- Welcome to Wild Nevada, I'm Chris Orr.

This time, I'm headed to the middle of the state for views like that and much more.

All of that is coming up right now on Wild Nevada.

- [Narrator] Support for PBS Reno and Wild Nevada comes in part from the William N. Pennington Foundation.

Bill Pennington was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and gaming pioneer who built a legacy of community service in Nevada.

- [Narrator] Travel Nevada helps provide travel inspiration and experiences for those interested in creating their own wild Nevada adventures.

For more information, visit travelnevada.com.

And by Millie Hopper and Millard Reed, Charles and Margaret Burback, Sande Family Foundation, Kristine Perry, Thelma B and Thomas P. Hart Foundation, June S Wisham Trust, the Hall Family, Dillard and Meg Myers, Sarah and Leonard LaFrance, in memory of Sue McDowell and by individual members.

- This time, I'm starting out on Reese River Road, which is just outside of Austin off of Highway 50 and State Route 722.

I'm gonna be saying goodbye to pavement soon 'cause I'm headed to the Toiyabes to explore some of the Toiyabe Crest Trail, its history and some of its beauty.

As I head down Reese River Road, I'm immediately struck by the beauty of this area.

The valley seems to go on forever and the sky seems even bigger.

Eventually, I turn left at Washington Creek turnout where I cross the meandering Reese River.

But there's no time to linger here on this trip because I'm headed to the Washington Creek Trailhead, one of the trails leading up to the Toiyabe Crest Trail, also known as the TCT where I meet Kurt Gensheimer.

Kurt, thanks for riding out to meet me.

- Hey Chris, welcome to the Toiyabe.

Good to see you again.

- This is a beautiful trailhead.

- Yeah, we're listening to Washington Creek after a huge winter, so it's been very green and very lush.

- And now we are not on the Toiyabe Crest Trail yet though, right?

- Not yet, the Washington Creek Trail is one of the feeder trails that we like to call it.

It's an access trail.

There's a few of them on the west side of the range, and Washington Creek is one of the easier ways to access the Toiyabe Crest Trail.

- So you look like you're ready to not only do a little hiking with me, but possibly some trail maintenance.

- Yeah, yeah, this is kind of the daily attire out here.

I've got tools in my pack.

Mowing sage brush, and mahogany and aspen keep the trail open for users.

- You do trail maintenance and hike at the same time?

- That's correct, multitasking, yes.

- Should we head up the trail and see what we can find?

- Let's do it.

- Okay, I'm looking forward to it.

So how does somebody learn how to hike with a chainsaw?

- You just strap it on your back and go.

(light music) - When did you first discover the Toiyabe?

- The Toiyabe Crest Trail, I first rode my mountain bike on in 2016.

Well, the trail was barely there.

You couldn't even follow it.

It was so overgrown.

It was a pretty amazing experience and all I could think about the whole time was how incredible this trail could be if it was actually maintained.

And so that's kind of what started my mission of resurrecting this trail and maintaining it for people to enjoy.

- You could see why.

Even this tiny little bit and we're not even on the main trail, it's gorgeous.

- This is one of my more favorite parts of Washington Creek Trail right in here, this Aspen Grove, super lush in here.

(light music) - Truly, I'm getting spoiled.

I've never had anyone like groom a trail just ahead of me.

So does this area get a lot of snow if it's a good winter?

- It can, yeah, we had a huge winter in the Toiyabe last winter.

Oh, and here's some evidence of that.

Giant old dead aspen down in the middle of the trail.

I didn't bring my big chainsaw today.

I didn't think I'd need it, but this is definitely gonna need some saw work to get it out of the trail bed.

- So this is an example of why trail work is never done.

- It's never done.

Thankfully, this one's pretty close to the trailhead so we could walk here in 10 minutes with a chainsaw and get this cleaned up pretty quick.

- Of course, just because we don't have the proper tools doesn't mean we won't at least try to clear some of the smaller branches.

