Spring into the Sierra Nevada Mountain Culture in Carson Valley

Photos, story by Cassie Hepler

Nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevada, Carson Valley is an overlooked eye candy oasis begging to be explored. Located 45 miles south of Reno-Tahoe International Airport and 12 miles east of South Lake Tahoe, the region includes the communities of Minden, Gardnerville, Topaz Lake and Genoa (Nevada’s first settlement dating back to 1851). It offers a window to the authentic American West. The region’s natural beauty is legendary: wide-open farms, ranches, bands of wild horses and birds of prey dot the landscape. And of course golf with views that will leave you wanting more. The valley’s museums, arts, antiquing, Basque dining, a myriad of outdoor recreation, and over 50 miles of trails add to what sets this destination apart.

When I signed up for this press trip, all my previous memories of my scary altitude sickness experience to South Lake Tahoe, Nevada came rushing back. But putting my mind at ease, this space – particularly Minden – was the place that helped bring me back to life. I set out for the long 12 hour drive on a Monday morning with my trusty Select CBD lavender vape in tow just to keep my muscles relaxed in route. When I finally arrived at Carson Valley Inn, the sun was setting and the skies were a shade of blue and purple with that crisp, cool and fresh mountain air that filled my lungs.

I checked in with a wonky left shoulder and twitching back and so ready to relax in the indoor hot tub and pool. The woman at the front desk was also a Philadelphia transplant and she gave me a fist bump for doing that long drive solo. She said people are amazed how we just get shit done as she drove across the country herself as well to move. Props to my gritty city Philly peeps, we are hardcore.

Since I had the whole day Tuesday to myself before the press trip officially began, I decided to spend the sunny day soaking my body and soul at David Walley’s Natural Hot Springs. Located a mile from Genoa, David Walley’s Resort at the Natural Hot Springs is certainly the best location to soak your soul and bones away in the valley. Located at the base of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, in the historic town of Genoa, Nevada, the spa condominium resort features five hot spring pools, full-service spa, fine dining at 1862 Restaurant & Saloon and special event services. This resort is close to many recreational and entertainment hotspots such as Lake Tahoe, Carson City and Reno.

Even though the weather was feeling more like winter and less like Spring, that hazy sunshine got me a good shade of lobster red. But in the meantime, I met so many interesting characters. One man should have worked for the tourism board, he was so full of knowledge about the area. A random couple told me the haunted saloon tales once upon a time of sounds of billiards, laughter and pianos being playing in the wee hours of the morning. And my favorite person, a Russian woman with her mom who explained that when you go camping or hiking, you bring a clean bucket for water and a shovel to dig holes… like a cat. On my way back, I had to pull the car over just to shoot these breathtaking memories.

When I got back to the hotel, I didn’t realize how sunburned I was until I saw myself in the bathroom mirror. Note to self, those hazy rays will creep up on you especially at increased altitude! After a quick shower, it was off to our welcome dinner at J T Basque Bar & Dining Room. This cultural and historic landmark in the land of legends provides an authentic Basque dining experience. JT’s roots stretch back well over a half century and is considered a Nevada icon. The multi-course family style meals are plentiful and palate pleasing. Voted Best Basque Restaurant in the Carson Valley for more than a decade running, this locals’ favorite is festive, family oriented and fun.

The next morning we were up and at ’em for some amazing views and learning some facts about the history of the area at Dangberg Home Ranch Historical Tour. The Dangberg Home Ranch was once the center of a 48,000-acre ranch and the home of Carson Valley’s most prominent family. Full of artifacts from Nevada’s past, the tour took us through the ranch house built between 1857 and 1917.

We layered up our winter gear as the temps were dropping fast and headed over to tour Jacobs Family Berry Farm. Located on the historic Lampe Homestead in the beautiful Carson Valley, the Jacobs Family Berry Farm is less than 30 minutes from Lake Tahoe and Carson City, Nevada. The family purchased the property in 2002 and began restoration to preserve it for future generations and offer it as a wedding, event and corporate space to fill the seasonal farming gaps.

