rancho, Hoge Road, Stagecoach, Total Recall, Norton’s Toll Road, Three Trees, Kiowa road, and 4wd roads further up the mountain. There are three different distances starting as early as 6am so expect plenty of runners and volunteers on trails and roads in that region throughout the day. If you head out there, keep the speed down and the friendliness up. And cheer on the runners as they challenge themselves on what will be a hot and long run this year.

    • Biggest Little Trail Stewards in partnership with the High Fives Foundation are building a brand new adaptive mountain bike trail at Sierra Vista Park. Expect some heavy equipment and brief trail closures. The park is still open, just please stay off the trail under construction.

  • Carson Valley Trails

    • The Stetina’s Paydirt gravel race will be winding it’s way through much of Carson City and nearby trails. For my readers, the trails of interest are Clear Creek, both the Indian Hills loop and the popular climb. They will also traverse trails near Prison Hill, Silver Saddle Ranch, and Mexican Ditch before crossing over to Brunswick Canyon and climbing South to Sunrise Pass and Johnson Lane. At clear creek trailheads, expect race crew all morning and riders on trail from between 9:30 am and about 2:00 pm. Both trail sections there are timed sections for the riders and flow very fast and a bit blind so please avoid the course. Course details can be found in the Rider’s Handbook if you want to spectate and cheer on riders. And if you’re riding the event, let me know. I’ll be there with a teammate and we’re looking to connect with readers, have a rolling party, and take advantage of draft packs between stages.

  • University/Rancho Area

    • Beginning Wednesday evening through Saturday, spring graduation events are going on on campus at the University of Nevada Reno. While it may not impact trails as much, there may be parking and pedestrian spill over into and around Rancho San Rafael. If you normally drive through, consider routing around the area to avoid the increased traffic.

Weekend Events:

• Thursday, May 18:

  • 5:00 pm

    • (Earlier Start Time) Silver State Striders will be running/course marking starting at Hoge road trailhead. Check their Facebook Group Page for more details. You can also find their training schedule on their website at this link.

  • 6:00 pm

    • Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) Reno, Northern Nevada Bikepacking, and Truckee Meadows Bike Alliance are putting on an Adventure Cycling fundraiser and informational session at Craft Wine & Beer (22 Martin St). Enjoy some refreshments while learning about and supporting RAR’s upcoming AIDS Lifecycle Ride. Kurstin Graham (Northern Nevada Bikepacking) will also be giving a talk about riding all the Nevada dirt, and Ky Plaskon (TMBA) will provide an update on their efforts for better Truckee Meadows cycling infrastructure. For more information, check out @rar.reno on Instagram.

    • The Reno Hustle will roll 30ish mostly paved miles around Southwest Reno starting and ending at the Wells Fargo parking lot at California Ave and Arlington Blvd. This is a social paced ride open to all. Bring lights and a be prepared to fix your own flats. For more information follow @therenohustle on Instagram.

• Friday, May 19:

  • 7:30 am - 8:30 am

    • Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) Reno and Northern Nevada Bikepacking are teaming up to bring you Coffee Outside. This week’s morning cup of micro-adventure on bikes will meet at Plumas Park. More information about joining can be found by following @coffeeoutsidereno on Instagram.

• Saturday, May 20:

  • 8:00 am

    • Silver State Striders are not planning a social long run since they are putting on their annual Silver State 50/50 endurance run event. For more detail on that, see the trail traffic advisory for Peavine Trails above. Check their Facebook Group Page for more details. You can also find their training schedule on their website at this link.

• Sunday, May 21:

  • 8:00 am

    • (Carson City) Muscle Powered is offering a free beginner to intermediate mountain bike clinic for adults at the trails just above Western Nevada College. This is in partnership with the Carson Senators Cycling team coaches and should be a great opportunity to be introduced to bike skills or refine the ones you have. Limited spots available requires RSVP. For more information and to RSVP, check out their event website linked here.

  • 9:30 am

    • Tahoe Pyramid Trail is holding their annual Cookie Ride at Crystal Peak Park. Bring homemade cookies to share or just show up and enjoy what others have provided. This event is called a ride, but is open to all trail users and you get to choose your own route and just make sure to tie it to the park somehow. More details and contact information to volunteer cookies are available in TPT’s May newsletter linked here.

Trail Outlook

• After a few lovely days, this weekend is moving into what looks like a monsoonal pattern. Warm days ended with a dash of rain and possible thunderstorms. Friday through Sunday all feature this pattern so morning adventure will be the most enjoyable. If you do head out in the afternoon or evening, pack a shell, extra water, snacks, and a light. Focused downpours can turn up the peanut butter mud and seriously slow getting off the hill. Otherwise, conditions should be excellent with a chance of hero dirt in the mornings. See you on the trail!

• Peavine Upper Mountain Snow: Mahogany Forest trail climbing to Peavine access road has a number of large snow fields covering it still as well as long swampy areas and creek in trail conditions from runoff.

• Galena trails: Upper Thomas Creek still has lots of mud and snow as you approach Dry Pond. Upper Whites creek has a number of downed trees and snow fields across the trail. The White’s Creek switch backs climbing to Dry Pond have been washed of their topsoil leaving an excess of marble like stone hazards ranging from golf ball to soccer ball size. If you are just getting up there for the first time this season, keep the speed down and head up to stay upright and having fun.

• Tahoe Pyramid Trail in the canyon between Truckee and Verdi is clear.

Truckee Meadows Trail Damage:

• Peavine’s Keystone Canyon is washed out for a couple hundred yards above the intersection with the Fisticuffs trail.

• Lower Thomas and White’s creek trails are dry but both feature major washouts and creek running in trail sections. Please avoid for the time being as there are no easy reroutes for the damaged areas.

If you are swapping the running and riding for a little back country sliding, check out the latest avalanche conditions over at Sierra Avalanche Center. Spring snow and heat cycling brings new risks in the backcountry. Knowing where to look can make the difference of coming home.

If you get out, let us know what you saw by submitting a trail report.

Be kind, be safe, and enjoy.