A New Mountain Home and Sierra Winter Update
By Charlie Pankey, Sierra Rec Magazine
In this week’s Sierra Rec Now Podcast, I share a major personal update that will shape the next chapter of Sierra Rec while keeping the Sierra Nevada firmly at the heart of everything we do. After nearly a decade rooted in the Carson Valley, I have relocated to the Skagit Valley of Northwest Washington. It is a big life transition, but one filled with familiar mountains, new trails, and a deeper appreciation for the wider mountain culture of the West.
What hasn’t changed is our mission: helping you discover great places, great people, and great adventure across the Sierra and beyond.
Settling Into a New Mountain Landscape
My new home sits between the shoreline of the Salish Sea and the high peaks of the North Cascades. Within an hour I can reach the Ross Lake National Recreation Area and the boundary of North Cascades National Park—one of the least visited national parks in the country despite having one of the largest glacial systems in the Lower 48.
The landscape here is different than the Sierra—rain-soaked forests, cedar giants, ferns, thick moss, low winter light, and deep river canyons. But the feeling is similar: mountains as far as the eye can see, roads leading toward trailheads, and endless invitations to explore.
Even in my first week, I found myself exploring a quiet lake above the small town of Concrete, surrounded by steep peaks and forest draped in green. It reminded me why Sierra Rec exists in the first place: to help more people step out the door and into landscapes that reset the heart.
Sierra Nevada Winter Begins
While I’m adjusting to a new home base, the Sierra Nevada is officially shifting into winter.
Mount Rose kicked off ski season with early runs already open. Backcountry skiers are reporting quality early-season turns above Red Lake, and a strong early winter storm pattern is shaping up for Thanksgiving week. It’s still that transitional time where snowpack varies widely, avalanche danger is real, and rocks and early-season hazards are waiting under thin coverage.
A few quick notes from the Sierra:
- Mount Rose: Open with early terrain.
- Heavenly: Hosting 70th anniversary kickoff events, though the official opening date adjusted.
- Palisades Tahoe: Targeting a Thanksgiving-week opening as snowmaking allows.
- Mammoth, Boreal, and others: Watching weather windows and adjusting schedules.
For early winter family getaways, Lassen Volcanic National Park is always a favorite. Sledding near the south entrance and short hikes to Sulphur Works offer a great early-season experience. On the east side, the winter trail networks around Spooner Pass and Tahoe City come alive as soon as the first storms settle in.
And don’t overlook the beauty of Lake Tahoe in the off-season—quiet beaches, quiet mornings, and a shoreline experience that feels entirely different than summer.
What This Move Means for the Podcast and Magazine
The Sierra remains our backbone. Sierra Rec Magazine will continue to publish Sierra-specific digital issues, produce Sierra trail guides, cover local events, and interview Sierra experts and adventurers.
But with this move comes an opportunity to expand the lens.
Throughout the winter and into 2026, the podcast will begin exploring a wider mountain network—Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and eventually the greater West. Not replacing the Sierra, but enriching it. Because mountain culture, at its core, is shared: the same love of trail time, quiet lakes, old forests, and time spent with people who understand why we chase these places.
As I explore the North Cascades and other new regions, I’ll be bringing those experiences back into the Sierra Rec community: trail insights, comparisons, stories, new gear conversations, and interviews with mountain-town locals shaping recreation in their landscapes.
A New Beginning, Same Purpose
Whether you’re in Reno, Bishop, Carson City, Tahoe, Truckee, Quincy, Mammoth, Mariposa, or visiting the Sierra for the first time, the goal remains unchanged: inspire your next mountain trip and help you discover places that become part of your story.
Thanks for listening, reading, and following along as Sierra Rec continues to evolve. Our Winter Edition arrives on Thanksgiving Day, and we hope it inspires your winter escapes this season.
Here’s to new trails, new snow, and your next best trip to the mountains.