Since we got a taste of Carson Valley, now we were hungry for more… So it was a good thing we went to the surprisingly outstanding Overland Restaurant & Pub featuring fresh, locally sourced food in a relaxed family-friendly restaurant and pub setting. The restaurant is part of renowned chef Mark Estee‘s family of dining establishments and is located in Gardnerville, NV. Chef Estee’s motto is, “Do you know where your food comes from?” as he enjoys working with local farms. His pride and joy, Liberty Food & Wine Exchange, is an artisan eatery and wine bar in Reno, NV and he recently added Overland to his food empire.

Now that we had very happy, full bellies and a good beer buzz, it was off to taste some more booze! But this time it was a distillery and a gorgeous one at that, the unmistakeable Bently Heritage. Bently Heritage Estate Distillery crafts some of the world’s finest spirits in Nevada and maintains a nearly 5-star experience across all online rankings. One of only five in the U.S. and keeping with old world traditions, Bently uses only grains grown right on their ranch in Carson Valley. In fact, 80 percent are grown onsite making it one of only five estate distilleries in the United States to do so. Bently Ranch sustainably grows and harvests the winter rye, wheat and barley which is used to malt in-house on their own malting floor. The distillery’s home is the more than 100-year-old Minden flour mill which sits proudly on the National Register of Historic Places. Once the largest operating mill in the area, today it’s restored to modern LEED certified standards. The goal is not only to set a new standard for sustainable production in the state of Nevada, but also in the world.

Another nice thing about Bently Heritage Estate Distillery is that it is walking distance – 5 minutes – to the Carson Valley Hotel, has its own speakeasy style cocktail menu for craft drinks created by our witty tour guide/manager and you can’t miss it from a mile away. We kind of wanted to linger but opted to get some work done digital nomad style with mountain views in our downtime instead. Getting ready for dinner was a breeze too as it was literally downstairs on the casino level of the hotel.

We met up with Bill Henderson, the general manager of Carson Valley Inn, and his wife for a fine dining experience inside the casino at CV Steak. CV Steak offers a Nevada-style steakhouse experience in a setting that combines comfort with a touch of formality that’s sure to create an unforgettable evening. The menu features a selection of appetizers and a generous range of entrees. For meat lovers, our steakhouse specialties include Rib Eye, New York and Top Sirloin steaks plus Filet Mignon, and much more. Also offered are plenty of pasta dishes, seafood choices and chicken entrees. Recessed areas above each booth showcase black and white photos that recount the history of Minden and Gardnerville and were hand-selected by architect and designer Larry Henry for their historic significance. The photos are a perfect complement to the arts and crafts motif that tie all elements of Carson Valley Inn together.

Following a day of full-fledged gluttony, it always feels good to get outside and get some exercise so I was happy to go on a walkabout in nature at the River Fork Ranch Tour where we met Lori Leonard of The Nature Conservancy. What a great job to have! Eighteen years ago, the conservancy ensured the long-term protection of more than 800 acres of wildlife habitat around the confluence of the East and West Forks of the Carson River near Genoa, NV by purchasing River Fork Ranch. Using sustainable agricultural practices, the River Fork Ranch Preserve is now both a nature preserve and a working cattle operation. The River Fork Ranch Preserve’s riparian corridor and patchwork of pastures, meadows and wetlands support a robust and diverse wildlife population including bald eagles, sandhill cranes, leopard frogs, monarch butterflies, mule deer, and Western Pond Turtles. The Whit Hall Interpretive Center (WHIC) located at the River Fork Ranch Preserve is the hub of The Nature Conservancy’s community outreach and experiential education efforts in the Carson Valley. The WHIC is open for school visits and other scheduled events and activities throughout the year and ensures the Conservancy is able to connect nearly 2,000 people to nature at this site alone each year — typically, at least 30% of these individuals are youth.

