carson city hike

Carson City Will Pay Two People to Hike the Pacific Crest Trail

The campaign Carson City to Canada Quest promotes the city’s newly minted Capital to Tahoe Trail, which connects to the Pacific Crest Trail.

As part of a new campaign, Carson City said it will award two thru-hikers $5,000 a piece for hiking from Nevada's capital to the U.S. and Canadian border.

In a release, Visit Carson City, the city's tourism office, described "the adventure of a lifetime" as a 1,600-mile hike starting at the steps of the Nevada State Capitol building and ending at the Northern Temrinus monument.

The campaign — Carson City to Canada Quest — is part of a promotion for the city's newly minted Capital to Tahoe Trail, which connects to the famed Pacific Crest Trail.

David Peterson, executive director of Visit Carson City, explained to local media why they decided the campaign was the best way to promote the trail.

"Once we realized that someone could start hiking right here in Carson City and take the Capital to Tahoe Trail to some of the greatest hiking trails in the world, we knew this would be a terrific opportunity to not only showcase our access to the outdoors but also to tap into something bigger," Peterson said.

According to the fine print, anyone can apply for the trip but officials are looking for experienced thru-hikers. To be selected and to be eligible to win the $5,000 prize for completing the hike, you have to first be selected.

However, if you are selected, you'll be expected to do a couple of things. First, they'll want you to document your experience while you're on the trail. And second, you'll have to apply for any permits needed for the trip.

Officials want the hike to begin in the summer of 2025, but the exact date will depend on weather conditions and snowpack in the mountains.

If you're interested in applying, you need to submit an application and a one-minute video about yourself on the Visit Carson City website before May 31 at 5 p.m. PST. Finalists will be contacted in late July.