"The reward is when you reach the top
and you're in the trees at Spooner
Summit," Blake said. "It's like hitting the
jackpot -- great views of the entire Car-
son Valley and nearby peaks." Blake's
dog, Cash, often makes the journey
with her. "When you're on the trail,
there are several portions where you
cross over creeks. Cash loves to play
in the creek -- that's her reward for
making the 2,500-foot ascent."
Local government affairs professional
Carlo Luri finds himself on the Valley's
trails during much of his free time, serv-
ing as the Carson Valley Trails Associ-
ation's director at large. "For me, it's all
about the flow on Clear Creek," Luri
said. "The terrain takes you through
the woods and, as a multi-user trail, it
allows for a great variety of bikers, hik-
ers and trail runners to share the space
and experience."
Luri's favorite part of Clear Creek must
be hiked to be seen. "About seven
miles from the bottom is Knob Point,"
he said. "It offers one of the most beau-
tiful vistas of any trail around here." A
popular turnaround point for many,
Knob Point overlooks a large ranch
with sweeping vistas of the Valley,
making it an ideal resting point.
Aside from the stunning natural
beauty, the Carson Valley trails sys-
tem distinguishes itself with a di-
verse range of difficulties and
seasonal navigabilities. The Genoa
Trail, for example, runs 9.6 miles with
4,200 feet of climbing across 28
switchbacks -- though it isn't ride-
able year-round. The view from the
top includes a panorama of Carson
Valley on one side of the peak and
the pristine Lake Tahoe on the other.
Luri points toward the gentler West
Fork Trail, located at the Nature Con-
servancy near Genoa, or the five-
mile Bently Heritage Trail running
along the Carson River among his
other favorites. "One visit here and
it's easy to see we're passionate
about our trails," Luri said. "Come for
a hike or a ride and reward yourself
with lots of good cheer."
Plan your adventure at
VisitCarsonValley.org.
PHOTO BY ABNER KINGMAN