COME OUT AND PLAY.
Story by Brett Rhyne - Photos courtesty of RSCVA, Scott Hinton and Northstar Resort.

Chances are that if you're reading this sentence you're some where inside.

Maybe you're in a very comfortable hotel room, fluffed up pillows behind your head, shoes off, feet up. The giant flat screen tuned in to some news-talk-sports-reality-show-entertainment channel where the spray tanned blonde hosts chatter away endlessly about Lindsey-this or
Branjelina-that without ever getting bored. This is your cue to look up and glance out the floor to ceiling window and drink in a view that's unlike any you've ever seen before – one that includes a raging river and snowy peaks, scorched desert valleys and pine forested hills rolling off way-way-way into the distance. And it's then that you decide to beeline it to the nearest exit, leaving the monotonous hum of the air conditioner and the incessant chatter of the TV far, far behind.

You already know there's plenty of fun to be had indoors here in Reno-Tahoe. There are casinos, bars, buffets, shops, casinos, more buffets and, of course, even more bars. All worthwhile places to spend some time while you're visiting. But there's another side that some visitors may overlook, and that's the world that's waiting right outside those casino doors.
Pick an outdoor sport, any sport, and you'll find it here. Skiing and boarding? The 13 ski resorts ringing Lake Tahoe average over 34 feet of snow each year. If you're a newbie there's plenty of easy terrain to get you going, and even the simple slopes boast picture perfect postcard views of Lake Tahoe. If double-blacks and big air are more your speed, there's plenty of near vertical terrain and secret stashes of backcountry powder that'll keep the most expert powder hound busy. And they haven't forgotten the 'boarders either. Every resort sports an assortment of half pipes, jumps and terrain parks for those that prefer taking to the slopes on one plank rather than two.

But that's the obvious stuff. Everyone knows about how epic the skiing is in Reno-Tahoe. How about the rafting and kayaking? If you're staying in downtown Reno, did you know that you're just steps away from some of the best urban whitewater in the country? The Truckee River rolls right through downtown on its way from Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake, and come spring when the snow starts to melt, whitewater takes center stage. Almost any day of the year from early March through the earliest days of winter, you'll find kayakers bobbing up and down practicing spins and rolls in the rapids around Wingfield Park in Reno and Rock Park in Sparks. If you happen to get bitten by the river bug while you're here, it's super easy to get out on the water. There are lots of outfitters in the area who will have you careening down rapids and doing Eskimo rolls in no time.

But maybe whitewater isn't your thing. If that's the case, then you don't have to go far to find
flatwater that's perfect for fishing, floating, swimming or boating. Lake Tahoe is, of course, the most perfect, most amazing destination for anyone wanting to get out on the water. Just rent a kayak, jet ski or a paddleboard and you can explore parts of the lakeshore that go unseen by the average visitor. But if you like to take roads less traveled there are plenty of other lakes in the area that fly a little further under the radar. There are other options to Tahoe like nearby Donner Lake, right off I-80 just west of Truckee. Donner is a pristine little gem with plenty of secluded coves and beaches, which most days you'll have all to yourself. Or for a completely different experience and landscape, head north from Sparks to Pyramid Lake. Equal parts haunting and majestic, Pyramid Lake is famous for its tufa formations and the rare and sometimes monstrous Lahontan cutthroat trout. If you're there and you see fishermen casting from ladders near the shore, don't worry, you're not hallucinating – some anglers swear that it helps them cast further, and helps them land those Lahontan lunkers.

What if a green run is still too advanced and you really don't feel like getting your hair wet, either. What else have we got to offer? Glad you asked. There are hundreds of miles of hiking and mountain biking trails winding around the mountains all over the area. There are easy nature trails that'll give you a little taste of the great outdoors, or there are some serious multi-day treks that will take you up and down nearly every peak in the Tahoe basin. If your style is more two wheels than two feet, there are mountain biking trails for every ability. Plus, some ski resorts, like Northstar, open their ski slopes to mountain biking in the summer. No uphill slogs required either. Head up the mountain on the lift, and on the way down you'll get a lesson in exactly how gravity works.

If that still sounds a little too hardcore for your tastes, there's still no excuse to spend all your time inside tugging on a slot machine handle. Grab a set of golf clubs, crank up a cart and head out for a round of 18 on one of the Reno-Tahoe area's more than 50 golf courses, all within 90 minutes of Reno. You could play a different course every day for weeks and never see the same thing twice. There are courses in the desert, courses in the mountains, courses with lots of water and courses set in lush pine forests, many designed by golf legends like Jack Nicklaus and Robert Trent Jones. Remember, you're at altitude, so your drive will look a lot more
impressive here than anywhere else you've ever played. And speaking of impressive drives, if you'd like to see a few, check out a few rounds of the Reno-Tahoe Open at the Montrêux Golf and Country Club. Each August (August 1-7 in 2011) some of the PGA's top pros come to Reno to try and bag a piece of a $3 million purse and not get distracted by the jaw-dropping mountain views.

There's plenty more to do, of course. But we figure that if once you start exploring what our great
outdoors has to offer, you'll probably keep going, finding newer and more epic adventures with
each visit.

So go outside and play. All you need to do is look for the nearest exit.

This year, visit Reno-Tahoe on the cool side of the calendar, when the winter wonderland absolutely glows. To check out Reno/Tahoe winter sport videos, click here.