Nevada County Life

Because of our location, geography, and variances in elevation, I often find it difficult to get accurate forecasts and information about our local Nevada County weather from the major weather websites and other weather news sources. But, there is a local man who is a weather expert and studies and posts almost daily information (and often several times per day) for a hobby that can benefit us all!

Visit this local Nevada County weather blog for weather predictions, videos, photos, and information about current weather in the Grass Valley and Nevada City areas.

The recent series of winter storms have dropped some considerable amounts of snow on Grass Valley, and one of the best local places to go and walk in the snow has to be the Empire Mine State Historic Park. 

I arrived at the Penn Gate parking lot at about 9.30am and although it was empty (unusually so because by this time normally the parking lot is full and there are a good number of horse trailers in the trailer area) I was not the first person to enter the park that day.  Ski tracks and footprints led from the parking lot along the Hardrock trail through the six or so inches of fresh powder.

I followed the Hardrock trail first past the Pennsylvania mine buildings and then past the WYOD mine before doubling back in a loop and climbing through the WYOD mine spoil heap joining the trail leading back past the mule corral and the back of the Pennsylvania mine buildings. 

The Empire Mine State Park is an amazing recreational resource right here in Grass Valley, and the trails never lose their appeal, especially when weather events such as snow storms change the whole experience.  Only a few days ago the weather was unseasonably warm, the trails were dry and people were walking them in shorts and t shirts!

The Foothills Celebration in Downtown Grass Valley on March 7th is an excellent opportunity to come and visit the gold mining town of Grass Valley, California, and sample local wines and local chef specialities prepared by Grass Valley restaurants.  

Walk the streets of downtown and drop in on local stores selling local goods and crafts, with each of the participating stores also featuring locally prepared snacks and local wines.  We’ve attended this event for a number of years now and it has never disappointed.

Plan to look at some of the streets away from the downtown area and see examples of the historic homes that are frequently found in Grass Valley (consult the Heritage Homes booklet, available from the Bookseller on Mill St, for a list of local houses worth viewing.).  Also make some time to take in the gold mining history of the area, including the Empire Mine State Historic Park, and the Northstar Mine Powerhouse and Pelton Wheel Museum. 

The event itself runs from 1pm to 4pm on March 7th, 2009.  For ticket prices and information on how to get tickets, please contact the Grass Valley Downtown Association at 530-272-8315.

Wondering what to do for Valentine’s Day in Nevada County? This year Valentine’s Day is on a Saturday, so that makes for a fun full day or weekend! These are some of my ideas:

Go wine tasting. Tour our local vineyards dotted around the foothills for a tasty day and lovely scenery. Many of them are open to the public for wine tasting on weekends. Visit Northern Sierra Wine Country for information and maps.  Or, like the sound of wine tasting, but wishing to stay in town? The Lucchesi Winery tasting room in downtown Grass Valley is putting on a Valentine’s Day event. There will be wine tasting, music, hors d’oeuvres, chocolate, and flowers! Visit thisisnevadacounty.com for details about this event.

For a romantic outdoor dining adventure, pack a creative picnic and head to the South Yuba River. Or if you prefer to go out to eat… In downtown Nevada City, try the fondue at Friar Tuck’s, Thai at Sopa Thai, or everything is good at the New Moon. In downtown Grass Valley, Italian always has a romantic flair, so go to Villa Venezia.

Whatever you plan to do on Valentine’s Day, there are many local shops with the Valentine’s Day gifts and treats you need. In downtown Grass Valley, stop in Dorado’s for chocolate, Foothill Flowers of course, Sierra Starr Winery for champagne, and Aimee Taylor’s on Mill Street has some unique jewelry, prints, and other gifts.

Why does this rural area of California have so many Victorian homes? Gold and gold mining. To give you an idea of how rich the area was, the Empire Mine in Grass Valley produced 5.8 million ounces of gold between 1850 and 1956, when it closed. It’s currently on record as the oldest, largest and richest gold mine in the state of California.

Nevada City and Grass Valley were boom towns during this period, and many fine houses were built. Although there were a number of fires in both towns, many Victorian houses survived them, and more importantly survived the redevelopment of the towns in the 20th century. Then the end of mining operations in the 1950s ushered in an economic downturn for the area, with some of the Victorian properties falling into disrepair at this time, but the economic revival that has taken place in Nevada County based on tourism and an influx of high technology companies has been accompanied with a new appreciation for these wonderful properties. Many have been renovated and restored, and in turn they provide visitors with one more thing to appreciate in our local area.

The best way to see the Victorians in Grass Valley and Nevada City is to walk through the neighborhoods surrounding the downtown areas.