(upbeat music) I can probably grab that one.

That one I can grab.

I can at least do that one.

- There you go.

So usually in trail maintenance terms, a swamper is someone who actually picks up all the cuts... Like, there'll be a cutter and then a swampER.

So you're my swamper today.

- I'm game for that.

I feel like this one looks like it should have a purpose.

Like we should build something with it.

- [Kurt] Yeah, you can make a nice little tent stake with it or something.

- [Chris] So what's the next step for this now?

- Now that we've got all the other smaller material out of the way, at a future date, I'll come back with A chainsaw and we'll get this thing cleaned out and passable once again.

- [Chris] That's fun, and I learned a new word, I'm a swamper today.

- [Kurt] You're a swamper.

It's not just a band in Alabama.

- The further we progress, the more lush and colorful the trail keeps getting, but also more overgrown.

- Thick in here.

- Oh yeah.

- Gotta keep these willows down.

- I feel like you're paving the way for me, Kurt.

Truly, I feel like I'm getting spoiled.

- First class trail experience.

Sometimes you can cover a mile a day.

Sometimes it takes several days to cover a mile.

When I first started doing work on this trail, this was impassable.

So all of this mahogany was in the trail.

Like literally you were walking like through stuff like this that was like in the trail.

- And clearly you can see where you're supposed to go.

The willows I understand in encroaching, but you guys did a crazy amount of work.

- We've spent, you know, now this'll be the fifth summer out here, so it's definitely been a labor of love.

So right here, we're looking at about a four foot corridor.

We wanna have generally a three to four foot corridor just because stuff grows back.

Ideally a six foot corridor would be great, but having a six foot corridor takes a long time to clear.

- Well, and I imagine if you have enough use, that helps maintain that corridor too, right?

- Usage is important.

More feet and more hooves and more tires are what we need on these trails to keep them open and passable.

And people coming out here and spending a day or two with some tools and doing some work.

I mean like these trails aren't gonna stay passable if nobody comes out here and gives back a little.

Focus on maybe a specific section of the trail.

- A little bit of that pay it forward, right?

It definitely feels like a special place.

It's just gorgeous.

- [Kurt] Yeah, this is a really cool aspen grove.

- And with views like these, a place like Washington Creek is definitely worth the effort of keeping it maintained and open for visitors to enjoy.

Kurt's Group, the friends of the Toiyabe, used volunteers on this project, and what a great way for trail users to pay it forward.

Maintaining access to trails in a gorgeous and remote area, it's like combining recreation and service all in one.

A couple of miles and creek crossings later, the trail narrows and begins the last stretch of the ascent toward our destination for the day, the intersection with the Toiyabe Crest Trail.

Looks like we made it.

- We made it.

- So this is officially the Toiyabe Crest Trail.

- This is it, this is the Toiyabe Crest Trail heading southbound towards Ophir Pass and then just on the other side is the Toiyabe Crest Trail heading northbound towards Kingston.

There's several feeder canyons that come up to the Toiyabe Crest Trail that all are very unique in their own way.

Washington is one of my favorites.

- The Toiyabe Crest Trail, it is an old trail.

- It is an old trail, yeah.

It started construction in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a post-depression works project.

It hasn't seen a trail crew maintain it since the late 1980s.

- So do you think that if people like yourselves in the project that you're working on didn't come out and work on it now reclaim it, do you think we would eventually lose this area?

- Absolutely.

- So really in a lot of ways, you're saving this beautiful place for people like me that wanna come out and enjoy it.

- Yeah, the Toiyabe Crest Trail is one of approximately 1200 national recreation trails, which is this incredible diversity of wildlife and geology and water and remoteness.

It's pretty cool to share that.

- It's a beautiful place, thank you for sharing it with me today.

- [Kurt] Absolutely.

- Considering the remoteness of the area, visitors should keep in mind that there are really no amenities available.

Luckily, in addition to hiking and biking, the trail system offers ample locations for camping.

