• Peavine: Jewel in the back yard
• Groovy Gear: We all need a little support now and then
• Subscribe to the Powderhound Report!
• And the Mountain Mutt photo contest winner is...
• Publish your own outdoor photos

Peavine: Jewel in the back yard

John Trent, aka The Mountain Mutt*

The reaction was common when it comes to Peavine Peak. A trail runner in the Silver State 50-mile race in May had just finished spending the better part of six hours running up and down Peavine.

Tired and dusty, Carl Freeman, a runner from Kensington, Calif., was amazed at what he had just experienced.

"That," he said, as he took a drink of water at an aid station at Boomtown Hotel Casino, not far from Peavine, "is one incredible mountain. I just thought it would be a bunch of sagebrush."

Peavine is one of those mountains that has a way of creeping up on you. Although it guards the northern and western edges of Reno, this 8,266-foot peak is all about going vertical and going vertical in a hurry.

Runners in the Silver State 50, for example, climb from about 4,500 feet at the start to near the top of Peavine in a little less than six miles.

"It's a lung-buster, that's for certain," said Reno trail runner Eric Hicks, who regularly trains on Peavine.

Click here to read the rest of the story

Groovy Gear:
We all need a little support now and then

Hiking poles have been popular forever in the rugged mountains of Europe, and are gaining fans here in the states. Could it be that baby boomers are looking to save their aging knees? Some reasons to try 'walking sticks' include reducing shock to those knee joints, relieving back pressure and improving balance. A favorite of mine are the Tour Cor-Tec Antishock poles from Leki ($99). They're light, collapse into three sections and have comfy cork grips. After all, aren't four legs more steady than two?
Photo courtesy of amazon.com

Subscribe to the Powderhound Report!

Hey, Mountain Mutts, check out the Powderhound, our e-mail newsletter that keeps you up to date on what's happening in Lake Tahoe winter sports action. We'll be sending it once a week once the snow season rolls around, packed with local insider news and notes on Tahoe skiing and 'boarding.

Subscribe to the Powderhound Report!

Mountain Mutt photo winner of the week!

This is Toby hiking with his stick on a trail overlooking Donner Lake. Watch your knees when he's coming up behind you! His family lives in Truckee and he's very happy with the accomodations! Owner Barbara Hasey wins a Mountain Mutt T-shirt and was entered into the grand prize drawing for a $100 Petco gift certificate.

Zip and Jack: the ultimate Mountain Mutts!

The votes are in, and although the competition was down to the wire, Zip and Jack have been crowned this year's supreme Mountain Mutts. Owner Bo Ellis and his lucky pooches win a $100 Petco gift certificate.

A big thanks to all of you who entered photos of your Mountain Mutts this summer!

Publish your outdoor photos!

Have you always wanted others to see your great outdoor photos? Now's your chance! Publish your pictures on our Mountain Mutt photo site, and you can share your talent with the world! Publish pictures of your very own Mutt, or that gorgeous sunset shot you took while hiking, or a bird you've never seen before that flew past your kayak ... whatever it is, share your photos of the Lake Tahoe, Northern Nevada summer with us! Click here to get started, and see what your fellow readers have already published.

Click here to publish your own photos!