The challenge: Trek from Carson City to Canada. You could make $5,000

People will soon be able to trek from the steps of the Nevada state Capitol in Carson City through the Sierra at Lake Tahoe and on to the Pacific Crest Trail, where they can complete the 1,600-mile journey to the Canadian border.

Oh, and two participants will earn $5,000 each for doing so.

There is a caveat for this money-making journey: The pair will be making a travelogue as they tramp along.

The Carson City to Canada Quest, which is taking applications until May 31, is intended for experienced hikers only. Finalists will be contacted in late July.

The start date for the quest will be in summer 2025.

The quest was sparked by the July 2023 opening of the Capital to Tahoe Trail, which was completed after eight years. It’s the first single-track connection from Carson City to Lake Tahoe.

The trail is about 9.8 miles and crosses Nevada State Parks, U.S. Forest Service and private lands.

The new trail boasts rugged, forested landscape, steep rocks, and beautiful views of Carson City and neighboring Washoe Valley. Mountain biking, hiking, running and horseback riding are all allowed on the trail.

“Once we realized that this connection could be made, our trails coordinator thought it was really cool that you can go from Carson City all the way to Canada. Let’s challenge someone to do it,” said Lydia Beck, marketing and PR manager for the Visit Carson City tourism bureau, sponsor of the trail.

The Tahoe portion of the trail is currently buried under layers of snow; parts of the trail near Carson City are also covered in snow, according to Beck. The trail is expected to open around July, when more of the snow has melted.

To be considered for the contest, applicants have to send in a 60-second video in which they say why they want to complete the journey and why they’d be a good fit. The two hikers chosen have to be willing to send in weekly updates so everyone can follow them on their trek.

“We want people who aren’t seasoned hikers to see what the journey is like,” Beck said. “We have to be able to tap into the GPS device that they’re using. We hope to embed that on our landing page so we have a tracker.”