We set up at the San Juan campground.

Once we settle into camp, we meet Chad and Candace who ran a local guiding service and, like Kurt, are friends of the Toiyabe.

What brought you to the area?

- The mountains, we were passing through on our way actually from north to Pahrump and just fell in love with the area.

Now we get to share it with others and show the calling and the beauty of these mountains.

- So when you describe this area to people, how do you describe it?

- Oh man.

- Very vast, the solitude out here, we're three hours from Reno, three hours from Carson, three hours from Elko, two and a half hours from Ely, four hours from Vegas.

We have some very unique geography in this area.

You get up on some of these ridges and you can see four mountain ranges to the west and four mountain ranges to the east.

That's one thing we like to point out to people is just the beauty of this area.

- Why is it that coming out and being part of people's experience in the Toiyabe is so important to you?

- When Candace and I ran the bed and breakfast in Kingston, we seen a need for people coming out and not knowing where to go or how to safely get out there.

So we kind of seen that need to guide people and get them out there safely.

So that's what we'll be doing is setting up camps like this and taking people on guided mountain bike rides, adventure bike rides, dirt bikes.

It's an amazing trail in Nevada that's had little to no maintenance for the last close to four decades.

And so working on that, getting it clean so people can get out and enjoy it and see it now that it's being cleared out.

It's gonna get new signage to let you know which canyons, 'cause then you can drop out a certain canyon if you have an issue or something or making different loops.

So I think that will be really great getting people out and enjoying the Toiyabe safely.

- [Chris] So it's one of those areas that's definitely either come prepared, find someone who can help you prepare.

- Yeah, definitely come prepared.

Get everything you can when you're in town, because once you get out here, we're a long ways from any services and if you still don't think you can do it safely, then by all means give us a call.

- Good advice indeed.

And it's always great to have assistance when needed.

As the sun sets, we settle in to get ready for another adventure tomorrow.

(light music) The next morning, we start the day with another drive full of epic views.

We're headed to our next destination in Kingston Canyon.

Along the way, we enjoy breathtaking scenery in every direction.

A couple of hill climbs and turns later, we come to a sudden stop when we find ourselves confronted by a deep washout in the road.

Not only is this a good reminder to travel with care in this area, but it's also a good example of how the work of maintaining the roads and the trails in the Toiyabe never ends.

But the friends of the Toiyabe are not deterred.

This is exactly the kind of challenge they're up for.

The crew makes quick work of fixing the road and we are back on track in no time at all.

Eventually, we wind our way down the mountain and find ourselves at a beautiful lake.

Whether camping, fishing, biking, or hiking, this is another scarcely known treasure for the outdoor enthusiasts looking for the perfect getaway in the Toiyabes.

What's on point today, what are we doing?

- Well, we're here in Kingston Canyon at the Toiyabe Crest Trailhead.

This is the northern end of the Toiyabe Crest Trail.

You can actually see it.

That cut in the side of the mountain, that's where we're going.

We're gonna hike up to 9,000 feet at the saddle there and get some amazing views out in Reese River Valley, Big Smoky Valley and Bunker Hill.

- So now how far away are we from where we were hiking yesterday?

- We're about 10 miles north of where we were hiking yesterday, but it feels a lot further.

- It really does.

I'm excited to see what it's like from the top.

- It's pretty awesome.

- You've already got the tool ready.

- I'm prepared, multitasking, you know.

Hiking and trail work all at the same time.

- It's a beautiful sunny day with the occasional cloud for shade, the perfect day for a hike.

Within a few minutes of walking along a near level trail, we drop into a picturesque, if overgrown, field.

With Kurt clearing the way, we luck into a few more friends of the Toiyabe.

Hillary Bates, a new resident of the area, is understandably enthusiastic about it.

- Well, howdy.

- Oh, hey there.

- What's going on Hillary, how are you?

- Oh, how's it going Kurt?

We're just out for a nice afternoon ride.

How about you guys, working on the trail again?

