ネバダの峠・トップ10

Climbing Kyle Canyon up to Mount Charleston offers a very long 21 miles with a sustained ascent. It provides you with a dramatic escape from the Las Vegas desert heat into the cool mountain forests. Gaining over 4,400ft to reach altitudes around 7,700ft, expect a consistent climb averaging around 4.5%, with maximum gradients generally only reaching 7-9%. What will really please you on this climb is the striking scenery transition from Mojave Desert scrub to towering pines and limestone cliffs. Be prepared for potentially heavy recreational traffic, especially on weekends, and pack layers for the significant temperature drop at higher elevations.

The Mt. Charlston race is probably the fastest Marathon in the US. After the start at 7600ft it drops 5000ft at a 4% slope. The race takes place the first Saturday in April and is a Boston Qualifier. See the Revel Marathon website for details. If you want to participate then make sure you train downhill runs (e.g. on a treadmill with negative incline). Participants are normally bussed up to the starting line and loading starts in Sumerlin around 3:30am. If you are lucky, then rent a cabin (Mt. Charlston lodge & cabins) directly at the starting line and step out of the warm room into the freezing air just 10min before the race starts at 6am. One of the best moments is when the sun rises over the desert directly in front of you...

There are parking lots where you can pull over on either side of the summit. A historic marker on a large rock on the south side tells the story of how Spooner Summit played a role in 1800s mining history and served as a source of lumber for prospecting industries.

Riding the Mount Rose Highway to or from the summit is epic. There's nearly 4,400ft of elevation change with intermittent of the low valleys and towering mountains. This road is often busy so take care and be prepared to share the road.

Railroad Pass is a pretty barren mountain pass that sits at 2,358 feet (719 meters) in the Black Hills of the River Mountains near Henderson, Nevada. The busy I-11 runs through the pass, but by bike, you can do it on Dawson Avenue or the Union Pacific Railroad Trail running adjacent to it. Failing that, there is the River Mountains Loop Trail on the other side of the I-11.

The old Clear Creek Rd was the original way to cross from the Nevada valley to Lake Tahoe over Spooner Summit

Riding the Mt. Rose Highway to or from the summit is epic. There's nearly 4,400ft of elevation change with intermittent of the low valleys and towering mountains. This road is often busy so take care and be prepared to share the road.

At "only" 7,146 feet in elevation Spooner Summit is much lower than its closest neighbor Mt Rose Summit, which is just a shade under 10,000 feet. From here you can cruise mostly downhill on Hwy 50 to South Lake Tahoe or Carson City. You can also turn on to Hwy 28 and ride along North Lake Tahoe to Incline Village, Kings Beach and the rest of the north shore.