Welcome to the Reno News & Review’s 2019 Winter Guide. It’s cold out there, readers. What started as a pretty mild fall has manifested into full-blown Jack Frost territory over the past few weeks—but I have to say, I love it. If you live in Reno, the arrival of the cold and snow should be seen as a privilege. Especially in our rapidly warming environment, the snow is our biggest reservoir for water—and that’s why this guide is all about getting out and not just tolerating the snow, but celebrating it.
Long-time contributor Kris Vagner is known as something of a camping guru around here, and she and her family are experts at finding peaceful retreats in remote corners of our gigantic state. In “Out in the cold,” she breaks down tips, supplies and destinations to extend camping season into the cold months.
There’s probably no simpler way to enjoy the snow than just getting out and walking around it. In that spirit, in the story “Stepping out,” Shaun Hunter took a look at the ins and outs of snowshoeing—and based on the cover photo he also shot for this issue, it looks a lot more scenic than just a walk around the block.
Contributor Andrea Heerdt decided to go Christmas Tree hunting away from the usual pop-up lot, and into public lands, where trees meeting certain requirements can be harvested by families looking to add some adventure to their traditions. She also breaks down how to responsibly recycle your trees after the holidays. Read it in the article “Cut to the chase.”
Finally, for the 15 Minutes column, I spoke with one of the original arbiters of winter sports in the valley, Steve Sheehan—owner of Bobo’s Ski & Patio. Bobo’s is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, so we sat down to talk about snow business—both on and off the mountain.
Winter’s official arrival is marked by the solstice on Dec. 21, and it’s long been one of my favorite days of the calendar for one reason: the days start to get longer. Shaded as we are by the mighty Sierra Nevada, daylight is in short supply during the winter, and I’ve always hated the long, dreary nights more than the actual cold itself. It won’t be too long before the summer days have relegated the white stuff to the rivers and streams of the Truckee Meadows, so go get it before it’s hot.
Best regards,
Matt Bieker
Special Projects Editor