- A little hike.

- What are you guys doing out here today?

- We're just out for a little ride.

Coming back from some time off and Spirit's been in the pasture all summer, so we're doing a little conditioning and trying to get fit again.

They love being out here.

I mean, you can see why like one of the reasons we like training here is because we don't have to worry about having enough food with us.

There's abundant water and grass and the horses like to kind of munch as they go.

- [Tucker] They eat up this single trail pretty good.

- [Chris] And they're your swampers too then.

- [Tucker] They're also swampers, yeah, exactly, yep.

- So how far are you guys going today?

- Oh, you know, today, I think we're just gonna do a couple miles.

These horses hauled in last night, so they're tired, but we thought maybe we'll strip the tack off and jump in the lake and get some refreshing time in the water.

- [Chris] So the horses are gonna go for a swim too then?

- Yeah, they like to play in the water just like we do.

- When you guys are out riding, do you run into a lot of other hikers and riders?

- We have encountered dirt bikes, mountain bikers.

We like to use it as a chance to just talk to fellow lovers of the trail and everybody can get along.

- A lot of people will stop and shut their bikes off and let us kind of go by.

- With the horse to have trails like this ride out my back door and be able to just ride until the sun goes down and maybe keep riding into the night.

There's just a really awesome community here and we just felt called to be part of that and work on the trail and be here.

- As much as these guys are enjoying the trail feed, I think you're gonna have to ride a few extra miles though.

- Yeah, we're gonna have to keep them moving.

They'll sit here and eat as long as we've let them, but the day is getting away so maybe we will take off and see you guys later.

- [Chris] Well thanks for letting us say hi.

- [Hillary] Okay, see ya.

Come on, Comet.

- As Hillary and Tucker ride off to take the horses to the lake, we resume our trek up the hill.

Though we have a beautiful day to hike, it's important to check conditions and forecasts before you head out into the Toiyabes.

These trails are challenging with steep grades and hard ascents.

How much are we gonna climb today?

- Probably about 2000 vert and it happens real quick.

- It's the thigh test, right?

- Oh yeah, it's like the stair master.

This trail is just a consistent pitch, especially on the mountain bike.

And we were on e-bikes, it was hard.

- One of the things that we do that we never warn people about until they're doing it with us is we make you talk going uphill.

- Yes, that's the true test of fitness.

Can they hold a conversation while climbing a 20% grade.

- That the vetting process.

- Exactly, so how many total miles of trail are there on the TCT?

- The TCT itself is 32 miles and then you've got another approximately eight to 10 miles of feeder trail like what we're on right now.

- These clouds are working in our favor.

- Yeah, we're getting some nice cloud cover.

It happens a lot in the summer here in the Toiyabe.

You get these big white puffy clouds, you get this unbelievably cool contrast of green against blue with white and then the shadows, it's so cool.

- [Chris] Oh my god, it's absolutely gorgeous.

- Yes, as they say, the view is always worth the climb.

- And Chad could not be more right.

As we reach for the summit, we are rewarded with absolutely breathtaking views.

Woo-hoo, look at that.

This is amazing.

- Yeah, that's the Reese River Valley out there.

That's where we were driving this morning to get over Big Creek Sun.

- Looking right back at Bunker Hill.

- [Chris] I feel like I'm standing on top of a topo map.

- [Kurt] Kind of are, totally.

- It's just absolutely beautiful.

- [Kurt] There's something about the Toiyabe that is just pretty unique and magical.

- See why you guys are putting so much work into it and encouraging people to come out here.

It's definitely worth visiting.

Thanks for bringing me up here.

This is amazing.

- [Kurt] Absolutely, glad you could join us.

- [Chad] Yes, we love sharing this beautiful part of our state with everyone we can.

- Our next destination just on the other side of the hill is the small mountain community of Kingston, nestled on the east side of the Toiyabes.

This picturesque town comes complete with a general store and a western style saloon.

At the general store, I meet a longtime part of the Kingston community, Michael Zacharias.

