Freeze-Thaw-Slow-Dry Cycle

• This week is going to be kind of like your first apartment’s dryer. You wish everything dried, but you know it didn’t and you’re going to have to wait longer. Sun facing slopes are really starting to firm up in many places, but anything with snow above will continue to show soft mud or outright standing water. The lowest elevation routes, such as Sierra Vista, Upper Rancho, Upper Miner’s, North Valleys Park, and the Rancho-Keystone connector will be first to really start to be usable mid week. Fisticuff and possibly Las Brisas may be usable by late this week as well. As of last Friday, the base of Fisticuffs was a mud bog and Poedunk at the top still had extensive water logged portions. Keystone Canyon itself has significant running water flowing in the trail itself from just above the Fisticuffs junction. Because we aren’t getting really warm, anything that is shaded midday onward is still holding snow. That includes upper N trail, Reno View, and just about everything above the Hoge Road trailhead. With nights dipping below freezing and days only reaching the mid forties or low fifties, I don’t forecast significant changes to snow lines this week though water saturation at lower elevations is likely to continue to reduce to areas that are either natural drainages or directly below existing snow.

This Week’s Events

• Tuesday, January 11:

• 5:45pm

  • Silver State Striders will be running at Bartlett Ranch Regional park. Departing from the Huffaker school parking lot, there are hilly 5 and 9 mile options. Lights and reflective attire required and traction aids a strong suggestion due to winter conditions. More details on their website.

• Thursday, January 13:

  • 5:45pm

    • Silver State Striders will be running hills in southwest Reno. Departing from the Eclipse Running, this is ~8 miles of pavement and hills. Lights and reflective attire required and traction aids a strong suggestion due to winter conditions. More details on their website.

• Saturday, January 15:

  • 8:00am

    • Silver State Striders are running the Virginia City Highlands fire station loop. This loop is roughly 16 miles. Meeting at the Virginia City Highlands Fire Station. Traction aids a strong suggestion due to winter conditions. More details on their Facebook Group Page.

That’s what’s on my radar at the moment. If you know of something I missed or is coming soon, send me an email and it might get listed. See you outside!