Exploring nature and unique areas are part of my favorite activities so I was excited to get a move on to Genoa, the oldest town in Nevada, settled by John Reese in 1851. Within the main town square, you’ll find Mormon Station State Historic Park, the Courthouse Museum of Genoa, and the oldest bar in Nevada which is still a popular watering hole to this day. Within easy walking distance of any of the lodging establishments are boutique stores and shops, a general store and restaurants, as well as an art gallery – all within the quiet, peaceful small town that is Genoa.

We had worked up quite an appetite and were ravenous by lunchtime so we went straight to another gem in the valley, the aptly named The Pink House. This gourmet cheese and charcuterie shop offers a fine selection of top quality products, and a menu of sandwiches, salads, cheese and more.

We walked up the street to Genoa Bar & Saloon for a drink at the oldest thirst parlor in Nevada, built in 1853. Mark Twain visited when he first reported for the Territorial Enterprise which opened in Genoa before moving to Virginia City. Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt enjoyed “cool ones”, perhaps right where you’re standing. Carol Lombard and Clark Gable came here to play high stakes poker games with the local cattle barons. Among the other famous and infamous, Lauren Bacall, Richard Boone, Ronnie Howard, Red Skelton, Cliff Robertson and all of our Nevada Governors have come through the doors. When Raquel Welch visited us, she was asked to leave her bra. She agreed but insisted that all the other bras be taken down -and they were! Her’s is the black leopard print hanging on the antlers. A number of movies have been filmed here including “The Shootist” with John Wayne, “Charley Varrick” with Walter Mathau and Joe Don Baker, “Honky Tonk Man” with Clint Eastwood, “Misery” with James Cann, Kathy Bates, Rob Reiner and Richard Farnsworth, and most recently, (last summer) “Till the River Runs Dry” starring Ann-Margaret. One step into the bar and it’s evident that you’ve stepped back in time. Adorned with medallions on the ceiling, the lights are all original as is the one red oil lamp which is lit every New Year’s Eve. The electric lamps are also original to the bar and were oil but converted to electricity at the turn of the century. And, no, those are not blood stains you see on the ceiling (it’s tomato juice) while there have been many rough and tumbles here, no one was ever killed. And yes, they grow their own cobwebs.

Right up the street we went from there to our next stop with Cynthia Ferris-Bennett is the founder and owner of Sierra Chef. With over 30 years of marketing, public relations, graphic design, photographic, product development / placement, event design, planning and coordination experience, Cynthia is a true “Jack-line” of all trades.

Cynthia is a past president of Weddings of the West, belongs to the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce, is a former member of Mainstreet Gardnerville, served on the board of the South Lake Tahoe Wedding & Honeymoon Association, is a winner of the National Invitation & Design Awards, including the National Stationery Alliance 2007 EnVee Award and also team member for the NACE (National Association of Catering Executives) and winner of the tabletop competition 2009 and 2010. She is a former member of the Las Vegas Chapter of NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) and works with such charitable organizations a Soroptomist International, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for El Dorado County of California, Between Horses and Humans & the Barton Foundation and Strawberry Fields Animal Rescue. Cynthia was honored by the Sierra Nevada Republican Woman as their 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year. She is also a contributing writer to Carson Valley Living Magazine (and has provided cover photography for this publication as well), and for The Nevada Appeal Food section.

Back to the hot springs for a quick soak and girls night before bed that night as we had to get up and at ’em for a jeep tour of the wild horses. Dwayne’s World passion has always been wildlife and the outdoors, from viewing to protecting, to capturing those shots that he envisions in his head, and to share those photos for others to enjoy and learn from. Dwayne developed a passion for photography while working an active duty and civilian career with the US Army and Department of Defense. After 30 years of finding himself among some of the most remote and beautiful landscape and wildlife the world has to offer, he returned to the area of his youth to finish my career with the Mountain Warfare Training Center outside of Bridgeport, California. After many years of supporting the mission, he is now back home among the beauty of the Carson Valley and Sierra Nevada mountains and is a wealth of knowledge and expertise on Carson Valley wildlife.

From there it was back to the hotel and checkout time. My adventures took me to South Lake Tahoe, CA for one more night and of course I had to stop and take some more shots of that glistening lake…