Chris: Hi there!

- Hello, how you doing?

- I'm good, this is a beautiful spot.

- [Mike] Welcome to the general store.

- So Mike, I know you're a long-term resident here in Kingston.

What can you tell me about this town?

- Well, it's basically the same as it always has been.

- [Chris] So your roots really lie in this community.

- [Mike] Well, I got married in the church 25 years ago.

- And the church is like in your backyard.

- Yes, and I built the pond 15 years ago along with the bar, The Lucky Spur, yes.

- When did you buy the general store?

- A month and a half ago.

- So this is kinda... What are you gonna do with this new acquisition?

- This is gonna be my new antique shop and art gallery.

This keeps me busy.

- Mike's collection is almost ready for viewing and has been a continuous project for years.

It's an eclectic collection that chronicles the area's history from photos to art and other displays.

Restoring this historic building will ensure that it's there for visitors to enjoy.

Not only is Mike working to preserve the community's history, he built the town's favorite fishing pond and works to keep it stocked.

He also built an island ideal for fly fishing.

For a few quarters, visitors can use the food dispenser to feed the fish.

Oh, there's one of your fish right there.

Look at 'em all.

Oh, this is lovely.

- Oh it is, it's just a getaway.

- I have seen so much beauty in the last two days and I've heard so much about how lovely Kingston is and what a great community and it is just another piece of the loveliness of this trip, this is great.

- Well, I'm glad you're enjoying us, don't tell anybody.

- Well, I'm just sorry that it took me so long to come out and visit you guys.

So what should we do now?

- Well, I built the Lucky Spur a couple years ago.

Why don't we take a look at that?

- Sounds good, I've been hiking for two days.

I think I'm ready for a drink.

Years ago, Mike built then sold the Lucky Spur, but it still has a special place in his heart as it's still his favorite bar in town and not just because it's the only one around.

- Well, here we are at the Lucky Spur.

- So where'd you get that sign from?

- That was a casino in Carson City.

That was a 25 foot tall sign.

I had to find something big enough to put it on.

So I went to Fallon and bought me a windmill and rebuilt it.

Wild party putting it up, I'll tell you.

- Well, here you go.

I've heard about the Lucky Spur this whole trip, so I finally get to check it out.

- Top 20 bars in America.

Used to be anyway, yes.

It's the best bar in the middle of nowhere.

- Whether you're a local or just visiting, this place is as rustic and as lively as it is inviting and just a great place to kick back after a few days in the outdoors.

Kingston is a charming little getaway, well worth the visit.

Just make sure not to tell Mike I sent you.

As you can tell, I'm out of daylight so that's all I have time for in this trip, but it's been a great two days.

So much fun and the Toiyabe was absolutely as beautiful as I always heard it was.

If you wanna learn more about this episode or watch any of the Wild Nevada series, visit pbsreno.org or use the free PBS app.

Until my next Wild Nevada adventure, I hope you could have some Nevada adventures of your own.

Right now, it's time for me to join the crew, cheers guys.

- So Kurt, are you ever tempted to shave little animal shapes into the-- - That's the next evolution, you wet?

- Just my one foot.

- Wet Foot McGee, yeah, swamping.

- All right.

- Let's work.

- I did something today.

- [Narrator] Support for PBS Reno and Wild Nevada comes in part from the William N. Pennington Foundation.

Bill Pennington was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and gaming pioneer who built a legacy of community service in Nevada.

- [Narrator] Travel Nevada helps provide travel inspiration and experiences for those interested in creating their own wild Nevada adventures.

For more information, visit Travelnevada.com and by Millie Hopper and Millard Reed, Charles and Margaret Burback, Sande Family Foundation, Kristine Perry, Thelma B. and Thomas P. Hart Foundation, June S Wisham Trust, the Hall Family, Dillard and Meg Myers, Sarah and Leonard LaFrance, in memory of Sue McDowell, and by individual members.

(bright music)