Peavine Peak (Washoe County, Nevada)

 

With my foot and ankle feeling pretty good on a short hike last week, I decided to test them a bit further today. Overlooking Reno from the North, sits Peavine Peak. So named by the early settlers due to their finding of wild peas on the northeastern side of the 8,269' mountain. The mountain houses a number of radio and television transceivers, and provides a pretty backdrop for anyone driving into downtown Reno from the south. I've hiked in and around the peak a few times in the past, but never summited. Time to change that.

The trail I decided to take starts at the very northern end of Robb Drive. Immediately after leaving the neighborhood, the trail quickly starts gaining elevation as it roughly follows a small drainage offering up the last remnants of the spring rains to the sparse inhabitants of this yellow hillside. Hopefully, what little remains will sustain them until the oncoming winter.

These hills have a number of jeep and dirt bike trails, which make navigation a little challenging, but I find that using the contours on the topographical map I downloaded to my phone keeps me going the right direction. In the distance, I hear a drone buzzing around overhead. It stops briefly to take a look at me and I wave at the controller, but it quickly moves off and over a distance ridge.

From here, the trail gets incredibly steep. There are a number of sections that I can barely traverse without dropping to all fours. Incredibly, I see some tire treads. I must assume they were going down instead of driving up, as it would take quite a vehicle to make it up this and several other inclines.

Shortly thereafter, I finally reach the first of the two peaks, both of which are crowned by broadcast towers and equipment. I make my way around to the other peak, just a quarter-mile or so to the east. This second one is actually Peavine Peak, but both are nearly the same elevation. From up there, I can survey the entirety of the Truckee Meadows where Reno and Sparks sprawl from one side of the valley to the other.

Instead of returning the way I came, I decided to descend via the service road, which is a much more manageable grade. I'm able to make my way down much, much more quickly and finally return to the neighborhood where I left the jeep. Today's hike covered about 8.8 miles with right at 2,800 feet of elevation gain. It was a good workout for someone that hasn't been on the trails as much as he would like, but my ankle and foot seem to be okay.