GENOA PEAK (9,150') CLASS 1-2

Location: 10 miles SW of Carson City, NV

ROUTE A
Drive: Take Nevada Highway 207 to North Benjamin Drive. This point is 0.4 miles west from the sign marking "Daggett Summit Elev. 7334," or 11.8 miles west from the junction of NV 207 and Highway 88, or 2.9 miles east of the junction of U.S. 50 and NV 207. Turn north on North Benjamin Drive, pass Brautovitch Park, and continue straight ahead as the road name changes to "Andria Dr." Follow the steep paved road, 1.9 miles to the end of pavement, and park at the signed North Kingsbury Trailhead (elevation 7,820') if you wish to take Route B. Otherwise, basically and briefly, continue on the rough, main dirt road some 5 miles, all the way to the peak. A sign advises, "not suited for passenger cars."
In more detail, follow the main dirt road climbing up to a crest, ignoring the short spur roads. Descend slightly to an ORV play area. Go straight through. Stay on the main dirt road. In some 2 miles from the start, come to a hill from where the road drops some 500 feet total over the next mile. While this route was being checked in June, 2000, road construction was being undertaken. If wary of further bad road, park in the next few hundred yards. Otherwise, perhaps, a few rocky spots that may follow can be driven with a good high clearance vehicle.
In another half mile more, come to an unsigned junction at a saddle of the Carson Range crest. Go right (northeast). The facility on the summit is visible from here. Regular high clearance cars should park here. With a good 4WD vehicle, one may drive to within 150 feet of the top.
Climb: A rocky steep use trail leads to the communications facility atop this peak.

ROUTE B
Drive: (see Route A, Drive) Park at the North Kingsbury Trailhead before the end of the paved road. There is an outhouse back at Brautovich Park. A board displays the map showing the routes, and gives brief descriptions, with mileages.
Climb: Take the signed Tahoe Rim Trail to the left (west). It climbs around a small hill, and comes to a side trail left for "Castle Rock", after a half mile. Continue right or straight on the Tahoe Rim Trail. This climbs, in a short way, by the top of a small hill. Lake Tahoe is visible through the trees. Continuing along the TRT, there is a series of dips and climbs, adding some 300' gain each way to the hike. A few blocked off logging roads or tracks intersect the trail, with the foot trail route signed and apparent.
Eventually come to a side logging/fire road with TRT posts marking the main trail. There are various options here. 1. You can turn right (east) on this dirt road to proceed a few hundred yards to the main crest road. Turn right (south) again, descend a small bit, then come in about a hundred yards to the summit road. This is where most regular vehicles will park (Route A) for the half mile climb to the summit. Turn left on this very steep, rocky road, climb to the secondary facility to the north of the highpoint, and take the 150' rocky use trail to the summit. 2. Continue on the TRT to come to a trail junction (a signed 5.5 miles from the North Kingsbury Trailhead) in about 0.2 mile. Take either the TRT or Sierra Canyon Trail to intersect the summit dirt road. It is about 0.2 mile to turn left on the summit dirt road
taking the right trail, which is followed to the top. 3. Or proceed left about 0.5 mile on the TRT to view the summit dirt road to the right, about 100 feet away by a ducked use trail. Come to the nearby three way junction and take the middle road to the top.

WINTER SKI ASCENT: The Andria Drive road is usually plowed to North Kingsbury Trailhead. Route A, Drive and Climb, has been followed over and past the peak to connect with roads leading to Spooner Summit. A great, powder, tree run can be made down the north slopes of South Camp Peak, when conditions are right.

TRIP STATS: Route A, 750 feet gain, 0.5 mile one way, or 150 feet gain, several hundred feet from the 4WD parking; Route B, 1,600 feet gain, with another 300 feet gain on the return, 6.5 miles one way; winter ski ascent, same as Route A from the North Kingsbury Trailhead, which is 5 miles with 1,500 feet gain with 500 feet extra gain on the return; the traverse to Spooner Summit, 1,500-1,800 feet gain with 2,200 feet drop, 12 miles one way.

Notes: A 11.5 mile loop from the North Kingsbury Trailhead can be made taking either Route A or B up, then taking the other route back to the North Kingsbury Trailhead. This TRT route, although much longer, makes a more worthy, scenic, effort to do this peak.
An ascent was done, with permission, from the Carson Valley by the Mother Lode Chapter, Sierra Club, in 1977. This climb started on a trail, then led cross-country through brush and talus to the summit.
There is now the Sierra Canyon Trail, on which I have no information.

Back to Northern Sierra Peaks Home Page