SILVER CITY - The organizers of the annual Virginia City Hillclimb through Silver City have hit the wall.
Citing local opposition, Lyon County commissioners denied a request from the National Auto Sport Association to run its hillclimb through Silver City.
Commissioners received letters from both the Silver City Advisory Council and the Silver City Volunteer fire Department opposing the June 3-4 event.
The winding hills of State Route 341, the truck route through Silver City to Virginia City, is a popular site of auto hill climb events. However, local officials say three rallies through their town within one month is too many.
Informing event organizers of their inability to assist, Volunteer Fire Chief Jim Allender wrote, "Due to the impact on our community of previously scheduled hill climbs, we are unable to commit to a third."
Residents along the route say they are abused by spectators. A letter from the advisory council protesting the approval of additional hill climbs stated, "They trespass on private property, urinate there, trample gardens, threaten and pilfer."
Commissioners previously approved events for mid-June and for the weekend of June 24-25. Households in the vicinity of the racecourse endure eight to 10 hours a day of engine noise.
Event organizers did not attend last week's public hearing.
