The Wilder West
There’s much more to Nevada than Vegas. Hit the jackpot on an adventure break near Reno and Tahoe
SMOKEY the American quarter horse carried me gently and carefully towards the ridge through a tall pine forest. Giant acorns the size of garden gnomes littered the dusty trail.
Finally, when we crested the hill, we were rewarded for our efforts with a stunning view of Lake Tahoe, the blue jewel of northern Nevada.
This beautifully clear, snow-fed, freshwater lake lies high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, at 6,200ft.
Stretching 21 miles long and 12 miles wide, and with an average depth of 1,000ft, Lake Tahoe has been the lifeblood of this region for almost 200 years.
It irrigates the farms of Carson Valley to the east, provides the drinking water for the towns around, and has for decades been a natural playground for the many locals and tourists attracted to its cool, azure waters.
With hiking, skiing, boating, golf and horseback riding all available here, it is a perfect spot for a holiday in the great outdoors. And there no shortage of entertainment to be found indoors in these parts too.
The Rat Pack used to perform in casino hotels by the lake for guests that included US President John F Kennedy and actress Marilyn Monroe. Nowadays superstars such as Robert Plant and Janet Jackson pack ‘em in. Eccentric millionaire heir George Whittell Jnr liked it so much that in 1936 he built the magnificent Thunderbird Lodge from local pine and slate on the north-east shore. For a tour of the historic property, which is now owned by a preservation trust (Mr Whittell died in 1969 aged 87), I paddled in a kayak from Sand Cove. It was worth it just to see the extensive tunnel network he created so he could smuggle his mistresses in and out. Later, after relaxing in the luxurious
spa at the Edgewood Tahoe resort on the south shore, I checked into the newly renovated Montbleu resort in Stateline for the full casino hotel experience.
The town is bisected by the border with California, with lifts to Heavenly ski resort to the west, and slot machines and card tables to the east.
In my quest to win a classic American motorbike I took a gamble on a Harley-davidsonbranded one-armed bandit – sadly it was not to be.
Continuing my pursuit of riches, I headed north-east, down from the mountains for the bright lights of Reno.
I marvelled at how the landscape changed from pine-filled alpine forests to high desert scrublands which surround the resort that dubs itself ‘the biggest little city in the world’.
Still keen for outdoors adventure, I hopped aboard a rafting tour down the Truckee River, which cuts straight through Reno.
The two-hour journey – shorter if the river is running fast – was
sedate enough for me to take in the sights and smells of the local sagebrush and cottonwood trees, and exciting enough through the rapids to get an adrenaline rush.
That night I stayed at the Eldorado Hotel, part of a massive casino and entertainment complex linked with the Silver Legacy and Circus Circus hotels.
The resort is so big it takes 15 to 20 minutes to walk from one end to the other, past restaurants, bars and casinos that appeal to almost every taste.
The Eldorado alone has 815 rooms and more than 78,000 square feet of casino space – and it is the smallest hotel of the three.
I took my seat in the spectacular Eldorado Showroom for a perfor-
mance of the Cirque Paris show, a daredevil mix of acrobatics, comedy, knife-throwing and burlesque from some of the top acts in the world.
It’s worth paying a bit extra for “champagne seating” – you can enjoy the best view in the house with a glass of fizz in hand.
If all this is beginning to sound like sensory overload, then head to the Whitney Peak.
The city’s first non-smoking, non-gambling hotel is geared towards the outdoorsy set who want to use Reno as a base for accessing northern Nevada’s natural beauty.
It is also home to a 7,000 square foot rock-climbing gym, which is open to visitors, along with the tallest outdoor climbing wall in America which is attached to the side of the 16-storey building and goes all the way to the roof.
I may not have hit the jackpot in the casino, but by climbing halfway up the 164ft-high wall, I did win a wonderful view looking out over Reno’s famous sign.
And I think I can mark that down as a win.