The Snowy Desert Between 14,800 and 10,500 years ago, the oldest petroglyphs in North America appeared in limestone at Winnemucca Lake. Today, the lake is a dry bed, but this spot was likely an oasis to some of the continent’s earliest inhabitants. They inscribed the rock with figures that might be trees, flowers, leaves, clouds, or […]
Sin City You pulled off something unthinkable. You robbed a casino in Las Vegas and made it out the door. The heat hits you in the face. It’s a dry heat, sure, but it’s still 110 degrees Fahrenheit. As you ponder the getaway plan, which involves walking nonchalantly down the Strip, trying to blend in like a
Red Rocks Nevada’s largest city – Las Vegas – is a neon landscape of titanic casinos in a Mojave Desert valley. Widen the gaze from the tinsel and a majestic rim of surrounding mountains emerges. The striking vista is notable not only for its jagged skyline but also its varied palette. Far from a drab
Mt. Charleston We established well that Las Vegas is toasty, sitting squarely in the middle of the Mojave Desert. We also discovered neon lights and high-rise hotels are not the end of the region; if a nature lover wants to escape the rolling dice, Red Rock Canyon packs otherworldly views into a nearby excursion. Unfortunately, Red Rock does not
The Fastest Human-Made Object “Many years later, when I was in Baikonur, the subject of Russia being the first to launch something into space came up. I did not raise my hand to add to the discussion, though I thought about doing so.” — Robert Brownlee What is the fastest object ever crafted by humans? If
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Lake Tahoe This gorgeous image represents Emerald Bay, an inlet of Lake Tahoe: Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe – photo by the_tahoe_guy Lake Tahoe is a beast of a water body. Though it does not sit at the top of most superlative lists we apply to lakes, it’s close enough on many of them to nearly qualify
The Great Basin Most Americans, at some point during primary schooling, learn about an important hydrological boundary known as the Continental Divide. This imaginary line follows the mountains from Alaska, through Canada, down the Rockies, and into Mexico. Technically, the divide does not stop at the edge of North America but splits South America, too. We
The Loneliest Road in America “It’s totally empty. There are no points of interest. We don’t recommend it. We warn all motorists not to drive there unless they’re confident of their survival skills.” — Unnamed AAA Representative U.S. Route 50 stretches over 3,000 miles across the nation, from Sacramento, California, to Ocean City, Maryland. In July
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Nevada Has a Glacier As we’ve learned over the past month, Nevada boasts remarkable natural splendor. With huge mountains, spectacular canyons, world-class lakes, and expansive deserts, the state has more beauty than its reputation might suggest. Visiting the Silver State, one leaves with the notion that this area is an unheralded jewel. Following this trend,
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