Paul Szydelko
I recently took a walk with my sister on the serene Historic Railroad Trail at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The four-mile trail was once part of a 30-mile stretch of tracks that connected Las Vegas, Boulder City and the construction site of Hoover Dam. It's a place whose features include a number of spots to take in beautiful views of Lake Mead as well as such inhabitants as owls, rattlesnakes, lizards and bighorn sheep.
The mostly flat, easy, accessible trail is in stark contrast with what renowned rock climber Alex Honnold is usually associated with -- like his harrowing, ropeless ascent up Taipei 101, one of the world's tallest skyscrapers, an endeavor that was streamed on Netflix the next day. Nevertheless, the Nevada native is starring in a new five-part travel series that focuses not on extreme climbs but on remote parts of his home state and its culture.
"Get a Little Out There with Alex Honnold," developed in partnership with Travel Nevada (the Nevada Division of Tourism) and Outside, will be available to stream on OutsideTV starting Feb. 26.
"Involvement in this series is awesome for me," said Honnold, whose climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park was the subject of "Free Solo," the 2019 Oscar-winning documentary feature. "My love for adventure matches the spirit of Nevada. Red Rock [National Conservation Area near Las Vegas] has been a huge part of my life, but Nevada still surprises me with how much there is to see and do. I'm excited to explore the hidden corners of this state and share what makes it so special."
Among his adventures were mining for turquoise to make jewelry in central Nevada and stargazing in Great Basin National Park, where visitors can also explore ancient bristlecone pine forests, hike Wheeler Peak and tour Lehman Caves. Operators like MaxTour offer daytrips from Las Vegas to the park. Nearby Ely is a historical mountain town with a rich mining history and vibrant murals.
In one episode, Honnold pays a visit to the International Car Forest of the Last Church, which features more than 40 cars, vans, truck and buses either driven into the ground or stacked precariously. It was created by longtime Goldfield, Nev., resident Mark Rippie and artists Chad Sort and Zal Sargent. Like Texas' Cadillac Ranch and Nebraska's Carhenge, visitors are invited to spray paint their own art and messages on the vehicles.
He also spends time in Boulder City, just a 30-minute drive from the Strip. The town was built to support the construction of the dam and has a quaint historical district with restaurants, bars and antique shops -- but no casinos.
"For many years, Alex has been a tremendous unofficial brand ambassador for Nevada," said Rafael Villanueva, CEO at Travel Nevada. "We are thrilled to partner with him and Outside to help share the spirit of Nevada and the under-the-radar spots within our state that embody it."
For clients who might be interested in leaving the Strip behind for a day, Travel Nevada is building Adventure Centers
in both Boulder City and Carson City. The Adventure Centers, expected
to open in the fall, are designed to be information hubs to help
visitors plan trips and connect with tour operators.